Forever a Lady (The Rumor, #2)

Jul 17, 2012 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, review-copy, read-in-2012

When Matthew’s father’s newspaper goes bankrupt due to an employee’s embezzlement, Matthew is on the streets when he sees a young boy being harassed for money his mother owes. Edward Coleman sees him fight the man after he tries to steal his cravat, and offers to teach him to fight in exchange for food. While he is eating, he realizes he is losing his sight in one eye. They send for a surgeon who says the loss is permanent, and was caused by the fight. Matthew and Coleman then create the Forty T...more

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Aug 09, 2012 Heather Tisdale rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc

So I'm going to keep this short since I've had it deleted 6 times prior to being able to post.

This one was fun, but not my favorite by the author. I enjoy the basics of the plot, even though there was nothing exceptional about the story. The characters were enjoyable, but I felt Matthew was more believable than Bernadette. He struggled to retain a few morals, despite the fact that his lot in life could have led him to be a complete ingrate. I really loved that Marvelle touched on important issu...more

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Mar 14, 2013 Carol *Young at Heart Oldie* rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 4-star-books

I’m totally hooked on this series!

Forever a Lady is the second book in the Rumor series and, once again, Delilah Marvelle delivers a compelling, exciting and very sensual love story that kept me enthralled.

Matthew tightened his fingers on the rough wool of the sacks weighing each shoulder. He stared up at that looming unpainted building, the acrid stench of piss lacing the heat-ridden air.

I love the realism and social commentary Ms Marvelle brings to this story. She doesn’t pull any punches, whe...more

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Sep 03, 2012 Alexia Chantel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Every time you pick up a Delilah Marvelle book it is like rediscovering a favorite author. Every book she releases is better than the last, and when you loved the previous books that is quite the track record. Forever a Lady steps up the Rumor series to a whole new level.

In Forever and a Day you met Lady Bernadette Burton, she was the rebellious older woman who tutors Georgia in the ways of being a lady. Or at least she gives her the tools to pull one over on the ton, something Lady Burton is mo...more

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Jun 17, 2012 Kelly % Books-n-Kisses rated it 5 of 5 stars

OH Delilah, Delilah, Delilah.... LOVED Matthew's story!!!!!!

Another wonderful book by the amazingly talented Delilah Marvelle. Forever A Lady is book 2 in Delilah’s Rumor series. Now, while the books are linked together by common characters, you don’t HAVE to read them in order. I would recommend it, but you don’t have too.

Forever A Lady takes us back to New York and Five Points. Where we learn a little more about Matthew (who we meet in Forever & A Day) and his past. How he ended up where...more OH Delilah, Delilah, Delilah.... LOVED Matthew's story!!!!!!

Another wonderful book by the amazingly talented Delilah Marvelle. Forever A Lady is book 2 in Delilah’s Rumor series. Now, while the books are linked together by common characters, you don’t HAVE to read them in order. I would recommend it, but you don’t have too.

Forever A Lady takes us back to New York and Five Points. Where we learn a little more about Matthew (who we meet in Forever & A Day) and his past. How he ended up where he is and why he chose to form the Forty Thieves. Matthew is strong, determined, a little rough around the edges, but an extremely good man, one who stands up for others and what he believes in. But some times standing up for yourself and other gets you noticed. Getting noticed in Five Points is not always a good thing and can end up getting you killed. When a plan is revealed that a neighboring ward plans to take Matthew out, his best friend Coleman rushes him off to London for his safety. While Matthew is not happy about the trip to London, he is about to meet someone that will change is his life forever.

Lady Bernadette or Mrs Shelton as she started calling herself after a very unfortunate event in New Orleans has come back to London, not of her own free will, but to help a friend win back the lover of her life. Bernadette has sworn off true love, marriage and any of the other mushy love stuff for herself, yet she wishes it for others. Men are not to be trusted, therefore she lives now by the love them and leave them mentality. But this trip to London will test Bernadette and have her starting to think that maybe the right man could change her idea of marriage, love and the future.

I LOVED this book, Matthew & Bernadette are great together. The bring out the best in each other even during the worst of times. They fight each other, for each other and with each other for the things and the people that they love and care about.

If you loved Forever & A Day you will love Forever A Lady. If you have not stated this series I would highly recommend you start with Forever Mine. Forever Mine is Delilah’s novella that starts this whole series rolling.

If you have never read a historical romance Delilah Marvelle is a perfect place to start. Her books are fun, witty and full of great characters. (less)

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Mar 06, 2013 Tin Ong rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013

A reversal of fortune:

As a young man, Matthew Joseph Milton witnessed the decline of his father's life and career as their successful newspaper business goes bankrupt. On his first day in Five Dials, Matthew learns the difficult lesson that a different sort of law exists in the streets and side alleys of New York.

With the guidance of his new friend Edward Coleman, Matthew rises up to become leader of a group known as the Forty Thieves, dispensing their own version of justice and taking the law...more

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Nov 26, 2012 Carrie Olguin rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book contains an anal sex scene. I'm not judging, I'm just stating a fact.

The hero isn't loveable, nor is he easy to understand. He's kind of like a Robin Hood (the leader of the Irish New York gang called the Forty Thieves). He's brutal, lacks morals. He's not charming. He's not well spoken. He's of normal intelligence. Stealing is his primary source of income. Seven years living in the slums of New York has stipped him of most vestages of civilitzation.

Yet he leads his thieves as a vigila...more This book contains an anal sex scene. I'm not judging, I'm just stating a fact.

The hero isn't loveable, nor is he easy to understand. He's kind of like a Robin Hood (the leader of the Irish New York gang called the Forty Thieves). He's brutal, lacks morals. He's not charming. He's not well spoken. He's of normal intelligence. Stealing is his primary source of income. Seven years living in the slums of New York has stipped him of most vestages of civilitzation.

Yet he leads his thieves as a vigilante group to police his neighborhood, to stop crime, feed the destitute, guide the young and lost to a common goal.

When he meets the heroine, he decides she's the woman he's dreamed of his entire life, the one he wants to create a family with - the unattainable dream that has kept him sane while living in the slums. But he has no idea how to treat an English Lady of the aristocracy.

The heroine is a wealty widow worth 1 million pounds. After twelve years married to an overprotective old man, she wants to live life under her terms. She has a fascination with the pirates of old. After a scandal, she left England to explore America for adventure. After another scandal in New Orleans, she moved to New York where she lives under a different name.

The H and h are different from what I expect from this genre. From the start, I never believed they were meant for each other. As the story progressed, I never felt them make that mental or emotional connection that bodes well for a happily ever after.

They met at a park. The next meeting, they had great sex. Their next confrontation didn't go well at all (I hated the hero as much as the heroine in that scene). And then they parted on the worst of terms after the next meeting.

Historical novels tend to come in two basic favors: Faery Tales or Fictional History (Okay, the line isn't black, it's surrounded in shades of gray). This story tries to blend the two extreme types and for some reason, that left me unsettled. I guess it comes down to believability. The historical realism chaffed against the romantic fantasy.

But I won't easily forget this story or the characters.(less)

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Oct 10, 2012 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Overall I liked this title even better than the first in the series-- both leads are really strong characters. Bernadette is CONSIDERABLY more fleshed out than she was as Georgia's mentor in that A-Team montage of teaching Georgia to be a lady, and Matthew is deliciously complex. The historical New York setting (not so much the London Ton, but hey, we've seen that) is really *alive*, and the chapter headers (from a paper that actually existed!) are a really nice touch.

I only have two main quibbl...more Overall I liked this title even better than the first in the series-- both leads are really strong characters. Bernadette is CONSIDERABLY more fleshed out than she was as Georgia's mentor in that A-Team montage of teaching Georgia to be a lady, and Matthew is deliciously complex. The historical New York setting (not so much the London Ton, but hey, we've seen that) is really *alive*, and the chapter headers (from a paper that actually existed!) are a really nice touch.

I only have two main quibbles with the book. The first is with the supporting characters. Ms. Marvelle writes some great ones-- Coleman, Smock, the Astors, Ronan (interesting, Matthew gets a lot more support than Bernadette... just noticed that)... they're well-developed, and there are hints of intriguing backstory for all of them (in fact, some I'm CERTAIN we'll see again). My problem is, they pop rather suddenly in and out. I mean, I know they're supporting characters, and they're not meant to be there all the time... but the focus on the main characters is SO locked, that the supporting characters don't so much "fade back" as "drop off the face of the earth." Matthew's love/hate relationship with Coleman felt particularly unresolved, and it felt weird that Smock never EVER showed up again once Matthew left Five Points, after all his talk of taking his crew with him.

My second complaint was more a personal taste thing, but it has to be said... the butt sex scene. Was that REALLY necessary? It didn't really seem to fit with either of their characters. Bernadette seemed uncomfortable with it, and it seemed to exist only to give Matthew a chance to "take her virginity," which felt really... awkward and sort of demeaning to Bernadette's independent personality. Not to mention, from purely a "safe sex" standpoint, following back with front is a major sanitary no-no. (Yes, I KNOW it's fiction, but there's no reason for romance characters to be promoting risky behavior.) The whole scene was just... uncomfortable.

Overall, though, *excellent* historical romance, and I'm definitely picking up the next one. (Ronan, maybe? Coleman? We Shall See....)(less)

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Oct 03, 2012 May Mostly Romance rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical

Forever a Lady ของเดไลลาห์ มาร์วิลล์

เรื่องนี้เป็นเล่มที่สองในชุด และเล่าเรื่องราวของแมทธิว มิลตัน บุตรชายของอดีตสามีของจอร์เจีย มิลตัน นางเอกเล่มหนึ่ง

หลังจากเติบโตในฐานะของสุภาพบุรุษมาเกือบตลอดชีวิต แมทธิวต้องเริ่มต้นชีวิตใหม่ในสลัมกับผู้เป็นบิดา หลังจากทรัพย์สินทั้งหมดถูกโกงไปโดยเพื่อนสนิทของพ่อ เหตุการณ์ที่นำไปสู่การปิดตัวลงของหนังสือที่ครอบครัวของเขาเป็นเจ้าของ สถานะของแมทธิวจากชายผู้มีทุกสิ่งพร้อมสลายไปในชั่วข้ามคืน เขาถูกคู่หมั้นถอนหมั้น บ้านที่เคยอยู่ถูกยึด ทุกอย่างหมดสิ้นไป

ถ้านั่นไม่เลวร้...more

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Aug 21, 2012 Yellow Rose rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is one book that combines adventure, sensuality, and the Gangs of New York quite perfectly. In fact this could be considered the Romantic version of the Gangs of New York. Well Done!!!

The story starts out with our hero Mathew whose father loses his newspaper business therefore they are forced to move to the five points and endure poverty. On that day Mathew meets his future friend Coleman,with whom he creates a gang in a sense helping people. For example, rescuing orphan girls who have been...more This is one book that combines adventure, sensuality, and the Gangs of New York quite perfectly. In fact this could be considered the Romantic version of the Gangs of New York. Well Done!!!

The story starts out with our hero Mathew whose father loses his newspaper business therefore they are forced to move to the five points and endure poverty. On that day Mathew meets his future friend Coleman,with whom he creates a gang in a sense helping people. For example, rescuing orphan girls who have been kidnapped in order to be sold to brothels. A Gangs of New York Robin Hood in a sense.

Our heroine Bernadette is an older woman in her mid thirties when we first meet her. And she has a very unromantic past. She was married of to rich man very young, who was also old enough to be her father. Although her husband adored her he never really pleased her in that sense, which made her seek that sensual passion which she wanted. After her husbands death she involved herself in various rendezvous with men, however never experiencing real love. Until Mathew saved her of course.

Once Mathew saves this strange and intriguing beauty she invites him to her home and the attraction is instant. The love scenes by far are the best one that I have read so far. The author does such a good job in drawing you in. It is quite beautiful. Various adventures follow them bringing them from London, to New York society to the rugged Five points. However, their love stands the test of time. A happy ever after tale she is able not only to solve her own demons when it comes to the distrust of men. She also solves her conflicts with her father. And at the end she gets all that she has ever dreamed of she gets a family, a wonderful husband, and above all a child from her own womb.

Mathew was an outstanding hero he was domineering, he was in charge of her future right from the beginning when they meet. He knew what she wanted and he gave her that, he brought her the happiness that she thought she could never have. He loved her he was faithful to her, he was an alpha male. But never once did he disrespect her, that is what made him one of the best heroes I have ever read about.

Our heroine was sometimes really annoying at times she really does not fully trust him, so she threatens to turn him in when he steals jewelry from her ex lover (who in fact had assaulted her). Seriously how dumb this woman can be she betrays the man that saved her ugh? Which ultimately this event led to more problems, in New York. But again our hero was there to save her from her poor choices. At other times I really liked Bernadette however she was sweet and giving (but not a push over). She was feminine and beautiful and above all she was loyal to our hero and she proved her love by fighting for him.

Overall this is a very beautiful story that I highly recommend. This story entails adventure and it will not bore you at all. The life of Five Points is described brilliantly. The sex scenes are brilliant as well and over all their love is very sensual. I highly recommend this book I could not put it away once I began reading, you will not be able to put it away either.(less)

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Aug 05, 2012 Melody May rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, romance, historical

This weekend I just finished Forever a Lady by Delilah Marvelle. I just have to say I was amazed with this book. Truly an emotional moving book.

The hero Matthew Joseph Milton learns a very hard lesson about life at the tender age of 20. His father loses the family paper to money a swindler. Left destitute you would think that it couldn't get worse, well your wrong. He lost his vision in one eye, because he was sticking up for a young boy.

Instead of crumbling, he decides to take matters into his...more

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Jul 31, 2012 Mary Gramlich rated it 5 of 5 stars

Is the path I walk of my choosing or the one I am destined to travel?

Free to live the life of a rich widow in New York away from the gossips of London Lady Bernadette Marie Burton has no desire to allow another man to control her destiny. Matthew Milton knew the prestige and freedom money gave his life and now is living with the pain that losing it brings.

When these two forces meet in New York, there are actions beyond pleasure to partake in, a battle over maintaining one’s pride, and a tussle o...more

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Jul 13, 2012 Belinda rated it 5 of 5 stars

I just finished reading Forever a Lady by Delilah Marvell and it was an excellent read. I dearly love the characters in this story. Meet Matthew Joseph Milton, Irish –American gang leader, who had his fortune stolen from him when he was younger. Now at the age of twenty nine, his life is filled with outcasts who look up to him in restoring honor among thieves. He once was a respected citizen in New York but now he decides his own future. When Matthew is threatened by a rival gang in the slums, h...more

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Mar 27, 2013 Cerian rated it 4 of 5 stars

Delilah Marvelle's done it again! A wonderfully passionate, emotional and intense romance, and a fabulous addition to the Rumour series.

Matthew was to die for! As usual, Marvelle's hero was totally heart-melting. He and his father lost their newspaper and were made destitute after placing their financial trust in the wrong person. After having to move to Five Points, Matthew is blinded from a fight after stepping in to help a young boy. It's not long before the gentlemanly Matthew is having to a...more Delilah Marvelle's done it again! A wonderfully passionate, emotional and intense romance, and a fabulous addition to the Rumour series.

Matthew was to die for! As usual, Marvelle's hero was totally heart-melting. He and his father lost their newspaper and were made destitute after placing their financial trust in the wrong person. After having to move to Five Points, Matthew is blinded from a fight after stepping in to help a young boy. It's not long before the gentlemanly Matthew is having to adjust to life in this rough, poverty-stricken area.
After everything he's been through Matthew still has his own principles, and you get such an insight into his character in this story. I loved his development as he strove to make himself a better man, to be worthy of Bernadette (in his eyes).

And then there's Bernadette, our heroine. I was a little worried I wouldn't relate to her- I don't always like it when the heroine is older. But it works in this story! After being married to an old man at the age of 18, the wealthy, and widowed, Bernadette lives an independent and freeing lifestyle. And who can blame her?! I loved that though she was still a lady and very elegant, she also has this free side. The side of her that loves the history of privateering and wants to visit Port Royal in Jamaica. She's a very genuine person, and fights to be with Matthew when he would have let her go for her own sake.
Their courtship was very sweet and full of repressed desires (in a good way), especially considering how intimately they already knew each other. I loved that Bernadette was almost surprised when Matthew wanted to get to know her properly, and not just in the carnal sense, and her delight at the romantic gestures he made was also very sweet.

The pacing throughout this book was great. It spans a fair amount of time, and sometimes this can throw off the pace, but the tempo was even. There was plenty of authenticity in the writing, it was a great glimpse in to what it might have been like in 1830s New York- from high society to the tough Five Points area.
The quotes from 'The Truth Teller' were fab, I really enjoyed them, and I was pleasantly surprised when I read in the Author's Note that these were from an actual newspaper.

The glimpses we were given of Atwood have only whet my appetite for more in Forever a Lord, and now it's finally time! I can't even tell you how excited I am to finally be reading this book!! I. Can. Not. Wait.

So overall, this book has the signature style of Delilah Marvelle- passionate (to say the least!), real and emotional. And if you've not started reading the Rumour series yet, what are you waiting for?

Originally published on The Rookie Romance Blog (less)

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Nov 29, 2012 My Book Addiction and More MBA rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: regency-england, historical-romance

FOREVER A LADY by Delilah Marvelle is a Regency historical romance.Book 2 in the "Rumor" series, but can be read as a stand alone. See," Forever and a Day". While, this title starts out a little slow to me, never fear it does pick up nicely. It has rumors,passion,a bit of danger,secrets,touches on the crudites of Sing-Sing prison during the 1800's,social class, Irish Catholics, rumors,a bit of suspense,Irish-American gangs,romance,and love. Follow, Bernadette Marie Burton,a respectable widow and...more

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Jul 24, 2012 E_bookpushers rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: category, historical, romance, series, reviewed

Review originally posted at: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/07/24/...

Publisher: HQN
Publish Date: 24 Jul
How I got this book: ARC from the publisher via Netgalley

Two different classes, One common desire…

Bernadette Marie Burton may be the richest widow in England, but like her dreams of finding true passion, her reputation is deteriorating. Cruel gossip, loneliness and hoards of opportunistic suitors have her believing Society couldn’t be more vile….or dangerous. So when an attacker threatens her l...more

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Dec 09, 2012 Angela rated it 5 of 5 stars

I don't hand out five star ratings very often, but this book definitely deserved it. This is the second in a series set in the 1830's and revolve around an interesting group of people. There are dukes, thieves, boxers and even a missing heir. Here we had Matthew's story, who we met in the last book and was the stepson of Georgia. Matthew is the leader of a gang known as the Forty Thieves that keep a portion of the Five Points safe for the residents living there. While on a trip to London he mets...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Becky Moe rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, netgalley

I had a hard time getting into this novel. The characters weren't really "speaking" to me at first, and I couldn't recall enough of the details from book one (Forever and a Day) to make it all make sense--I read it back at the end of December. Maybe I read too much (is that even possible?) but I couldn't for the life of me remember enough about Georgia and Matthew and Roderick from book one, so about a quarter of the way through, I went back and skimmed book one and re-read the prequel (Forever...more

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Aug 29, 2012 Melanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

I need to fully disclose that I ADORE this woman (no, not the heroine, although she's adorable too). I meant Ms. Delilah Marvelle, who I had an honor, privilege and utter pleasure of meeting at this year's RT's in Chicago. What a gorgeous human being this tiny woman is!!! As for her writing, I am still in awe, and I've only read her latest series (in process of getting my paws on her earlier ones!).

This is the second (well, actually third if you count the prequel novella) in Ms. Marvelle's Rumor...more

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Jul 24, 2012 Jen (Red Hot Books) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Life has not been kind to Matthew Milton. An unscrupulous businessman tumbled his father's newspaper into bankruptcy, pushing them into the slums of Five Points, New York. There, an attack from a thug stole the vision from one eye and taught him a value lesson about the kind of man he would need to become in order to survive. Matthew toughens up and forms an Irish-American gang, one that tries to protect the neighborhood, even if they have to stoop to illegal means to do it.

After a hit is put ou...more Life has not been kind to Matthew Milton. An unscrupulous businessman tumbled his father's newspaper into bankruptcy, pushing them into the slums of Five Points, New York. There, an attack from a thug stole the vision from one eye and taught him a value lesson about the kind of man he would need to become in order to survive. Matthew toughens up and forms an Irish-American gang, one that tries to protect the neighborhood, even if they have to stoop to illegal means to do it.

After a hit is put out on his life, Matthew journeys with his best friend to London, where he meets Lady Bernadette for the first time. They are instantly drawn to one another, despite their vast difference in station. Bernadette has lived a life of pleasing others for too long. As a widow, she is now free from both her father and the old man she was forced to marry. In Matthew, she sees what she wants and she takes it.

After a night in each other's arms, Matthew knows he wants more than a fling with Bernadette. But the odds are stacked against him. She has no desire to marry again. And to make matters worse, he makes a whopper of a mistake that almost ends things for good. The story follows the ins and outs of their love affair as they return to New York and Matthew struggles to become worthy of the woman he has fallen in love with.

I liked Matthew. He was sexy and damaged, but he was solid hero material. He always puts the needs of others before himself. Even as a ruffian, he is very good man. Bernadette is understandably gun-shy. Being a widow of means, she sees marriage as a trap to avoid and I can't blame her. --Oh and did I mention she is mid-30s? About six years older than the hero. I loved that. She is mature and she knows what she wants, but I didn't find her jaded. She was still genuine and passionate despite the bindings of her earlier life.

I really felt like I witnessed a true journey in this relationship --and especially one for Matthew. I liked that I got to see these two really fall in love over time. It felt authentic. The sex was hot. (And pushed the envelope more than I expected.) The plot was interesting. And the backdrop was very Gangs of New York. It was gritty and dark, especially when juxtaposed to London culture.

This is book two in The Rumor series, but works just fine as a standalone. I liked it a lot.

Rating: B+

*ARC Provided by NetGalley(less)

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Jun 05, 2012 Farrah rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review also appears on my blog at http://www.thegoldenruleof666.blogspo...

Unique and brilliant! Forever a Lady gives us a look at everything of this time period from the dirty NY slums to the glittering English mansions. The plot was full of intrigue and adorable romance.

Bernadette is a different character. Rather than being an innocent society lady, she's an experienced woman whose reputation is tattered at best. But I liked that about her. I liked that she didn't let society's standards g...more This review also appears on my blog at http://www.thegoldenruleof666.blogspo...

Unique and brilliant! Forever a Lady gives us a look at everything of this time period from the dirty NY slums to the glittering English mansions. The plot was full of intrigue and adorable romance.

Bernadette is a different character. Rather than being an innocent society lady, she's an experienced woman whose reputation is tattered at best. But I liked that about her. I liked that she didn't let society's standards get in the way of what she wanted. And that included a man who was below her class.

That brings us to Matthew. In the summary, Matthew is identified as a gang leader. But, he's by no means a thug. He tries to help people in ways that are less than legal, working with the police in most cases. He was born wealthy, but was forced onto the streets after his fathers's newspaper went bankrupt because of a sleezy solicitor. He made the best of his new situation, gaining a following that kept him powerful in the NY streets while trying to repair wrongs. But he's very sweet. He has a lot of pride, though I could understand why, but he's absolutely adorable to Bernadette, and to the innocent victims that he saves on a regular basis. (In the beginning, he saves two little girls from being sold into prostitution, and he was a total sweetheart to them.) I loved his relationship with Bernadette. After starting off shaky, it really comes to be a true, deep love. It was lovely to read about.

The plot was full of twists and turns. Just when you think you know what's going to happen, something changes. It was fun and full of intrigue, romance, and thrills.

My one problem was how Bernadette and Matthew acted toward each other in the beginning. They were not very nice to each other. They both had reasons to be angry with each other, but I didn't feel like it justified the way they behaved. It wasn't a huge problem, and it resolved fairly quickly after their relationship blossomed, but it did irritate me.

Otherwise, Forever a Lady was a lovely book.
4/5

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy!(less)

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Jul 19, 2012 May rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I received this book as a First-Reads Good Reads winner and I was throughly surprised at how much I actually liked this book. I started reading it at night and was done reading it by the morning time. I just couldn't put the book down. Not only does this author give such attention to detail and gives old New York City a lot of respect by keeping true to the times back then. She also has a knack for writing a great story. I've read romance novels before and you end up getting the same exact types...more

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Oct 27, 2012 Christina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, giveaway-books

I received this book as a First-Reads Good Reads winner and I was throughly surprised at how much I actually liked this book. I started reading it at night and was done reading it by the morning time. I just couldn't put the book down. You get the feel of the time fully. I'm going to get the 1st book. Really liked this story.

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Nov 06, 2012 Rachel Skinner rated it 4 of 5 stars

The best part of this book is that it's sent in a more unusual locale than the average historical book: 1830 New York. From the streets of the Five Points, to rich parlours, Ms. Marvelle brought history to life. The message from the author at the end of the book explains some of the research she did, and it absolutely paid off! I'd probably give this book a 4.5, but dropped it to a 4 because of the love scene towards the end of the book, not out of prudishness but because I didn't feel it fit th...more

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Aug 04, 2012 Josie Ann rated it 5 of 5 stars

I received a copy of Forever a Lady through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion, and I genuinely LOVED this novel!!! Now, anyone who knows me knows how much I absolutely love historical romance novels; this is definitely on my list of favorite books now. In the prologue, we are introduced to Matthew Milton, the main character, who is rescuing Ronan from a man, who has dealings with his mother; we also meet Coleman, who ends up befriending Matthew. Chapter one is years later, and Matthew...more

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Mar 03, 2012 Delilah Marvelle added it · (Review from the author)

In this story, I introduce the flip side of things people didn't get to see in Book 1, which includes Bernadette's relationship with Georgia and Georgia's relationship with Matthew. We also get to see the Forty Thieves in action in the bowels of the Five Points and how they came to be in existance, given the story is about...Matthew (Georgia's one eyed thieving stepson). Without any doubt, Matthew is what I call a gruff romantic. Wait until you meet him. Heh. He'll make you laugh, he'll make you...more

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Aug 25, 2012 Jenn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Oh goodness. This is an amazing book, beautiful, poignant, powerful, passionate, surprising, and yes...AWESOME. I am simply enamored with Matthew. He is just so much a man. He knows what he wants and won't take less than that. Their first...encounter... WHOA. What Matthew does next... I'm simply impressed to the bone with him. Brilliant

I never threw my iPad across the room, never rolled my eyes, though at one point I did think they might just pop from my head (Oh Delilah!!) and the cover is jus...more

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Feb 09, 2013 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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

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Dec 15, 2012 Lorraine rated it 4 of 5 stars

I won this book here on Goodreads!! I have to say I read the short story that started this series before I read this one and I was expecting a lot less that what I got. I found this book very enganging. It was not all rainbows and butterflies. It was dark and truth mixed with a romance I could almost believe. Mathew and Burnadett's relationship grew in time over the span of little more than a year which could be believed with all that happens to and around them. I had a harder time with his fall...more

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Aug 02, 2012 Chanpreet rated it 4 of 5 stars

Matthew Milton is a man who was wronged by an employee of his father's who stole their business and livelihood and landed Matthew and his father in the bowels of life in the inner city we were introduced to in Forever and a Day, the first book in the Rumor series. He starts off as the gentleman he was raised to be, but quickly realizes he can not stay that way in order to survive in Five Points. Lady Bernadette Burton is the wealthiest widow of her time. She cast off propriety when her elderly h...more Matthew Milton is a man who was wronged by an employee of his father's who stole their business and livelihood and landed Matthew and his father in the bowels of life in the inner city we were introduced to in Forever and a Day, the first book in the Rumor series. He starts off as the gentleman he was raised to be, but quickly realizes he can not stay that way in order to survive in Five Points. Lady Bernadette Burton is the wealthiest widow of her time. She cast off propriety when her elderly husband passed away and decided to follow her desires to America. She does as she likes and cares for few. When their paths cross in London, Lady Bernadette is being attacked by a spurned former suitor and Matthew comes to her rescue. There is instant attraction, but she is not looking for commitment while Matthew is looking for just that: "The One." As more obstacles rise and time is spent in each other's company, they start to come to want what they did not think they could have.

Delilah Marvelle has a remarkable skill of taking a two unlikely soul mates and bringing them together while maintaining the historical integrity of the period she writes about, while keeping the reader entertained. I was surprised by how much I felt for Matthew and Lady Bernadette. Matthew's history was particularly touching because it showed what had shaped him into being the gentlemanly head of The Forty Thieves. He was willing to steal to keep women and children fed, but he was not willing to steal to make a profit for his own gain. Matthew was willing to take on a virtually parent less child and love and raise him as his own. It's really hard to like someone who isn't honest, but it's even harder not to like someone who does it for the greater good of others. Lady Bernadette was also a surprise. Having being constrained in a marriage not of her choosing and unhappy in it, she was not willing to compromise on it now that she was a widow. I admired her joie de vivre and her willingness to help Matthew and those he cared for.

Ms. Marvelle has also once again covered many topics that you would not expect to find in a historical novel. This is no piece of historical fluff, but a meaty book with social issues relevant not only to the time, but also to today with a tender, romantic story. I applaud Ms. Marvelle's depth of research and her topic matter. Her vivid writing allowed me to picture myself cantering alongside Lady Bernadette in the park or seeing the appalling state of Five Points through Matthew's eyes. I am so glad that I stumbled across the novella Forever Mine, that preceded Forever and a Day. It introduced me to a lovely series and a brand new author. I look forward to the next book in the series, which is the about the missing Lord Abbott and his journey to reclaim that which was lost to him. December 18, 2012 can not come fast enough for me!(less)

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Forever a Lady (The Rumor #2)

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