A Lady's Guide to Improper Behavior (Adventurers’ Club #2)

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A Lady's Guide to Improper Behavior (Adventurers’ Club #2)

3.87 of 5 stars 3.87 · rating details · 1,181 ratings · 75 reviews

The Rules:

A lady should always make polite conversation ...

Theresa Weller understands the rules of decorum, and is appalled when Colonel Bartholomew James disrupts a perfectly civilized dinner. This rude, insensitive man is the complete opposite of everything a gentleman should be — but with one searing kiss, Tess can think of no one else.

A lady should never lose her te...more

Mass Market Paperback, 372 pages

Published April 27th 2010 by Avon

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Aug 28, 2011 Melissa rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone!

Shelves: romance, historical, regency, absolute-favorites, favorite-heroines, favorite-hero, tortured-hero, hurt-hero, fictional-crush

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Excerpt:
The Rules:

A lady should always make polite conversation . . .

Theresa Weller understands the rules of decorum, and is appalled when Colonel Bartholomew James disrupts a perfectly civilized dinner. This rude, insensitive man is the complete opposite of everything a gentleman should be—but with one searing kiss, Tess can think of no one else.

A lady should never lose her temper . . .

Aggravated beyond bearing by a man who speaks his mind, Tess wishes there was a guide to men like Bartholomew....more

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Sep 14, 2011 Alexis rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, my-reviews

Theresa "Tess" Weller is a lady so proper, she wrote the book on propriety. Literally. After spending thirteen years researching (and living and breathing) the topic, she anonymously published a booklet called "A Lady's Guide to Proper Behavior" that has been widely circulated among the ladies of the ton. Tess' hard work has paid off, but despite a plethora of suitors and marriage proposals, she remains unmarried...and largely uninterested in her prospects.

Until she meets Colonel Bartholomew "T...more Theresa "Tess" Weller is a lady so proper, she wrote the book on propriety. Literally. After spending thirteen years researching (and living and breathing) the topic, she anonymously published a booklet called "A Lady's Guide to Proper Behavior" that has been widely circulated among the ladies of the ton. Tess' hard work has paid off, but despite a plethora of suitors and marriage proposals, she remains unmarried...and largely uninterested in her prospects.

Until she meets Colonel Bartholomew "Tolly" James, injured war hero and brother-in-law to her cousin, Amelia, who was raised almost as her sister. (The family relationships are not as confusing in the book, partly because they use the term "cousin-in-law.") Tolly came back from his last stint in India a completely different man, and his harsh, rude manners catch her attention immediately...and intrigue her.

Tolly's got a bum leg and boatload of nightmares, and he wants nothing more than to be left alone at the Duke of Sommerset's secret "Adventurer's Club," a haven for men who have survived things Society could never dream of. But his older brother, younger sister, and new sister-in-law want their brother back, even if he is a little damaged, and they insist that he move back home.

Despite all of Theresa's claims of being a proper lady, she's actually very forward. With Tolly, she breaks all of her own rules, and takes huge chances on him. I found it kind of hard to believe that she was as proper as she (and everyone else) claimed. (For instance, everyone is on a first name basis with each other!) That said, it was nice to read about a very forward, take-charge heroine.

Tolly was also a very sweet hero, and Tess gives him something to live for. Even though they both have demons to face, the biggest conflict in the book doesn't come from either of them, but from outside forces. I guess the moral of the story is not to get on the bad side of the East India Company?

While I really liked the first in this series, The Care and Taming of a Rogue, this one was still pretty fun to read, and I'll definitely read the next. (less)

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Apr 08, 2013 Dangermousie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: aaangst, hurt-comfort, perfect, period-romance, romance

The hero is tormented by a past that is not a result of stupidity or evil parents but the fact that his entire troop except for him has been massacred during a skirmish with Thuggees in India. But he doesn't wallow in self-pity and, while caustic and full of survivor's guilt, is not cruel or horrible. And the heroine is so full of common sense and just a lovely person! I liked this book from the start, but my heart was won when she asked him what happened to him and he tells her, so as to drive...more

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Jan 30, 2012 Rowena rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review

Suzanne Enoch is fast becoming one of my go to authors for witty historical novels. To date, I’ve read 4 of her books and have enjoyed each book immensely. This book was no different. It’s weird how I’ll read three books in a row that have the same kind of storyline going on and once again, this time it was no different.

I just finished reading Rachel Gibson’s Nothing But Trouble where the hero was in a horrible car accident and he was unable to walk without the aid of a cane. In this story, the...more Suzanne Enoch is fast becoming one of my go to authors for witty historical novels. To date, I’ve read 4 of her books and have enjoyed each book immensely. This book was no different. It’s weird how I’ll read three books in a row that have the same kind of storyline going on and once again, this time it was no different.

I just finished reading Rachel Gibson’s Nothing But Trouble where the hero was in a horrible car accident and he was unable to walk without the aid of a cane. In this story, the hero, Bartholomew “Tolly” James is recovering from being injured while fighting for his country. He’s not the same Tolly that his family remembers from before the war and to be honest, he’s not. He went through some stuff that nobody should have gone through and he survived it and the events that led him to where he was changed him irrevocably. All he wants now is to stay at his club and to be left alone but because his family is searching for him, its bringing unwanted attention to his club so he has to go home and make nice with them so that they know that he’s alive and as close to well as humanly possible.

He goes home to dinner and tries to be the most obnoxious toad he can be so that they’ll be scandalized and he’ll be able to disappear and suffer in peace but it doesn’t work because his sister in law’s cousin, Theresa Weller puts him in his place and piques his interest and he can’t help but be drawn to her. So he finds himself going to this ball that he knows she’s going to be at so that he can find out what about her intrigues him so much aside from her obvious beauty and it’s while they’re trying to find out why they’re so drawn to each other that I absolutely fell in love with both Tess and Tolly.

I thought they were perfect for each other and Enoch did a fantastic job of keeping me excited for more. I mean, you could tell that these two didn’t even like each other to begin with but the more they were around each other, the more curious they became of the other and the more they couldn’t stay away from each other. I loved the way Tolly didn’t trust anyone but for some unexplainable reason, he trusted Tess and then I loved the way Tess slowly came to life with every moment she spent with Tolly. They brought out the best in each other and I loved that about them.

Tolly was a surly bastard but with ample reason. He’s been through Hell and now he’s back and trying to get accustomed to being back. He spends his days and his nights in pain, he can’t walk right and he just wants to be left alone but when Theresa Weller comes into his life, it’s like she breathed life back into him because it’s through her that he realizes he’ll get a second chance at living. It’s through her that he realizes he actually wants a second chance at living.

I thought this book was sweet and too cute for words. I adored both Tolly and Tess and I can’t wait to read more from this series. I wonder who’s going to get their book next. I’m actually pretty stoked about it too. I want more! I’m hoping the Duke that helps Tolly out gets his own book, he sounds like he’d be dangerous and smexy. So yeah, being the greedy bitch that I am, I want more! This book was great and it had all of the makings of an entertaining read. You won’t want to miss it!(less)

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May 10, 2010 Amber (buriedbybooks) rated it 4 of 5 stars

It's not often that I am both entranced and repulsed by a heroine in a romance novel. Usually I either love them or hate them. Theresa (Tess) Weller is a heroine that I think might rub some readers the wrong way, but a character I both loved and wanted to smack upside the head.

Our hero, Colonel Bartholomew (Tolly) James is much more evenly appealing. The book opens with him--wounded quite badly and the sole survivor of a massacre-- hiding out in the Adventurers' Club, away from the sympathy and...more It's not often that I am both entranced and repulsed by a heroine in a romance novel. Usually I either love them or hate them. Theresa (Tess) Weller is a heroine that I think might rub some readers the wrong way, but a character I both loved and wanted to smack upside the head.

Our hero, Colonel Bartholomew (Tolly) James is much more evenly appealing. The book opens with him--wounded quite badly and the sole survivor of a massacre-- hiding out in the Adventurers' Club, away from the sympathy and pity of his family. His family's persistent requests for his presence, though, force him back home where he encounters Tess Weller at a dinner party. Despite being rude and provoking a mild argument, he seems to capture the attention of Tess--someone who is never rude, always proper, and is somewhat obsessed with remaining a paragon of unexceptional behavior.

The budding relationship between the two seems to confuse both of them. I found it very sweet that neither character was 'in pursuit.' There is no chase. Which seems appropriate since our heroine is very conscious of propriety and our hero is in a wheel chair or using a cane throughout most of the story. The romance is low key. No big dramatic betrayals. I found that kind of slow build refreshing.

Why did I want to slap Tess, you ask? Because she lacks backbone at a crucial moment. She can assist with a surgery and shave a man in his bedchamber, but she refuses to support Tolly when he needs it because it would harm her reputation. It sounds shallow--it is shallow--but Tess is obsessed with propriety for a reason. And she is aware of how cowardly she is being. Disgusted by it. But, for a time, she remains paralyzed by her fear of stepping outside the carefully constructed box of good behavior in which she's surrounded herself. What I found redeeming was that she wasn't really as shallow as most of society thought her to be. She was aware of her fear. Aware that she was failing a friend at a crucial moment. And ultimately, finally, shows some backbone by casting aside the rules she's governed her life by for a decade.

The mention of the Thuggee problems in India during British colonialism was something I hadn't seen a lot of in standard Avon historicals. I found it interesting that while there is some lingering PTSD issues with Col. James, the major emotional scars come from the destruction of his ability to trust. And the scenes with Tess helping him shave were more emotional than the love scenes--which, I admit, were fairly tame and not very imaginative.

Something only an Enoch fangirl would love: the brief mention of Bradshaw Carroway. I'm hoping this means that she's going to finally give us those books featuring the rest of Dare's family. (Originally seen in the Rake.)

One thing that I almost missed: the switch to 2nd edition excerpts at the chapter headings. I'm guilty of skimming most chapter headings, even amusing ones, but thankfully noticed this change and flipped back a couple of chapters to read the headings with the 2nd edition difference in my head.

Overall, I thought this was much better than the previous book featuring the Adventurers' Club, the Care and Taming of a Rogue. And while it did have some thematic echoes of London's Perfect Hero, those similarities were very superficial. Pretty much, just the wounded war vet angle and the fact that the War Office and Horse Guards seemed to be part of the conflict and interfering in a happily ever after.

The resolution of the 'threat' against Col. James seemed a bit rushed and superficial. As if an editor was a little too stingy on the page count. The necessary elements were there, but I would have liked to have the 'danger' element expanded on more just a bit. And I would have liked to see at least a portion of Tolly's editorial.

I found this book unexpectedly moving. Not quite as good as the Lessons in Love trilogy, but then few books are. And I'm still crossing my fingers that Bradshaw's reappearance means that we'll get more stories featuring the Carroways soon.(less)

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Jan 20, 2011 Honour rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-moi, suits-my-tastes-perfectly

Read this. Really. Do.
Rarely has a hero ever been so very, very appealing before. If you read historicals for the romance, then this will definitely get you.
It takes a little time to like the heroine, but puh! to her. I didn't read this book for Tess. I read it for Colonel Bartholomew James.
So, read it. That's all.

nota bene: how can an author who wrote this book, write the utter pile of **** that is book 1 and 3 of this series? Really, how? I'm baffled.

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Sep 18, 2010 Linds rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 1800-s, historical-romance, england, physical-disablities, read-in-2010, redemption, regency, romance, wounded-ptsd-hero

This is one of those romances where I am really fond of the hero but as a book there are some things that are just "off" and it never completely clicks with me.

Tolly is a man recently back from India damaged and traumatized, both physically and mentally. A native renegade group called the Thugee pretended to befriend Tolly's group. It ends in tragedy when Tolly's group and all fifteen men are ambushed, murdered, and thrown down a well. Tolly, left for dead is the only survivor and returns to Eng...more

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Feb 26, 2011 Katrina Burch rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have been a historical romance reader for about eight years now, and I have no idea why I never picked up a Suzanne Enoch book before this year. She is quickly becoming one of my favorite romance authors with unique plots and intriguing characters! A Lady's Guide to Improper Behavior is a wonderful romance, with two deep characters. Both Colonel Bartholomew (Tolly) James and Theresa (Tess) Weller have suffered incredible losses and built up defenses to protect them from their own guilt. Althou...more

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Jul 03, 2010 June rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: suzanne-enoch, favorite-heroes

I liked this book. Col Bartholomew James (Tolly) was injured and back from India. He no longer wanted to live, much less be socialable. He barely wanted to be around his beloved siblings. All this was about to change when Theresa Weller (Tessa also known as the Sun) walked into his world. Tessa was proper, and stayed away from any improprieties, until Tolly.

I loved both of the characters and how Suzanne Enoch developed their relationship through the book. It didn't take long for both characters...more

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Jul 14, 2010 Jackie rated it 3 of 5 stars

I wish Suzanne Enoch had a better editor, or at least one who had the guts to tell her when something isn't working. There is so much to like about her writing, and about this book in particular -- the relationship between the two main characters is lovely and refreshing, with little of the misunderstandings/angst that power the typical romance love plot, in particular. But why didn't anyone tell Enoch that if your main character is supposed to be obsessed with propriety, you might want to SHOW...more

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Jul 27, 2012 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

I love Suzanne Enoch's books and literary style! This book is witty and full of humorous dialogue.The hero is a wounded soldier, both physically and spiritually, back from India.The lone survivor of a brutal attack by Thuggee, he is full of guilt and anger. Because of the venal greed and corruption of the East India Company, rumors are spread of his cowardice and he is accused of lying to excuse the deaths of his men. When he meets the heroine, his anger leads him to insult her! The toast of the...more

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May 09, 2010 Lady Darcie rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: romance lovers

Recommended to Lady Darcie by: walmart

Shelves: historical-romance

(you may remember ColonelJames from the book The Care and Taming of a Rogue) Theresa Weller at first bugged me but when i found out that she had a whole different side to her, i completely changed my mind. She was just trying to stop scandalous things from happening around her...until she meets Colonel Bartholomew James. A wounded soldier with fowl temper trying to stay away from everything he onced loved. But once a dinner party goes wrong both Tess and Tolly find themselves in a situation that...more

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Jan 06, 2011 Calisto rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: easily-forgettable

Sadly, this book is rather lackluster. Someone already mentioned that this book is rather vanilla and I tend to agree. It just feels like SE kinda phoned it in. Scarred hero. Check. Beautiful 'spunky' heroine. Check. Clever banter (or at least attempt it). Check. Premarital sex (and when they finally do the deed I was like...wait? you are inserting a sex here? It felt really forced.) Check. Danger. Check. End (and I was going... ummm...that's the end? really?) It's not a bad book but I kept wait...more

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Sep 04, 2012 Susan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historic-romance, 2012

Interesting read with a strong female character and a tortured hero. I liked the way they interacted together, she outgoing and he a bit surprised by it all but eventually getting won over by her sparkling personality, generosity and love.

A lot of the characters muttered 'Mmm-hmm' at one time or other and I found it very distracting.

I also thought the Thuggee stuff slowed the pace of the book down. I didn't find it all that compelling nor interesting especially when Tolly brought in all these ot...more

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May 25, 2011 Nell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

Engaging story. More depth than the usual historical romance. On the surface they are an unlikely match, but they have something in common: Both main characters have experienced tragedies that altered their lives. The hero was the lone survivor of a brutal ambush while he was serving in India. The shero is the sole survivor of a childhood tragedy. When England's powerful economic interest try to discredit the hero, he must decide to live again and to honor those killed by publicly telling about...more

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Jul 15, 2010 Cheryl rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, historical-romance, suzanne-enoch

What a delightful book this was to read! 4 stars!!

I just love a brooding hero that scowls and has a temper, and this book's hero is just that! He is an injured war hero who has all but given up on life until he meets the heroine of the story who gives him the will to fight for his life! She sparks his temper and ignites his passions. He makes her want to do all sorts of things a proper lady shouldn't be doing.

I really enjoyed reading about their story; it was sweet and touching and I can't wait...more

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May 01, 2010 Lori rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2010, may-2010, historical

Truly, nobody writes wounded heroes like Suzanne Enoch. Although Tolly recovers far more easily than does Bit (from England's Perfect Hero), she gives him the same wounded soul. It was wonderful to see him open up, bit by bit, to Tess, and to watch her struggle with her own issues about manners and proper behavior. And to finally let them go.

One of my favorite parts is about Tess realizing that the way she's living isn't working for her. Just the last 2 sentences of the passage begin her transf...more

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Jan 27, 2011 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011, historical-romance

I debated with myself more than I usually do about whether or not to give this book 3 or 4 stars. Of course part of that is because I feel like I give EVERYTHING 4 stars these days...but that is against the point. As I was pondering how to rate A Lady's Guide, I realized that Tess (aka Theresa) is probably one of my favorite Enoch heroines thus far. I understood her reasons for why she felt such a great need to be proper, and I also understood why she didn't stand by Tolly at the ball (which I k...more

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Dec 01, 2010 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

In book two of Suzanne Enochs Adventurers' Club series we meet the delightful, but very proper, Theresa and the surly wounded Colonel Bartholomew James. First, let me say that is just the most awful name to me and his nickname of Tolly just isn't much better! But, if you can get past the name problem this is another fun, easy read.
Tess and Tolly meet each other at Tollys brothers home (his wife is Tess' cousin) where he is trying to heal his bad knee that he received as a result of a horrible at...more In book two of Suzanne Enochs Adventurers' Club series we meet the delightful, but very proper, Theresa and the surly wounded Colonel Bartholomew James. First, let me say that is just the most awful name to me and his nickname of Tolly just isn't much better! But, if you can get past the name problem this is another fun, easy read.
Tess and Tolly meet each other at Tollys brothers home (his wife is Tess' cousin) where he is trying to heal his bad knee that he received as a result of a horrible attack by the Thuggee. Almost instantly they are attracted to each other and Tess starts to do some improper things that she clearly mentions in her booklet she wrote, that a proper lady must never do. She speaks her mind quite clearly to Tolly and that intrigues him, especially her parting comment of "you may watch me dance", as Tolly is incapable of dancing at the moment due to his poorly healing knee. Oh course, Tolly turns up at the next dance and has another amusing chat with Tess and she boldly speaks her mind to him again and even allows him to kiss her. Another big no-no in Tess' booklet of proper behavior for ladies.
As they continue on with their flirting, it gradually deepens into something more. Tolly has his knee rebroken in hopes of setting it correctly to it may heal. As Tess was at his home to "visit" her cousin, she heard his screams and came to assist in the surgery. Right before he passes out, he tells her he did it so he could dance with her someday. So sweet! Naturally, he denies it later when she mentions it but they both know it to be true.
The side story was very well done I thought. Tolly is obviously dealing with PTSD and deep emotional issues from his tragedy with the Thuggee. Tess is able to break through this emotional walls he has built up around himself. But the officials of the East India Company are denying that Tollys tale for fear of losing lots of money due to fear of traveling and being attacked and killed by the Thuggee. Which results in a huge cloud of suspension and disgust for Tolly and he refuses to bring Tess into his mess. Her reaction at first bothered me but thankfully she turns it around and does the right thing.
Overall, I enjoyed this book a bit better that the first but I wished we had seen Tess be a bit more proper before meeting Tolly. They meet by the second chapter and Tess is always saying she needs to be proper but we really never got a sense of that beforehand. We did learn the reason why she feels the need to be so proper and how it helps her connect to Tolly, but I guess a preface of some sort would have been nice for me. Looking forward to starting the next book, Rules of an Engagement, soon and I really hope with get the delish Duke of Sommersets book after that!! 4 stars(less)

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Dec 31, 2010 Keri rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, 2010-read, romance-historical, suzanne-enoch

SE is a NTM author and if this is what I can expect it won't be the last. Col. Bartholomew "Tolly" James is back from a nightmare in India. He now has a busted leg, a bad attitude, needs a shave and a haircut. But when the proper Theresa Weller catches sight of the tall man all she sees is gold eyes and shaggy russet hair that she has to sit on her hands to keep from running her hands through.

When these two meet the sparks immediately began to fly, but they are also as mismatched as they come....more

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Feb 23, 2011 Joelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

What a cute fun story thoroughly enjoyable. Amelia has been publishing books on proper ways to behave for ladies. But, after meeting Colonel Bartholomew James she is snipping at him challenging him at every turn flirting and also correcting him on how he should act around a lady. But the Colonel is not one to conform to the ways of society. The colonel is been away at war for too long to have the patience for that kind of nonsense. James did return home injured badly and suffers so. But, it seem...more What a cute fun story thoroughly enjoyable. Amelia has been publishing books on proper ways to behave for ladies. But, after meeting Colonel Bartholomew James she is snipping at him challenging him at every turn flirting and also correcting him on how he should act around a lady. But the Colonel is not one to conform to the ways of society. The colonel is been away at war for too long to have the patience for that kind of nonsense. James did return home injured badly and suffers so. But, it seems a little tagament like Amelia is getting under his skin and gradually bringing him from the darkness into the light.These two start off under and unusual friendship as Amelia invites him on carriage rides and dares him to dance, and almost makes him want to return to Society but he has been hurt and injured and knows he is hardened by war and has no business in Amelia's life. But, fate has other plans for him. James cannot forget Amelia or there shared kisses that they have engaged in .James thinks of her from sun up to sundown there is no hope for him LOL. Amelia on the other hand feels the same about James but it fighting her feeling as she has several beau's in the wings but there is something about James that draws her to him like no other man ever has. Amelia is always the proper miss and even has written books on the subject but all goes by the wayside where James is concerned she has done nothing but act like a seductive little charmer. She learns from the servants where James has been staying that he is losing his mind and tried to commit suicide but, once arriving at his brothers home she learns that he has had surgery to reset his leg just so he could dance with his Amelia as he is coming to realize he wants more that anything and will put his but seduction forth to win her. A truly great love story. Loved it loved it loved it !!!!!!!!!! One of the best love stories that I have read in quite awhile. What truly drew me to the story was that Ameila for all her proper ways bucked convention for that time at risked of her own reputation but oh boy the fun she had along the way .LOL Where can I get a Colonel James ? Just Yummy what more is there to say..........(less)

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Sep 22, 2010 Krystel Marie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

A Lady's Guide to Improper Behavior was my first historical romance book, I have never read a romance book with the exception of Nicholas Sparks books. I was browsing through some Harlequin Bianca books with my mom (who loves to read Harlequin Bianca novels), when I saw this book. I must say that the first thing that attracted me toward it was it's cover, I liked the cover art, and then I read the tittle which caught my interest. After reading the title, I could not resist to read the synopsis s...more

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May 28, 2010 Eastofoz rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-regency, 2010

Déjà vu anyone ? Suzanne Enoch is an auto-buy for me but when I’ve already read the book the last thing I want to do it buy it again disguised as something new and that’s pretty much what she’s done with this story. It’s a recycled version of England's Perfect Hero only not as well-written and without the emotional punches you got via the hero. Now if you haven’t read "England’s Perfect Hero" then you may love this story because it’s good for the most part. Though it’s the second book in the Adv...more Déjà vu anyone ? Suzanne Enoch is an auto-buy for me but when I’ve already read the book the last thing I want to do it buy it again disguised as something new and that’s pretty much what she’s done with this story. It’s a recycled version of England's Perfect Hero only not as well-written and without the emotional punches you got via the hero. Now if you haven’t read "England’s Perfect Hero" then you may love this story because it’s good for the most part. Though it’s the second book in the Adventurers Club series it really can be read as a standalone. There’s a brief mention about the club and the Duke of Sommerset makes a few appearances but it’s not like you’re missing anything if you haven’t read book 1.

The book centers around Tess and Tolly (the guy’s name’s Bartholomew which is just as ‘unsexy’ as Tolly if you ask me) who don’t particularly like each other when they meet. He’s a boor with a closet full of secrets and she’s a social butterfly who takes it upon herself to act like the Miss Manners of her time. The only thing is that underneath her perfect exterior lies a wanna be “wanton” –too bad Enoch skimped on the steam scenes to show that :-/ She can normally write some very good sex scenes but it was almost like she couldn’t be bothered this time which was disappointing especially since the build-up to the steam was well-done. So the two meet off and on at various soirées and some good verbal sparring happens –reminded me of something along the lines of Loretta Chase’s Lord of Scoundrels but not as much quantity-wise, too bad too because there’s some stuff that you rarely see in a historical coming from the heroine. Tolly is suffering from a horrible leg wound that he got while on a mission of sorts for the East India Company. Towards the end the “bad guys” have got it in for him and the romance turns its focus there for the last bit of the book which I never like in a romance novel because it detracts from the h/h’s story and screams of filler. You can tell that the author ran out of things to say so she stuck in this overused, tired kind of ending. Predictable, unoriginal and boring. When I realized the direction that the book was going in I just wanted it to be finished so I could move on.

As for the writing style there is some great repartee between the two especially because the heroine remains strong and independent minded right to the end. She’s got a sharp tongue for every barb he throws at her. I didn’t particularly like the hero though. I never pictured him as a virile 28 year old but more so as an old geezer. He was missing something. He lacked that take control trait that Enoch’s heroes tend to have. Too many times he didn’t come across as sexy or powerful but more like someone who wanted to hide away which was understandable but again, not my kind of guy. This isn’t to say that he was weak but he wasn’t alpha enough for me, almost too down trodden and the heroine had the upper hand or they were on equal footing all the time. I like when it goes up and down between the h/h because it heightens the sexual tension between the characters more. The ending was really good and put a big ol’ smile on my face but that didn’t make up for the problem areas in the book.

So if you’ve read "England’s Perfect Hero" you may feel gypped with this story –I did when all was said and done. If you haven’t, it’s worth a lowish 4 star read.

I'm going to be generous and say that every author is entitled the odd dud once in a while so I'm impatiently waiting for her next installment in The Adventurers Club series –better be that hot babe the Duke of Sommerset’s story ;-)
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Mar 25, 2013 LaFleurBleue rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance-histo, paperback

The beginning was laborious, and the first 80 pages were all but enthralling: I did not really understand the mystery behind the Adventurers' Club existence, having not read the first book in the series and was not really curious about it either. The hero did not have much in his favor: badly hurt, almost paranoid, surly, gruff and bad-tempered… The heroine, on the other hand, always had the most proper, correct and pleasant behavior; she could have been a doll.
But their first interactions disru...more

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Sep 25, 2010 BJ Rose rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-regency, summer-challenge

Advice you won't find in 'A Lady's Guide to Proper Behavior':

1)Strongly berate someone at dinner while you're a guest in his brother's house
2) Tell a disabled man that he must ask you to dance
3) Kiss the disabled man on the stairs of his house after you've grabbed his cane & caused him to stumble
4) Enter a bachelor's bedroom while said bachelor is in his bed

I'm a sucker for stories about wounded and emotionally tortured heroes, so I was strongly disposed to like Bartholomew. I initially thou...more

6 likes · like · see review

May 15, 2013 Trish rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, 2013-05, suzanne-enoch

This was the first book in a long time where I had a "book hangover." The characters and the world were so delightful! I just loved Tolly and Tess' romance. Suzanne Enoch is an excellent author with vivid characters whoyou find yourself really enjoying. Truthfully, I thought the end (literally, the last 2-3 pages) was just a tad weak, but the story was strong and characters engaging. They have become one of my all time favorite historical romance couples.

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Jan 23, 2013 Maqluba rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: deep-emotional-scars, heroine-saves-hero, historical, angsty-hero-with-cute-tendencies, kickass-heroine, lovely-romance

She's a woman trying to right a wrong from her past by acting proper.
He's a man living in pain (physical and emotional) because of a past he's trying to forget.
Together they break through each other's walls and are able to bring each other back to life.
I thought it was a very entertaining read and like Enoch's style of writing. Their sparring was entertaining and seeing them transform was just as fun.

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Aug 21, 2011 Jessi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: appealing-characteristic-story, historical, part-of-a-series, romance, 2011

Theresa Weller is obsessed with the rules of decorum, to the point where she's even written a pamphlet on the subject! But, then why is she so attracted to Colonel Bartholomew James? He is just returned from the wars in India, the only man to survive his company's slaughter and doesn't care much for propriety.
Can the two overcome her haughtiness and his discomfort with the ton?

this is a romance novel.

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Jul 13, 2010 Carla rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

Although some of the plot didn't quite make sense to me, I found this book to be an enjoyable escape read. This is the second in a series of sorts--Adventurer's Club, I'd call it, with the first being The Care and Taming of a Rogue. This one starts the chapters with excerpts from "A Lady's Guide to Proper Behavior" and stars the up-tight author, who then falls for a rude, disreputed adventurer. Entertaining.

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Jun 10, 2010 Marti rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction-historical, historical-romance, romance, zzz-books-2010

I usually love Suzanne Enoch's books. Her characters are intelligent and witty. The stories are not mundane or ordinary. The book had all of her normal elements, but I found this book good - not great and not bad. Good. I think it is because I like the main male character to be a little bit more charming - and this one wasn't. None the less despite my tepid response if you like her books this one will be liked also.

1 like · like · see review

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About Suzanne Enoch

Suzanne was born in Southern California sometime in the latter half of the 20th century. In the way that some people are born knowing they want to be astronauts or cellists, Suzanne always knew she wanted to be a writer. Early dreams of becoming a zoologist and writing true stories about her adventures in Africa were crushed, however, after she viewed a television special about the world’s most po...more Suzanne was born in Southern California sometime in the latter half of the 20th century. In the way that some people are born knowing they want to be astronauts or cellists, Suzanne always knew she wanted to be a writer. Early dreams of becoming a zoologist and writing true stories about her adventures in Africa were crushed, however, after she viewed a television special about the world’s most poisonous snakes; she did NOT want to write about how she’d been bitten and lost a limb to a cobra. Thankfully at the same time the movie “Star Wars” premiered, and she realized that she could make up adventures and write about them, and not be eaten by deadly predators while doing research.

She dabbled in romantic fantasy writing for a year or two after graduating with a degree in English from the University of California, Irvine, until her affection for traditional Regency romances led her to write one for fun. After several encouraging rejections from publishers, she snared the interest of the world’s best and most patient literary agent, who advised her to revise the manuscript. This ultimately led to the publication of her first book, The Black Duke’s Prize, from Avon Books in the Spring of 1995. A second Regency, Angel’s Devil, followed that Fall.

When Avon folded its traditional Regency line, Suzanne was encouraged to try her hand at historical romance. As she remained keenly interested in England’s Regency period, she decided to attempt another manuscript set in that time. Lady Rogue hit the shelves in March of 1997. She wrote a total of 29 books for Avon, including two anthologies and a five-part contemporary series which received a pair of starred reviews from Publishers Weekly. One of those books, Twice the Temptation, was named one of the five best romances of the year by PW in 2007.

In 2002 her well-known love of all things “Star Wars” led to an invitation to appear on the E! channel in the television special “Star Wars: The Force Is Back”, where she discussed the romance in the movie series and ended up with more air time than George Lucas.

In 2010 Suzanne left Avon Books for St. Martin’s Press, where she continues to pen historical romance novels. Her 31st book, Taming an Impossible Rogue, is set to arrive in March 2012.

Suzanne is known for her humorous characters, sexy bad boys, and whip-sharp, witty dialogue. She currently resides in Placentia, California with several hundred guppies and various other tropical fish, and handful of very loud, spinach-loving finches. And her collection of action figures and statues from “Star Wars”, “Lord of the Rings”, “X-Men”, and “Pirates of the Caribbean”. Everybody needs some inspiration, after all.

www.facebook.com/SuzanneEnoch
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More about Suzanne Enoch...

Books by Suzanne Enoch

London's Perfect Scoundrel (Lessons in Love, #2)

England's Perfect Hero (Lessons in Love, #3)

The Care and Taming of a Rogue (Adventurers’ Club, #1)

After the Kiss (Notorious Gentlemen, #1)

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Quotes from A Lady's Guide to Impr...

“How many of us have gazed at a man and thought, ‘yes, him,’ only to have him pay his attentions to someone else? And how many of us have sighed and waited for some other gentleman to come forward? All I wish to ask is, why? Why not strike up a conversation? Why not determine for ourselves whether ‘he’ is the one? Why leave it to fate?”
A LADY’S GUIDE TO PROPER BEHAVIOR, 2ND EDITION” — 14 people liked it

“I am a duke, you know. If I can't perform a miracle here and there I might as well be a butler in expesive clothes." He brushed at the sleeve of his well-tailored brown coat. "And butlers don't get to dance with attractive women.” — 10 people liked it

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A Lady's Guide to Improper Behavior (Adventurers’ Club #2)

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