What do you think?
Rate this book
Langley Family Trilogy #1
Touch Me
Outspoken, opinionated Thea Selwyn is no ordinary lady. Raised in the exotic West Indies, she has none of the starchy propriety Pierson Drake is accustomed to—rather, there is a lush sensuality about this impulsive beauty that tempts him unmercifully. Her delectable curves and wide, innocent eyes are enticing enough, but her breathless response to his touch is a lure he can't resist.
On a voyage that takes them from a tropical paradise to the glittering ballrooms of London, Thea and Drake are pulled into a firestorm of illicit passion. Thea knows that once they reach England, the secrets she's been keeping will kill whatever Drake feels for her. But Drake's own history has taught him the value of acceptance and the desolation of loss. Thea is the one woman Drake has ever trusted with his heart, and he ha no intention of losing her—not to the ghosts of the past or the threats of the present. But can he convince Thea to forget the hard lessons she's learned and take a chance on love?
On a voyage that takes them from a tropical paradise to the glittering ballrooms of London, Thea and Drake are pulled into a firestorm of illicit passion. Thea knows that once they reach England, the secrets she's been keeping will kill whatever Drake feels for her. But Drake's own history has taught him the value of acceptance and the desolation of loss. Thea is the one woman Drake has ever trusted with his heart, and he ha no intention of losing her—not to the ghosts of the past or the threats of the present. But can he convince Thea to forget the hard lessons she's learned and take a chance on love?
317 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
20 people are currently reading
239 people want to read
About the author
Lucy Monroe
611 books1,577 followersI write spicy romance books that end in an HEA. Contemporary romance, historical romance, paranormal romance…I write it all. The two things my books all have in common is lots of emotion and spice. Last year, I fell in love with a new subgenre: mafia romance. Since I write what I love to read, I started a new standalone series, Syndicate Rules where you’ll meet over the top alpha heroes in the Italian and Greek mafias as well as the Irish mob. There are arranged marriages, forced marriages, enemies to lovers, stalkers, forced proximity and lots of mafia intrigue. Morally gray is my new favorite color.
Follow me on BookBub for alerts on my next release: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lucy-...
I’ve been published a while and most of my 90+ books have hit the Nielson Bookscan bestseller list, a few ended up on the USA Today bestseller list and some even hit national bestseller lists in the UK and Australia. My books have been translated into numerous languages and are for sale in dozens of countries around the world. I’ve won awards and been published with most of the big houses in New York, but my greatest achievement is touching readers’ hearts. When I hear from a reader who got caught up in one of my books, I know I’m doing what I’m meant to do.
I love writing emotionally deep stories with snappy dialogue and solid plots. I’m more grateful than I’ll ever be able to express that so many readers have taken my stories into their hearts and put my books on their reread and keeper shelves.
Follow me on BookBub for alerts on my next release: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lucy-...
I’ve been published a while and most of my 90+ books have hit the Nielson Bookscan bestseller list, a few ended up on the USA Today bestseller list and some even hit national bestseller lists in the UK and Australia. My books have been translated into numerous languages and are for sale in dozens of countries around the world. I’ve won awards and been published with most of the big houses in New York, but my greatest achievement is touching readers’ hearts. When I hear from a reader who got caught up in one of my books, I know I’m doing what I’m meant to do.
I love writing emotionally deep stories with snappy dialogue and solid plots. I’m more grateful than I’ll ever be able to express that so many readers have taken my stories into their hearts and put my books on their reread and keeper shelves.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
March 22, 2017
Lucy Monroe never disappoints. I was excited to learn that apart from Mills and Boon, she has experimented with other genres - historical and fantasy romance.
Why I really enjoyed this one :
1 Lucy Monroe doesn't do predictable.
Usually, its the man who is commitment phobic or questions monogamy. But in this story, the h is dead set against marriage. Her fear is reasonable and convincing.
2 Communication
Sometimes characters experience insta love or they fall in love in the last 2 chapters. But showing you a believable scenario of two people falling for each other, that's tricky. Lucy Monroe manages this. Everytime.
Thea and Drake swap life stories, they open up about their past, fight for their relationship and lean on each other. Nothing remains unsaid for long and I loved that about these two.
3 Issues
Both of them had fear, vulnerabilities and a twisted experience with family. But they didn't use these as an excuse or foundation to be jerks or callous.
They just kept their lessons in mind and built their own lives with a clean slate and guarded heart.
4 Gossip Girl
Thea was raised away from Polite Society and this helped her in a lot of ways. She didn't want to fit in and she saw the double standards involved.
It reminded me of Gossip Girl because of the obsession with secrets, gossip, fashion and cliques.
Why I really enjoyed this one :
1 Lucy Monroe doesn't do predictable.
Usually, its the man who is commitment phobic or questions monogamy. But in this story, the h is dead set against marriage. Her fear is reasonable and convincing.
2 Communication
Sometimes characters experience insta love or they fall in love in the last 2 chapters. But showing you a believable scenario of two people falling for each other, that's tricky. Lucy Monroe manages this. Everytime.
Thea and Drake swap life stories, they open up about their past, fight for their relationship and lean on each other. Nothing remains unsaid for long and I loved that about these two.
3 Issues
Both of them had fear, vulnerabilities and a twisted experience with family. But they didn't use these as an excuse or foundation to be jerks or callous.
They just kept their lessons in mind and built their own lives with a clean slate and guarded heart.
4 Gossip Girl
Thea was raised away from Polite Society and this helped her in a lot of ways. She didn't want to fit in and she saw the double standards involved.
It reminded me of Gossip Girl because of the obsession with secrets, gossip, fashion and cliques.
April 28, 2021
No estuvo mal, pero esperaba algo mejor. Tiene buenos protagonistas y por eso lo dejo en 3.
Aunque los protagonistas me gustaron, algunas partes de la trama me fastidiaron y la parte de la intriga de quien estaba robando a la compañía y quería hacerle daño a Thea al final resultó algo tonto y el que le quería hacer daño ni si quiera dijo el motivo... no sé esa parte me pareció rara e incompleta.
y me dio mucha rabia con el padre de Thea y que todo lo que le hizo a su esposa Anna y a sus hijos nunca lo pagó, y quedó feliz comiendo perdiz
No sé si continuaré con la serie... la de la medio hermana de Thea no me llama la atención
Aunque los protagonistas me gustaron, algunas partes de la trama me fastidiaron y la parte de la intriga de quien estaba robando a la compañía y quería hacerle daño a Thea al final resultó algo tonto y el que le quería hacer daño ni si quiera dijo el motivo... no sé esa parte me pareció rara e incompleta.
y me dio mucha rabia con el padre de Thea y que todo lo que le hizo a su esposa Anna y a sus hijos nunca lo pagó, y quedó feliz comiendo perdiz
No sé si continuaré con la serie... la de la medio hermana de Thea no me llama la atención
March 18, 2022
This book was sitting on my shelf for forever. It was a cute book but if got repetitive towards the last third of the book. Thea was always mistrustful and honestly a little dumb. And Drake was kinda flat too. But it was still a short enjoyable book.
July 28, 2011
This is a great start to this trilogy. We get a taste of the betrayal that happened which affected so many lives, a look at how those lives have flourished, or not, over the years since that time, and we get to experience the love as a result of those long-ago actions, plus a very nice set-up for the next book in the series.
Thea’s mother ran from her husband when the man stole her first born from her arms when the boy was only minutes old. What none of them knew was another babe was about to be born, so keeping her daughter a secret, Anna tried to stay in London to secretly see her son, but when her beast of a husband found out, Anna chose the West Indies as a home for her and her daughter, hoping one day to return to see her son when he was man. That day never came, Anna dying of fever before she could make the trip.
Growing up in the West Indies, away from the social confines of London and the ton, Thea is her own woman, intelligent and independent, vowing never to marry and give herself over to a man only to be treated as her mother was. She’s a partner in a prosperous business with the couple who took her and her mother in years before and Thea has discovered discrepancies in the business books. She decides to go to London to confront the man she believes responsible. When Pierson Drake appears looking for the services of a blacksmith to repair his ship’s boiler, she has found a way to the city much sooner than waiting for one of her own ships.
Drake is on a timeline racing to bring his shipment into port so that his investors will not lose money when they put their faith in him; his damaged boiler is costing time as it is, so he doesn’t need a woman trailing along, even one as intriguing as Thea Selwyn. But the woman surprises him at every turn, and he’s determined to find out who is causing the sudden accidents that come too close to fatally injuring the woman. By the time they reach London, their feelings have grown for one another, but Thea is still of the mind she doesn’t need marriage, despite Drake’s insistence they will be together.
What I enjoyed most about this book is the fact the lead characters are together so much of the time, either getting to know one another, irritating the hell out of one another, or lusting their hearts out and taking care of that lust. Mystery and danger are well represented in the story and there’s a nice twist at the end that you don’t see too early.
See my complete review at http://www.goodbadandunread.com
Thea’s mother ran from her husband when the man stole her first born from her arms when the boy was only minutes old. What none of them knew was another babe was about to be born, so keeping her daughter a secret, Anna tried to stay in London to secretly see her son, but when her beast of a husband found out, Anna chose the West Indies as a home for her and her daughter, hoping one day to return to see her son when he was man. That day never came, Anna dying of fever before she could make the trip.
Growing up in the West Indies, away from the social confines of London and the ton, Thea is her own woman, intelligent and independent, vowing never to marry and give herself over to a man only to be treated as her mother was. She’s a partner in a prosperous business with the couple who took her and her mother in years before and Thea has discovered discrepancies in the business books. She decides to go to London to confront the man she believes responsible. When Pierson Drake appears looking for the services of a blacksmith to repair his ship’s boiler, she has found a way to the city much sooner than waiting for one of her own ships.
Drake is on a timeline racing to bring his shipment into port so that his investors will not lose money when they put their faith in him; his damaged boiler is costing time as it is, so he doesn’t need a woman trailing along, even one as intriguing as Thea Selwyn. But the woman surprises him at every turn, and he’s determined to find out who is causing the sudden accidents that come too close to fatally injuring the woman. By the time they reach London, their feelings have grown for one another, but Thea is still of the mind she doesn’t need marriage, despite Drake’s insistence they will be together.
What I enjoyed most about this book is the fact the lead characters are together so much of the time, either getting to know one another, irritating the hell out of one another, or lusting their hearts out and taking care of that lust. Mystery and danger are well represented in the story and there’s a nice twist at the end that you don’t see too early.
See my complete review at http://www.goodbadandunread.com
August 15, 2013
ชอบมากๆๆๆๆ พระ-นางขัดแย้งกันตลอดเวลาแต่ไม่ใช่เพราะต้องการเอาชนะกันแบบหัวชนฝา ดื้อด้าน แต่เพราะต่างฝ่ายต่างมีเหตุผลของตัวเอง
เขาทะเลาะกัน โกรธกันบ้างงอนกันบ้างแต่สุดท้ายก็มีฝ่ายใดฝ่ายหนึ่งยอมถอย และทั้งคู่ไม่เคยปล่อยให้ความขัดแย้งนั้นอยู่นาน ชอบมาก
สิ่งที่ชอบอีกอย่างคือ Thea พยายามจะบอกDrake เสมอว่า การที่เขาเป็นลูกนอกสมรสไม่ได้หมายความเขาไม่มีเกียรติไม่มีค่า เขามีสิ่งเหล่านั้นเสมอและแม่ของเขาก็รักเขามาก เป็นผู้หญิงที่ดีมากๆอดทนเลี้ยงลูกและยืนหยัดอยู่ในสังคมมาโดยตลอด
ในขณะเดียวกัน Drake ก็พยายามยืนอยู่เคียงข้างThea ช้วยเหลือเธอตลอดทั้งการหาคนที่ทำร้ายเธอ การอยู่ข้างๆในยามที่เธอเผชิญกับพ่อที่โหดร้าย (พ่อเข้าใจผิดกับแม่นางเอกเลยพรากลูกชายไปจากแม่ แต่ไม่รู้ว่าเมียตัวเองมีลูกแฝดเป็นหญิงอีกคน)
มาแนวที่ชอบอีกแล้วพระ-นางที่ยอมรับในตัวตนของอีกฝ่ายอย่างที่เขา/เธอเป็นจริงๆ แม้ Theaจะเป็นลูกสาวเอิร์ล มีแม่เป็นเลดี้ แต่การที่เธอเติบโตมาบนเกาะทำให้ไม่มีมารยาทที่สังคมผู้ดีอังกฤษคาดหวัง เธออยู่ท่ามกลางผู้ชายที่ทำงานที่ท่าเรือ เธอมีงานมีอาชีพหาเลี้ยงตนเอง ในขณะเดียวกันก็มีจิตใจที่อ่อนโยนไม่แข็งกร้าว ฉลาด และนั่นทำให้Drake รักเธอทั้งๆที่เขาต้องการผู้หญิงดีเลิศประเสริฐศรีมาเป็นภรรยาเพราะต้องการให้พ่อเห็นว่าการที่พ่อไม่ยอมรับเขาเป็นลูก แล้วยังไง...ไม่มีพ่อแต่เขาก็สามารถสร้างฐานะและพาตัวเองเข้าสู่สังคมชั้นสูงได้เขาคิดแบบนี้จริงๆนะ (ข้อหลังที่พระเอกเคยตั้งใจไว้นี่แหละทำให้นางเอกเข้าใจผิดในตอนท้ายๆ)
มีเรื่องสืบสวนบ้างแต่ก็เป็นส่วนน้อย ประเด็นหลักเป็นเรื่องความสัมพันธ์ของพระนางและอดีตของพวกเขา ชอบที่มีบันทึกของแม่นางเอกให้อ่านในตอนต้นของแต่ละบท ทำให้รู้เรื่องราวของนางเอกในวัยเด็กว่าเป็นอย่างไร เป็นวิธีนำเสนอเรื่องราวในอดีตได้เก๋อีกวิธีหนึ่ง(ไม่ค่อยได้อ่านเจอเลยปลื้มหรือปลื้มเพราะเรื่องทั้งหมดมันชวนปลื้มก็ไม่รู้)
เรื่องนี้มัน "TOUCH ME" จริงๆ ให้ตายเหอะ ชอบมาก
ปล.Irisa น้องสาวต่างแม่ของนางเอกก็น่ารักเชียว เธอเป็นนางเอกในเรื่องต่อไป "Tempt Me" อ่านไปได้สองบท ท่าทางเธอก็ใช่ย่อยนะเนี่ย
Jared พี่ชายฝาแฝดก็มาเป็นพระเอกใน "Take Me"
เขาทะเลาะกัน โกรธกันบ้างงอนกันบ้างแต่สุดท้ายก็มีฝ่ายใดฝ่ายหนึ่งยอมถอย และทั้งคู่ไม่เคยปล่อยให้ความขัดแย้งนั้นอยู่นาน ชอบมาก
สิ่งที่ชอบอีกอย่างคือ Thea พยายามจะบอกDrake เสมอว่า การที่เขาเป็นลูกนอกสมรสไม่ได้หมายความเขาไม่มีเกียรติไม่มีค่า เขามีสิ่งเหล่านั้นเสมอและแม่ของเขาก็รักเขามาก เป็นผู้หญิงที่ดีมากๆอดทนเลี้ยงลูกและยืนหยัดอยู่ในสังคมมาโดยตลอด
ในขณะเดียวกัน Drake ก็พยายามยืนอยู่เคียงข้างThea ช้วยเหลือเธอตลอดทั้งการหาคนที่ทำร้ายเธอ การอยู่ข้างๆในยามที่เธอเผชิญกับพ่อที่โหดร้าย (พ่อเข้าใจผิดกับแม่นางเอกเลยพรากลูกชายไปจากแม่ แต่ไม่รู้ว่าเมียตัวเองมีลูกแฝดเป็นหญิงอีกคน)
มาแนวที่ชอบอีกแล้วพระ-นางที่ยอมรับในตัวตนของอีกฝ่ายอย่างที่เขา/เธอเป็นจริงๆ แม้ Theaจะเป็นลูกสาวเอิร์ล มีแม่เป็นเลดี้ แต่การที่เธอเติบโตมาบนเกาะทำให้ไม่มีมารยาทที่สังคมผู้ดีอังกฤษคาดหวัง เธออยู่ท่ามกลางผู้ชายที่ทำงานที่ท่าเรือ เธอมีงานมีอาชีพหาเลี้ยงตนเอง ในขณะเดียวกันก็มีจิตใจที่อ่อนโยนไม่แข็งกร้าว ฉลาด และนั่นทำให้Drake รักเธอทั้งๆที่เขาต้องการผู้หญิงดีเลิศประเสริฐศรีมาเป็นภรรยาเพราะต้องการให้พ่อเห็นว่าการที่พ่อไม่ยอมรับเขาเป็นลูก แล้วยังไง...ไม่มีพ่อแต่เขาก็สามารถสร้างฐานะและพาตัวเองเข้าสู่สังคมชั้นสูงได้เขาคิดแบบนี้จริงๆนะ (ข้อหลังที่พระเอกเคยตั้งใจไว้นี่แหละทำให้นางเอกเข้าใจผิดในตอนท้ายๆ)
มีเรื่องสืบสวนบ้างแต่ก็เป็นส่วนน้อย ประเด็นหลักเป็นเรื่องความสัมพันธ์ของพระนางและอดีตของพวกเขา ชอบที่มีบันทึกของแม่นางเอกให้อ่านในตอนต้นของแต่ละบท ทำให้รู้เรื่องราวของนางเอกในวัยเด็กว่าเป็นอย่างไร เป็นวิธีนำเสนอเรื่องราวในอดีตได้เก๋อีกวิธีหนึ่ง(ไม่ค่อยได้อ่านเจอเลยปลื้มหรือปลื้มเพราะเรื่องทั้งหมดมันชวนปลื้มก็ไม่รู้)
เรื่องนี้มัน "TOUCH ME" จริงๆ ให้ตายเหอะ ชอบมาก
ปล.Irisa น้องสาวต่างแม่ของนางเอกก็น่ารักเชียว เธอเป็นนางเอกในเรื่องต่อไป "Tempt Me" อ่านไปได้สองบท ท่าทางเธอก็ใช่ย่อยนะเนี่ย
Jared พี่ชายฝาแฝดก็มาเป็นพระเอกใน "Take Me"
June 2, 2015
Ik heb de Nederlands talige versie gelezen ; Candlelight Historische roman 682 - Hartstocht op zee .
De hartstocht uit de titel was ruimschoots aanwezig maar gelukkig was er wel een goede opbouw van attractie/lust naar liefde/houden van . De twee hoofdpersonen brachten veel tijd samen door en leerden elkaar goed kennen waardoor ik als lezer mij betrokken ging voelen .
Dit is deel 1 van een driedelige serie waarvan deel 2 slechte waarderingen krijgt maar deel 3 juist weer hele goede en omdat ik deel 2 niet heb ga ik hierna meteen verder met deel 3 .
De hartstocht uit de titel was ruimschoots aanwezig maar gelukkig was er wel een goede opbouw van attractie/lust naar liefde/houden van . De twee hoofdpersonen brachten veel tijd samen door en leerden elkaar goed kennen waardoor ik als lezer mij betrokken ging voelen .
Dit is deel 1 van een driedelige serie waarvan deel 2 slechte waarderingen krijgt maar deel 3 juist weer hele goede en omdat ik deel 2 niet heb ga ik hierna meteen verder met deel 3 .
July 1, 2019
This is a new to me author, I could this trilogy at one of my small bookstores and am very glad I didn’t pass them up. The book is well written and the characters are easy to fall in love with. Both main characters are strong-willed, sometimes too stubborn for their own good. A little mystery thrown in makes it very intriguing, and it wasn’t who I thought it would be. All in all, I would recommend this book to anyone who likes romance, emotionally hardened characters, and murder mystery investigations.
January 14, 2021
4.5 stars
This book was very enjoyable. My favorite thing was that the two MCs communicated with each other so honestly and frequently. They both had trauma from their childhood which caused problems, but after brief periods of hurt feelings, they would come back together and talk things out. It was really nice to read what a healthy relationship looks like. Some aspects did get repetitive but overall, it was a fast read and I wish Lucy Monroe wrote more historicals.
This book was very enjoyable. My favorite thing was that the two MCs communicated with each other so honestly and frequently. They both had trauma from their childhood which caused problems, but after brief periods of hurt feelings, they would come back together and talk things out. It was really nice to read what a healthy relationship looks like. Some aspects did get repetitive but overall, it was a fast read and I wish Lucy Monroe wrote more historicals.
May 21, 2017
This was a good book about overcoming our parents shortcomings and learning not to repeat them. and fitting into a society foreign to the girl and making peace with her father who wronged her mother after her brothers birth and before he found out about her birth. I enjoyed reading it.
March 9, 2021
I've not read a historical romance in a while.
I'm hooked with this series.
Pierson and Thea really fight against the odds in their relationship. Straight onto book 2 to see what happens next in the Langley family.
I'm hooked with this series.
Pierson and Thea really fight against the odds in their relationship. Straight onto book 2 to see what happens next in the Langley family.
November 15, 2014
Hah! More fool me. I'm challenging myself this year to read my own books so I can reduce the amount of books in my house. The first one of mine to read this year and it's a keeper!
I loved everything about this book and ripped through it in all but one sitting when I should have been doing a million other things. This is the first book of Lucy Monroe's I have read but it will not be the last. I absolutely can't wait to read more by this author (her historicals at least).
I thought when I first read the blurb that this would be full of misconceptions etc. to drive the story like a lot of romances do. Not so. Both Thea and Drake are refreshingly honest with one another and very quick to communicate their real thoughts and feelings. This was fantastic and done very cleverly by the author. I adored Drake, I thought he was portrayed as a strong man with many faults but full of genuine honour (a word usually overplayed in this genre but not here). Thea was fabulous. I am not a fan of the 'independant woman' who carries on and gets her way regardless of others. I like my heroines to be a tad more in touch with other peoples feelings as much as their own. Again, LM got Theas' character completely right. She was a strong opinionated woman, but she wasn't afraid to look beyond her viewpoint and admit when she was in the wrong.
I loved the interaction between Thea and Drake. The sex scenes were sweet and hot at the same time (a rarity).
**Spoiler**
When Thea finally met her father I thought the entire plotline may come undone and be overplayed. When Thea met Jared and half-sister Irisa, I was anxious that the story would fall into cliche, but though it tottered on the brink... LM did not fall into the cliche trap.
****
I have to say, though this book might not be the best historical romance ever written, it was a very refreshing read. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style of LM and was very pleasantly surprised with the lack of the usual staid plot devices to drive the story. I am looking forward to reading the next in the series. Even though this does NOT reduce my book shelf space at all.
I loved everything about this book and ripped through it in all but one sitting when I should have been doing a million other things. This is the first book of Lucy Monroe's I have read but it will not be the last. I absolutely can't wait to read more by this author (her historicals at least).
I thought when I first read the blurb that this would be full of misconceptions etc. to drive the story like a lot of romances do. Not so. Both Thea and Drake are refreshingly honest with one another and very quick to communicate their real thoughts and feelings. This was fantastic and done very cleverly by the author. I adored Drake, I thought he was portrayed as a strong man with many faults but full of genuine honour (a word usually overplayed in this genre but not here). Thea was fabulous. I am not a fan of the 'independant woman' who carries on and gets her way regardless of others. I like my heroines to be a tad more in touch with other peoples feelings as much as their own. Again, LM got Theas' character completely right. She was a strong opinionated woman, but she wasn't afraid to look beyond her viewpoint and admit when she was in the wrong.
I loved the interaction between Thea and Drake. The sex scenes were sweet and hot at the same time (a rarity).
**Spoiler**
When Thea finally met her father I thought the entire plotline may come undone and be overplayed. When Thea met Jared and half-sister Irisa, I was anxious that the story would fall into cliche, but though it tottered on the brink... LM did not fall into the cliche trap.
****
I have to say, though this book might not be the best historical romance ever written, it was a very refreshing read. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style of LM and was very pleasantly surprised with the lack of the usual staid plot devices to drive the story. I am looking forward to reading the next in the series. Even though this does NOT reduce my book shelf space at all.
May 5, 2009
This is a very sweet book.
Thea Selwyn's mother is giving birth. In comes the father and takes the son away, only he doesn't know she's having twins. She keeps Thea a secret and leaves to the West Indies where she hides and raises her daughter.
Thea is independent and a coowner of a shipping business. After going over the business ledgers, she discovers that someone is cheating her and she's fears the culprit might be out to cause her physical harm. She needs to get to London to investigate and she also wants to meet her aunt who has written to her regularly about her twin brother and 1/2 sister.
She meets Pierson Drake when he needs her help repairing his ships engine. In return for her help, Pierson agrees to take her to London.
Drake finds her unique and unlike any of the young women he's met in England. Over the course of their voyage, they begin to fall in love. They both have secrets they're trying to keep hidden from each other.
I really liked this story and look forward to more.
Thea Selwyn's mother is giving birth. In comes the father and takes the son away, only he doesn't know she's having twins. She keeps Thea a secret and leaves to the West Indies where she hides and raises her daughter.
Thea is independent and a coowner of a shipping business. After going over the business ledgers, she discovers that someone is cheating her and she's fears the culprit might be out to cause her physical harm. She needs to get to London to investigate and she also wants to meet her aunt who has written to her regularly about her twin brother and 1/2 sister.
She meets Pierson Drake when he needs her help repairing his ships engine. In return for her help, Pierson agrees to take her to London.
Drake finds her unique and unlike any of the young women he's met in England. Over the course of their voyage, they begin to fall in love. They both have secrets they're trying to keep hidden from each other.
I really liked this story and look forward to more.
May 5, 2025
The book was progressing quite smoothly from the outset, but throughout most of it, Thea adamantly opposed the notions of marriage and trust, influenced by her father's cruel treatment of her mother. However, when she eventually encountered her father, her stance shifted, expressing a longing for family, which frankly infuriated me. I struggle to divert my attention elsewhere, constantly reminding myself that it's just a work of fiction. Yet, seriously? All the drama revolving around the protagonist's parents, and the climax was solely focused on that aspect, but she chose to go with
"I want to claim my family. Aunt Harriet and Irisa are already in my heart too deeply for me to deny them."
"I want to be part of my family and see no reason to share a secret that is really more my sister's than my own."
Goodness, I've never felt compelled to write such a lengthy review before, but here I am, fueled by frustration. My irritation is so intense that even my lazy self can't avoid expressing it in a review.
"I want to claim my family. Aunt Harriet and Irisa are already in my heart too deeply for me to deny them."
"I want to be part of my family and see no reason to share a secret that is really more my sister's than my own."
Goodness, I've never felt compelled to write such a lengthy review before, but here I am, fueled by frustration. My irritation is so intense that even my lazy self can't avoid expressing it in a review.
May 28, 2014
A nice, tidy romance. Thea Selwyn is the twin child of an Earl, who doesn' know she exists. When her brother was born, her father removed the infant from the birthing chamber, not realizing another child was coming. He believed his wife had been unfaithful, and never forgave her. She left with the infant daughter for the Caribbean and began a partnership with a shipping firm. Thea eventually becomes the partner when her mother dies of fever. Meeting another shipper, Pierson Drake, she arranges passage back to England to investigate some bookkeeping "errors" and the journey leads to romance.
August 26, 2014
I absolutely loved "Touch Me" and cannot wait to continue reading the Langley Family trilogy! Ms. Monroe's ability to develop her characters to such a depth that I actually feel invested in their lives is a talent beyond compare! This is an extraordinary story of love, subterfuge and passion that bring together strong flawed characters that hold your attention from the moment you open this book till you put it down wanting more! Ms. Monroe's ability to write characters and dialogue that cause you to laugh, cry and gasp is truly exceptional! Can't wait to start on "Tempt Me"!!
January 27, 2016
I am finding a real affinity for this genre (or at least Ms. Monroe's offerings so far). I enjoy the banter and find the heroes strong yet charming and the storylines engaging with just enough spice for a fun read while staying true to the period. I will definitely read the rest of this trilogy and likely explore other Regency romances based off of my enjoyment of this book and Ms. Monroe's other title, Annabelle's Courtship (my first foray into the genre).
January 3, 2015
Lucy Monroe's historical romances were so much more appealing than her contemporaries - and nicely written, despite what you might think if you know her only for those Harlequin shorts about various Greek/Spanish/Sicilian Billionaires and their Pregnant Virgin Mistress Brides... It's been a while since I read this, but I recall wishing she had kept writing HR. So it's possible there ought to be an extra star here, for memorability.
April 16, 2018
Love it!
This was a amazing read. Couldn't stop reading. The story just flows perfectly, recounting the unbelievable circumstances of Thea's birth as she all but forces Drake to take her to England to fulfil a promise. The hot sexual chemistry between those two makes your toes curl. I only wished to see more interaction between her and her new found twin brother and half sister. Can wait to start the next book of series. Highly recommend it.
This was a amazing read. Couldn't stop reading. The story just flows perfectly, recounting the unbelievable circumstances of Thea's birth as she all but forces Drake to take her to England to fulfil a promise. The hot sexual chemistry between those two makes your toes curl. I only wished to see more interaction between her and her new found twin brother and half sister. Can wait to start the next book of series. Highly recommend it.
January 2, 2015
I enjoyed most of this book apart from the hero - I got so tired of his accusations about her "babbling", calling the heroine a "bossy bit of goods", and his epic ability of being a crap communicator that I could only really force myself to make it to the end to see how she dealt with her estranged family.
August 15, 2014
The strength is this book is the characters. The relationship between Pierson and Thea was mature and realistic. There were misunderstandings, but they were cleared up quickly and didn't bog down the story. The plot was a little unlikely, but made for a good story.
March 21, 2009
First time I've read this author. Liked her style.
July 11, 2009
somewhat good
August 14, 2011
Enjoyed it. Would like to read the next in the series. I didn't like it as much as Monroe's contemporary novels.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews