Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
255th out of 1,609 books
—
2,736 voters
Untie My Heart
by
Judith Ivory
Stuart Aysgarth, the new Viscount Mount Villiars, doesn't know he's playing with fire when he inadvertently runs afoul of Emma Hotchkiss. True, the exquisite Yorkshire lady is a mere sheep farmer, but she also guards a most colorful past that makes her only more appealing to the handsome, haunted lord. Emma has come to him seeking justice -- and Stuart is determined that s...more
Paperback, 384 pages
Published
November 5th 2002
by Avon Books
(first published 2002)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
1,158)
Here's what I wrote in April, 2011 after finishing this book:
3.5?? 4??? I'm stuck. Liked the story, liked the ending (another big AWWWW one) but I didn't really connect with either the H/h.
Like I'm finding with lots of books Iinhaled read last year, it has definitely benefited from a re-read. Judith Ivory's writing is beautiful; her prose is so descriptive, her phrasing so witty and her grasp of the period - especially in terms of the vernacular - so precise, it's difficult to come away from...more
3.5?? 4??? I'm stuck. Liked the story, liked the ending (another big AWWWW one) but I didn't really connect with either the H/h.
Like I'm finding with lots of books I
I love the plucky heroine, with her audacious past and unique skill-set. I love the hero, with his unexpected weaknesses and deliberate speach. A favorite quote:
"A bit odd, are you?" She was being sarcastic, trying to taunt him into a sense of guilt. While perhaps bursting any bubble in herself of misguided, soft-hearted concern for a man with sad eyes and complicated wealth.
Though his sexual inclinations were perhaps not the wisest of barbs to do either. he looked down at her, speculative. "Dif...more
"A bit odd, are you?" She was being sarcastic, trying to taunt him into a sense of guilt. While perhaps bursting any bubble in herself of misguided, soft-hearted concern for a man with sad eyes and complicated wealth.
Though his sexual inclinations were perhaps not the wisest of barbs to do either. he looked down at her, speculative. "Dif...more
Oh, I liked this one a LOT. I'd have to say that Stuart (despite the terrible name) is one of my favorite leading male characters out there. Thanks to him, the sex is slightly kinky and hot - good stuff. And the interplay between the wills of the two characters is great fun to watch develop, there is a lot of ground covered in their relationship. I'd say this is my favorite novel by Judith Ivory.
I had to re-read this. Judith Ivory's language is so beautiful, it is impossible not to fall in love...more
I had to re-read this. Judith Ivory's language is so beautiful, it is impossible not to fall in love...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
May 20, 2012
Evie Byrne
added it
Judith Ivory is my favorite romance author and I do believe this is my favorite of hers. Does that make this the best romance ever?? ;) maybe. It's very good. The heroine has grit and intelligence and independence and truly (not supposedly) comes from the lower classes. The hero is the epitome of the luscious dandies that Ivory does so well. And he's pleasingly kinky. It's a con plot, a smart one, which is a very welcome change from the typical "oh noes, I'm being blackmailed/stalked/kidnapped"...more
At this point in my reading life, I am incredibly picky about romance novels. The list of what they can't be is long and exacting, and I can't tell you how many I've started just to put them down half way through with a sigh of, "I will never be able to finish this drivel."
Judith Ivory is one of the best romance novelists out there. I just re-read both Untie My Heart and Black Silk and was amazed - AMAZED - at the depth of character in each.
Her writing makes the people, and the places, simply l...more
Judith Ivory is one of the best romance novelists out there. I just re-read both Untie My Heart and Black Silk and was amazed - AMAZED - at the depth of character in each.
Her writing makes the people, and the places, simply l...more
Feb 09, 2010
Amanda Westmont
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
read-in-2010,
recommended
This was my second Judith Ivory book and man, does this author deliver. She can WRITE. There were scenes in this book, specifically some of the dialogue between the hero/heroine, that literally made my stomach drop, made me swoon like I'd just gone over a cliff. A feeling I can find only one word for and it's a frothy, romantic one at that: rapture. Reading this book filled me with a sense of rapture.
It's the way she writes her scenes - they can take dozens of pages - but you don't mind it becau...more
It's the way she writes her scenes - they can take dozens of pages - but you don't mind it becau...more
I am of mixed feelings about this one.
While it is exceedingly well-written, emotionally authentic with hints of lyricism and humor, and the two main characters are charming individually, I somehow do not like them TOGETHER. Perhaps it's because I utterly loathe those tropes where, as in here, the dude just knows better than the chick about her innermost desires, while she would struggle--and I'll give it this, that it was a sweet struggle with sweet surrenders--but nevertheless there are surrend...more
While it is exceedingly well-written, emotionally authentic with hints of lyricism and humor, and the two main characters are charming individually, I somehow do not like them TOGETHER. Perhaps it's because I utterly loathe those tropes where, as in here, the dude just knows better than the chick about her innermost desires, while she would struggle--and I'll give it this, that it was a sweet struggle with sweet surrenders--but nevertheless there are surrend...more
Wow!!! simply loved this one.. interesting read.. Judith Ivory does write unusual historical romances.... :D
Stuart - Mount Villiars... was endearing, witty, dry-sense of humor, with a kind heart, always trying to save people or things who were damaged by his father... aawww.... this guy just steals your heart...
Emma... I did not really like her much though in the beginning... Uff.. she was pining for her dead husband!! Idiot!!
The start was little disappointing for me.. that I wanted to just ab...more
Stuart - Mount Villiars... was endearing, witty, dry-sense of humor, with a kind heart, always trying to save people or things who were damaged by his father... aawww.... this guy just steals your heart...
Emma... I did not really like her much though in the beginning... Uff.. she was pining for her dead husband!! Idiot!!
The start was little disappointing for me.. that I wanted to just ab...more
I was going to give this 3 stars but I finished 2 days ago and I've already forgotten what happened, so minus one star for memorability.
Characters:
Emma- retired con artist, grew up raising sheep and has returned to her sheep. Blackmailed in to helping the local lord (Stuart) reclaim a statue and earrings his slightly evil uncle has stolen.
Stuart- uhh that name..... recently returned from Russia and the continent. This gives his a slightly exotic feel, that is symbolized in a really awesome coa...more
Characters:
Emma- retired con artist, grew up raising sheep and has returned to her sheep. Blackmailed in to helping the local lord (Stuart) reclaim a statue and earrings his slightly evil uncle has stolen.
Stuart- uhh that name..... recently returned from Russia and the continent. This gives his a slightly exotic feel, that is symbolized in a really awesome coa...more
Highly enjoyable. The antics of the hero and heroine are just jaw-droppingly outrageous and funny. Judith Ivory writes so beautifully and her plots and characters are always unique and original. Wish she was still writing ...
There's a lot to like here. Judith Ivory is a very capable writer, and she told an interesting (and slightly kinky!) story while dodging most of the more annoying romance cliches. I wasn't sure I could like the hero after the awful way we were introduced to him, but he won me over with his honesty and self-awareness. The heroine made some decisions that seemed to make no sense, but she was so lovable that I'll forgive it. The last third or so lost me a bit, with some forced angst and an ending t...more
A solid 3 stars. Maybe even 3.5 stars. I loved that the heroine was thicker and the hero had a stutter(which he seemed to control throughout most of the book). But I also love a book that can make me laugh. This one did that many times. Best line ever: "You may cash this draft, eat it with mung beans, or stuff it up your very nervy bum!" LOL. Still makes me giggle. The only thing I would complain about is that the heroine kept rejecting the hero's advances even after they already bumped uglies!...more
It all started when the new Viscount ran over one of her sheep in his 8 drawn speeding carriage. She just wanted compensation...... Fast paced because nothing was predictable. You could really feel the chemistry with the h/h in their dialog. Pages were full of descriptions, thoughts, emotions, and feelings EXCEPT when it came to the those intimate moments. The author really was disappointing describing those scenes (especially after the big build-up). They were so short and tame....otherwise, wo...more
4.5/5 stars
April has been my month to read humorous books that cause me little or no stress - and Untie My Heart was a perfect match! I absolutely love the way Judith Ivory writes - she won me over with the Proposition - and this was almost as good (I hate to compare but I always do, can't help it). She has such a wonderful sense of humor and had me cracking up many, many times. She also has a way of writing the heroes in such a way that we really get to know them - somehow with other authors it...more
April has been my month to read humorous books that cause me little or no stress - and Untie My Heart was a perfect match! I absolutely love the way Judith Ivory writes - she won me over with the Proposition - and this was almost as good (I hate to compare but I always do, can't help it). She has such a wonderful sense of humor and had me cracking up many, many times. She also has a way of writing the heroes in such a way that we really get to know them - somehow with other authors it...more
I am muddled if I should give this a 3 or 4, but after sleeping on it I might still change my mind.
I absolutely loved Stuart, Viscount Mount Villiers. Emma, not so much. But for the most part I liked them together. Emma however could get on your nerves with her vacillating ways.. I want him, I don't want him, he excites me, I am afraid of him (The being afraid of him part was ridiculous, he was sexy and adorable!) Then there were too many lines. Like this. Annoying.
I did like the plot itself...more
I absolutely loved Stuart, Viscount Mount Villiers. Emma, not so much. But for the most part I liked them together. Emma however could get on your nerves with her vacillating ways.. I want him, I don't want him, he excites me, I am afraid of him (The being afraid of him part was ridiculous, he was sexy and adorable!) Then there were too many lines. Like this. Annoying.
I did like the plot itself...more
I had a very hard time finishing this one. I like the concept of the book: con artist heroine has to help hero regain personal property, but it was not executed well.
Emma Hotchkiss is a vicar's widow, a sheep farmer, and a reformed confidence girl. She and her now-deceased husband once ran con games in London, until a close-call made them rethink their ways and retire to the country. In the intervening years, Emma's husband Zach began to embrace a gin bottle more than her, and she began to resen...more
Emma Hotchkiss is a vicar's widow, a sheep farmer, and a reformed confidence girl. She and her now-deceased husband once ran con games in London, until a close-call made them rethink their ways and retire to the country. In the intervening years, Emma's husband Zach began to embrace a gin bottle more than her, and she began to resen...more
Edit: Pretty sure I gave this a 3.5 ish rating the first time I read it. These days, I love this book. It definitely has flaws, but I love rereading it. It's very entertaining, and both characters have endeared themselves to me for good.
I mean, it has a great h/h pair, sheep, lawsuits, scams, disguises, more sheep, and an overall romping good time.
Emma just has so many amusing, adorable, admirable, and other "a" adjective sides. She's the stubborn, fun, independent friend you're always a little...more
I mean, it has a great h/h pair, sheep, lawsuits, scams, disguises, more sheep, and an overall romping good time.
Emma just has so many amusing, adorable, admirable, and other "a" adjective sides. She's the stubborn, fun, independent friend you're always a little...more
This is the first book I read by Judith Ivory. I found it to be very disappointing overall. I found myself putting it down and reading other books with more promise and then forcing myself to finish this one.
The main problem was all the mushy, gushy self examination that bored me to tears. I swear every other chapter was a pity party and it made my head want to explode.
I'm of the opinion I might give another of her books a try before putting her on the NOT EVER GOING TO PUT MYSELF THROUGH THIS A...more
The main problem was all the mushy, gushy self examination that bored me to tears. I swear every other chapter was a pity party and it made my head want to explode.
I'm of the opinion I might give another of her books a try before putting her on the NOT EVER GOING TO PUT MYSELF THROUGH THIS A...more
Fun historical romance with some really unusual characters. I had a great time reading it. It missed four stars because I think the development of the romantic relationship was rushed - and not nearly as interesting or original as the adventure half of the plot.
[In the endnotes, Ivory mentions that Jennifer Crusie shared some research notes with her. To see what a similar plot looks like in a contemporary setting, see Crusie's "Faking It."]
[In the endnotes, Ivory mentions that Jennifer Crusie shared some research notes with her. To see what a similar plot looks like in a contemporary setting, see Crusie's "Faking It."]
OMG---Judith Ivory books are so good. The book started off kinda slow, but just at the very beginning. Then I could NOT put it down. I love the comraderie that the couple have. She writes so good, that you are just in love with the couple. I LOVED Stuart. I loved how he stuttered when he got nervous. I cried so much at the end..... soooooooo sweeet. I wish there was a sequel to the book.
People always ask what books would be part of your romance conversion kit: this one. This one for sure, because of the incredible hero, the poetry, the sensuousness of the writing ... I could go on. And a sheep-farming heroine. Yes, surely the only one in romantic literature. The plot is absorbing but it's Stuart and Emma's story, all the way.
This was one of the first reads in the romance genre for me so I can't remember my specific thoughts about it. But I do know that I devoured it, and I kept it - two things that help me to remember that I really enjoyed this one. It was a little odd, I remember thinking, some of the twists and turns, but overall, I liked it.
Emma is not your typical poor widowed sheep farmer who becomes entangled with a reclusive Viscount. She has hidden talents as a con artist from a previous career but is blackmailed by the Viscount into helping him get revenge by master-minding a scam! Alas, love seems to interfere with their plans!
A "Read Alike" selection for the 2012 Reading List Romance category winner.
For the complete list of 2012 Reading List Winners, please visit RUSA Awards 2012
For the complete list of 2012 Reading List Winners, please visit RUSA Awards 2012
I'd give this six stars if I could. It was a re-read and I loved it even more this time around. Really great deep 3rd POV for both the H/h. I wish Ivory would start writing again. The suspense 'con' subplot is weak, but the romance was wonderfully done/developed.
It was okay, but the twist at the end pushed me to give three instead of two stars. The storyline was interesting, but nothing really jumped at me until the end. The characters didn't grab my heart, unfortunately.
Stuart was one of my all-time favorite male protagonists -- brilliant, funny, romantic (definitely one of the more eloquent heros I've read) -- and Emma was truly independent and resourceful, not just as a gesture. This was just a delightful example of a well-written romance with wonderful dialogue and great character development. I loved it and can't wait to read more Judith Ivory!
The story is good. I'm kinda sleepy through it so I may not really understood all of it so sorry.
Anyway, I like the Viscount. And his ways of manipulating other people. he reminds me of some one. :)
Judith Ivory!!! Where have you been my whole life? This was fabulous. Just when I thought I couldn't truly enjoy romance novels anymore...I get to read something that tickles me through and through.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Judith Ivory "accidentally" acquired two degrees in mathematics, then sold her first novel in 1987 and closed up the math books for good. She lives in Miami Florida, with her two children, two cats and a dog.
"Judith Ivory" is the pseudonym of author Judy Cuevas (real name).
More about Judith Ivory...
"Judith Ivory" is the pseudonym of author Judy Cuevas (real name).
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“On the roof, on the duvet under the steam vent, with the planets overhead, he let her scream all she wished. She screamed into the night. To the stars. At one point, with his lying atop her, he said, “Look over my left shoulder. Venus is visible tonight.” Then he pulled the covers away from her, wrestling her for the duvet, as he called, “Here she is, all you Venusians”—he lifted out his arm, using it to span the celestial horizon-—“and the rest of you planets out there: the most beautiful woman on Earth, spread-eagled for your pleasure!” He laughed. “At my disposal, mm-m-m!” He bent down, nibbling, kissing her neck with his teeth, his lips, his mouth.”
—
1 person liked it
More quotes…
May 12, 2012 09:39pm
May 12, 2012 10:22pm