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30th out of 93 books
—
262 voters
Proof by Seduction (Carhart #1)
by
Courtney Milan (Goodreads Author)
"She was his last chance for a future of happiness..."A gifted fortune-teller from a humble background, Jenny can make even the most sophisticated skeptic believe her predictions simply by batting her smoky eyelashes. Until she meets her match in Gareth Carhart, the Marquess of Blakely, a sworn bachelor and scientist.
"He just didn't know it yet"
Broodingly handsome, Gareth...more
"He just didn't know it yet"
Broodingly handsome, Gareth...more
Mass Market Paperback, 345 pages
Published
January 1st 2010
by HQN Books
(first published December 15th 2009)
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Feb 21, 2010
UniquelyMoi *Dhestiny* BlithelyBookish
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Historical Romance Lovers
There are so few authors who can make me wish that I could hurry and reach the end of their novel so I can find out what happens, and yet at the same time make me wish that the novel would never end, because that would mean I would have to close the book once and for all. Courtney Milan is one such author. Another rarity among authors is the ability to write emotionally complex characters and not sound “clinical” while doing it. Again, Courtney Milan met that challenge head on and came out victo...more
Many of my friends have reviewed this book and they've loved it, so I don't think I'll go into too much detail. Of course, every time I say that I follow up with about six paragraphs, so we'll just have to see what happens.
Courtney Milan is a very good writer. Her premise was very nicely laid out right from the first pages. We got action, tension, and a pretty good introduction to the characters in short order.
I thought Gareth's "problem" was both fascinating and heart-breaking. Who hasn't been...more
Courtney Milan is a very good writer. Her premise was very nicely laid out right from the first pages. We got action, tension, and a pretty good introduction to the characters in short order.
I thought Gareth's "problem" was both fascinating and heart-breaking. Who hasn't been...more
11 likes · like · see review
If you knew me personally, you would know I have not read HR in years! You would also know that I would be the last person to pick up a book with the main character being a fortune teller! But this year, thanks to authors like Charlotte Featherstone and Courtney Milan I have found a new love for going back in time with some very beautifully real, flawed and engaging characters.
Gareth, The Lord Blakley, is a stone cold realist. His past shows a stern upbringing and he is taught early on that a "m...more
Gareth, The Lord Blakley, is a stone cold realist. His past shows a stern upbringing and he is taught early on that a "m...more
5 likes · like · see review
Aug 10, 2011
Danielle
added it
I want to start by saying that I do not like the romance novel genre. It has become too vulgar for my taste. This book did not fall far from that tree. I read it in order to provide my review and insight. This would have been a fascinating read if it had not been for the blatant innuendos in unexpected and unnecessary places. One minute they were just talking, and next there was pointless sensual tension. However, I did enjoy the overall theme of Jenny overcoming her past and feeling independent...more
Aug 03, 2011
Rebekah
added it
I was interested in this book. Now I'm not much of a romance reader so I must admit I wasn't totally looking forward to reading it. So I was pleasantly surprised when I took a liking to it straight away.
I loved the characters and all their corks and interest endeavors to make ends meet. They were pretty developed although I think she could have made them a little more insightful, intriguing, and more mysterious but that's just my opinion.
I would say that I would recommend this to other romance r...more
I loved the characters and all their corks and interest endeavors to make ends meet. They were pretty developed although I think she could have made them a little more insightful, intriguing, and more mysterious but that's just my opinion.
I would say that I would recommend this to other romance r...more
Aug 01, 2011
Ohthatspinster
added it
This would not have been a book I would have picked up in a store (half-naked people on covers seem unnecessary to me) but seeing as it was free- I gave it a shot.
It was not one of those “I couldn't put it down” novels, in fact I had to force myself to sit down and read it (but on a positive note- it was an easy read). I didn't feel pulled in and I did not feel personal connection or emotions toward either of the main characters. Jenny was too all over the place for my taste and Gareth was an e...more
It was not one of those “I couldn't put it down” novels, in fact I had to force myself to sit down and read it (but on a positive note- it was an easy read). I didn't feel pulled in and I did not feel personal connection or emotions toward either of the main characters. Jenny was too all over the place for my taste and Gareth was an e...more
Courtney Milan set out to write a romance with a theme of science. It's set in 1838 London – call it a post-Regency – and the protagonist is Jenny Keeber, a girl with no family, no background, and no money, but with (rather mysteriously) a good education. She has set herself up as a fortune teller, and is making a good living pretending to be the psychic Madame Esmerelda. One of her clients is a young man named Ned, who was on the point of suicide. Madame Esmerelda's predictions helped him, and...more
What an outstanding romance!
The heroine is a fortune teller, a fraud who makes her living by telling people what they want to hear. But she's perceptive, able to see past the masks people wear to the real person underneath.
The hero is arrogant, logical, and cold on the outside but lonely and passionate on the inside. He's also perceptive, and able to see through her mask.
What begins as his desire to free his cousin from her influence becomes a journey of discover for both the hero and heroine. T...more
The heroine is a fortune teller, a fraud who makes her living by telling people what they want to hear. But she's perceptive, able to see past the masks people wear to the real person underneath.
The hero is arrogant, logical, and cold on the outside but lonely and passionate on the inside. He's also perceptive, and able to see through her mask.
What begins as his desire to free his cousin from her influence becomes a journey of discover for both the hero and heroine. T...more
My Rating: 3.5
What drew me to Proof by Seduction was the breathtaking cover. What on earth could the book be about? the cover made me wonder. Since I was looking for more historical romances to read, I decided to give this book a try.
Proof by Seduction is a heartbreaking, breathtaking, story about two people out to find the truth about themselves, but they do not know it. Courtney Milan made me deeply connect with the characters, especially Jenny. When she was hurting, I'm hurting for her. Whe...more
What drew me to Proof by Seduction was the breathtaking cover. What on earth could the book be about? the cover made me wonder. Since I was looking for more historical romances to read, I decided to give this book a try.
Proof by Seduction is a heartbreaking, breathtaking, story about two people out to find the truth about themselves, but they do not know it. Courtney Milan made me deeply connect with the characters, especially Jenny. When she was hurting, I'm hurting for her. Whe...more
If you've ever been curious about romance and think it may hold something for you, Courtney Milan is a great place to start. Her books are smart, funny, passionate, and bold. In Proof by Seduction, her first novel, a tough and stern Marquess tries to expose the fraudulent psychic Madame Esmerelda to stop his cousin (and title inheritor) Ned from seeking out her advice. What he discovers is more than he bargained for: Jenny, a young woman cast out of society at a young age thanks to a cruel teach...more
Two unforgettable characters go toe-to-toe in an exhilarating battle of wits.
Grim, humourless and scientifically-minded aristocrat Gareth is determined to prove to Ned, his cousin, that the fortune-teller Ned has been consulting for two years is a fraud. He's convinced that it will only take a few minutes to expose her. It doesn't.
The fortune-teller proves to be an intelligent, educated and articulate woman living on the brink of poverty. She gives as good as she gets and in no time Gareth and...more
Grim, humourless and scientifically-minded aristocrat Gareth is determined to prove to Ned, his cousin, that the fortune-teller Ned has been consulting for two years is a fraud. He's convinced that it will only take a few minutes to expose her. It doesn't.
The fortune-teller proves to be an intelligent, educated and articulate woman living on the brink of poverty. She gives as good as she gets and in no time Gareth and...more
Loved. LOVED. For some reason, this book really really worked for me. That it was a debut book is extremely impressive. I am not inclined to write a 5 page review but I highly recommend UniquelyMoi *~*Dhestiny*~*'s review (if this link works, then visit it here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...). Basically she says everything I'd like to write but don't have time to.
Courtney Milan shows herself to be extremely adept at creating complex, unique, intriguing characters. Not just the main c...more
Courtney Milan shows herself to be extremely adept at creating complex, unique, intriguing characters. Not just the main c...more
I like Courtney Milan and I liked this book. I like when romance heroes and heroines have something unconventional (and useful) going on - like Jenny being a fortune teller. Sometimes I get skeptical of that stuff because really I like historical accuracy and even in contemporary England the nobility gets a hard time for marrying even wealthy commoners, so like it was really a common thing in the Regency period? But Courtney Milan's books I basically believe even when I suspect some ahistoricity...more
I stumbled on this book while looking through some amazon recommendations and after looking at some reviews from friends decided to give it a try. Which was a good decision on my part as I really enjoyed it. It was definitely a fun book, that had a charming and quirky side to it and left me tearing up in some places as well as giggling in others. Jenny was a lovely character, she was fiercely independent and also pretty lonely. Right from the beginning I was crossing my fingers hoping that every...more
Heroine has supported herself in the last 12 years by working as a fortune-teller. One of her regular clients unexpectedly brings his scientifically-minded marquess brother Hero with him. Hero seeks to debunk her fortune-telling abilities & show as a fraud to his younger brother. Heroine sets up tests as proof but these soon become b/w her & Hero. Both perceptively reveal each other's hidden weaknesses which result in both lonely characters feeling understood for once. Their attraction i...more
Synopsis:
Gareth Carhard, the Marquess of Blakely et cetera, a gifted scientist, an aristocrat and a sworn, stone-cold bachelor, has just returned from Brazil to take care of the estate and the title left to him by his grandfather. He is bored in London but he must perform his duties. For example he must save his younger cousin, Ned, from the clutches of a skillful and fraudulent fortune-teller. Ned takes him to Madame Esmerelda (a.k.a Jenny Keeble) asap– poor boy thinks that woman is a god-sent...more
Gareth Carhard, the Marquess of Blakely et cetera, a gifted scientist, an aristocrat and a sworn, stone-cold bachelor, has just returned from Brazil to take care of the estate and the title left to him by his grandfather. He is bored in London but he must perform his duties. For example he must save his younger cousin, Ned, from the clutches of a skillful and fraudulent fortune-teller. Ned takes him to Madame Esmerelda (a.k.a Jenny Keeble) asap– poor boy thinks that woman is a god-sent...more
1 like · like · see review
Rich, powerful lord meets impoverished, vulnerable female. In most historical romances, the peer would fret and whine about female's safety and virtue; said female's safety would probably be threatened at some point; and ultimately the vulnerable female would require rescuing.
Not that there's anything wrong with the rich lord/vulnerable heroine formula; I quite like it, myself. Sometimes it takes a power imbalance to makes the sparks fly. But you won't find it in Milan's historicals. She uses th...more
Not that there's anything wrong with the rich lord/vulnerable heroine formula; I quite like it, myself. Sometimes it takes a power imbalance to makes the sparks fly. But you won't find it in Milan's historicals. She uses th...more
I was a little slow to warm to Proof by Seduction, mostly because of a familiar complaint: the characters seemed more like 21st-century people than 19th-century people. They pay lip service to the strictures of class and breeding, but they're fundamentally not as beholden to them as Georgette Heyer's characters, let alone Jane Austen's. But maybe that's a feature as much as a bug -- Milan is writing for a 21st-century audience, after all. (Proof by Seduction features some very 21st-century frank...more
Halfway through this book I was ready to give up because it was hitting way too close to home, particularly Ned's depression and Jenny's financial situation. I couldn't see how Milan was going to work everything out for them. I found Gareth's social awkwardness to be a very interesting trait in a hero, perhaps resembling Mr. Darcy taken to an extreme since Gareth couldn't even relate to his own sister.
(view spoiler)...more
(view spoiler)...more
What truly impressed me were the characters in this book, especially Gareth. I don't think I have ever encountered a truly memorable and unforgettable hero such as the Marquess of Blakely. Probably because I have a weak spot for the scientific gentleman with awkward social grace, and Courtney Milan created him with delicious detail that I fell in love with him as he tried to befriend his manservant and failed miserably at first. Madame Esmeralda - or her English name Jenny - was also fantastic i...more
Before she started writing, author Courtney Milan had numerous occupations including: dog trainer, legal writer, newspaper sales, and writing computer programs. This is her debut book, with Trial by Desire coming soon. Courtney resides in the Pacific Northwest with her husband.
Marquess of Blakely, Lord Gareth Carhart, is a man of science and a sworn bachelor. He was appalled to learn his cousin, Ned, has fallen under the spell of supposed fortune-teller, Jenny Keeble. Vowing to prove her a frau...more
Marquess of Blakely, Lord Gareth Carhart, is a man of science and a sworn bachelor. He was appalled to learn his cousin, Ned, has fallen under the spell of supposed fortune-teller, Jenny Keeble. Vowing to prove her a frau...more
Keep in mind that this book is Courtney Milan's debut novel, but debut or not.....this one really wasn't that impressive.
This one starts out great. Very original premise and engaging characters. An uptight, emotionally stunted hero.....an eccentric, lonesome, needing to be loved heroine, and a host of interesting secondary characters..... I felt that I had stumbled onto a gem.
Then I hit the midway point of the book.
I think where this book got off track was in it's pacing and plot. The first h...more
This one starts out great. Very original premise and engaging characters. An uptight, emotionally stunted hero.....an eccentric, lonesome, needing to be loved heroine, and a host of interesting secondary characters..... I felt that I had stumbled onto a gem.
Then I hit the midway point of the book.
I think where this book got off track was in it's pacing and plot. The first h...more
Jenny Keeble has had to fend for herself since she turned 18 and was turned out of the boarding school where she was raised. So she became Madame Esmeralda, making a meager living telling her fortune-telling customers what they wanted to hear.
That was especially true for Ned Carhart, a young aristocrat who came to ask her why he should not kill himself. Jenny helped him believe better days were coming and for two years he has sought her advice.
But his cousin, the new Marquis of Blakely, returns...more
That was especially true for Ned Carhart, a young aristocrat who came to ask her why he should not kill himself. Jenny helped him believe better days were coming and for two years he has sought her advice.
But his cousin, the new Marquis of Blakely, returns...more
A truly fantastic debut by Courtney Milan. I was super excited to read this book after reading her short story, and she did not disappoint. The writing practically glittered her voice is so strong and original. (My only annoyance is the phrase "like so much ~". For some reason, that always annoys me. Why use the "so much?" And once she used "erect" twice in two following sentences. Once to refer to nipples, and the next to refer to, uh, a penis, obviously.)
I loved that she didn't take the easy w...more
I loved that she didn't take the easy w...more
I recently read the newest Courtney Milan short story/novella, "The Governess Affair", and really loved it. So when I was in the mood for a good romance novel - I thought I'd look for something else by her from my local library. My library only had one Kindle Courtney Milan book with any copies available - this one - so I gave it a whirl. I guess she must be pretty popular!
It looks like "Proof by Seduction" is her first book - and I guess maybe it showed. I loved "The Governess Affair" so much...more
It looks like "Proof by Seduction" is her first book - and I guess maybe it showed. I loved "The Governess Affair" so much...more
Playing the mystic, Madame Esmerelda, is what Jenny knows and what she is good at. Brought up in a school for ladies she was groomed and schooled with the skills necessary to be a gentleman’s wife, unfortunately, due to her mysterious parentage that would never happen. Alone in the world, Jenny makes her living by wearing the garb of a Gypsy and if you cross her palm with silver, she will make up a few lies and leave you with a little bit of hope.
When the Marquess of Blakely, Gareth Carhart, lea...more
When the Marquess of Blakely, Gareth Carhart, lea...more
This is my third Milan book and the one I've enjoyed the most so far.
The novel immersed me into the characters such that, when I was reading in their POV, I felt I could truly understand what and why they were acting. I felt why they needed each other and the love they felt for each other.
Strangely, my example for how well Milan does this involves the secondary (tertiary?)character of White, Gareth's man of business. In the beginning of the novel, White is a faceless man in a suit scribbling awa...more
The novel immersed me into the characters such that, when I was reading in their POV, I felt I could truly understand what and why they were acting. I felt why they needed each other and the love they felt for each other.
Strangely, my example for how well Milan does this involves the secondary (tertiary?)character of White, Gareth's man of business. In the beginning of the novel, White is a faceless man in a suit scribbling awa...more
Lovely story, the evolution of two opposites, each finding the courage to insist on the impossible and hold out till they earn it. She is an educated nobody, plying the popular occult trade of fortune telling in Victorian London, he is a man of science and frozen solid marquess hiding behind froideur and his obligations trying to wrest his impressionable nephew and heir from her influence. Each's history slowly unfolds during battles of wits and wills and scorching passion.
What a spectacular de...more
What a spectacular de...more
Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, though I usually prefer that which is based on real people and events (such as The Other Boleyn Girl). I didn't feel like this book read like a historical romance so much, though. There wasn't enough setting description to give that "historical" feel to it and the historical setting didn't necessarily play into the plot too much, except for the manner in which men and women were to interact. I really think it could have been set in any time--past,...more
When I read the premise of this book, I wasn't especially intrigued (fortune teller?), but I have enjoyed the rest of Courtney Milan's books so much that I couldn't *not* read it. Sure, enough, it was very entertaining, and I enjoyed it for many of the same reasons I have enjoyed her other books - the characters are always very well-developed and full of complexities and contradictions, the dialog is clever / funny, and the plot is always original. This book is probably not my favorite, as it st...more
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Courtney Milan lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, a marginally-trained dog, and an attack cat. Courtney wishes she could say she has lived in numerous fabulous places. But aside from her husband, there is a distinct lack of fabulousness in her life. Instead, she is happy when standards in the Milan household hover above mediocrity. Her husband attempts not to kill people for a living...more
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“Jenny: But surely Lord Blakely could not abandon his estates for so long.
Gareth: No. Lord Blakely could not. Not unless he had someone he could trust to run his estates in his absence. And Lord Blakely...Well, Lord Blakely did not trust anyone.
Jenny: Lord Blakely is talking about himself in the third person, past tense. Its disturbing.”
—
10 people liked it
Gareth: No. Lord Blakely could not. Not unless he had someone he could trust to run his estates in his absence. And Lord Blakely...Well, Lord Blakely did not trust anyone.
Jenny: Lord Blakely is talking about himself in the third person, past tense. Its disturbing.”
“Miss Edmonton: I don't even know where to start. It's too horrifying to even speak of.
Jenny: Nonsense. Let's start with the basics. What did your aunt tell you?
Miss Edmonton: My aunt said that my husband will come into my room and pull my skirt up. And then he'll put himself inside of me. She said it hurts. She suggested I hold my tongue and pretend I am somewhere else until he is done.
Jenny: Yes. I should think it would hurt if you did it that way. Good heavens.”
—
7 people liked it
More quotes…
Jenny: Nonsense. Let's start with the basics. What did your aunt tell you?
Miss Edmonton: My aunt said that my husband will come into my room and pull my skirt up. And then he'll put himself inside of me. She said it hurts. She suggested I hold my tongue and pretend I am somewhere else until he is done.
Jenny: Yes. I should think it would hurt if you did it that way. Good heavens.”
P...more
updated Dec 26, 2010 06:09am
Dec 26, 2010 09:55am