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29th out of 221 books
—
533 voters
Mad About the Earl (Ministry of Marriage #2)
by
Christina Brooke (Goodreads Author)
Love is never quite what it seems. Sometimes it's even better...
Designed to arrange matches of rank and affluence, the powerful Ministry of Marriage has no interest in love. But when does the heart ever play by the rules?
A Beast of Burden
Lady Rosamund Westruther has no objection to the match arranged for her by the Ministry—until she meets her intended. Gruff, stubborn Gri...more
Designed to arrange matches of rank and affluence, the powerful Ministry of Marriage has no interest in love. But when does the heart ever play by the rules?
A Beast of Burden
Lady Rosamund Westruther has no objection to the match arranged for her by the Ministry—until she meets her intended. Gruff, stubborn Gri...more
Mass Market Paperback, 328 pages
Published
January 3rd 2012
by St. Martin's Paperbacks
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Christina Brooke continues to shine with the second book in her Ministry of Marriage series, Mad About the Earl, an absolute delight of a Beauty and the Beast tale.
When Lady Rosamund Westruther travels to the country to meet the man to whom she has been betrothed, she quickly discovers three things: he's huge, he's rude and, with one passionate kiss, he (unknowingly) claims her heart for his own. Returning to London after the betrothal papers are signed, Rosamund patiently waits for Griffin to c...more
When Lady Rosamund Westruther travels to the country to meet the man to whom she has been betrothed, she quickly discovers three things: he's huge, he's rude and, with one passionate kiss, he (unknowingly) claims her heart for his own. Returning to London after the betrothal papers are signed, Rosamund patiently waits for Griffin to c...more
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Publication Date: January 3rd, 2012
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
ISBN: 0312534132
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Romance/Regency
Lootability: ***
The Ministry of Marriage is an organisation started by the Duke of Montford, caretaker of 6 of his young family members,that organises the marriages, and at times prevents them, of the English aristocracy.
What I Liked: The women in the Ministry of Marriage books are dynamic and enterprising, they have strong (and passionate)...more
Publication Date: January 3rd, 2012
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
ISBN: 0312534132
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Romance/Regency
Lootability: ***
The Ministry of Marriage is an organisation started by the Duke of Montford, caretaker of 6 of his young family members,that organises the marriages, and at times prevents them, of the English aristocracy.
What I Liked: The women in the Ministry of Marriage books are dynamic and enterprising, they have strong (and passionate)...more
Rated 4.5 Blue Ribbons
Review courtesy of Romance Junkies:
Lady Rosamund Westruther has been betrothed to Griffin deVere for as long as she can remember. Rosamund is a dutiful young woman who is very much prepared to wed Griffin at a moment's notice. Having corresponded over the years, Rosamund feels like she really knows Griffin. All of her hopes are soon dashed when she arrives at Griffin's home and discovers that everything between them is a lie. The only ray of sunshine in the whole ordeal is...more
Review courtesy of Romance Junkies:
Lady Rosamund Westruther has been betrothed to Griffin deVere for as long as she can remember. Rosamund is a dutiful young woman who is very much prepared to wed Griffin at a moment's notice. Having corresponded over the years, Rosamund feels like she really knows Griffin. All of her hopes are soon dashed when she arrives at Griffin's home and discovers that everything between them is a lie. The only ray of sunshine in the whole ordeal is...more
Mar 17, 2012
Booklover, Indianapolis
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Shelves:
read-in-2012,
u-k-historicals-1700s-1800s
March - 2.5* I saw this book one some thread on Amazon and it sounded good. It was barely ok. The author definitely wrote this w/a dictionary and thesaurus next to her. Lots of big words and somewhat pondorous phrasing (which is something she would have written!). **MILD SPOILERS AHEAD**
I liked the beginning - but then after H/h met the story jumped ahead 3 years - kinda pointless. H was sorely abused and hated by his grandfather - but no mention was ever made as WHY? H has a brother who is meti...more
I liked the beginning - but then after H/h met the story jumped ahead 3 years - kinda pointless. H was sorely abused and hated by his grandfather - but no mention was ever made as WHY? H has a brother who is meti...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Loved Christina Brooke's first book, Heiress in Love, and decided she would become an auto-buy for me.
This one did not disappoint. It is a beauty and the beast tale. Lady Rosamund Westruther has been betrothed by her guardian and Ministry of Marriage member the Duke of Montford to Griffin deVere, the Earl of Tregarth. When she goes to Cornwall to visit him, he is NOT charming in the least and while she remains betrothed to him, she returns to London to enjoy society and he stays in Cornwall. Thi...more
This one did not disappoint. It is a beauty and the beast tale. Lady Rosamund Westruther has been betrothed by her guardian and Ministry of Marriage member the Duke of Montford to Griffin deVere, the Earl of Tregarth. When she goes to Cornwall to visit him, he is NOT charming in the least and while she remains betrothed to him, she returns to London to enjoy society and he stays in Cornwall. Thi...more
3 tahun sebelumnya..
Rosamund sdh mencintai Griffin sejak pertama kali melihat foto miniature yg di kirim kakek Griffin (hebat jg y jatuh cinta pd sebuah foto hem..) pdhl Griffin bkn co yang ganteng bahkan wajahnya pny bekas luka dan si Griffin bahkan yakin bgt ce-2 akan lari melihat wajahnya. Tp justru ketidaksempurnaanya malah terlihat sempurna bagi Rosamund.
Dan yg aku sk dr karakter nya si Rosamund, dia bkn ce yg lemah, krn sewaktu mendengar bhw Griffin tdk merasakan hal yg di rasakan dan hny...more
Rosamund sdh mencintai Griffin sejak pertama kali melihat foto miniature yg di kirim kakek Griffin (hebat jg y jatuh cinta pd sebuah foto hem..) pdhl Griffin bkn co yang ganteng bahkan wajahnya pny bekas luka dan si Griffin bahkan yakin bgt ce-2 akan lari melihat wajahnya. Tp justru ketidaksempurnaanya malah terlihat sempurna bagi Rosamund.
Dan yg aku sk dr karakter nya si Rosamund, dia bkn ce yg lemah, krn sewaktu mendengar bhw Griffin tdk merasakan hal yg di rasakan dan hny...more
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2.75 round up to 3 out of 5 stars.
I adored the beginning. I really did, but the narrative slipped for me as the story moved along. Griffin was described many times as monstrously gigantic, but I couldn't get a clear picture of how he really looked. I got the 'beast' aspect. Also he had an abusive grandfather, but it is really not explained in any depth just what he had to endure. The heroine is a fine one, but again, she is immediately taken with the brooding Griffin (just by gazing at a picture...more
I adored the beginning. I really did, but the narrative slipped for me as the story moved along. Griffin was described many times as monstrously gigantic, but I couldn't get a clear picture of how he really looked. I got the 'beast' aspect. Also he had an abusive grandfather, but it is really not explained in any depth just what he had to endure. The heroine is a fine one, but again, she is immediately taken with the brooding Griffin (just by gazing at a picture...more
It did not make sense that such a high brow heiress would want to marry such an uncouth brute; and that the Earl/Ministry of marriage supported it. Griffin's arrival in London and dress and rough lack of manners should have been cause for his not to be received anywhere. How could this man be a Lord afianced to Society's biggest prize? What an outrage. The authors descriptions of him could have been used to describe a caveman come to snatch his wife and carry her off. I found the premise of this...more
A wonderful story about looking deeper and not accepting what is seen on the surface. Griffin and Rosamund havebeen betrothed for quite a while. He is a great bear of a man and she is considered an angel. The time bas come for Griffin to finally marry Rosamund in order to properly launch his sister into society. Their journey is a battle of wills and good intentions all with the purpose of a happy marriage. Rosamund is quite the siren and determined to have her way. In the end everything works o...more
I've read it twice, almost in succession.
Truly, I liked this installment even better than the first! Rosamund is such a nice and sympathetic person, and Griffin is so lovable.
I also enjoyed delving deeper into the Westruthers, and especially getting to know Lydgate better, as well as Xavier.
The sub-plot involving Jacqueline and Mr Maddox was sweet and romantic, as well as being a welcome relief from all the angst surrounding Rosamund and Griffin.
So, in this case, the second installment surpasses...more
Truly, I liked this installment even better than the first! Rosamund is such a nice and sympathetic person, and Griffin is so lovable.
I also enjoyed delving deeper into the Westruthers, and especially getting to know Lydgate better, as well as Xavier.
The sub-plot involving Jacqueline and Mr Maddox was sweet and romantic, as well as being a welcome relief from all the angst surrounding Rosamund and Griffin.
So, in this case, the second installment surpasses...more
The reason is that Mad About the Earl really blew me away when I read it and it was a breath of fresh air and originality in the world of Regency Romance where every book starts to sound the same. As much as Heiress in Love was typical, Mad About the Earl was atypical.
In the first book in the series, the Ministry of Marriage existed on the periphery pushing the couple they wanted together into the right situation. In the second book, the Ministry actually arrange the marriage between Rosamund We...more
In the first book in the series, the Ministry of Marriage existed on the periphery pushing the couple they wanted together into the right situation. In the second book, the Ministry actually arrange the marriage between Rosamund We...more
OK, so this doesn't have any relevance to the book but I just loved this series!
BOOK BLURB
A BEAST OF BURDEN
Lady Rosamund Westruther has no objection to the match arranged for her by the Ministry - until she meets her intended. Gruff, stubborn Griffin, Earl of Tregarth, is hardly the charming nobleman the classic beauty has dreamed of for so long. While a proper lady can't cry off, she can demand a proper courtship...
A BEAUTY TO BEHOLD
Griffin is aware of his duty to wed - and more convinced than...more
The review that follows is a partial review. To read the full text, please visit:
http://tbqspersonalbookpalace.blogspo...
~*~*~
Lady Rosamund Westruther grew up with a first hand look at how disastrous arranged marriages can be as her mother moved from one lover to another while her father tried, and often failed, to keep her scandals under wrap. It would then make sense, would it not, for a child raised in such circumstances to long for a love match instead; but Rosamund has is in her head that l...more
http://tbqspersonalbookpalace.blogspo...
~*~*~
Lady Rosamund Westruther grew up with a first hand look at how disastrous arranged marriages can be as her mother moved from one lover to another while her father tried, and often failed, to keep her scandals under wrap. It would then make sense, would it not, for a child raised in such circumstances to long for a love match instead; but Rosamund has is in her head that l...more
Lady Rosamund Westruther has no qualms about her arranged marriage to the Earl of Tregarth. In fact, she has many grand romantic allusions in her mind but those are all quickly forgotten when she arrives at his estate to finally meet Griffin. Rosamund is shocked that her betrothed is not waiting anxiously for her arrival and is actually in the stables. Filthy and having no intention of cleaning up and meeting her properly, Griffin is big, gruff to the point of mean, and visibly scarred. Hoping t...more
5 likes · like · see review
My entire review just disappeared. It was good. But it makes me so angry when that happens. I'll try to recreate it at some later date if I can remember the details. Until then...
OK. I'll try again. This is the story of a beauty, Rosamunde, and her beast, Griffin. They have been betrothed forever. Rosamunde has worn his miniature in a locket for many years dreaming of her life with him. He, on the other hand, has avoided marriage by staying on his estate in Cornwall.
What I found unique in this b...more
OK. I'll try again. This is the story of a beauty, Rosamunde, and her beast, Griffin. They have been betrothed forever. Rosamunde has worn his miniature in a locket for many years dreaming of her life with him. He, on the other hand, has avoided marriage by staying on his estate in Cornwall.
What I found unique in this b...more
Quite good. Started off very well but it dragged abit in the middle. I got a bit tired with the hero denying himself & also that there didn't seem to be much connection btwn the H/H. They were hardly together. I like the romance to build btwn the H/H not just instant lust! (it did seem like that on the hero's part). It picked up a bit later. All in all it was enjoyable & I'd definitely continue on with the series
I just loved this book.This is a new author for me and I will def be reading more of her books in the future.This is sort of a "Beauty" and "beast" type of couple and I thoroughly enjoyed their romance.There is a relationship happening between a good friend of the family and the hero's sister and am anxious to read their story if the author decided to write one.The story flowed nicely and enjoyed how the couple interacted with each other.The love scenes were deliciously hot and I loved how the h...more
Another marriage arranged by the Ministry. Griffin is just a bit too brooding, Rosamund a bit too rosy and cheerful. Book felt like a filler between the first and the next books. Want to read Xavier and Any's books. Cecila's will be OK. I think Jacks and Tony were shorted; ending was rushed and more of a teaser of the Duke and Lady Alton is needed to keep the interest going.
Far too silly of a book. Things start out interesting but go down hill. The hero is brooding and angsty for no reason who refused to marry the perfect and loving heroine for no reason.
The heroine adores the hero for some odd reason. Why? I couldn't tell you.
Suddenly the hero is accused more than half way through of murdering his younger sister's dance master years ago (probably as a way to spruce up the plot).
The love scenes between the H/H were beyond lacking and many of the actions on part of...more
The heroine adores the hero for some odd reason. Why? I couldn't tell you.
Suddenly the hero is accused more than half way through of murdering his younger sister's dance master years ago (probably as a way to spruce up the plot).
The love scenes between the H/H were beyond lacking and many of the actions on part of...more
3.5 Stars
Another enjoyable historical romance for Ms. Brooke. I love Beauty and the Beast retellings and I thought this was one was a refreshing take on it. Griffin is a great hero who was well-developed and very sympathetic. The heroine, Rosamund, was a wonderful surprise with her determination and positive outlook on life despite her difficult family situation. The romance was sweet though there were a few too many Big Misunderstandings for my personal taste. I also wish that there hadn't been...more
Another enjoyable historical romance for Ms. Brooke. I love Beauty and the Beast retellings and I thought this was one was a refreshing take on it. Griffin is a great hero who was well-developed and very sympathetic. The heroine, Rosamund, was a wonderful surprise with her determination and positive outlook on life despite her difficult family situation. The romance was sweet though there were a few too many Big Misunderstandings for my personal taste. I also wish that there hadn't been...more
Rather enjoyed this Beauty & the Beast romance. I thought I'd be turned off at how 'bleh' the hero (Griffin) was physically characterized but it surprisingly came off as OK. Rosamund made a good heroine too. NO HYSTERICS, thank god. And no maddening insipid behaviors.
May 09, 2012
Marguerite
added it
An excellent book, by an author that I've recently become enamored of. Christina Brooke captured my attention from the very first pages, and this retelling of "The Beauty and The Beast" is sure to capture your heart. Wow!
This is the second in the Ministry of Marriage series and a great addition for romance readers. Again the Ministry of Marriage has deemed fit that Lady Rosamund Westruther wed Griffin deVere, the Earl of Tregarth. Their first meeting does not go well. Rosamund has always looked forward to her betrothal, but is somewhat abhored to find Griffin is huge and unkempt. Griffin is amused to find Rosamund is spunky and has a backbone. However, he has lived a life of abuse and feels he does not deserve h...more
3.5 stars It's a charming book that reminded me a bit of Amanda Quick but without the dry wit. I felt the emotional depth was a bit truncated but I'm intrigued enough to buy the first book in the series.
Great book! Rosamund was a wonderful heroine, i just wished she would have really given it to her mother at the end. That woman deserved much worse that she got and I would have loved to have seen her shamed in front of everyone after what she did to her daughter. Griffin was a wonderful Hero who beneath all that tough beastly exterior had a really kind and fragile heart that had been stomped on one too many times. Fear is a bitch!. The love scenes were HOT HOT HOT yet not right out of an erotic...more
This is an amazing book the words just flow of the pages and is not put downable loved loved it. Rosamund and Griffin have to come to terms with so much and the journey to their HEA is filled with passion as Rosamund tames her beast.
Sep 17, 2011
Karla (Mossy Love Grotto)
marked it as nyp-need-to-read-sample
Don't want to read it, but I need to wait for a preview feature to see if the hero is ever referred to as "Gruff Griff".
I'm a sucker for the Beauty and the Beast theme. This one was very well done. Ordered the first in the series.
I loved this book....I love the fact that beauty is inside not always outside...cannot wait for the next one...I love series!!!!
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