The Piano Tutor: A Spicy Regency Short Story

Music of the Heart #0.5

by Anthea Lawson

In this Regency-set short story, widowed Lady Diana Waverly finds love and passion in the most unlikely of places when a new piano tutor arrives at her door.

This short story originally appeared in the Mammoth Book of Regency Romance. Anthea Lawson is a USA Today best seller and two-time RITA award nominee.

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Novella, Short Stories, Fiction, Adult

Audible Audio

First published May 11, 2011

About the author

Anthea Lawson, called "a new star of Historical Romance" by Booklist, has won readers with her combination of spicy love scenes and elegant prose. Her first novel, PASSIONATE, was a Best First Book finalist in the prestigious Romance Writers of America RITA awards.

Anthea also writes award-winning YA Urban Fantasy under the pen name Anthea Sharp.

Reviews

[Missy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The audiobook on Kobo Plus consists of three other short romances by this author and it turns out that I’ve read two of them when I first returned to reading HR (back in 2015) and the third one just a few weeks earlier, which left me with The Piano Tutor.

It was 58 minutes out of the 7-hour long audiobook. Technically, just one long chapter in the audiobook.

The widowed heroine finds a substitute piano tutor for her stepdaughter. Her friend encourages her to live life more freely and with more passion (😉😉😉). She runs into the tutor in the park and they sneak a few kisses. He shows up at her friend’s musicale. They sneak away to the library and make love on the settee. Not too descriptive, sadly. Turns out the tutor is really an Earl and cousins with the heroine’s friend. I believe he was supposed to begin an affair with her to show her the delights of widowhood but he fell in love with her and he would rather much be her suitor and eventually husband. The novella ends in a “happy for now” for the couple, at least in my opinion.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was surprisingly good. It was a short story so the hero was not fleshed out at all, but I liked the heroine, a widow who started to rediscover herself after coming out of mourning.

As it was a short story, there was not a lot of deep emotional development. However, the writing was smooth, the plot more original (I play the piano so I enjoyed the musical bit), and the glimpse of the characters was appealing.

Overall, this was a nice, free sample of Anthea Lawson's writing and it won't be my last. A sweet read with a short sex scene thrown in.

[Lady · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sweet, 42-page short story. Not enough to form an opinion about the characters but I like the idea of a widow learning to live and love again. Read 2/2/2018

[A Voracious Reader (a.k.a. Carol) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

*Book source ~ Picked up for free on Amazon.

The Viscountess Merrowstone, Lady Diana Waverly is just coming out of mourning when her stepdaughter’s piano tutor, Mr. Bent, is called away and a new tutor, Mr. Nicholas Jameson, is recommended to her. Much younger and quite a bit more handsome than Mr. Bent he makes Diana’s heart flutter like it has never done before. In addition, he plays like a dream and her stepdaughter Samantha likes him. So, even though he makes her think of things no lady should think of she hires him as the piano tutor for her Samantha and even considers taking lessons herself. But the looks he’s giving her added to her own naughty thoughts have her believing he might teach her more than the piano. She’s always been so proper. Dare she risk making her desire known to him?

Very well-written this short story is a wonderful quick snack. Diana is a lovely character and Nicholas nearly sets the pages on fire. Well, this is an ebook, but if I had pages they’d be red hot. He’s so yummy! I like the twist at the end, too. Lawson is a new-to-me author, but I’ll be looking into more of her books.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Piano Tutor is for people who...

...like a little historical in their romance.
...enjoy when a lady embraces her desires.
...doesn't mind secrets that could destroy a relationship.
...likes steamy, secret interludes during social gatherings.

Yeah, I liked this one. It was sexy and sweet and very enjoyable. *thumbs up*

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short story, although intriguing. A Lady with her young daughter, and a very handsome piano teacher. 3☆

[Mak ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Wonderful: 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
Hot: 🔥

Ameii... Anthea ganhou meu coração, com seus livros...
Lady Diana Waverly e Mr. Nicholas Jameson 🥰🥰
Eu amei,, um professor de piano com um segredinho maravilhoso, uma amiga que deseja o melhor para sua amiga, e toma uma grande atitude, porém quase tudo se perde, mas o amor vence sempre...
Curtinho mais perfeito.. 🥰🥰
A super tip,, let's read...
Happy reading, and until the next reading... 😘😘

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5

Short and sweet and spicy

[Maria · Rating 1 out of 5]

0 stars

Quick and to the point but not for me.

[Thom Swennes · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent.”
Victor Hugo
Lady Diana Waverly, Viscountess Morrowstone, has put away her widow weeds and is attempting to recover the life that has been in a state of limbo since the death of her husband. The mourning period was suffered for tradition's sake and not for the loss of a loved spouse. Lady Diana’s marriage was one of duty and enjoyed a mutual respect. Love never entered into the equation. Now, the still young widow was left with a comfortable life and the care of her twelve-year-old stepdaughter, Samantha.
Wednesday was the day Samantha’s piano lesson with Mr. Bent, a thin, bent, middle-aged man with a humor and disposition, sorely lacking. Lady Diana is surprised when Mr. Nicholas Jameson’s arrival is announced by the butler. Mr. Jameson explains that the regular tutor has been called away on personal business and he is here as a substitute. An easy report is immediately established between the piano tutor and the widow.
Nicholas proves to be an accomplished pianist, competent, patient, and understanding teacher, and Diana is soon persuaded to become one of his pupils. He teaches her more than music scales and a budding romance is soon well on its way to fruition. “The sunlight claps the earth, and the moonbeams kiss the sea: what are all these kissings worth, if thou kiss not me.”- Percy Shelley
Never underestimate the power of a kiss. More powerful than the pen or the sword, a single kiss can change the world.

This is yet another regency romance that sweeps you along as a leaf on the wind. The tale is much grander than the comparative length of the novella would suggest. Kisses and innocent foreplay serve as a prelude of what is suggestively promised.

[Kat Desi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this short story. It was well written. It was hot. I do love my naughty historical romances! Unfortunately, I'm not a fan of instant love. However, I did enjoy and will read more from this author. :)

[Renegade ♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 - 3 1/2 stars

Sweet and simple little tidbit of a tale - a blink and it was over but it made me smile while it lasted...

[Gaby Franz · Rating 3 out of 5]

So so...

[Susy Santos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Se este foi o início, quero mais, muito mais.
50 páginas de pura delícia.

[Karine · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a short story about a woman founding her desire again after coming out of mourning and discovering herself again. I'm not sure if I would call it spicy regency story, sure it's not the normal fade-to-black like most historical novels I've read. But it's also not as 'spicy' as some of the other erotic historical romances I've read in the past either. Guess I was just looking for a little more spice.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very short story with an appealing happily ever after. The condensed version of the story leaves the reader questioning aspects of the main characters that would help to give a richer romance and story but I enjoyed the read.

[Nena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too short

This is not my kind of book. I don’t mind “spice” provided there is a story to warrant it. I have read other books by the author and I liked them. Not the case with this one.

[TinaMarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Substitue Piano Tutor helps bring love back to a widow

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. For such a short story it really drew me into the characters.

[Gemma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute but super short (approx 40 pages) so no room for much character development. Not even sure I’d call this a novella, more like a short story.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!!

[Jenni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good short story and I enjoyed it. The ending was abrupt, but that's the norm for short stories. I look forward to reading more by this author.

[Mujde Oz · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5
It was well written. Good short story and I enjoyed it.

[Thea Landen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, steamy, and well-written! The love/romance aspect was a little rushed/underdeveloped, but this was a highly enjoyable accompaniment to a hot bath and a cold drink after a long week.

[Ana Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is 40-something pages in the epub version so it is obviously crazy short, but what it gave was good and convinced me to read the rest sooo three stars it is

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful short story of a young widow beginning to live and love again.

[Vani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anyone who can describe characters making out while wearing layers upon layers of clothes sound sensual is a good writer in my opinion.

[Alyssa]

Too short to star rate but eh.

[Patrycja · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was marked as spicy regency short story, but the spice was not there as much as I expected.
Cute short story

[Virginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5