
Notorious Pleasures
Maiden Lane, Book 2
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Narrated by:
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Ashford McNab
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By:
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Elizabeth Hoyt
About this listen
Their lives were perfect...
Lady Hero Batten, the beautiful sister of the Duke of Wakefield, has everything a woman could want, including the perfect fiancé. True, the Marquis of Mandeville is a trifle dull and has no sense of humor, but that doesn't bother Hero... until she meets his notorious brother.
Until they met each other...
Griffin Remmington, Lord Reading, is far from perfect - and he likes it that way. How he spends his days is a mystery, but all of London knows he engages in the worst sorts of drunken revelry at night. Hero takes an instant dislike to him, and Griffin thinks that Hero, with her charities and faultless manners, is much too impeccable for society, let alone his brother. Yet their near-constant battle of wits soon sparks desire - desire that causes their carefully constructed worlds to come tumbling down. As Hero's wedding nears, and Griffin's enemies lay plans to end their dreams forever, can two imperfect people find perfect true love?
Pay another visit to Maiden Lane.©2011 Elizabeth Hoyt (P)2011 HachetteListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
RT Book Reviews, Best Historical Romance, Nominated, 2015
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bland narrator
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Truly Unexpected
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Love This Series
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Notorious Pleasures is about two unlikely lovers coming together despite all odds against them. I originally shunned the idea of reading a book centered on the love development between notorious rake Griffin Remmington (Lord Reading) and Lady Hero Batten (sister of Duke Wakefield), solely because Lady Hero was engaged to none other than the Marquis of Mandeville (Thomas), who is Griffin's brother!!!
I actually started the series with book #3, followed by #4, and #5, then went down to #1 and finally #2.
The reason I put this book off was because, first of all, how can you sympathize with such blatant cheaters?--Well, that was my original thought. Yet, Elizabeth Hoyt unravels a story that is not cut out of the same cookie-cutter. And, after understanding the characters you just have to throw away any previous misconceptions you formed, at least that was my experience. I found myself quickly rooting for the love between Griffin and Hero.
There are many issues with Thomas's character. He is one of those political figures who overrides the desires and wants of his own heart to pursue what he believes will be better suited for his political and social life. That might sound self-sacrificing and noble, but when he couldn't keep his eyes off of his previous mistress Lady Tate (who he is still in love with), especially in the company of Lady Hero (his fiancé), I was like, "OH NO YOU DIDN'T!!" lol. Worse yet, Thomas planned on continuing a relationship with Lady Tate once settled in his marriage. Thomas is a man who insists on imposing a world with a set of rules that only benefit him. And, I say that because even Lady Tate, an older widow, had the decency to reject Thomas's offer to be his kept woman after his marriage to Lady Hero. I thought that depicted Lady Tate in a positive light, despite the circumstances. Ultimately, it works out for Thomas and Lady Tate and he finally comes to his senses about his love match--social norms be dammed.
I wanted to mention that there is a lot of exposure of the Duke of Wakefield, Lady Hero's brother who is the hero in Book #6. That man is wound up too tightly!!! He is such a stiff-neck & I'm glad he is going to get humbled & melted in his book. It's inevitable for such a staunch & hard character. (Secretly, I hope he suffers a bit in love because he just needs some breaking...& then healing... :-)
Another character I found really appealing was Griffin and Thomas's mother. She is such a perceptive, warm and caring woman. That was a nice change from some of the aristocratic mothers of her era.
As for the love between Griffin and Hero, it's the best kind. There is repulsion before there is conflict, followed by anger, tender moments, and then the realization of love. I don't think you can have true passion without some anger, and the angst between these characters is suitable to their situations.
Griffin is a great hero because underneath the facade of indifference, he is a hard-worker who sacrificed the completion of this education in order to resolve his family's financial predicament. His father's death left the family in dire, financial straights. So while Thomas maintains the appearance of the responsible man of his family, Griffin actually is the person who is good with finances and takes his family out of their economic crisis.
Now about the heroine, Lady Hero, her name is suited for her character. In the 1st book, Wicked Intentions, Temperance had the burden of finding a sponsor or donor to maintain the orphanage (the name is too long). In this book, Lady Hero takes on that burden and makes sure that the displaced children in St. Giles have a home to live in and are taken care of. I felt compassion for Lady Hero because initially she was a victim of her time period. The Duke of Wakefield set up her marriage to Thomas and pushed Lady Hero until the very end to marry him (even after Thomas hit Lady Hero). Lady Hero is no dummy though, she was aware of the issues with Thomas (his eyeing Lady Tate & lack of interest in her, and empty incessant flattery etc.) and I'm so glad her independent spirit pushed through to put her own desires before that of her brother and society.
Just as in every Elizabeth Hoyt novel, there are many conflicts and dilemmas that require strong solutions. The proportion of the dilemmas correlate to the strong and almost traumatic resolutions. When you fall in love with your brother's fiancé, there is bound to be an explosive breaking away....and, that is just one of the problems among many that needed to be addressed in order for a blissful happiness to come to pass for the couple. E.H. very cunningly and entertainingly tied up all lose ends as is her craft. Great book!!!!
P.S. -- Narrator is fabulous as always!
Why did I read this book last? It was AMAZING!!!
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This is a great series!
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Like it!
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Ashford McNab does well enough as narrator.
The duke's daughter and the gin runner
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Very good, sexy, with well written, well rounded characters. Elizabeth Hoyt is an author with incredIble talent. Highly recommend. So far, I like this as much or more than the first.
And Ashford Mcnab has gotten her voice! She is wonderful.
Looking forward to reading more by this author and narrator.
A+ sequel by Hoyt. Don't pass up.
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Another good book in the series.
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I was not a huge fan of Hero, she seemed a bit perfect yet too willing to set aside that perfection for Griffin, I didn't see the attraction or feel any chemistry between them.
I didn't particularly like the side characters with the exception of Patience and Winter (who is by far one of my all time favorite heroes - he is swoon worthy.)
There was nothing out right terrible about this book other than I am not a fan of love stories that involve cheating even if the match is arranged. Maybe it was that Hero was not that engaging or I was not interested in Griffin's chosen profession and it's side story.
It has taken me several months to listen to this book, the other 3 of the series I have listened to twice at least and loved every minute of them, but this one is very easily skipped even if part of it gives insight into Patience's story.
I wouldn't waste a credit on this. The rest of the series is much better and Elizabeth Hoyt tells a good story with flawed characters.
Ashford MacNab needs to narrate more books in my opinion. She does a fantastic job.
::shrugs shoulders::
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