An Affair with Mr. Kennedy (The Gentlemen of Scotland Yard, #1)

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An Affair with Mr. Kennedy (The Gentlemen of Scotland Yard #1)

3.79 of 5 stars 3.79 · rating details · 275 ratings · 92 reviews

London, 1887. Part stoic gentleman, part fearless Scotland Yard man, Zeno "Zak" Kennedy is an enigma of the first order. For years, the memory of a deadly bombing at King's Cross has haunted the brilliant Scotland Yard detective. His investigation has zeroed in on a ring of aristocratic rebels whose bloody campaign for Irish revolution is terrorizing the city. When he disc...more

Mass Market Paperback, 392 pages

Published January 31st 2012 by Pocket Books

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Feb 16, 2012 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance-european, 2012-debuts

Cassandra St Cloud, Lady Rosslyn, widow of two years, artist and teacher, is now ready to come out from mourning and establish her independence. Letting a town house in Belgravia, her landlord and neighbour is Detective Inspector Zeno (Zak) Augustus Kennedy. Zak is one of Scotland Yard's finest. His particular division, the Special Irish Branch, deals with anarchists especially the Fenians whose use of violence to bring about an independent Irish Republic has caught the attention of the British...more
Cassandra St Cloud, Lady Rosslyn, widow of two years, artist and teacher, is now ready to come out from mourning and establish her independence. Letting a town house in Belgravia, her landlord and neighbour is Detective Inspector Zeno (Zak) Augustus Kennedy. Zak is one of Scotland Yard's finest. His particular division, the Special Irish Branch, deals with anarchists especially the Fenians whose use of violence to bring about an independent Irish Republic has caught the attention of the British Government. Zak's investigations have led him to believe that the Bloody Four, a group comprised of peers of the realm, may be planning a series of explosions to incite sedition.

There was a lot in this historical romance that admittedly I found implausible. Especially the heroine. Cassie is such a liberated and progressive woman with her cigar-smoking, tattoo, bicycle-riding and her ease at taking a lover. Individually any of these would be surprising (but possible) but altogether were a little over-the-top. Certainly Cassie's character is given some veracity, with her mother a suffragette and physician, her father tolerant of not only his wife but his daughter's beliefs.

And yet, I really enjoyed this novel. It was different to the usual historical romance, with the hero a Scotland Yard detective for starters. The setting for the most part was on the streets and away from tea parties and glittering balls. Perhaps I had to suspend belief to a degree, but I'm for anything that's written well, entertaining and distinctive. And this was.

Set in 1887, the mystery suspense was well thought out. The details of 19th century Scotland Yard, and the historical aspects were well-researched and convincing. (Although the Women's Franchise League mentioned by Cassie was founded by Emmeline Pankhurst in 1889, two years after the time setting here in this novel. This may be writer's licence of course.)

If you're looking for something different in a historical romance An Affair with Mr Kennedy fits the bill. An entertaining and really enjoyable debut.

Steam: 3.5

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Oct 03, 2012 Helen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: guilty-pleasures, historical

Well, I believe I have finally found a Romance novel I liked. Of course, the fact that it's half Mystery might have something to do with it.

I think author balanced both subplots very well. She also did her research. It's not just the facts; the language fits the setting as well. Never have I read a Historical Romance before that painted the actual atmosphere rather than just dressed characters in period costumes and placed them on the appropriate stage. At least, that's what I felt.

I have encoun...more

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Jul 07, 2012 Sobia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So I wanted to write a review for this, but I'll be honest and say I'm not entierly sure how I managed to finish it, or why i never put it down...It's not that it was bad, it's just the writing style was hard to get used to. If you're considering giving this a shot, can i strongly suggest reading an excerpt or two?

The characters were numerous. At one point I think i confused two characters, one a not so bad guy and a bad guy, it made for some irritating reading!

The main H and h, were okay, but t...more

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Apr 03, 2013 May Mostly Romance rated it 3 of 5 stars

เรื่องนี้เป็นเล่มแรกในชุด The Gentleman of Scotland Yard เท่าที่รู้ตอนนี้น่าจะมีสามเล่มนะคะ แต่ก็คงขึ้นอยู่กับความฮิตด้วยแหละ เพราะพล็อตเรื่องค่อนข้างเปิดกว้าง จะเขียนต่อไปคาแร็คเตอร์อื่น ๆ ในเรื่องก็ไม่น่าจะมีปัญหา

เรื่องราวโฟกัสไปที่บรรดานักสืบแห่งสำนักงานตำรวจสก๊อตแลนด์ยาร์ด ในช่วงปี 1880s ที่ประเทศอังกฤษกำลังอยู่ระหว่างสังคมยุคเก่า และการก้าวสู่อยู่ทันสมัย ในยามที่วิทยาศาสตร์ก้าวหน้าไปไกล และทำให้มนุษย์สามารถก้าวข้ามขีดจำกัดเดิมที่เคยมีอยู่ได้

นักสืบซีโน เคนนาดี้เป็นหนึ่งในตำรวจที่มีชื่อเสีย...more

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May 08, 2012 Annie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, crime-adventure

Meet the Gentlemen of Scotland Yard – a group of men dedicated to dealing with the Fenian terrorist threat in the late 1880s.
Zeno (nickname Zak) is a member of the Special Irish Branch of Scotland Yard, and is determined to uncover the identities of the men of The Bloody Four – gentlemen who may, or may not, be working for Irish Home Rule, through terrorist actions.
When he discovers that Cassandra (Cassie) St Cloud has links to one of the suspects, Zeno uses her. But his interest in her soon be...more

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Apr 10, 2012 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

First of a new series, from the same author who wrote THE SEDUCTION OF PHAETON BLACK. Zak is considerably toned down from Phaeton (actually, it was interesting to mentally compare and contrast the two, as I was reading), but this book was still PLENTY steamy. Cassie is an independent female, but not recklessly stupid about it (as so often befalls the heroine in an action/suspense title with a strong male lead)-- in fact, part of the ratcheting tension of this was figuring out how the lurking bad...more

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Mar 04, 2012 My Book Addiction and More MBA rated it 5 of 5 stars

AN AFFAIR WITH MR. KENNEDY by Jillian Stone is a fascinating historical romance set in 1887 London. It is this author's debut novel and what a debut.It is the first in "The Gentlemen of Scotland Yard". "An Affair With Mr. Kennedy" has a plot that is emotional,passionate,well thought out,with twists,romance,and love. The main characters ,Yard Man, Zeno "ZAK"Kennedy who is not only a Scotland Yard Detective, fearless,sexy and determined but is haunted by an earlier bombing. Cassandra "Cassie" St....more

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Mar 02, 2012 E. rated it 4 of 5 stars

“An Affair with Mr. Kennedy” by Jillian Stone is the sensual debut novel in her series ‘The Gentlemen of Scotland Yard’. This offering is from a talented author who presents an engaging story about a Scotland Yard inspector, Zeno Augustus Kennedy (Zak), who is doggedly following leads to discover the perpetrators of a plot to use dynamite and other explosives to achieve an attack upon the government. A serendipitous leasing of his property to an attractive widow named Cassandra St. Cloud (Cassie...more “An Affair with Mr. Kennedy” by Jillian Stone is the sensual debut novel in her series ‘The Gentlemen of Scotland Yard’. This offering is from a talented author who presents an engaging story about a Scotland Yard inspector, Zeno Augustus Kennedy (Zak), who is doggedly following leads to discover the perpetrators of a plot to use dynamite and other explosives to achieve an attack upon the government. A serendipitous leasing of his property to an attractive widow named Cassandra St. Cloud (Cassie) leads to a conflict between professional and personal concerns as she seems to have ties to one of the ringleaders. Cassandra is unconventional, particularly due to the fact that both parents are physicians and her mother has inculcated her fervor for women’s rights in her receptive offspring. A strong artistic talent, a secret vice for cigars and a mother who advocates safe sex all combine to add to Cassie’s allure for the dedicated detective. Zak is torn between acknowledging his tenant’s ability to be an independent woman and his desire to keep her safe from harm during the course of his dangerous investigation. Cassie is not sure she wants to allow somebody new into her heart but feels an undeniably carnal attraction to her intense landlord although they may not both survive to explore the depths of their mutual desires.

An intriguing story that melds many historical details in an enjoyable tale of suspense and passion. There are interesting asides (such as the disturbing fact that some dreary painting of his mother allows the artist James Whistler to supplant Cassie’s position in a gallery), a different look at the machinations of politics and the ease with which one can be coerced to support an opposing view, and glimpses of British society of the late 1800s. The secondary characters are also engaging and one certainly hopes to see more of Zak’s able helpers as well as Cassie’s eccentric and brilliant brother. A great start to an inventive series from a fresh new voice.

© Night Owl Reviews(less)

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Sep 01, 2012 Betsy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, historical, paranormal, romance, steampunk, smuttery

What a lovely book for reading in my hammock. I am thinking of making a tag called "really pleasant". This tag is not disparaging or sarcastic, just an indicator that this is a well written book without extreme highs or lows. An Affair with Mr. Kennedy was a really lovely book, was well written and had warm likable lead characters. The suspense moved along without causing gasping or lost sleep. For me the highlight was that the romance was really and truly lovely. While I do not crave romance no...more

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Feb 05, 2012 Anna-Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

So this was an absolutely delightful read! I totally enjoyed the whole Scotland Yard story but even more I enjoyed the wonderful love story between Cassie and Zak. Cassie was such a wonderful, independent character. I loved that she a modern young woman doing what she wants and when she wants! Zak was also a great hero, I liked his kind of being romantic. :) The two of them together were pretty hot and intense.
This was a great start and I am looking forward for the next book!!

*** german review...more

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Apr 07, 2012 Michelle Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-read, historical

Loved loved loved the book until the heroine made stupid decisions. I hate when the entire downfall of the book is because of a stupid heroine.

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It was An Affair with Mr. Kennedy's cover that drew me in. It is quite beautiful. I also was really intrigued by the time setting of London 1887. I haven't actually read many Victorian romance novels and I have to say, I think I will look into reading more. I like that time period was a bit more technologically adv...more

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Jan 23, 2013 Heather andrews rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the second book I've read by Jillian and each time I enjoy them more and more. I love how she writes, I like the historical fiction, and the books she writes have more then the romance perspective there's action, suspense, and adventure oh and sex but you know you get frustrated with the character's and yell at them throughout the book to hurry up and get it done with! Well at least I did anyway. In this particular book there is Zak Kennedy (all sorts of yumminess) "GoodGod, he had forgo...more

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Apr 21, 2012 Marsha rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Adult

(3.5 stars) I truly loved "The Seduction of Phaeton Black" so I thought I would give "An Affair with Mr Kennedy" a try. While I liked story, I did not love it as much as Phaeton.

Zeno Kennedy is a top notch inspector with Scotland Yard. He is part of a special unit that is investigating recent bombings in London terrorizing its'residents attributed to four devious men supporting the Irish revolution. These men are noblemen and are suspected of gaining supporrors through bribery, blackmail and int...more

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Feb 08, 2012 Mandi Schreiner rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical

Set in the late 1800’s, Zeno Kennedy is a well known detective with the Scotland Yard. Having lost a mistress to a bombing years ago, Zeno has set his mind to keeping London safe. But he knows there are a group of men, “The Bloody Four” he calls them, that want to harm his city. These four are wealthy men who are for an Irish revolution, and will murder, conspire and threaten those that get in their way. Zeno is on their trail however, and won’t back down.

Meanwhile, Zeno has a new tenant in the...more Set in the late 1800’s, Zeno Kennedy is a well known detective with the Scotland Yard. Having lost a mistress to a bombing years ago, Zeno has set his mind to keeping London safe. But he knows there are a group of men, “The Bloody Four” he calls them, that want to harm his city. These four are wealthy men who are for an Irish revolution, and will murder, conspire and threaten those that get in their way. Zeno is on their trail however, and won’t back down.

Meanwhile, Zeno has a new tenant in the building he owns, a Ms. Cassandra St. Cloud. Cassie is a widow, who is just coming out of mourning. A very talented painter, she has decided to live on her own now, and start a new chapter of her life. A very progressive woman (with an even more progressive mother) Cassie has no qualms about taking a lover or living on her own. When she meets her new neighbor, the very sexy if not a bit cranky detective Kennedy, she can’t help but peek out her window to observe him. And he does the same thing. When it comes to light that Cassie’s brother in-law is involved with The Bloody Four, Cassie gets whisked into Zeno’s investigation.

I’ll admit it. When An Affair With Mr. Kennedy arrived unsolicited in the mail, I opened the envelope and was immediately drawn to the title and cover of the book. When I saw that the series includes a Scotland Yard detective, I was in. I didn’t even read the blurb. I like the set-up of this book and I like the characters although I do think this book is slow at times and I was a little disappointed in the suspense part of the book. More on that in a minute.

First, we are presented with a lovely hero and heroine. Zeno is a little more on the brooding side of things. He takes his work very seriously, and hates to be in the papers or recognized because of the past bombing involving his love interest. When he sets his sights on Cassie, he can’t look away. Cassie comes from a family of doctors, and has a mother that would much rather talk about sex and birth control than tea and the weather. So Cassie is definitely not a prude. She is very independent, and has more of the mind set that she wants to take a lover. She also lounges around and smokes cigars. Definitely a different type of heroine.

While the romance unfolds (and again, I really liked the romance in this one – it is very naughty) I did have problems with the suspense. These group of men are set to terrorize London, and they do have a nasty ringleader who is slightly obsessed with Cassie during the book. But I think there is a lot of slow time leading up to the big finale with this group. I kind of wanted them to be more of a threat. And then at the end, it isn’t hard to guess what is going to happen. There is also a point in the book where Zeno must deal with someone from his past and it felt like this development should have been more dramatic.

Overall, I liked it, but not as much as I was hoping to. I’m happy to see on Goodreads that two more books are coming in this series. I don’t think we get enough romances with this kind of setting.
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Jan 21, 2012 Kristen Koster rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Victorian Romance readers or anyone who likes historical romance with a dose of police procedural!

Shelves: romance-historical

I was fortunate enough to read an ARC of this book. I WILL be reading it again after its release on Jan 31! I loved it that much!

The main characters are rich and wonderfully drawn and combine with the external plot for a compelling read. The secondary characters also come alive on the page and are expertly woven into the plot. The historical details are handled with a deft hand to provide a rich tapestry of world building without making you feel like you're sitting through a history lesson. I da...more

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Feb 10, 2012 Nikki Brandyberry rated it 3 of 5 stars

Detective Zeno Kennedy only has a matter of time before a notoriously elusive bomb group strikes again. Standing in his way of finally finding out their identities is his new tenant, Cassandra. He knows she has connections within the group but can’t be sure if she is aware of who she associates with.
Cassandra knows her new landlord has questions for her but she can’t focus on those and her career as a artist too. She is determined not to fall into bed with a man again, no matter how much she des...more Detective Zeno Kennedy only has a matter of time before a notoriously elusive bomb group strikes again. Standing in his way of finally finding out their identities is his new tenant, Cassandra. He knows she has connections within the group but can’t be sure if she is aware of who she associates with.
Cassandra knows her new landlord has questions for her but she can’t focus on those and her career as a artist too. She is determined not to fall into bed with a man again, no matter how much she desires to. Slowly, Zeno is wearing her defenses thin and she is finding herself with him more and more.
Zeno is going to need her help to catch those in which he seeks. If he happens to fall into her bed in doing so, well…neither of them are prudes.

An Affair With Mr. Kennedy was unlike any historical romance I have read to date. Normally I find historical romances to have female characters that are so prim and proper that they make me want to scream within the first couple of chapters . This one opens with a trip to a hospital in which women are lining up to use a machine that is geared toward calming the hysterical woman. A.k.a a mechanical orgasm producer. I found the whole scenario highly amusing. Not only that people actually used to believe that orgasms would keep women in line but also that they could cure some illnesses. I found it refreshing to find something like that in a historical that is typically wrote one way and one way only.
I also enjoyed the suspense aspect and the constant threat to Cassandra from a shadowy bomb group. Zeno made the perfect hero to Cassie’s adventurous spirit. They worked well together and I was always surprised by the situations they found themselves in. Zeno never seemed sure what her connection to the bomb group was but he also never truly suspected her of being a part of them either.
Cassies mother was the one character that stayed with me the longest after putting the book down. She was incredibly blunt and seemed so out of place for that day and age. I found myself snickering at her conversations with Cassie and in Cassies responses.
Having said all that I still had the same issue with this one as I do with a lot of historical romances. In between the good parts there seemed to be a lot of filler that I found to be hard to get through. I found myself wanting to skip the middle parts and get back to the parts where Cassie and Zak simmered, constantly wanting each other and being unable to deny themselves. I am glad to say though that those spots weren’t all that common. I liked how Cassie had the opportunity to help Zeno with his case by posing to be a high class, well, hooker. I found it amusing how well she fit into the role and what a good actress she was in the face of possible danger. She had a lot of spunk and I adored that about her.
I really wished the aspect of Zeno’s ex girlfriend would have been played up more. I thought that could have been executed much better. He had been thinking her dead for quite sometime before he finds her again and realizes she’s a part of the bomb issue.
An Affair With Mr Kennedy is still a refreshing addition to the historical romance genre.
I give An Affair With Mr Kennedy by Jillian Scott 3.50 stars!
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Feb 13, 2012 Lisa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

I have mixed feelings over An Affair with Mr. Kennedy. I liked the hero and heroine, but their romance was a bit too tame for my liking. The build up to a love scene was hotter than the actual love scene. I liked the plot, but it had moments when I was bored with it or felt that it wasn't entirely believable. The heroine remained smart throughout the book and never did anything that I considered to be stupid when she was in danger. On the other hand, the hero who was supposed to know better made...more

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Jun 04, 2012 Sonia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: r-historica

Con unos protagonistas que se salen de lo que conozco (y me aburren) en histórica, esta novela me ha resultado divertida, ágil y muy simpática. Las conversaciones entre los protagonistas están llenas de humor e insinuaciones, principalmente porque ella es todo un personaje fuera de lo habitual, viuda sin problemas con el sexo, independiente y moderna, ni la shrinking violet in la lazada que confunde feminismo con encarar el peligro la primera sin tener en cuenta el más mínimo sentido común que p...more

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Feb 08, 2012 Dabney rated it 2 of 5 stars

I realized I wasn’t enjoying this Victorian romance when, for the tenth night in a row, I avoided the book. I turned on my Kindle and, instead of opening the aptly named “Review These Books Now!” collection in which this book was stored; I yet again clicked on my “Ballin’ Bodice Rippers” list and happily re-read bits and pieces of other historicals I love. I found An Affair with Mr. Kennedy a chore to read.

The novel takes place in London in 1887, the year of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. Our...more I realized I wasn’t enjoying this Victorian romance when, for the tenth night in a row, I avoided the book. I turned on my Kindle and, instead of opening the aptly named “Review These Books Now!” collection in which this book was stored; I yet again clicked on my “Ballin’ Bodice Rippers” list and happily re-read bits and pieces of other historicals I love. I found An Affair with Mr. Kennedy a chore to read.

The novel takes place in London in 1887, the year of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. Our hero, the thoroughly modern Zeno “Zak” Kennedy is a detective for Scotland Yard. The brilliant, clever, dedicated, athletic Zeno has a skill set so prodigious that, by the time he turned out to be a hell of a tenor with a facility for Italian opera, I abandoned any idea of seeing him as a plausible character. Zeno is a man with a mission; three years ago, a deadly bombing at King’s Cross left him missing a lover and unwaveringly determined to rid London of explosive-oriented anarchists. Currently, he’s got his eagle eye on a group of secretly seditious lords — he calls them the Bloody Four - who, Zeno believes, plan to explode a series of bombs in order to spark a violent Irish revolt which would then cause the House of Lords to vote against Irish Home Rule and thus create a possible path towards ultimate Irish independence.

One of these aristocrats, Gerald St. Clair, happens to be the brother-in-law of an impossibly gorgeous young widow, Cassandra St. Clare. The Yard wonders if Cassandra, who is also connected to another of the possible Bloody Four, the odious Lord Delamere, could be a part of the Fenian plot. Cassandra, conveniently, just moved into a townhouse in Belgravia owned by Zak which is (sigh) adjacent to his. Super sexy Cassandra, after a brief and constraining marriage, is living a rather outré life. She is an (extraordinarily talented) artist (her uber-progressive parents sent her to Paris to study when she was just seventeen where she drank, painted, and got a tattoo), rides a bicycle, lives on her own, and once she sees her fine-looking landlord, takes a lover with ease.

Zak and Cassie begin a passionate affair despite Zak’s lack of transparency about his initial interest in her. The two can’t get enough of each other, which was inopportune; I’d had enough of them as a couple by the hundredth page. Ms. Stone’s sexual prose is clunky; her descriptions of the bawdy shenanigans between Cassie and Zak veer from awkward to icky. Zak has “a brute of a penis.” Cassie, the morning after the two have first made love, as her maid Cecile serves the naked lovers breakfast in bed describes him (in French) to as “frightfully large and as hard as a Bengal tiger.” In one of many overwrought love scenes, Zak makes love to Cassie with his “throbbing shaft” as she murmurs “musical and mysterious female whispers and growls.”

This is just a partial review. To read the complete review, please go to All About Romance:

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Aug 14, 2012 Jenny rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: cops-and-fbi, historical, read-2012, features-a-pet-dog, the-cover-made-me-read-it

I went back and forth on what to rate this book. I really did enjoy some of it. For the most part I enjoyed the relationship between Zak and Cassie. I found some of the dialogue a bit daring and I appreciated that the heroine wasn't so independent that she lacked common sense (which is a problem I see quite a lot of in historicals.) Also, I adored Cassie's family.

I didn't care for the Irish home rule subplot much at all. It may have just been me, but I didn't feel like it was very well construct...more

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Apr 07, 2012 Beth Henderson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Excellent first run out of the gate for newcomer Jillian Stone. Clever dialogue between main characters and excellent reasons for heroine's bohemian life choices. Another Victorian romantic adventure with a hero from Scotland Yard's Special Irish Division but then going after Fenian anarchists is the historical verision of hunting terrorists in the 21st century, I suppose. Highly recommend the story, although my personal preference is for less detail in love scenes. At least the characters stay...more

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Mar 26, 2012 Eggletina rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

2.5 stars because, though I liked the idea of it and it was a different kind of story with Scotland Yard investigations figuring prominently, much of the characterization and plot were just too over the top. As another reviewer pointed out, while it may be believable for characters to be ahead of their time in regard to their convictions and mores, you can go too far with it. This story did. I also thought, and this may be partly due to how the author wanted to characterize the hero, that there...more

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Mar 04, 2012 Julia rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: lovers of victorian era romance, romance readers tired of regency sameness

Recommended to Julia by: I found it on blogs

Shelves: 2012, historical-romance, awesome-cover, own-ebook

This was definitely one of the more unique historical romances out there. I can see why RWA gave her an award. Let's break it down, shall we?

The Story:
The story is gripping. It takes you on a journey with Scotland Yard and its heroes, especially Zeno aka Zak. There is a plot afoot and Cassie seems to be unwittingly caught in the middle. Zak makes it his responsibility to protect her, and well, things happen along the way. The story bounces back between their love and the nefarious schemes of The...more

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Sep 03, 2012 Erica Anderson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads, victorian-romance

3.5 stars. There's a lot to like about this book--an unconventional hero, a bit of mystery, and a nice job with the Victorian setting. But I just didn't find it particularly compelling after the first two-thirds. The heroine paints, but this activity seems to be the author's way of portraying the heroine as an independently minded woman. Painting doesn't actually have any relevance to the plot and it seemed like window-dressing to me.

I did like the hero and the role of his profession in the plo...more

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Jan 19, 2012 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: jillian-stone, historical-romance, arc

Wow, this book is so unique and fascinating! First, our hero is not a duke, earl, etc...he is the son of one but he is not going to inherit and it is always nice to read a change of pace from that scenario. Same for our heroine, Cassie St. Cloud. She gained the Lady title by marriage but her husband is deceased and she prefers to be called Cassie. She is the daughter of two prominent doctors in society and her mother is a strong advocate for women's suffrage which brings up another key factor in...more Wow, this book is so unique and fascinating! First, our hero is not a duke, earl, etc...he is the son of one but he is not going to inherit and it is always nice to read a change of pace from that scenario. Same for our heroine, Cassie St. Cloud. She gained the Lady title by marriage but her husband is deceased and she prefers to be called Cassie. She is the daughter of two prominent doctors in society and her mother is a strong advocate for women's suffrage which brings up another key factor in this story to set it apart--it is set in 1887 which allows for such things as the London Underground (laying electric work), women riding bicycles and bloomers. Jillian Stone brings all this to life with a fresh breath of air that I enjoyed.

Cassie was such a bold female--she smokes cigars, rides bikes, and rents a flat next to a handsome man...that just happens to have a connecting door between the premisses. Locked of course...but for how long? She is a painter and she is accepted for all her uniqueness by not just her parents and friends, but also by Zak. Zeno Augustus Kennedy, nickname Zak, works for Scotland Yard (does anyone else love saying that in their faux British accent? I do, lol) and helped defuse a large bomb plot that has arisen again and Cassies former brother-in-law seems to be a part of the murderous group so Zak is determined to find out what Cassie knows. However, the pair find themselves in a hot flirtation that soon leads to a hot affair and matters of the heart become involved all while trying to uncover the dangerous group know as the Bloody Four.

Overall, this is a fascinating piece of work! I really hope we see more and more books set during this time period as it adds so much richness to the story. I adored Cassie and Zak together and I appreciated that even though Cassie is strong and independent, she is also a female who wants the love of a good man to be known to her and will not accept anything else. Nothing to major to complain about with the book other than it is long. It is almost 400 pages so you will need to carve out some time to sink into this one and enjoy it. The mystery aspect will keep you flipping the pages and I know my heart was racing in the final chapters! Jillian Stone has delivered a strong story set within a unique setting with characters that are smart, sexy and perfect for each other mixed together with an intriguing mystery and wonderful supporting characters that will leave you anxiously awaiting the next story! 4 stars

Thanks to Pocket and Jillian Stone for providing me with this ARC! (less)

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May 19, 2013 Claudia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: steampunk, historical-romance

I started the Book because I thought it is a steampunk novel .... That is Not really the case. It has some Minor gadgets in it but nothing really sustential. What I got was a historical romance with a Lot of mystery.

The story iS about a Young widow who moves in a new House and chatches the interest of her landlord, a detective of scotland Yard. First he just wants to use her connections to solve a case but then attraction sets in ...

Cassie was a very forward and strong woman and I liked her ch...more

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Apr 17, 2013 Danae rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: readers of historical romances with mystery

Shelves: historical-romance, reviewed, smoking-hot, victorian-romance

I've fallen in love...with Ms. Stone's writing! She's created strong impressive characters in Cassie and Zeno. And the depth of her research on Victoriana shows through beautifully through the book without ever intruding or reading like a drab history lesson. The mystery propelled the romance forward and kept one interested as to waht would happen next. I particularly adore Cassie who's been shown to be an independent, bohemian woman yet not the kind to take foolish risks just to prove her point...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Sapphyria rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the debut novel of Jillian Stone's, The Gentlemen of Scotland Yard series. It takes place in 1887 London.

Detective Inspector Zeno Augustus Kennedy, also known as Zak, works for Special Irish Branch, a division of Scotland Yard that primarily investigates anarchists. He is in the process of trying to track down some suspected arsonists, Fenians, who have been planting large amounts of dynamite throughout the country. Many people have been hurt or killed by the explosions of the placed dyn...more

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Nov 03, 2012 Cameron rated it 5 of 5 stars

Originally posted on the blog: What the Cat Read

I loved this book! True I would have preferred it to have had more mystery in it, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. As many of you may or may not know, I’m a big fan of Scotland Yard novels, so it’s no surprise that I would gravitate towards this series. And given that I recently read and loved Stone’s other novel, The Seduction of Phaeton Black (SoPB), it’s no surprise that this was another winning novel for me. =^.^=

First off I wish to say that...more Originally posted on the blog: What the Cat Read

I loved this book! True I would have preferred it to have had more mystery in it, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. As many of you may or may not know, I’m a big fan of Scotland Yard novels, so it’s no surprise that I would gravitate towards this series. And given that I recently read and loved Stone’s other novel, The Seduction of Phaeton Black (SoPB), it’s no surprise that this was another winning novel for me. =^.^=

First off I wish to say that the romance in this book while being prevalent, is not nearly has hot as the one in SoPB. Actually this was rather tame in comparison. Though there is an instant connection between Cassie and Zeno, there’s a lot of courtship and flirtation that goes on between them, which makes their relationship more realistic for me. There’s also a lot of distrust at times. Now I’m all for reading some hot romance scenes every once in a while, but it’s also nice to have a slow build up to the inevitable romance, so the relationship between Cassie and Zeno as perfect.

I also greatly enjoyed the characters. Cassie was an instant favorite of mine. Not only because she is adamant in making a name for herself in the art world, but because she doesn’t conform to the typical Victorian widow persona. After dutifully going through the requisite period of mourning, Cassie sets out with the idea of having an affair. It’s simply too purrfect. And out of all the guys from the book she could hook up with, no one is better than Zeno. True, I found him to be rather infuriating at times, especially when he uses Cassie as a means to an end, but I also have to applaud him on his dedication towards work. I couldn’t fault him for not telling Cassie the truth about some of what was going on in his job, even if I did think there were some things he should have been up front about. These two characters combined make a fantastic team and it was fun to watch them dance relationship wise.

And before I move on to other things, can I just say that I’ve never met a more wonderful set of parents than Cassie’s! The dinner scene had me in stitches. They are the perfect comedic relief. Plus Cassie’s brother is a joy all on his own as well. His fascination with rockets and cars made for some very memorable scenes towards the end of the book. I truly hope that at some point Stone brings everyone back for another novel. At the very least I feel that Cassie’s brother deserves his own story.

Plot wise, this book has it all. Suspense, romance, mystery, humor, you name it. Though Stone tells us up front who the suspects are, the chase to track down the “Bloody Four” had me hooked straight through to the end of the book. And there are even some surprises in the story. I won’t go into any detail about these, but I will tell you that one of them left me feeling rather sorry for Zeno because he really got screwed over at one point.

The only part of the story that I had trouble with was towards the end where the book has what feels to be two different ending points. The first is when Zeno and Cassie have the final confrontation with the ring leader of the “Bloody Four”, whose name I am sad to say escapes me right now. This felt like a natural end all on its own and could have been left there with only an additional scene between Cassie and Zeno to wrap things up. Instead Stone ends the book with a rather humorous, yet harrowing scene where Zeno must protect Queen Victoria from an assassination attempt. I’ll be honest and say that my mind went to the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 because Stone has the bad guys set up a series of powder kegs in the rafters of the House of Parliament. Any ways, while the additional events after the capture of the main antagonists didn’t stop my enjoyment of the novel, I was a bit surprised that Stone chose to continue the story beyond what felt like a natural stopping point for me. And before anyone questions why I found the ending scene to be rather humorous I will simply say this, rocket + villain = surprise humor.

So yes, there’s no question that this novel has definitely made me want to explore the rest of the books in this series. Be sure to check back later for my review of the second book in the series, A Dangerous Liaison with Detective Lewis, which is set to hit store shelves August 28, 2012. There’s no way I’m going to miss this one!(less)

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Jun 08, 2012 April rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, romance, library

I very much enjoyed this book. I'm not a historian so it could be wildly inaccurate but I didn't care. I mention this because I know a great many historical readers want their history to be completely accurate. I don't know that it isn't, in this book, but there were some things that seemed like they might have been before their time. But as I said, I don't KNOW that they aren't so I could just as well be wrong.

The characters are excellent. The H and h don't run around doing stupid things becaus...more

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About Jillian Stone

Jillian Stone was born a storyteller. A skill that got her into considerable trouble as a youth until she solved the problem by becoming an advertising creative. And the career did seem to suit her as she won many national ad awards including the Clio and the New York Art Director’s Club Gold. What more could she ask for? Create her own worlds? Become goddess of her own universe? Yes! So, she bega...more

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Books by Jillian Stone

The Seduction of Phaeton Black (Paranormal Investigator, #1)

A Dangerous Liaison with Detective Lewis (The Gentlemen of Scotland Yard, #2)

A Lesson in Chemistry with Inspector Bruce (The Gentlemen of Scotland Yard, #2.5)

The Moonstone and Miss Jones (Paranormal Investigator, #2)

A Private Duel with Agent Gunn (The Gentlemen of Scotland Yard, #3)

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An Affair with Mr. Kennedy (The Gentlemen of Scotland Yard #1)

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