How the Marquess Was Won (Pennyroyal Green, #6)

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How the Marquess Was Won (Pennyroyal Green #6)

4.12 of 5 stars 4.12 · rating details · 1,432 ratings · 161 reviews

The Scandal Sheets call him Lord Ice.

Ruthless, cold, precise, Julian Spenser, Marquess Dryden, tolerates only the finest-- in clothes, in horseflesh, in mistresses. And now he's found the perfect bride, the one whose dowry will restore his family's shattered legacy and bring him peace at last: the exquisite heiress Lisbeth Redmond.

She's about to play with fire...

But one un...more

Mass Market Paperback, 382 pages

Published December 27th 2011 by Avon

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Community Reviews

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May 07, 2012 Tina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads, romance-historical

3.5 stars.

I read this book in one sitting. It is a definite page turner and sucks you in. But after the sublime high that was What I Did For a Duke, this was a bit of a (small) disappointment. This book simply did not capture the sheer loveliness of the romance and the hilarity of the dialogue of that one.

Julian, the Marquess of Dryden is a trend-setter. Whatever he does is slavishly copied -- from what types of horses he buys, to how he wears his hair (there is quite an amusing/disastrous rippl...more 3.5 stars.

I read this book in one sitting. It is a definite page turner and sucks you in. But after the sublime high that was What I Did For a Duke, this was a bit of a (small) disappointment. This book simply did not capture the sheer loveliness of the romance and the hilarity of the dialogue of that one.

Julian, the Marquess of Dryden is a trend-setter. Whatever he does is slavishly copied -- from what types of horses he buys, to how he wears his hair (there is quite an amusing/disastrous ripple effect in the story that is all based on an accidental hairstyle), to what he wears -- everything is studied and then repeated. With one word, one gesture he can make something IN or OUT.

His father was a gambling wastrel who, in a matter of mere years, managed to fritter away and destroy the family fortune that took generations to build. When Julian inherited the title at a young age, he studiously, carefully, ruthlessly built the family fortune back up property by property, cent by cent. Only one thing is left to retrieve, his mother's dowered lands which have been attached to another young lady's dowry. Figuring he has to marry anyway he enters into negotiations to marry Miss Lisbeth Redmond. He travels to Pennyroyal Green to begin his courtship.

Once there, however he runs into Phoebe Vale. A teacher at a local prestigious girl's academy. Phoebe immediately wrests his attention with her atypical reactions to him. The two embark upon a series of revealing conversations.

The conversations between these two are really the centerpiece of this book. Julian and Phoebe begin by lobbing soft balls at each other that quickly become fast paced volleys that would do the Williams sisters proud. They spar and tease and flirt and try to verbally out wit each other. Every time they come in contact it is yet another round of intimate revelations, conversational gems and fast paced repartee.

JAL also is a master at creating romantic set pieces. Julian and Phoebe begin to fall in love and there are several scenes where, while they do not acknowledge it, they are intensely aware of their building feelings. Some of the scenes are lightly comic and others are darkly romantic.

The book soars when it centers on Julian and Phoebe interacting. It stumbles when it forces them to wander around in a plot that felt disjointed and, well, plotty (for want of a better word). There were points when you could almost see the gears working in the background..."I need this character to be here and feel this so I am going to place this here." It felt...off.

Another smallish disappointment is that neither Phoebe nor Julia are either Redmonds or Everseas. So this book felt almost tangential to the series. Although random members of both families manage to be present in the course of the story, I miss the colorful characters that inhabit both families when a book is centered squarely on them. But, JAL does manage to sprinkle in a few more tidbits surrounding the mysterious romance/breakup of Olivia Eversea and Lyon Redmond.

So while this does not live up to the bests in the series, What I Did For a Duke or Like No Other Lover, I still think fans of the series would still enjoy reading it.(less)

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Dec 15, 2012 CaroB rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to CaroB by: Susanne

Shelves: 2012, historical, favourites, humour, romance

This story was my first by this author and I am absolutely charmed! The dialogue between the H/h simply sizzles and burns. It seduces the reader with witty banter, tongue-in-cheek innuendo and soul-baring emotion, set in a time when language was used as a weapon as well as cloak.

I haven't been in the mood for a historical for a little while now, but this book has rekindled my interest in them by celebrating everything I love about the good ones... the way language is used with such meaning, and...more

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Aug 16, 2012 Kelly22 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: working-class-heroine, witty-humerous-funny-comedy, wallflower-spinster-plain-heroine, viscount-earl-marquess, virgin-herione, overtly-possessive-jealous-hero, opposites-attract, historical-romance, hh-iconic-celeb-bigshot, hero-merchnt-indstrialist-uber-rich, hero-good-boy-gentleman, hero-darcylike, hero-bashful-starchy-silent, hero-arrogant-autocratic, hero-accomplished-lover, gorgeous-handsome-attractive-hero, commoner-heroine, brooding-dangerous-hero, beta-hero, banter-all-the-way, favorite-series, hh-aristocrat-peer-royal-nobel

4.00 to 4.50 Stars - Regency/Historical Romance

A very powerful trend-setting marquess, Jules Spencer, decides to get married. Locating the best candidate in the assignment he sets off to stage the finest courtship that is expected from him. It is then when he meets a spunky schoolteacher, Miss Phoebe Vale, also serving as a companion to his intended and instantly becomes captivated by her. He offers her to be his mistress which she sternly refuses. Stung by rejection and ruled by pride he agrees...more

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Jan 17, 2012 ♡KarLynP♡ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: genre-historical, published-2012, steam-warm, read-2012

This book was saved by the great banter between two very interesting leads, but the story itself wasn't quite as dazzling. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed this book. Maybe its that I've just had my fill of historicals set among London balls and house parties, complete with vapid and shallow guests in attendance. But what I haven't had my fill of are heroes and heroines like Marquess Dryden and Phoebe Vale. They were pure fun to read.

Phoebe is one of my favorite kind of female heroines in a...more This book was saved by the great banter between two very interesting leads, but the story itself wasn't quite as dazzling. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed this book. Maybe its that I've just had my fill of historicals set among London balls and house parties, complete with vapid and shallow guests in attendance. But what I haven't had my fill of are heroes and heroines like Marquess Dryden and Phoebe Vale. They were pure fun to read.

Phoebe is one of my favorite kind of female heroines in a historical romance; a clever lass who may very well be the smarter one between the hero and herself. She plays with her hero to the point of distraction, and wins her hero by seducing him oh-so-slowly with her words. And Phoebe nails this role just perfectly. She is a school teacher and chaperone to Lisbeth Redmond, and also mother to the most ornery kitty cat in fiction. She dreams of a life traveling to Africa, and longs for a person to get to know her, the real her, and not just the person they assume she must be since she is just a teacher.

Julian Spenser, Marquess Dryden, is a man on a mission; restore his families wealth, including obtaining a piece of land that once belonged to his mother before his father’s reckless ways lost nearly everything. The land is attached to the dowry of one young, naive but stunningly beautiful Lisbeth Redmond.

Julian finds the task of courting Lisbeth as nothing more than a necessary business transaction, and he's happy to do it. But when Phoebe is near, he finds himself more and more drawn to her. He wants to see what large words will come out of her mouth, what clever retort she might have about him, and what humorous comment she might make. The need to be near Phoebe grows, as does his own desire to have her as his own.

This really was a fun read, and I recommend it to fans of this series and anyone who enjoys historical romances. While I grew a bit bored reading about the mundane activities at the balls and house parties (gambling, shooting, waltzing), and a bit tired of the vapid secondary characters plotting away, I never lost interest in the romance between Jules and Phoebe. They were the star of this book, hands down.

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Jan 14, 2012 Erika rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of Julie Anne Long

Shelves: historical, romance, auto-buy-author, godzilla-facepalm

This book was such a dilemma.

FIRST PART (the first 55% of the book).
This is the moment our hero the Marquess Dryden or Julian Spenser meet our heroine, the schoolmistress Phoebe Vale. This part was great. Totally great. Julie Anne Long knows exactly how to built a very intense romance and put it into words with enough power to evoke reader's emotion.

Take a glimpse at this moment:

She held her body very gingerly when she turned, because if she was dreaming, she didn’t want to accidentally jar he

...more

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Dec 24, 2012 Princess rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: funny-couple, good-story-line, slightly-jealous-hero, hero-sees-only-heroine, historical-romance

*sigh*.....

It was really funny at times and the couple had such witty conversations!

The heroine was plain looking and I'm so shallow I prefer them to be all pretty/beautiful/resembling a goddess (told you I was shallow!) but her character made her simply irresistible. How can you not love and enjoy her?

And I loved how the hero wasn't the typical 'I want her but I'll pretend I don't cause I'm a badass rake' or 'there is no place for love in my life! The reason? *shrugs* must there be a reason?'

Th...more

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Nov 26, 2012 Maya rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance

At the same time that I loved this book, it also made me sad reading it because of how many times Phoebe was humiliated, demeaned, looked down upon, brushed off... You name it happened to her.
She is a school teacher and he is a Marquess. I get the social difference but she was a great heroine and in the very end of the book he comes to her defense, but it took him a long time.

Every time Lisbeth said "Julius" I wanted to punch her.

There was a scene on the terrace in Lisbeth's house after the bal...more

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Jul 07, 2012 Crissy declaro rated it 5 of 5 stars

I think i found a new author to follow! i loved this book. I actually laughed out loud in several scenes in this book. Which i couldn't recall EVER doing while reading a book. Mrs. Julie Anne Long is a very witty author and very fun to read. The book has very steamy love scenes, but not offensive like some other authors.

The book is about a calm and controlled hero, Julian Spencer, who is in the market for a wife. He picks Lisbeth Redmond because of a business transaction. You find out that when...more

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Mar 08, 2012 My Book Addiction and More MBA rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, series

HOW THE MARQUESS WAS WON:PENNYROYAL GREEN SERIES by Julie Anne Long is a wonderful addition to the Pennyroyal Green series,but can be read as as stand alone. See “The Perils of Pleasure, Like No Other Lover, Since the Surrender,I Kissed an Earl,What I Did for a Duke”. Julian Spenser, Marquess Dryden,is considered The Lord of Ice until he meets Lisbeth Redmond then he was lost. When you play with fire,you could get burned. Together, Lisbeth and Julian has witty banter, passion, scandal,while Lisb...more

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Feb 05, 2012 Christine rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. I would have given it 5 stars but for one thing. But first things first. Ms. Long has managed in this book to provide a very witty dialogue between all of the actors. Especially the Heroine Phoebe Vale and the Marquess in question. Now here is why this is important. You become invested in the characters and through the very well written dialogue truly feel apart of each look, each moment, each feeling. This is regardless of the feeling being happiness, sadness, confus...more I really enjoyed this book. I would have given it 5 stars but for one thing. But first things first. Ms. Long has managed in this book to provide a very witty dialogue between all of the actors. Especially the Heroine Phoebe Vale and the Marquess in question. Now here is why this is important. You become invested in the characters and through the very well written dialogue truly feel apart of each look, each moment, each feeling. This is regardless of the feeling being happiness, sadness, confusion, uncertainty and elation. The other really good thing about this book... It is funny. I laughed my ass off throughout the book (I have not done that in a very long time). So much so that even my 9 year old wanted to know what was so funny and when I kept laughing, giggling and outright guffawing. He wanted to read what was do "dang" funny. The nice thing is that the book is fairly tame and I could re-read the parts that just sent me to hysteria.

Basically this is a mean girls book. It tells the story of Phoebe who is a simple school teacher who is an extrodinary woman even though she is not born in to the ton and the minute She and the Marquess cross paths there is a definite sizzle that grabs you up and pulls you along for the story. Phoebe gets an opportunity to renew an acquaintance with a young woman who for lack of a better term is a sly, little bitch. She invites Phobe to come to visit under the guise of renewing their relationship when in the end she treats Phoebe like little more than a servant. The SLB (sly little bitch) begins to see Phoebe emerge as a darling among the fashionable set and a threat to her relationship with the Marquess Jules. Phoebe is just what the rich folks needed. That breath of fresh air that their stale little live need. But alas her happines is not more important than their need for stepping on folks so some of the ton devise a bet to see if they can go all Eliza Doolittle on her. In the end though, love triumphs. Phoebe wins the Marquess. He is better off for it and all of the SLB's receive their comuppence.

The reason no 5th star? The sex. It does not happen until very late in the book. Bute when it get going, it gets poppin. Granted the dialogue is so wonderful that I actually did not mind and by time they hook up it is so satisfying BECAUSE the reader truly feels tied to their stories. The other plus to this book is Phoebe's darn cat. That cat is so funny Charybdis deserves its own book. Overall a very satisfying read.(less)

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Feb 03, 2012 Rae rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, library-books, romance

I really enjoyed the main characters in this book and loved the first half. And, as per usual with Julie Anne Long, I laughed out loud several times throughout the book. Which is why I gave it 3.5/4 stars.

That being said, once the book changes location (view spoiler)...more

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Jan 28, 2012 PoligirlReads rated it 4 of 5 stars

I wanted to give this one star. Why? Because after patiently waiting, I just knew that the next book would be about Lyon and Olivia. I get my book. Wait. Neither hero or heroine are an Eversea or Redmond?! What the what?! What a tease.

Putting my disgruntlement aside, I got into the book really quickly. Both characters are really quite enjoyable, and there's a good mix of humor and seriousness between the two. The trend-setting antics were funny. I loved that the H/H could be happy for the other...more I wanted to give this one star. Why? Because after patiently waiting, I just knew that the next book would be about Lyon and Olivia. I get my book. Wait. Neither hero or heroine are an Eversea or Redmond?! What the what?! What a tease.

Putting my disgruntlement aside, I got into the book really quickly. Both characters are really quite enjoyable, and there's a good mix of humor and seriousness between the two. The trend-setting antics were funny. I loved that the H/H could be happy for the other one, even when it was contrary to their self-interest (like when Julian is happy that Phoebe gets asked to dance and receives flowers). There was maybe a little too much with the cat, but then, I'm not a big cat person, so maybe that's why it stood out to me. I also could've done without the previous connection that Phoebe had with a member of the Redmond family. It was unnecessary and didn't add anything meaningful to the story, save to give a character that seemingly has no connection to the either family a justification for being included.

Really quite interesting that she made a such an unlikeable character out of a member of the main family. Lisbeth was made into a very realistically unlikeable character. You could understand her motivations, even if they were despicable. That's a nice switch from the cartoonish villains you sometimes run across in HRs.

Alas, I am afraid we're all going to be left waiting some more. Ms. Long has got so many wonderful secondary characters that I think she'll be able to tap the Pennyroyal Green well a few more times before giving her readers a reunion between Le Chat and Olivia. Something makes me think that we might be getting a story about the handsome yet mysterious vicar (who seems to have some rather extraordinary healing powers that have been twice remarked upon in the series), or maybe even Ms. Endicott? Come to think of it, I don't think we've had Jonathan's story either. Dang. The waiting continues.

On a final, somewhat tangentially related note, there's something quite bittersweet in the Julia Quinn quote on the cover. In many ways, Long is the Quinn of a decade ago, back when it was a near-guarantee that her books would have the excellent blend of humorous scenes, realistic emotions, a sensible plot, and yes, wonderful dialogue (of which Quinn remains the queen). Felt a bit like the passing of a torch.

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Jan 18, 2012 KatiD rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-review-ish

Miss Phoebe Vale has a bit of an obsession with the peerage. She's a schoolteacher at Miss Endicott's School for Young Ladies, but avidly reads the social papers for information about what the ton has been up to, and often jokes with her friend Mr. Postelthwaite, a local shopkeeper, about being a member of the ton. In particular, she jokes that she has made Lord Julian Spenser, Marquess Dryden fall in love with her. So imagine her shock when during a visit to Postelthwaite's to pick up a letter,...more Miss Phoebe Vale has a bit of an obsession with the peerage. She's a schoolteacher at Miss Endicott's School for Young Ladies, but avidly reads the social papers for information about what the ton has been up to, and often jokes with her friend Mr. Postelthwaite, a local shopkeeper, about being a member of the ton. In particular, she jokes that she has made Lord Julian Spenser, Marquess Dryden fall in love with her. So imagine her shock when during a visit to Postelthwaite's to pick up a letter, the man himself, Lord Ice, walks in. Dryden is accompanied by Waterburn, himself a member of the ton. And soon Phoebe overhears Waterburn bet Dryden that he would be unable to score a kiss from the "unkissable schoolmistress". Phoebe leaves Postelthwaites crushed and determined to turn down the invitation contained in the letter to join silly heiress Lisbeth Redmond for a house party in order to act as chaperone. But as fate would have it, Dryden is also in town to look at Miss Endicott's School for Young Ladies as a possible landing spot for a recalcitrant niece who has recently been caught smoking a cigar at age 12.

As Phoebe tours Dryden around the school, they banter and challenge each other, forming a connection that makes Phoebe think that perhaps she might be a little in love with him. She decides to accept Lisbeth Redmond's invitation, and soon finds herself at the same party as Dryden. For his part, Jules is not the man that the ton imagines him to be: frivolous and daring. In fact, he's spent his entire life attempting to restore his family's good name and standing after his father gambled away almost everything. He is brilliant, hard working, and is mystified as to why the ton seems determined to emulate him. He is also determined to find a wife, and has decided that Lisbeth Redmond is just the woman for him. So he's shocked when he arrives at the house party and finds the "unkissable schoolmistress" in attendance. He's even more shocked by his attraction to her. She's witty and smart, and challenges him at every turn. Yet, she is completely unmarryable. The two share a passionate kiss, but nothing more can happen. Phoebe is determined to tour the world and Jules must find an appropriate wife.

Phoebe's fortunes change when a pair of silly sisters, who are very highly placed within London society invite her to visit them in London to take part in the Season. Lisbeth, who is now a bit disconcerted by Phoebe's supposed popularity, is passive aggressively supportive of Phoebe joining them. Phoebe decides to accept the offer before her departure on a mission trip to Africa, the first country in her world tour. Soon, to everyone's shock (including her own), Phoebe is the toast of the Town. She is receiving bouquet after bouquet of flowers, invitations to all sorts of social events, and has even garnered a nickname, The Original. No matter her popularity though, she continues to be drawn to Jules, and after an extremely hot encounter with him, he offers to become her protector. Phoebe is again crushed, knowing that becoming a man's mistress is just not the answer. She knows that any small bit of social standing she has garnered will disappear, plus, she's going to Africa. A Protector/Mistress relationship just isn't possible. Will Phoebe still go to Africa? And really, where DID this popularity come from?

This is another wonderfully entertaining entry into Julie Anne Long's Pennyroyal Green series. While I wasn't as captivated as I was by What I Did for the Duke (the best in the series, IMHO), Jules and Phoebe had lovely chemistry. Their passion for each other was evident, and I quite enjoyed their banter. What I like about Long's books is that there tends to be no ancillary events to the stories to detract attention from the primary love story, and this is true here as well. The focus remains squarely on the couple, who have delicious chemistry. Miss Long has a brilliant hand with dialogue making every interaction sparkle with warmth and humor. Her historicals are always among my favorite reads of each year, and this book is no exception. While I can't grade it as highly as I did What I Did for the Duke, I gladly recommend this book as a diverting and highly entertaining love story.

Final grade: A-

A galley of this book was generously provided by Net Galley. Thank you!(less)

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Jan 14, 2012 Addictive rated it 5 of 5 stars

The sixth book in the Pennyroyal Green series does not disappoint in the least! Julie Ann Long has once again mastered the hearts of her readers…I fell in love with Dryden and Phoebe from the first moment that they were introduced! I could hardly stop reading this gripping saga of the gentry who populate the small countryside in England called Pennyroyal Green.
Julian Spenser, Marquess Dryden nicknamed Lord Ice for his icy cool demeanor sets the premium example of what’s in for London society. Wh...more

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Dec 28, 2011 Sharon Redfern rated it 5 of 5 stars

How the Marquess was Won, is the latest in a series by Julie Anne Long. Phoebe Vale is a teacher in a girl’s school who is invited to spend the holidays with one of her former pupils, Lisbeth. Prior to her leaving she meets Julian, Lord Dryden, while at a local merchant. One of his companions makes an improper wager regarding Phoebe that she overhears. When Lord Dryden appears later at the school, supposedly to look for a place for his niece, Phoebe engages him in a spirited conversation. Thinki...more

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Dec 27, 2011 Christopher rated it 3 of 5 stars

If I had to describe my thoughts on HTMWW in one word, it would be "disappointing." I highly anticipated the release of this book. And, in some ways, it delivered: the book kept me glued to it til the end, it was emotional, it was fairly long (about 7000 "pieces" on the kindle), and had quite a bit of witty dialogue.

Reflecting back once I had finished it, however, the conflict just seemed way too forced. I couldn't see why Julian was SO adamant to have Phoebe as a mistress, rather than a wife (t...more

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Dec 27, 2011 Beanbag Love rated it 5 of 5 stars

*sighs*

Very nice historical romance. I liked both leads, the tension of the various situations (not just sexual) was apparent and accessible, and the ending was satisfying.

This series is about two families that hate each other: the Everseas and the Redmonds. They both live in Pennyroyal Green but they don't interact at all if they can help it. The books switch off as to which family is featured. For some reason the Redmonds always seem to come off negatively (although I liked Miles Redmond's bo...more

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Dec 24, 2011 Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, non-erotic

originally posted at http://www.longandshortreviews.blogsp...

Society has standards, and by those standards marriages have become nothing more than business deals with jewelry and lace attached. But can one couple change how society looks at love and marriage? Much as they tried to fight the current of emotion flowing around them, it's bound to sweep you away. The only question is will they be able to stay above water or are they both destined to drown alone?

Social standing is everything to Jules...more originally posted at http://www.longandshortreviews.blogsp...

Society has standards, and by those standards marriages have become nothing more than business deals with jewelry and lace attached. But can one couple change how society looks at love and marriage? Much as they tried to fight the current of emotion flowing around them, it's bound to sweep you away. The only question is will they be able to stay above water or are they both destined to drown alone?

Social standing is everything to Jules Spenser, Marquess Dryden, and as a Marquess he expects the only the finest in everything from clothes to women and that extends to picking his wife. Walking a tight rope and never showing emotion works for him, allowing him to box away his life into tidy boxes, all without feeling, living life one business arrangement to the next. He is rumored to be “Lord Ice” and he lives up to the title with his calculating ways and always getting what he wants without emotion in the end. But one meeting with Phoebe Vale and the ice around his heart begins to melt. Can this woman, a mere schoolmistress see under all the pomp and circumstance to see the real man underneath it all, and will she be woman enough to love him in the end?

Phoebe Vale, the local schoolmistress at Miss Endicott’s School for Girls, is getting by just fine with her life until she meets Lord Dryden by accident at Postlewaite’s shop. She is immediately drawn by the air about him, the velvet of his voice and knows that he has all the answers to her unanswered questions. Her uniqueness is what initially drew Jules to her, but it’s her wit and ability to see right through him that keeps him wrapped around her little finger. Throwing caution to the wind, both Jules and Phoebe take a chance at something beautiful together no matter the consequences. But will social standards tear them apart before they have a chance to begin? Or can both of them walk a tightrope together and make a new social standard that is guided by the heart and not by peerage.

This was an amazing book! Not only did Ms. Long really make the reader feel like we were right there while all of this was happening, but she made the book so easy to read that when the last page came I didn’t want the story to end. As a reader, she is now on my short list of great authors to read, and this series, Pennyroyal Green series, is on my shopping list for the next trip to the book store. You will not be disappointed if you pick this up!!

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May 01, 2012 Shabby Girl rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: five-star-books

Yup, it's official ... I'm madly in love with Julie Anne Long! Officially one of my fave authors I just can't leave alone. Previously I've said only Elizabeth Hoyt knows how to build the tension and writes the best love scenes ... but this author definitely is a rival in that regard. I thought the deflowering scene is one of the hottest I've ever read in romance books. I hate it when I get all hot and bothered on the train, but it was so worth it. She really does know how to write a H and h that...more

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Jan 28, 2012 Richa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adorable-hero, funny, favorites, historical, pets

5+ stars and 2 another for originality. :))

***Storyline***
This book has a wonderful story of two wonderful people. A marquis as rich and well-born as they come and a simple schoolteacher with absentee parents of questionable pedigree coming together in a marvelously scripted tale.
It seemed right, right from the start, like they were meant to be together, made for each other.
The story gripped me from the first pages itself and unfolded beautifully.
The title is “how the marquis was won” but it rea...more

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Jan 24, 2012 Sharyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

Another delightful read from Julie Anne Long in the Pennyroyal Green series. Julie Anne is a master at getting inside her characters' heads and allowing you to see their thoughts. What I love best is that their thoughts are just like yours and mine. Not always correct, sometimes even a little goofy. Plus I like the humor added such as during one of the balls when the Marquess inadvertently starts a new dance craze, and the scenes with Phoebe's cat.

A few quibbles, though. The first is that, even...more

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Dec 26, 2011 Jen (Red Hot Books) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, pennyroyal-green

Julie Anne Long, where have you been all my life? Obviously, you have been writing some excellent Historical Romance... but why is this the first time we've been together?

Obviously, I adored this book and upon finishing this review, I'm going to check out the backlist in the Pennyroyal Green series. This is the sixth installment, but if you've new to these books as well --I promise-- this works great as a standalone.

Julian Spenser, Marquess Dryden, is at the height of fashion among the ton. His...more Julie Anne Long, where have you been all my life? Obviously, you have been writing some excellent Historical Romance... but why is this the first time we've been together?

Obviously, I adored this book and upon finishing this review, I'm going to check out the backlist in the Pennyroyal Green series. This is the sixth installment, but if you've new to these books as well --I promise-- this works great as a standalone.

Julian Spenser, Marquess Dryden, is at the height of fashion among the ton. His every move is studied and imitated. Even Phoebe, unremarkable school-mistress that she is, knows of him through the scandal sheets. But she never expected to meet him. They cross paths, first, at a shop, where she overhears his friend make a rude comment about her. So when she sees him again, touring her school, she is irritated and flippant. She speaks to him as no one ever has, making her a puzzle and drawing him like a magnet.

Julian isn't really free to pursue her, though, since he is planning to propose to Lisbeth. (He wants the lands he'll inherit through her dowry.) But when he goes to London to begin his courting, he finds Phoebe again. She was once a tutor to Lisbeth, and now she is serving as her paid companion. On the surface, Lisbeth is everything Julian should want, but it's Phoebe who inflames him... with her wit, her temerity and her honesty.

This was such a great romance. The events in Phoebe's life take us on such a roller coaster. But even in the face of adversity, she maintains her inner strength. I loved watching her melt away the walls built around "Lord Ice." Julian is so very closed off at the beginning, but thanks to Phoebe, we get to see the real man underneath his controlled exterior. The sexual tension is great --and though there are not many sex scenes, I was satisfied with what we got.

The book has a heroine who is both smart and a survivor; a sexy, commanding hero finding love for the first time; and a romance that thumbs its nose as society's conventions. It also made me laugh out loud more than once. Very, very good. 5 stars.

*ARC Provided by NetGalley(less)

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May 01, 2012 Christina rated it 5 of 5 stars

I personally LOVED LOVED LOVED this book!!! I love how, yes, there is desire, BUT there is SOOOO much tenderness and actual romantic gestures in this book!! It's a ROMANCE novel and so many books in this genre tend to let sex and desire dominate the books as if they are synonymous with love and romance. I think this book intertwines all those things beautifully but allows the romance to shine. I adored the hero and heroine!! Lisbeth Redmond is horrid and I truly hope she isn't in any more books...more

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Jan 05, 2012 Mey Buentipo rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

This the first book I read about the Pennyroyal Green series. I braved myself enough that it could a stand alone book, well in part it could be. From all the good reviews I read about this book, I curious how good it is. Although, it saddened me that it didn't meet my expectations. During the first part of the book, little bit intrigued and then I got bored. There is nothing different from all the books I read. I got tired of the story flow of hindering the emotions of the characters because of...more

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Nov 06, 2012 Marina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: in-one-word-good, funny-and-easy-reads, historical-fiction

“Jules could have sworn there was a devilish glint in the shopkeepers eye.

'I find today I am in need of a bonnet.'

Mr. Postlethwaite was silent. And then his eyes crept toward the marquess's hairline.

'It will be a gift for a woman, Mr. Postlethwaite.'

'Of course, sir.'

The marquess wished the 'of course' sounded a bit more sincere. He'd scarcely been in the shop for more than three minutes and already his dignity was fraying.”

VERY, very good!
Absolutely hilarious, wonderfully written with a feelin...more

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Aug 05, 2012 lia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

I think Julie Anne Long is officially one of my must read author. I've read 4 books of her so far and none of them disappoint.

How The Marquess Was Won, again won me over.

Julian is the perfect Marquess, the trendsetter of the ton. He never done one thing wrong or place one foot wrong. Until he met Phoebe Vale, a plain schoolteacher who against all odds can understand who he truly is.

In his journey of falling in love, Julian stumble, stammered and repeatedly fall on his feet. The perfect Marque...more

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May 25, 2012 RomReader rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical

22yo teacher of a school of privileged girls accepts the invitation to go to London to be a companion to her wealthy and beautiful former student. She encounters marquess Hero whom she met recently and who she’s been infatuated with for awhile. She finds out soon that he’s courting her charge for a marriage of convenience. Their accidental meetings between dinner parties and balls provide them the time to get to know each other. And each interaction deepen their affection for each other. Yet Her...more 22yo teacher of a school of privileged girls accepts the invitation to go to London to be a companion to her wealthy and beautiful former student. She encounters marquess Hero whom she met recently and who she’s been infatuated with for awhile. She finds out soon that he’s courting her charge for a marriage of convenience. Their accidental meetings between dinner parties and balls provide them the time to get to know each other. And each interaction deepen their affection for each other. Yet Hero’s promise to his mother and their class differences keep them apart. What can a future can they have together?

I loved how Long was able to show the intensifying feelings & sexual chemistry between Hero and heroine through subtle nuances in their conversations and actions. The sex scenes in this book didn’t occur until towards the end but just the 1st touch of their hands and their 1st 2 kisses exploded with sparks! They not only served to show me how hot they were for each other but how out of control their feelings really were amidst all their clever conversations. Hero and heroine were separated by their class differences and Hero courting heroine’s beautiful charge for marriage. So most of their interactions were accidental meetings where they found themselves opening up to each other like never before. There was added tension due to heroine’s charge and Hero’s acquaintances cluing in to their attraction to each other and Hero & heroine trying their best to hide it from others. I was surprised at heroine’s reaction to finding out about the bet. She was hurt and humiliated and I thought she was going to leave Hero right after. Her demand that he make love to her instead was totally unexpected! I loved how she went after what she wanted from him before she left. It just showed how resilient and strong she was inside. I loved how controlled Hero became increasingly swept away by his uncontrolled feelings for heroine. What started out as his casual indifference with her became an obsession of her. His personality unraveled to reveal him as an intensely feeling creature. And all because of heroine.

Read it.
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Jan 16, 2013 Metaspinster rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: hr-regency-era, romance-historical, theme-class-differential, favorites, theme-art-artists, theme-music, trope-bluestocking

In my other reviews of the series I've discussed how wonderful it is that Long writes these detailed, intimate characterizations and how her couples respect and like one another and this fuels their sexy sexiness.

But have I also mentioned how awesome it is how she makes her characters beautiful to one another, even if not to the whole world? Because she does, and not just with the female characters, or just with obviously plain or unusual looking characters (although this is the case in this pa...more

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Jan 25, 2012 SidneyKay rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance-regency

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Welcome back to ~~Maiden Lane~~...er...~~Halstead Hall~~...uh...~~Spindle Cove~~...um...~~Courtesan Court~~...er...Wait a minute! Wait a minute! Pennyroyal Green, yes, that's the one! Welcome back to Pennyroyal Green!

Ah, yes this is the one with the feuding Redmond/Eversea families. Even if they play only secondary characters in How the Marquess Was Won, this is still their town after all.

Sometimes when an author writes an "outstanding, best of the best-tist, I love this story" book, my expectation/anticipation...more Welcome back to ~~Maiden Lane~~...er...~~Halstead Hall~~...uh...~~Spindle Cove~~...um...~~Courtesan Court~~...er...Wait a minute! Wait a minute! Pennyroyal Green, yes, that's the one! Welcome back to Pennyroyal Green!

Ah, yes this is the one with the feuding Redmond/Eversea families. Even if they play only secondary characters in How the Marquess Was Won, this is still their town after all.

Sometimes when an author writes an "outstanding, best of the best-tist, I love this story" book, my expectation/anticipation barometer ascends. So, when I am presented with a good story and I enjoy that said good story, I can still be disappointed if it doesn't live up to my expectations. And, that's what happened in this case. What I Did For the Duke was one of my favorite books from last year. I loved it! There was some supend-castic writing in that book; and while I enjoyed How the Marquess Was Won, there was just something a little off about it.

I thought both Julian and Phoebe were wonderful characters...heck, I was even intrigued by Phoebe's antagonist, Lisbeth Redmond. There was a lot going on behind the facade of each one of these individuals; it was just that we weren't allowed in too deeply. We are told Julian is frivolous, but he didn't seem so to me. Everything in Julian's character is a reflection of the society around him. It is the outside world that mimics what he does; he doesn't ask them to, they just do. And, while this makes for some pretty funny scenes in the book, we are not allowed much access into Julian's psyche. Why is he the way he is? Why does he let the ton continue their silliness? And then there is Phoebe, a "plain" woman who spent some of her childhood in Seven Dials. Not too much is made of this. In fact, when Julian finds out about it, it doesn't really seem to bother him that much. And, that was puzzling to me, considering he was such a calm, everything in its place kind of guy. I would have thought this would have played a bigger part in his class-conscious mind, but it didn't.

The character I thought was pretty true to form, pretty much what I perceive an aristocrat of the time period to be, was Lisbeth (secondary.) She was rather narcissistic, which was very understandable. It would be hard to be terribly pretty and have people worship you because of that beauty, and then not expect things to go your way. I see future heroine material in Lisbeth, if she is allowed to mature a little. She could also go the other way and make a terrific villainess. I actually was hoping that Phoebe would have been the one to knock Lisbeth off of her pedestal instead of Julian.

And then there is Jonathan. What a scalawag. I'm hoping we have a future book with him in it also.

My favorite character in this book was the cat, Chrybdis. He provided me with some laugh out loud moments. The paw swiping at the idiot twins. And the extremely hysterical rescue by Julian and the silly inspiration created by the ton to pay homage. I knew when Julian walked into Whites with a cat attached what the results would be. It was all quite amusing.

How the Marquess Was Won was an entertaining read. There was fun and there was drama. The dialogue was clever, even if there were the usual editing problems, (which I chose to overlook.) I liked all of the characters, even the goofy so-called villains. It's just that this one didn't pull me up to that higher level.(less)

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Mar 04, 2013 Janell Sutherland rated it 5 of 5 stars

I read this book months ago, as a standalone. It was fun, but I didn't read anything else in the series because I thought that by reading Book 6 I would be too spoiled for earlier books. Then a couple weeks ago I came across #4 and read it out of order, and decided to begin the series properly. When it came time for this book again, the description reminded me that I'd already read it. So, yay, didn't have to buy it again! But I read it again, because I was that into the series, and that into th...more

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About Julie Anne Long

Well, where should I start? I've lived in San Francisco for more than a decade, usually with at least one cat. I won the school spelling bee when I was in 7th grade; the word that clinched it was 'ukulele.' I originally set out to be a rock star when I grew up (I had a Bono fixation, but who didn't?), and I have the guitars and the questionable wardrobe stuffed in the back of my closet to prove it...more Well, where should I start? I've lived in San Francisco for more than a decade, usually with at least one cat. I won the school spelling bee when I was in 7th grade; the word that clinched it was 'ukulele.' I originally set out to be a rock star when I grew up (I had a Bono fixation, but who didn't?), and I have the guitars and the questionable wardrobe stuffed in the back of my closet to prove it.

But writing was always my first love.

I was editor of my elementary school paper (believe it or not, Mrs. Little's fifth grade class at Glenmoor Elementary did have one); my high school paper (along with my best high school bud, Cindy Jorgenson); and my college paper, where our long-suffering typesetter finally forced me to learn how to typeset because my articles were usually late (and thus I probably have him to thank for all the desktop publishing jobs that ensued over the years).

Won a couple of random awards along the way: the Bank of America English Award in High School (which basically just amounted to a fancy plaque saying that I was really, really good at English); and an award for best Sports Feature article in a College Newspaper (and anyone who knows me well understands how deeply ironic that is). I began my academic career as a Journalism major; I switched to Creative Writing, which was a more comfortable fit for my freewheeling imagination and overdeveloped sense of whimsy. I dreamed of being a novelist.

But most of us, I think, tend to take for granted the things that come easily to us. I loved writing and all indications were that I was pretty good at it, but I, thank you very much, wanted to be a rock star. Which turned out to be ever-so-slightly harder to do than writing. A lot more equipment was involved, that's for sure. Heavy things, with knobs. It also involved late nights, fetid, graffiti-sprayed practice rooms, gorgeous flakey boys, bizarre gigs, in-fighting—what's not to love?

But my dream of being a published writer never faded. When the charm (ahem) of playing to four people in a tiny club at midnight on a Wednesday finally wore thin, however, I realized I could incorporate all the best things about being in a band — namely, drama, passion, and men with unruly hair — into novels, while at the same time indulging my love of history and research.

So I wrote The Runaway Duke, sent it to a literary agent (see the story here), who sold it to Warner Books a few months after that...which made 2003 one of the most extraordinary, head-spinning years I've ever had.

Why romance? Well, like most people, I read across many genres, but I've been an avid romance reader since I got in trouble for sneaking a Rosemary Rogers novel out of my mom's nightstand drawer (I think it was Sweet Savage Love). Rosemary Rogers, Kathleen Woodiwiss, Laurie McBain...I cut my romance teeth on those ladies. And in general, I take a visceral sort of pleasure in creating a hero and a heroine, putting them through their emotional paces, and watching their relationship develop on the page. And of course, there's much to be said for the happy ending. :)

And why Regency Historicals? Well, for starters, I think we can blame Jane Austen. Her inimitable wit, compassion and vision brought the Regency vividly to life for generations of readers. If Jane Austen had written romances about Incas, for instance, I think, we'd have racks and racks of Inca romances in bookstores all over the country, and Warner Forever would be the Inca Romance line.

But I'm a history FREAK, in general. I read more history, to be perfectly honest, than fiction (when I have time to read!) these days. When we were little, my sister and I used to play "Littl(less)

More about Julie Anne Long...

Books by Julie Anne Long

What I Did For a Duke (Pennyroyal Green, #5)

The Perils of Pleasure (Pennyroyal Green, #1)

Like No Other Lover (Pennyroyal Green, #2)

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Quotes from How the Marquess Was Won

“I love you so much i can hardly tell my own heart from yours anymore, and i've never said it to another woman in my life as it's never until now been true. (page 364)” — 7 people liked it

“He was still thoughtful. 'Do you think any of us ever really knows anyone?'

'Philosophy, Lord Dryden? And yet it's daylight and everyone is still sober.” — 5 people liked it

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How the Marquess Was Won (Pennyroyal Green #6)

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