Tag: Erica Ridley

Lord of Vice by Erica Ridley

On By TracyIn Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's Reviews2 Comments

Lord of Vice (Rogues to Riches, #6)Lord of Vice by Erica Ridley
Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Rogues to Riches, #6

Release Date: August 31, 2018

Maxwell Gideon is a self made man, he is the owner of the gaming hell The Cloven Hoof. He has worked hard and has grand plans, but unless he can get his silent partner to sell him the property that houses his club, all his plans will be for nothing.

Bryony Grenville is many things, a debutante, a violin virtuoso, an investment genius and currently her mother’s pet project. As the youngest and only unmarried child, her mother wants Bryony to make a spectacular match and has told her that she will find a husband this season or her parents will find one for her. Bryony wishes she could live her life as she desires, that she didn’t have to hide her talent for investing behind a fake identity. When her brother Heath comes to her with Max’s latest offer to buy the property, Bryony is intrigued, Max is offering twice what the property is worth and she wants to know why.

This is the beginning of a most unusual friendship. Max is unwillingly captivated by the young woman who sneaked into his club, he sends her away, but is not was upset as he should be when she returns the next night. Bryony is thrilled, Max actually listens to her suggestions and doesn’t treat her like an oddity. She really likes him and enjoys working with him, she wonders if they could be partners in truth, but when he finds out who she really is, all her hopes turn to ash.

Max likes Bryony, but she is a member of the nobility, he wants nothing to do with her. But Bryony won’t be ignored or judged for her birth, she continues to visit Max and promises she will consider his offer to buy the property, she just wants a month of his time to learn the business and get to know him before she gives him her decision.

As they spend more time together, they both begin to have hopes for a future together, but when reality comes calling, Max reverts to his previous belief that they are of different worlds and can never be together. When Bryony makes a last ditch effort to change his mind, it backfires and she concedes defeat. Will Max realize what he has lost before her parents marry her off? Will she forgive him for his hurtful words?

This was a quick read, well written and entertaining. Bryony and Max are wonderful characters and have great chemistry. There are cameos from previous characters, a lot of amusing dialogue, some warm love scenes, a little heartache and a great ending. This is the sixth book in the series, but it could be read as a stand alone title with no problems.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*

Lord of Secrets by Erica Ridley

On By TracyIn Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's Reviews1 Comment

LoS_R2R

Lord of Secrets

Heath Grenville is the problem-solver for London’s elite. Unmask the devious cretin skewering the ton with audacious caricatures? With pleasure. His success should keep the powerful happy. But when his work leads him to a young lady outside his class, surely he won’t do anything so scandalous as to fall in love…
By day, Miss Eleanora Winfield is a proper, unremarkable paid companion. By night, Nora’s skillful hands sketch the infamous penny caricatures rocking high society. Nora desperately needs the money…and her anonymity. But how can she keep them both, when she’s fallen for the one man whose livelihood and reputation requires him to expose her?

Lord of Secrets is the fourth book of a new series. In the Rogues to Riches historical romance series, Cinderella stories aren’t just for princesses… Sigh-worthy Regency rogues sweep strong-willed young ladies into whirlwind rags-to-riches romance.

Release Date: June 2018
Series Order: Rogues to Riches #5
Publisher: WebMotion
Length: 300 pages (70,000 words)
Genre: Historical Romance (Regency)

ISBN: 978-1943794089 (ebook) MSRP: $4.99
ISBN: 978-1943794164 (mmpb) MSRP: $8.99

Audiobook available on Audible, iTunes, Amazon, and WhisperSync.

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The Rogues to Riches romance books in Series Order:

#1 Lord of Chance April 2017
#2 Lord of Pleasure May 2017
#3 Lord of Night July 2017
#4 Lord of Temptation March 2018
#5 Lord of Secrets June 2018
#6 Lord of Vice Autumn 2018

Tracy’s Review:

Lord of Secrets (Rogues to Riches, #5)Lord of Secrets by Erica Ridley
Tracy’s rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Rogues to Riches #5

Release Date: June 15, 2018

Heath Grenville, is heir to the Grenville barony, older brother to Dahlia, Camellia and Bryony and the secret-keeper/problem solver of the ton. He has promised his mother that he will pick a bride this season and marry. His bride will of course have the proper bloodlines, wealth and connections to be a future Baroness and while he secretly has hopes and dreams of a much different life, he accepts that this is the life he was born into and has a duty to the title.

Eleanora “Nora” Winfield is Heath’s complete opposite, orphaned and taken in by her ailing grandparents, Nora has worked non-stop for years trying to keep her family fed. When the chance to act as a temporary companion to her distant cousin arises, she takes it. London society has been an eye opening experience for Nora. In London she is invisible and as a paid companion, she is treated pretty much as a servant. Nora has secrets too, first she has problems reading and writing and second she is an artist. For fun she sent some cartoonish drawings home to her family and is horrified to learn that her brother sold them and the publisher wants more – paying more than she is earning as a companion! She doesn’t like the idea of doing scandalous cartoons, but how can she deprive her family of the much needed funds?? She reasons that she is not creating gossip and she is never intentionally cruel. She meets Heath at a ball and is immediately smitten – as is he. He is disappointed to learn that she is not of his class and therefore is not baroness material – but he can’t seem to stay away.

When Lady Roundtree (Nora’s cousin/employer) hires Heath to unmask the mysterious cartoonist – they end up spending more and more time together. After a print of his sister is released, Heath is furious and redoubles his efforts to find the artist. He also decides that Nora is the woman for him despite the difference in their stations and decides to court her.

But when Nora’s secrets are revealed, will Heath be able to forgive her for her deception?

I thought this was a great read, not too heavy, but clearly giving insight into the class differences in regency England. I loved Nora, she is a loving, loyal and generous person, Heath was a wonderful friend and brother, but a bit of a snob. The secondary characters are great and his sisters are priceless, the love scenes are warm and well done. I did feel like the ending/conflict resolution was a bit rushed and quickly resolved. I loved that the last chapter was 4 months later and then there was an epilogue as well – BONUS! This book is the fifth book in the series, but it can be read as a stand alone title with no problems. If you have been following the series, you will probably recognize some events as this book’s timeline is the same as Lord of Pleasure.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review of an uncorrected eARC provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*