Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue: A Cynster Novel

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Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue: A Cynster Novel (The Cynster Sisters Trilogy #1)

by Stephanie Laurens (Goodreads Author)

3.83 of 5 stars 3.83 · rating details · 1,822 ratings · 180 reviews

Three heros, three rescues, three weddings.

You are cordially invited to the wedding of Miss Heather Cynster

...but not before she encounters kidnappers, danger, and a daring rescue at the hands of Viscount Breckenridge.

Determined to hunt down her very own hero, one who will sweep her off her feet and into wedded bliss, and despairing of finding him in London's staid ballr...more

ebook, 332 pages

Published August 30th 2011 by HarperCollins Publishers (first published August 1st 2011)

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Mar 05, 2012 Chy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I need a special rating for romance. One that depicts, "Oh, you know; 'historical' romance." There are a lot of things that are so typical to the genre that I'd get tired of complaining about them in every review, and this one has all of them.

What entertains me is finding the ones that sway away from the "norms." You know, heroines that don't have "delicate" hands, men who don't make every woman they meet swoon.

(I'm still in love with Deborah Simmons for that one hero of hers that's oh-so-dreamy...more

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Sep 13, 2011 Emma rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Such a fun and heart-warming story. I had given up on these Cynsters many books ago and bought this one on a whim. Lucky choice because I loved this book and can't wait to read the next one in the series. It reminded me of the early Julia Quinn books with great characters, funny moments and real romance simmering throughout the pages. Did I mention the very sexy scenes ?? Those were a bit too long I admit, somethimes it was like they would not end it !! Anyway, if you're in for a light sexy adn...more

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Apr 10, 2013 May Mostly Romance rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical

เรื่องนี้เป็นเล่มแรกในชุดย่อย The Cynster Sisters ที่เล่าเรื่องพี่น้องสามสาวตระกูลซินสเตอร์ แต่นับแล้วเป็นเล่มที่สิบหกในชุดซินสเตอร์ที่ถูกเขียนออกมา (แต่นับตามลำดับเวลาก็ไม่ใช่เล่มที่สิบหกหรอกนะคะ เพราะบางเล่มเหตุการณ์เกิดขึ้นหลังจากเล่มนี้)

เรื่องเริ่มต้นที่ตัวละครลึกลับที่ถูกบีบบังคับจากผู้เป็นมารดาให้หาทางจับตัวหญิงสาวของตระกูลซินสเตอร์มาที่ปราสาทของเขา และทำลายชื่อเสียงของเธอ เรื่องเขียนอย่างชัดเจนถึงคาแร็คเตอร์ลึกลับคนนี้ว่า ไม่ได้อยากจะทำตามคำสั่งเท่าไหร แต่ก็ไม่มีทางเลือก และนั่นนำมาถึงแผน...more

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Mar 17, 2013 Kimberly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I did it! Started at the first book in this sub set of the Cynster family saga! Whoo! I condition interesting that this is labeled as a trilogy when there is reference to an item being passed down from the heroine to her 2 sisters and then 3 more family members. Guess that is not important, but it is strange that it was thrown in there if the plans are just the sisters. Anyway, I was not sure I would like this. Amazon had some pretty harsh reviews of it and the following books. I did like this o...more

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Feb 02, 2013 Tina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Stephanie Laurens is an established author whose work I did not begin to read until recently. Thus far, I have pretty mixed feelings. I love the stories in General, especially the Cynster clan novels. An author who not only uses a "family" or group of related characters across several books to create a series is not as common as I thought, and to be able to make each story sound fresh is a challenge. I believe Laurens has done that here, with her first novel in the Cynster sisters trilogy.
The pr...more Stephanie Laurens is an established author whose work I did not begin to read until recently. Thus far, I have pretty mixed feelings. I love the stories in General, especially the Cynster clan novels. An author who not only uses a "family" or group of related characters across several books to create a series is not as common as I thought, and to be able to make each story sound fresh is a challenge. I believe Laurens has done that here, with her first novel in the Cynster sisters trilogy.
The premise of the Cynster sisters stories is the karmic intervention that comes from being in possession of an old necklace. not valuable so much for its monetary worth but much more so for its uncanny knack of bringing a "hero" the the bearer of the necklace. Enter Heather Cynster, the first to actively seek out her future husband by stepping outside polite society and into the world of more racy pursuits. In the process, she is abducted by a group of unsavory sorts, and is taken on a cross-continental journey that taxes her patience but appeals to her sense of adventure as well.
Enter Timothy Danvers, Viscount Breckenridge. A thorn in Heather's side for longer than she cares to admit, he worms his way into her life at every turn. Indeed, it is Breckenridge who discovers her abduction and races to her rescue. The impossibly adventurous and stubborn Heather then swoons at his feet and professes undying gratitude, right?
Wrong. Our erstwhile heroine is in a rage at being abducted, and decides that since she is in no immediate danger, she will simply remain in her captors' possession until she can learn who hired the kidnappers to snatch her up. With no small degree of frustration, Breckenridge agrees to her plan, and the first half of the book is spent in secret meetings between the two when Heather can slip away from her captors for discreet walks or late-night forays to the kitchens of the inns they take her to.
Eventually, escape is planned, and Breckenridge indeed does whisk Heather out of the hands of her captors. However, by now the mysterious financier of the kidnappings is about, and rather than Heather and Tim taking the next carriage home to safety, they must flee across the wilds of Scotland into England by a ridiculous maze of rocky plains and dangerous hills.
The book ends quite well, with a different kind of pursuit: Breckenridge chasing after Heather for his wife. The pace of the book was very good, and I really enjoyed the small twist at the end. I look forward to reviewing the second and third novels in this series!(less)

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Sep 07, 2012 E. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, romance

Stephanie Laurens starts her trilogy about the Cynster sisters with the tale of Heather Cynster in "Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue". The three Cynster sisters have decided that they will marry only their respective heroes but they seem to be having trouble locating said prospective bridegrooms. Heather decides to take matters into her own hands and attends a less than respectable soiree only to be peremptorily escorted outside and instructed to return home. The dictator? Her regular nemesis...more Stephanie Laurens starts her trilogy about the Cynster sisters with the tale of Heather Cynster in "Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue". The three Cynster sisters have decided that they will marry only their respective heroes but they seem to be having trouble locating said prospective bridegrooms. Heather decides to take matters into her own hands and attends a less than respectable soiree only to be peremptorily escorted outside and instructed to return home. The dictator? Her regular nemesis, Timothy Danvers, Viscount Breckenridge, acknowledged rake supreme. This latest clash has a very unexpected side effect. Heather is kidnapped in front of the Viscount's disbelieving eyes and his pursuit and attempt at rescue is foiled by the victim herself who wants to solve the mystery behind her abduction due to the implied threat to her sisters. Danvers continues to do his utmost to protect the determined termagant even as she becomes increasingly important to his sense of comfort and satisfaction but she has very strict notions of what she will find acceptable in a mate. Each of them must find a way to compromise if they are going to find the happy every after that each Cynster considers an absolute requirement before he or she will accept a mate and they must find a way to eliminate the threat to the sisters.

Another wonderfully romantic and deeply satisfying Laurens tale that showcases another generation of Cynster siblings as they travel from the innocence of young adulthood to the eye-opening realities of maturity. Danvers is a dashingly portrayed rake who is determined to guard his heart despite or possibly because of his intimate knowledge of the far-reaching Cynster clan and their associates. His gradual enlightenment is also detailed as he struggles to navigate through the perilous challenges to both the physical and societal status of the lady who threatens to disrupt his very comfortable existence. The mysterious threat from a nebulous entity provides the unifying element that will tie the trilogy together as that aspect is very gradually revealed. This volume is also part of a charitable program that the publisher is supporting and some of the proceeds will be donated to the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance.

© Night Owl Reviews

I received a copy of this title in return for an honest review.(less)

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Jun 01, 2012 Amanda rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012, romance-bodyguards-protectors, romance-captive-imprisoned, romance-headstrong-heroines, romance-historical, romance-tstl

Why do I do this to myself?? I stopped reading anything by Stephanie Laurens a while ago, but for some reason I picked this up when I saw it in the library. And nothing has changed.
The heroine in every Stephanie Laurens book I've read is so ridiculously stubborn, I want to pull my hair out.

I don't know about anyone else, but I don't want my heroines to be prissy little shrews. A woman can be independent and strong without having to bend every man to her will, or go against everything anyone el...more

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Apr 10, 2012 Books-treasureortrash rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed, romance

Book review: 1 treasure box rating

Heather Cynster is an independent woman, yet she is still searching for a husband. Tired of looking in the more refined reception rooms, she decides to sneak out to a soiree in the Ton, in what some consider to be a den of iniquity. While there, she is kidnapped by a mysterious Scotsman. Lucky, Viscount Breckenridge witnesses the event. He is at first her nemesis, but quickly becomes her hero.

Stephanie Laurens has written numerous books and series, including sev...more

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Apr 01, 2012 Sierra rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Although I love romance, especially historical romance, good plot driven stories are hard to come by in this genre. I have read far too many “penny dreadfuls” lately. This book with its adventure, mystery and just the right amount of “sweep a girl off her feet” romance was just what I needed to revive my waning opinion of the genera.

Heather Cynster was the perfect heroine. She was strong but she also had her flaws. I really liked that fact that see never...more

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Jan 23, 2012 Erin rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I only occasionally read these types of romance books and this book is a perfect example of why that is the case. The author is obviously capable of crafting a tale. I was interested in what was happening and impressed by her descriptive prowess. That said, I found the characters revolting and incredibly caricatured. Seriously? The man has to be constantly described as a "warrior" or "masculine." And I lost count of the number of times the author referred to him as "the foremost rake of the ton....more I only occasionally read these types of romance books and this book is a perfect example of why that is the case. The author is obviously capable of crafting a tale. I was interested in what was happening and impressed by her descriptive prowess. That said, I found the characters revolting and incredibly caricatured. Seriously? The man has to be constantly described as a "warrior" or "masculine." And I lost count of the number of times the author referred to him as "the foremost rake of the ton." The female lead is "fragile," "delicate" and of course, a virgin ... blah, blah, blah. Here's an excerpt: "He hissed as her hands, small, scorching, demanding, found his chest... her face, delicate features limned in silver moonlight.. the heavy muscles defining his upper chest, then sliding her palms higher to stroke the firm muscles and heavy bones of his shoulders.... wondering what a virgin might think to do next." Why all the cliches? I think these authors have convinced themselves that this is what the readers want, but is it really?

And the sheer length of this book is astounding. I was reading this on a Nook, which I had checked out from the library and which came pre-loaded with books. I'm new to the e-reader and was testing it out. According to the Nook this book is 344 pages long. And I felt every one of them. It takes a ridiculously long time for Laurens to bring her characters to a realization that they actually do care for each other. She goes back and forth between the characters' inner monologues about their feelings for each other. It was painful.

And of course, the reason these authors write books set during various historical time periods is to make it acceptable to have marriage as the only acceptable outcome for the female characters. Wake up. This isn't the world we live in anymore. Thank goodness!

So here's my recommendation for all the readers. Switch over to m/m erotica. Be honest about why you're reading the books... sex, right? That's fine. That's why I read books like this. But at least with books written by authors like Marie Sexton (Coda books -- give them a try!) you get engaging characters set in the real world, who struggle with real emotions and issues, without all the dreck about heaving bosoms and virginal protagonists who nonetheless are having hot and heavy sex with those masculine rogues. (less)

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Oct 31, 2011 Romancing the Book rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, romance

Review by Bri: This was my first Cynster Sister Novels and to be my brassy blunt self-Stephanie Laurens is about to make some royalties from this southern belle. I’ve found myself entranced by all the Highlander novels by Hannah Howell lately. After reading all twenty something of them, I found my taste buds still demanding the Historical romances with a touch of paranormal. Unexpectedly I got that with these sassy Cynster ladies.

This novel started out with a powerful beginning, in a scandalous...more

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Oct 26, 2011 Minna rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: regency-romance

Big. Fat. MEH. Every Stephanie Laurens I read is worse and worse. Since when did Ms. Laurens begin writing, a la Nora Roberts, in short, choppy sentences? It was almost painful to read, and frankly I felt as though my intelligence was being insulted.

The initial premise (abduction for mysterious reasons by a mysterious nobleman) was promising. It quickly devolved into Heather (which reminds me, which early 18th century noblewomen were named Heather? Isn't that a MallRats kind of name?) being Sup...more

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Oct 23, 2011 Jessi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: appealing-characteristic-language, historical, romance, part-of-a-series, 2011

This one was a hard one to rate because, in comparison to other romance authors, this was a good book, but, in comparison to Stephanie Laurens... it was okay.
Heather Cynster is one of the younger generation of the famous family created by the author, one of the ones introduced in the first Cynster book. This is the first book of a series within the series. A mysterious man is being forced by his mother to take one of the Cynster sisters (Heather has two sisters and two other female cousins) and...more

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Oct 09, 2011 Susan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction-romance, romance

Take one independent, stubborn, intelligent Cynster female, add one stubborn yet clueless alpha male, mix well with a kidnapping and escape and sit back and watch the fireworks. At the beginning of the book these two, who have known each other for several years, can't seem to get along. She feels he is far too interfering in her life, and he thinks she is young and reckless. When Breckenridge witnesses her getting kidnapped, he takes off after her, prepared to rescue her. What he finds is that H...more

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Oct 03, 2011 Book Binge Blog rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When word got to me that Stephanie Laurens was writing a new series, I was hopeful that I'd enjoy it as much as I enjoyed (if not more) than the last series, The Black Cobra Quartet. I picked up this book thinking that it would be another wonderful start to a great series and while I enjoyed it, I didn't absolutely love it. I will say that Stephanie Laurens knows how to tell a story that makes you want to keep with the story until the very end. She does a fantastic job of hooking her claws into...more When word got to me that Stephanie Laurens was writing a new series, I was hopeful that I'd enjoy it as much as I enjoyed (if not more) than the last series, The Black Cobra Quartet. I picked up this book thinking that it would be another wonderful start to a great series and while I enjoyed it, I didn't absolutely love it. I will say that Stephanie Laurens knows how to tell a story that makes you want to keep with the story until the very end. She does a fantastic job of hooking her claws into the reader and not letting go because that's what happened with this story, for me.

This story follows Heather Cynster and Viscount Breckenridge as they set about trying to figure out who kidnapped her and what his plans are after he's got her. Heather is taken captive by two thugs and a lady's maid who have explicit orders to deliver the Cynster girl to Scotland where the guy who hired them will take over the care of Heather. The only person that saw Heather being kidnapped is the one guy that drives Heather up the wall. He's a rake and a scoundrel and doesn't like girls like her even though she might have had a crush on him but she's over that and over him so when she runs into him at a social function, she's not all that happy about it and she's even more unhappy when she runs into him outside but all of that unhappiness fades away when he becomes the one person that can save her from her kidnappers.

The story follows Heather and her kidnappers with Breckenridge following close behind, playing the role of weary traveler as they make their trek to Scotland to meet the guy who hired the thugs to kidnap the Cynster girl. Breckenridge thought it would be wise for him to take Heather away as soon as possible to limit the damage done to her reputation and because he could a lot more for her in England than he could in Scotland. But Heather knows that if she goes away with Breckenridge, they might not ever find out who is behind the kidnapping and what his true purpose was in the kidnapping so Heather convinces Breckenridge to play along.

This is a romance so you know what happened along the way...Heather and Breckenridge got closer and closer and then BAM! They were doing the nasty and falling in love, only Breckenridge was too stubborn to admit it and Heather wasn't having any of this half ass proposals either. She knew that society dictated that they marry since they've been in each other's company for quite some time now and she knew that Breckenridge wanted to do right by her but she's a Cynster and there was no way that she was going to settle for anything less than love in a marriage. It was hard to fault her since she's surrounded by all of those love matches in her family. I thought that I'd be more annoyed with her stubbornness for not wanting to marry Breckenridge but surprisingly, I was more annoyed with his stubbornness to not fess up to his true feelings because of his heartbreak before than I was with Heather for anything, period.

Overall, the story flowed well and the romance between the hero and the heroine was easy to fall into but there wasn't much meat to the other characters in the book that I usually enjoy in other books by Stephanie Laurens. I'm mighty intrigued with the whole mysterious Laird who's got a crazy mother and in need of a goblet to save his clan....that is proving to be a most promising storyline, one that I'm looking forward to reading.

I think what didn't exactly win me over is that while Heather and Breckenridge are front and center throughout the entire book, at the end I didn't feel as if I had a clear grasp on either of their characters. I knew what they went through and I knew how they felt for each other but I still didn't quite know who they were. It would have been nice to be more clear on just who each of their characters were. It's been a while since I've read a Cynster book so everything was kind of fuzzy for me and I don't remember who Heather is and it would have been nice to know more about Breckenridge and who the girl was that broke his heart, you know, stuff like that.

This story was cute, I enjoyed getting to know both Heather and Breckenridge. Breckenridge is one sexy beast and I look forward to seeing more of him and Heather throughout the other books. I'm looking forward to reading Eliza's story next.

Grade: 3.5 out of 5

This review was originally posted by Rowena on Book Binge.(less)

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Aug 31, 2011 Among The Muses rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, historical-romance, netgalley, spinster-heroine, victorian-time-period

A kidnapping, a journey, self-discovery, and an unmistakable love fueled by unbridled passion are just some of the aspects that make up this odyssey-like, romantic historical read.

The hero and heroine have a strong aversion to each other ... right? Viscount Breckenridge *is* after all one of the most notorious rakes of England. And Heather Cynster is one of the most strong-willed and stubborn twenty-five year-old Lady's of the ton. Yet .. a passion neither expects nor necessarily welcomes -- at...more A kidnapping, a journey, self-discovery, and an unmistakable love fueled by unbridled passion are just some of the aspects that make up this odyssey-like, romantic historical read.

The hero and heroine have a strong aversion to each other ... right? Viscount Breckenridge *is* after all one of the most notorious rakes of England. And Heather Cynster is one of the most strong-willed and stubborn twenty-five year-old Lady's of the ton. Yet .. a passion neither expects nor necessarily welcomes -- at least on the heroine's part -- is discovered during a most unfortunate event: the kidnapping of Heather Cynster.

Fans of alpha heroes with a sensitive, intelligent, and caring core will surely enjoy Viscount Breckenridge as much as I did! He follows Heather after witnessing her kidnapping, determined to save her from her most dangerous and unfortunate event -- not to mention the ultimate disaster: Ruin. Her fall in the eyes of society for being alone and with a man.

Heather, on the other hand, doesn't want to be rescued ... at least not right away. There's more to her kidnapping then meets the eye, and it all centers around the Cynster women. She's bold, determined, intelligent, strong willed, and stubborn. Everything that makes her a great heroine and a complete irritation to Breckenridge. She's determined to discover the meaning behind her kidnapping, but she can only stay safe with the help of the very sexy Breckenridge, who despite his irritation with Heather, can't help but also feel a little excitement in the twist of events. Not to mention, he soon realizes that his irritation towards Heather is actually a completely different feeling that is unfamiliar and takes him by surprise.

Away from England in the hills of Scotland, away from the prying, gossiping ton, the stage is set for a discovery of passion and love that neither the hero nor heroine expected. Stephanie Laurens does a fabulous job at truly captivating a strong passion, full of sensuality between the two protagonists. It's sexy and heartfelt, and I really enjoyed it! :)

Heather is determined to only marry a "hero" (yes, her words) that she truly loves and trusts. She'll either find her hero or remain "shelved" being that just as she was kidnapped, her last season she would attend was just beginning. Breckenridge has other plans. But will Heather she through the rakes reputation? Or will their nights filled with passion be enough to carry her through a life of spinsterhood?

Although the story started off slightly slow, by the end of the first quarter there was a clear pick up in action -- in many, many ways! *g* I really enjoyed both the hero and heroine, and the passion, mmm... the passion! All I can say is enjoy!

Having not been familiar with the Cynsters series, I was slightly apprehensive in wondering if I would feel lost with any story or character arcs. Happily, I was not at all left in the dark. While there is clearly a much deeper backstory with the characters, not once did I feel as though I was missing something. In addition, after finishing Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue, there is a short introduction to the next story in The Cynster Sister Trilogy, which looks very, very promising. It looks as though it will tie in nicely to the kidnapping plot of this current (1st book of the series) book, that left many questions unanswered. AND ... this hero is one I'm looking forward to getting to know! :)(less)

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Aug 29, 2011 Debbie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Stephanie Laurens has been a long time favorite author of mine but I have to admit after the disaster of a series, The Black Cobra Quartet, I was a little leery of picking up another book from her. The fact that I have loved her Cynster books was the sole reason I chose to and believe me it was a good decision. This book renewed my love of Laurens writing and my love of the Cynster family. This family is not only made up of strong willed, over bearing men who also possess hearts of gold but the...more Stephanie Laurens has been a long time favorite author of mine but I have to admit after the disaster of a series, The Black Cobra Quartet, I was a little leery of picking up another book from her. The fact that I have loved her Cynster books was the sole reason I chose to and believe me it was a good decision. This book renewed my love of Laurens writing and my love of the Cynster family. This family is not only made up of strong willed, over bearing men who also possess hearts of gold but the heroines are always strong, independent and above all smart women. Yes, they can be impetuous at times and a bit too stubborn but it meshes nicely with the type of woman who can stand up to a Cynster male when needed and not be overwhelmed by their strong presence.

Heather is a perfect example of this. While she initially is panicked after being kidnapped as any normal person would be she figures out that while it could be dangerous she must try and gather as much information about her kidnapper as possible to avoid one of her sisters or cousins from facing the same situation. Her conclusion is well thought out and isn't made simply to be stubborn and difficult to spite Breckenridge. Breckenridge was also as close as you can get to the perfect male. He was strong, handsome, caring and while overbearing he did not let that over come common sense. He realized when Heather made valid points and acknowledged her point even when it went against all of his protective instincts.

The kidnappers also added to the fun as they are not your run of the mill thugs. They are smart, remarkably kind considering the circumstances and one of them is even a hired maid to help provide comfort and respectability for Heather. It was fun watching Heather spar with the kidnappers as she tries to wrangle any clues from them. The man who hires them is a mystery. We catch glimpses of him through out the book and get bits and pieces behind his plan to kidnap Heather but Laurens keeps you guessing as to his true reasons. We are shown that for someone who arranges the kidnapping of an innocent woman he isn't as despicable as one would expect. Unfortunately it looks like we will have to wait for another book to learn more about him.

This was another great book from Stephanie Laurens and made me glad I came back to the Cynster fold. (less)

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Aug 15, 2011 Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, non-erotic

Originally posted at: http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...

Kidnapped right off the fashionable London streets and spirited away across the Scottish border. Heather Cynster is hardly a scared school room miss but even she finds the situation a bit frightening. If only she had a hero!

Author Stephanie Laurens has added a terrifically exciting new trilogy to the amazing world of the Cynster family. Heather Cynster is the oldest daughter of Lord Martin and Lady Celia Cynster. Anyone who has picke...more Originally posted at: http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...

Kidnapped right off the fashionable London streets and spirited away across the Scottish border. Heather Cynster is hardly a scared school room miss but even she finds the situation a bit frightening. If only she had a hero!

Author Stephanie Laurens has added a terrifically exciting new trilogy to the amazing world of the Cynster family. Heather Cynster is the oldest daughter of Lord Martin and Lady Celia Cynster. Anyone who has picked up one of Ms. Laurens Cynster novels knows when you mess with one of the family you risk taking on the whole brood and they are a formidable bunch!

I truly enjoyed Heather! She's intelligent, resourceful, and stubborn to a fault. While the story is centered on her kidnapping and subsequent rescue, it’s the journey that she and Breckenridge take to realize their HEA that kept me turning the virtual pages. He is the ideal hero who struggles with the need to protect the woman he comes to love and admire and an understanding of her personality to know that forcing her to bend to his will won’t win him any brownie points.

Heroines that make you proud to be a woman and heroes that have you begging for your own are a hallmark of Ms. Lauren’s writing style. The Cynster trilogies are guaranteed to be bookshelf keepers and I’ve only read the first of the three. On her website Ms. Laurens explains how the stories are stand alone in their individual romances but that they also overarch one another with a thrilling background story of the mysterious laird that seems determined to get his hands on a Cynster sister.

If you love breathtaking pictorials that sweep you into the scenes, harrowing cross country treks and a blossoming tension-filled romance between two characters clearly meant for one another then you will really enjoy Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue. The title says a lot but in the end I think they ultimately rescued each other from a life without true love. Middle sister Eliza’s story is next and we get a sneak preview of her adventure at the end of Heather’s story. It starts with a bang and much like Heather’s story it’s sure to be a "can’t miss" book.

(less)

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Aug 14, 2011 Mary Gramlich rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

VISCOUNT BRECKENRIDGE to the RESCUE by Stephanie Laurens
A Cynster Novel
08/11 - HarperCollins Publishers - Mass Market Paperback, 448 pages

When you go looking for a hero, will anything less than that be acceptable?

Well-bred Heather Cynster is 25 and sitting on the never getting married shelf. The one night she decides to live life outside the boundaries of proper society two terrible things happen – she meets the bane of her existence Timothy Danvers, Viscount Breckenridge, and finds herself bein...more VISCOUNT BRECKENRIDGE to the RESCUE by Stephanie Laurens
A Cynster Novel
08/11 - HarperCollins Publishers - Mass Market Paperback, 448 pages

When you go looking for a hero, will anything less than that be acceptable?

Well-bred Heather Cynster is 25 and sitting on the never getting married shelf. The one night she decides to live life outside the boundaries of proper society two terrible things happen – she meets the bane of her existence Timothy Danvers, Viscount Breckenridge, and finds herself being kidnapped. Now for most women the kidnapping would be the worst of it but Heather really does dislike Breckridge so for right now that encounter is worse than the carriage she is in bound up like a goose, not knowing who kidnapped her or why.

Breckenridge watched in horror as they stole Heather away and the last thing he wanted was to be her savior but that is the only recourse to this action. Breckenridge follows stealthy behind them and due to her captors being so remiss about watching her Heather is able to sneak out every night so they can try to hatch a plan of escape. But the more information Heather learns about her kidnappers tells her that the threat is so much larger than just to Heather. With this information Heather is prepared to stay the course of being kidnapped until they find out who is behind it and what this mysterious someone who no one really knows truly wants. When the tide turns and she no longer can pretend to being kidnapped Heather and Breckenridge set out for her cousin’s home and safety. While the trip is long and dangerous Heather shows she is a sturdy Cynster woman.

From the moment Breckenridge involved himself in Heather’s kidnapping he knew in that he would have to marry her as she is now compromised. Despite the dire circumstances no one inside proper London society will accept any other result. Breckenridge assumes that Heather understands this as well but to his surprise she does not and so the battle begins over what will happen. Cynster women are strong and opinionated so Breckenridge has to try every tactic in his arsenal to make sure she understands his offer is being offered with sincerity. Heather does not want a savior she wants to be shown love and affection – can Breckenridge provide that as well as a well-funded estate?

This book has great elements of suspense, romance and some battle of wills, which I always enjoy. The Cynster women are fascinating and the men involved with them are driven crazy, which makes it even more fun to read. I thought perhaps this might have wrapped up quicker at the end but that is never a problem as I enjoy the book going on forever.
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Aug 10, 2011 Natalie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the first Cynster novel I have read, so I was not sure what to think. The description sounded interesting so I decided to give it a try. I am glad I did because it was a lot of fun.

Heather and the Viscount Breckenridge are as close to opposites as you can find, at least at first. Heather is a proper young lady on the verge of being put on the shelf and Breckenridge is a notorious rake. They have known each other for years and he has always been protective of her in that annoying older br...more

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Jul 27, 2011 Kristi Davis rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

4 1/2 stars!

I was thrilled when I saw Pam from Avon post on Facebook asking if anyone was interested in previewing the new Stephanie Laurens book. Um, yes! She is one of my 'Must Read' authors and up in my special bookcase so I would love to get my grubby hands on that ebook! Especially a full month early... I did a little dance as I downloaded it!

Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue is the 1st in a new trilogy yet it's the 16th Cynster novel. If you haven't read Laurens before, don't fret, you...more 4 1/2 stars!

I was thrilled when I saw Pam from Avon post on Facebook asking if anyone was interested in previewing the new Stephanie Laurens book. Um, yes! She is one of my 'Must Read' authors and up in my special bookcase so I would love to get my grubby hands on that ebook! Especially a full month early... I did a little dance as I downloaded it!

Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue is the 1st in a new trilogy yet it's the 16th Cynster novel. If you haven't read Laurens before, don't fret, you can easily start with this one.

The book starts quick and captures your attention. I must admit I had to flip back to the beginning (scroll back, rather...) and read it again to try and figure out who exactly was speaking in the prologue.

The first few chapters had me hooked. Heather was taken away in a coach yet there was a maid/chaperone to watch over her so technically they were keeping it all very proper. Yet, when Heather finds out that Viscount Breckenridge has followed her to rescue her, she tells him that she can't leave. She needs to find out who is behind this because she wasn't sure that she was the actual target. If her cousins/sister could be harmed, well, she had to find out what was going on. Completely sequel bait but I'm along for the ride.

The Cynster's are a beloved family that are quite distinctive in Laurens world. My favorite Cynster novel is 'A Secret Love' but I really love that 'friends become lovers' trope. The current novel, Breckenridge, has a little of the same vibe but most of it is tied up in the kidnapping so it has a different tension.

A few of the things I didn't like. It was hard to believe that she wouldn't just leave. Why in the world would you keep staying with your kidnappers? Get out of there! She gave good reasons though. Once they did in fact escape, Laurens takes you on quite a jaunt in a few different ways. It gets a little tedious as it goes back and forth to keep the tension going in the last half of the book. It did give her an opportunities to get in quite a few sexy-times, so I guess there is that... She also throws in a little fate/magic which seems is just done to bring us some closure with a few of the past characters. It felt a little too much which is why I didn't completely love this novel.

Having said that, I really like how Stephanie Laurens writes. She is a solid writer and takes you deliberately through every feeling and thought.

Laurens also uses crazy language. Adamintine? My Wordpress spell check doesn't even recognize that word! She tends to do that in all her novels, so it is like an exciting learning experience.

It's all very deliberate. So the tension is very sizzling.

I was thrilled to get a chance to read this book early, as I would have purchased it anyway. If you get the chance to read this novel, or any of Stephanie Laurens, I highly recommend it. It comes out August 30, 2011!(less)

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Sep 19, 2011 Cathy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The 16th outing for the Cynster clan lords and ladies. A well-written Regency romance (I'd expect nothing less from Ms. Laurens).
Heather Cynster is kidnapped by a mysterious Scottish laird's minions. She doesn't know why. Luckily, Viscount breckenridge sees the abduction and able to follow. Heather will not leave the kidnappers because she has learned that they wanted one of the Cynster girls - it didn't matter which one - and she has 2 sisters and 2 younger cousins. How can she escape with Bre...more

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Sep 06, 2011 Donna rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Aug 28, 2011 Jen (Red Hot Books) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs, historical-romance

This book was not a winner for me. It had some redeeming qualities, but more often than not, it left me frustrated and annoyed with the main characters.

At 25, Heather Cynster isn't quite on the shelf, but she is probably facing her last season. So she decides to take her love life into her own hands and to go in search of her own hero. She ventures out to a scandalous party and comes face to face with Viscount Breckenridge, the bane of her existence. Breckenridge ushers her away from the party a...more This book was not a winner for me. It had some redeeming qualities, but more often than not, it left me frustrated and annoyed with the main characters.

At 25, Heather Cynster isn't quite on the shelf, but she is probably facing her last season. So she decides to take her love life into her own hands and to go in search of her own hero. She ventures out to a scandalous party and comes face to face with Viscount Breckenridge, the bane of her existence. Breckenridge ushers her away from the party and to her carriage. But she's kidnapped before she makes it to her destination. Fortunately, Breckenridge witnesses the whole things and takes off in pursuit.

Heather's kidnappers are working for a mystery man who have tasked them with snatching any one of the Cynster sisters. So once Breckenridge catches up to them, Heather opts to stay close to her captors to learn about their boss. She figures that if she simply escapes, the man will hire someone to go after one of her sisters. That plan is a dud, but takes us about 1/3 of the way through the book. From there, she does escape with Breckenridge... and they make they way towards some nearby relatives. Along the way, the couple falls into bed together. And the rest of the book is spent going back and forth as to whether the two of them will admit their feelings to the other as the rules of society dictate they should wed.

These two frankly didn't deserve to find happiness. At first, I kind of sympathized with Heather -- I mean, who would want to marry a man who doesn't love you? But then, I realized, she won't step up and admit her feelings any more than he will. They do this dance, where they sleep together, feel warm and fuzzy, refuse to admit it and have one miscommunication after another. And it goes on and on.

The book was too long, especially in the second half. And the language was cumbersome and too flowery at times. I actually found myself skimming over parts of the love scenes... which frankly, is blasphemy in most cases. Let me give you an example of why:

"He led her into a landscape of sensual lushness created by touch, by tactile sensation, by long drawn-out intimate exploration, capped by sexual revelation. He guided her on through valleys of pleasure colored by rainbows of glitteringly sharp delight, onto plateaus where untempered passion ran so luxuriously and deliciously deep that it swamped her senses and left her reeling."

Moving on. There were moments I did want them to work things out. I wasn't beyond caring. And I was pleased when the two of them finally admitted their feelings. But on the whole, it didn't ring my bells. A little more than 3 stars.

*ARC Provided by NetGalley(less)

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Jul 12, 2012 Michelle Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-read, historical

The beginning of the trilogy
http://anotherlookbookreviews.blogspo...

How refreshing to read a romance novel story unlike any other that I had read before. I really enjoyed the kidnapping premise of the story. The cover has nothing to do with the book at all. At least the heroine did have blonde hair.

Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue is my first Stephanie Laurens' book. I know pretty amazing considering that this book was her 45th book. Yep, I need to get a bit caught up. As Viscount Breckenrid...more The beginning of the trilogy
http://anotherlookbookreviews.blogspo...

How refreshing to read a romance novel story unlike any other that I had read before. I really enjoyed the kidnapping premise of the story. The cover has nothing to do with the book at all. At least the heroine did have blonde hair.

Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue is my first Stephanie Laurens' book. I know pretty amazing considering that this book was her 45th book. Yep, I need to get a bit caught up. As Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue is book 1 in a trilogy, I will move on to book 2, In Pursuit of Eliza Cynster right away. I am very curious to read how this series continues.

It is very obvious that this story and the Cynster sisters are a spin off from another Cynster family series. I did find myself often confused at the size of this family and referenced the family tree chart provided at the beginning of the book often. There are not a lot of updates about those previous family members but they're mentioned a lot. I don't like to read books out of order so I'm on the fence on how I feel about this being a spin off book and that was my first to encounter reading about the Cynster sisters. Granted I did feel I could read Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue as the stand alone (or the beginning of the spin off). It is just my own comfort level of needing to start at the beginning. I liked Stephanie Laurens' writing style enough that I just may check out the other books or at least, the first few of the Cynster family beginning books.

The love scenes in Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue are very emotionally descriptive. I don't mean sexually descriptive like an erotic book but rather highly focused on the feelings and emotions the protagonists were experiencing. Sometimes they were a bit too descriptive that I just wanted the scene to be over so I could move onto the story itself. Which I loved.

As mentioned in the book blurb above, Heather Cynster gets kidnapped right in front of the Viscount at the very beginning of the book. It was an awesome chase as Breckenridge follows in pursue of the kidnappers. I could picture the author having a map of England and Scotland right in front of her as she wrote out the travels and towns the villains whisked Heather through in the horse carriage. I have to admit though I was a little confused as to who was actually driving the carriage. From what I pictured, Heather was inside a carriage with the two male kidnappers and a lone female kidnapper. As they traveled from town to town I wondered exactly how they were doing it. Was it just a coach carriage for hire and different driver each time?? I seemed to miss that part of the explanation along the way.

Stephanie Laurens offered great explanations on why Heather didn't try to escape when Breckenridge finally caught up to them. I really enjoyed this part of the story. The secret sneaky rendezvous and the methods of communicating was a lot of fun to read.

It was also a joy to read how Breckenridge and Heather, who previously mildly tolerated each other, started to fall in love with each other. Easily my favourite part of the entire story. It was slow and the build up including the simple act of walking together holding hands like a team, made me melt a little. The over the top demand of Heather wanting the words, "I love you" declared frustrated me. As a woman I completely understood that she only wanted to marry for love but it felt a like a record stuck on repeat.

The mystery of who the Laird from Scotland was who orchestrated and planned the kidnapping was not solved and as a reader, there is little we know about his story. What was shared was definitely curious and that is why I am about to open, In Pursuit of Eliza Cynster.

Teasers: midnight rendezvous, long long walks, hidden in the Vale, bull gorge (less)

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Oct 25, 2012 Jean rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance, lpl, england, romance

I procrastinated on reading this one after trying to read one of the later Cynster novels that just didn't catch my attention. However, once I started, I couldn't put it down.

The trilogy plot involves a laird with scary eyes and a mad mother who is obsessed with ruining one of the Cynster sister (any would do). Oh, and the sisters are looking for special someone.

This particular novel involves Heather who is nearly declared on the shelf. She's been kidnapped before Timothy Danvers aka Breckenridg...more

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Jan 17, 2012 Becky Moe rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, historical, library

This one would have been a definite four-star read...if about a hundred or so pages had been cut out. Perhaps even two hundred. (Or maybe if I hadn't read book two of the Cynster Brides before this one, as my main complaint is the same for both books and I was more aggravated by it the second time around because of the "been there, read that" factor.) The kidnapping and rescue bits were great--well done, suspenseful, action-packed. I was a bit suspicious, though, when that part of the book was o...more

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Feb 14, 2012 Heidi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: aus-women-2012, fiction-historical, from-library-umrl-wodonga, trashy-trashy-romance

Heather. Is. Awesome.

There are no two ways about it. Heather is simply awesome. Brilliant. Beyond description. Heather is a Girl Guide and a Regency Heroine bound up in one. Heather is awesome. Intelligent and thoughtful and after she's thought for a while, able to cope with the concept that Timothy Davers isn't actually ridiculous.

It's still a regency romance. It still comes under my personal definition of "trashy trashy romance". And yet it still is readable, the characters loveable, and the t...more

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Sep 03, 2011 Brenda Britton rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Couldn't wait for another of Stephanie Laurens books to come out and I am definately interested in following the Cynster family. It was of course a different twist on other plots with Heather Cynster being kidnapped by two apparent bungling idiots since she had ample opportunity to escape but chose not to as she wanted to know who the man was who ordered the kidnapping. Breckenridge was a minor character in Michael and Caro's story but he came to his own in this book and proved himself. The man...more

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Sep 23, 2011 Jo (Mixed Book Bag) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue is a Cynster novel featuring Heather Cynster. This is the sixteenth novel in the Cynster series and Stephanie Laurens has provided a much-needed Cynster family tree at the beginning of the book.

Someone is looking for revenge and needs to capture one of the single Cynster women to meet their goal. Viscount Breckenridge is a witness to Heather Cynster’s abduction and sets out to free her. It is great fun to watch the two interact. Breckenridge comes to appreciat...more

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About Stephanie Laurens

Stephanie Laurens was born in Sri Lanka, which was at the time the British colony of Ceylon. When she was 5, her family moved to Melbourne, Australia, where she was raised. After continuing through school and earning a Ph.D. in Biochemistry in Australia, Laurens and her husband moved to Great Britain, taking one of the last true overland journeys from Katmandu to London.

Once in London, Laurens and...more

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“Just her luck to be abducted by kidnappers who could think.” — 2 people liked it

“So how are the wedding plans progressing?" Richard asked, once they were out of the village.
"They aren't." Breckenridge heard his clipped tones, heard the irritation beneath. Didn't care if Richard did, too. "She's taken some nitwit notion into her head that I don't need to marry her, that she's going to go off and manage an orphanage in the country, or some such thing, so her social ruination doesn't matter."
"Ah." Richard nodded sagely. "She's playing stubborn."
"Playing?" Breckenridge shot him an irate look. "She's the definition of the word. I've already tried talking her around. Twice."
"I hate to break it to you, old son, but it won't be your honeyed words that change her mind."
Breckenridge snorted. "I've tried that, too-so far all that's gained me is..." An even deeper sense of being irrevocably linked to her.
Richard glanced at him curiously. "What?"
Breckenridge pulled a face, growled, "Damned if I know."
Richard grinned. "Well, whatever it takes, just console yourself with the thought that the end result will be worth it."
Breckenridge cast Richard a sharp glance, saw the open contentment in his face. Felt compelled to ask, "So what did you have to do?"
Richard's smile deepened. "The same thing we've all have to do-prostrate ourselves at their dainty feet, swear undying love, and mean it.” — 1 person liked it

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Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue: A Cynster Novel (The Cynster Sisters Trilogy #1)

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