Forever Your Earl (The Wicked Quills of London, #1) by Eva Leigh

Sep 05, 2015 Tessa Dare rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

First, disclaimer: Eva Leigh is a friend of mine, and we write for the same publisher. So I'm biased.

That said, I don't think anyone who knows me at all could doubt that I genuinely adored this book. To begin with, the "Wicked Quills of London" concept is pretty much everything I'm wired to love--an entire series built around intelligent heroines who write, often inappropriately? YES, PLEASE. A scandal-sheet publisher and an infamous rake as heroine and hero? GIVE ME MORE. <3

The witty banter be ...more

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Jun 02, 2015 UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: laugh-giggle-snicker-snort, first-in-series-trilogy-duet, own-have-read, format-kindle-or-kindle-compatible, must-read-series, avon-addict-reads, 5-stars, 2015-reads, author-zoe-archer, steamy-goodness

The sweetest gifts are the most ephemeral. An orange at Christmas. The first hawthorn flower of spring. A beloved’s kiss. They all pass in hardly the time it takes to draw breath. Thus we must grab hold of these prizes and cling to them tightly, before they slip from our grasp and into the realm of memory.

Forever Your Earl is the first book in Eva Leigh’s Wicked Quills of London series and I loved it! I was blown away by to think this could possibly be Ms. Leigh’s debut, until I learned that Eva ...more

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Jan 14, 2015 Caz rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 4-stars, romance-1800-1850, arc, aar

I've given this an A at AAR. I had a couple of small nigggles, but not enough to knock the grade down.

When it was announced at last year’s RWA that Zoe Archer was going to be turning her hand to writing Regency romances under the pseudonym of Eva Leigh, I was undoubtedly one of many immediately asking “when? WHEN?!” (and "who do I have to kill to get a copy?") I have enjoyed other books of hers, most notably her Victorian-set Nemesis Unlimited series, which featured tightly-plotted, action- ...more

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Sep 07, 2015 WhiskeyintheJar rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, regency, series

I feel like a curmudgeon but this had such a modern bent to it. The hero and heroine's views and conversations could have been ripped out of today's feminist issues and dialogues. From the heroine dressing as a man and seeing and feeling what power they are handed for simply being male, a man coming on to her and her friend and then basically saying they aren't worthy of him anyway when they deny him, to the hero leaving a note on man he had knocked out and the heroine had beat up a bit that rea ...more

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May 15, 2020 Wollstonecrafthomegirl rated it did not like it · review of another edition

I like Eva Leigh. I follow her on Twitter. She’s funny and feminist. There’s some of that personality in this book.

But, mostly, Avon have done it again (It Takes a Scandal): I was both bored and irritated simultaneously.

This is, like all Avon books, a series of barely connected romcom scenes between a rakish ‘aristo’, as Leigh insists on calling our hero, and the spirited woman who will capture his heart.

He’s handsome and rich and entirely devoid of personality. She’s interesting and feisty, I like Eva Leigh. I follow her on Twitter. She’s funny and feminist. There’s some of that personality in this book.

But, mostly, Avon have done it again (It Takes a Scandal): I was both bored and irritated simultaneously.

This is, like all Avon books, a series of barely connected romcom scenes between a rakish ‘aristo’, as Leigh insists on calling our hero, and the spirited woman who will capture his heart.

He’s handsome and rich and entirely devoid of personality. She’s interesting and feisty, entirely too modern and could do much better than him.

It’s eye-wateringly cheesy in places, “ “Are there any rules here?” she whispered to Daniel. “Only one,” he answered lowly. His breath was warm and tobacco-scented against her cheek. “Obey no rules.” “

“He took an oyster from one of the trays. His eyes never leaving hers, he tilted his head back. Gulped the oyster down.” Leaving aside the physical issues - I don’t see that it’s possible for a tall man to shot an oyster and hold the eye of a shorter woman whilst he does so - is this supposed to be sexy? I know oysters are an aphrodisiac or whatever, but really? Oysters aren’t sexy. They’re bogeys in ugly ass shells and these characters are in London in 1812, so fuck only knows how long that oyster has been stewing in its own room temperature juices because you didn’t harvest it from the Thames, you know what I mean? And they’re drinking, so all I get from this scene is that he’s going to have a hell of a stomach ache in the morning. And I know romance novels do not require absolute accuracy and I am perfectly capable of suspending my disbelief, but, my God, you’ll need to write a better bloody book than this.

And no one behaves like a normal person: Who pauses mid sex scene to have a limerick contest? The hero and heroine of this book, that's who. And they weren’t good limericks. This is not a shitty Richard Curtis romcom for the love of God.

Made it to about 82% and lost the will to continue. ...more

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Sep 06, 2015 Lily (Night Owl Book Cafe) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Forever Your Earl is the first book in The Wicked Quills of London by Eva Leigh and it follows a brilliant woman, Eleanor Hawke, a writer who lives for a good scandal to entertain the readers of her newspaper with. When one of her favorite subjects shows up in her office, the last thing Eleanor expects was to end up experiencing his illicit pursuit by the earls side.

Ashford has his own reasons for allowing Eleanor to tag along on his exploits. As long as the woman keeps her focus on his rakish b

Forever Your Earl is the first book in The Wicked Quills of London by Eva Leigh and it follows a brilliant woman, Eleanor Hawke, a writer who lives for a good scandal to entertain the readers of her newspaper with. When one of her favorite subjects shows up in her office, the last thing Eleanor expects was to end up experiencing his illicit pursuit by the earls side.

Ashford has his own reasons for allowing Eleanor to tag along on his exploits. As long as the woman keeps her focus on his rakish behavior for her newspaper, he can continue searching for his friend Jonathan and hopefully keep his family out of a scandal that can ruin them, should his disappearance go public.

If you have followed me for a while, you know I love my historical romance and Eva Leigh did a good job delivering exactly what I wanted. A swoon worthy romance, an entertaining plot, and well written main characters.
Eleanor and Ashford were fantastic together.

"You set me adrift," she confessed.
"And you anchor me," he answered.

Seriously. They had so many moments that melted my heart. She was a hard working woman who made a name for herself and built her newspaper from scratch. He is an earl who has a lot of money, lots of free time on his hands and very unsure of the purpose he has in his life. Together, they made a great duo that I could not help but root for, especially when in their day and age, society would frown upon their match.

"We've degenerated into name-calling now." She shook her head. "The last refuge of those deprived of wit."
"Now who's calling names?" He grinned.

The banter between them was so much fun. I loved how the two clicked together and the tension that built around their relationship. Eleanor seemed to have bought out a different side of Ashford, a very vulnerable side that not even Ashford he was aware of. His confessions to her about not knowing his purpose was heart touching.

The plot I found interesting as well. Daniel (Ashford) search for his friend fueled Eleanor's writing and the reason why the two have ventured into some questionable places. Jonathan's story was also very heartbreaking, a veteran of war with demons. I hope he eventually get's his own book.

This was my first taste of Leigh writing and I really did enjoy it. I am looking forward to exploring more of her writing in the future.

I leave you with one more...

A long while later, she said, "You've a peculiar way of showing a woman you love her."
"Never done it before," he answered.
This review was originally posted on Night Owl Book Café

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Aug 20, 2015 Alyssa rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2015-releases

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Forever Your Earl by Eva Leigh
Book One of The Wicked Quills of London series
Publisher: Avon
Publication Date: September 29, 2015
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

Eva Leigh makes her Avon debut with the first book in her smart and sexy Wicked Quills of London series!

Eleanor Hawke loves a good scandal. And readers of her successful gossip rag live f ...more

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Sep 16, 2015 Lover of Romance rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance

Summary
Eleanor Hawke has worked hard to build up her business, she runs a scandal rag and she is quite popular. But her latest victim of a scandal, Daniel Balfour, The Earl of Ashford is quite displeased. He marches into her office and makes demands but offers her a chance to get some juicy tidbits and see what his life is really like. So Eleanor takes him up on his offer. They go from gambling hells to races and a masque This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance

Summary
Eleanor Hawke has worked hard to build up her business, she runs a scandal rag and she is quite popular. But her latest victim of a scandal, Daniel Balfour, The Earl of Ashford is quite displeased. He marches into her office and makes demands but offers her a chance to get some juicy tidbits and see what his life is really like. So Eleanor takes him up on his offer. They go from gambling hells to races and a masquerade ball, there is so much more happening than she realized. But Daniel has his own secrets. He is searching for his best friend who has recently disappeared and to keep attention off of his friend, he wants the focus to be on himself while he goes out in the worst part of London to search for him. But Daniel never expected to fall for the one woman that seems wrong for him...but in the end is completely right. Will Daniel be able to trust Eleanor with his secret and prove that love really does conquer all?

Plot and Story Line

Wow, what a story this was, and boy was I surprised by this authors ability to completely draw me into a story. From the first page, I was hooked and I just couldn't get enough of these two. The bantering between them is quite energetic and with both Eleanor and Daniel being opinionated and equally stubborn, they definitely have some sparks flying in the air between them. We see two people that have easily underestimated each other. Forever Your Earl is the first of a series, and what a fantastic start. There were so many aspects that made this a winner for me. The first were the adventures around London and the surprises. Eleanor is a character that you really come to adore quite instantly, she is passionate, smart and quick witted. She has this way of endearing just about everyone to her. I love her easy to love personality. Now our hero is quite the Earl...but he is loyal and honorable and will do anything for friendship. I loved seeing these good parts of him come shining through. What was most interesting was seeing the way these two were engaged with each other. They have quite a bit of chemistry, and I just couldn't get enough of them. The love story is sweet and endearing with sparks of desire flying around them. What I loved most about this story, was how this author makes the era come alive for me. This is not your typical regency romance, it has zest and passion and a tone of playfulness to it. This is a story that made me realize why I fell in love with Regency years ago. There was so much cleverness, witty bantering, the characters development and transformations were pure delight, and a relationship that seemed to flow smoothly. These two just fit for each other in small unique ways. I want me some more and more of Eva Leigh!!

The Cover
DANG.....Gorgeous!!! One of my favorite covers this year!! Normally I like more couple poses, but boy that dress with the face mask, the vivid colors, and the background, makes me want to get a time machine!!
Overall View
Forever Your Earl is an outstanding romance that enraptures from the first page...full of adventure, humor, passion, and sacrifice....it has it all!!! SIMPLY FANTASTIC!!

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Sep 17, 2015 Al George rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Color me naive when it comes to historical accuracy why don't you?

But I loved this tale! Zoe Archer writes the most kick a$$ heroines and I love her for it.

Eleanor is our heroine and she rocks it. She's smart, industrious, driven and hot. There, I said it. I have a fem-mance going on here. This is woman who stands on her own, believes in herself and doesn't hesitate to point out the inequalities between the sexes. She nails it.

"he’d been given an entirely new insight into what it meant to be a

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Nov 28, 2015 Jackie rated it liked it · review of another edition

2.5 I so so so so so want to like this book, given its author is one of the few romance writers who (under her original name, Zoe Archer) openly identifies as a feminist. And because her heroine, Eleanor Hawke, is an independent woman who owns her own newspaper. But no matter how much I wanted to, I just could not warm to it. Because:

• The premise behind the novel—Daniel Balfour, Earl of Ashford, decides to offer himself as a subject to a scandal sheet writer, believing that by appearing in a sc 2.5 I so so so so so want to like this book, given its author is one of the few romance writers who (under her original name, Zoe Archer) openly identifies as a feminist. And because her heroine, Eleanor Hawke, is an independent woman who owns her own newspaper. But no matter how much I wanted to, I just could not warm to it. Because:

• The premise behind the novel—Daniel Balfour, Earl of Ashford, decides to offer himself as a subject to a scandal sheet writer, believing that by appearing in a scandal sheet on a regular basis he'll distract people from finding out about his search for his friend, the heir of a duke who has disappeared somewhere in London, and thus avoid a scandal for said friend—made no sense to me. Why couldn't the missing heir's family just say he was rusticating in the country? And since the scandal was his friend's, rather than his, why would Daniel worry about being followed himself?

• Even if I could overlook the lack of sense of the premise, there is no real goal or problem driving Eleanor in this plot, so I didn't feel very invested in her; she wasn't fighting for anything that I wanted to cheer her on in. Daniel's goal—to find his friend—didn't seem all that emotionally compelling, either.

• There is no real conflict keeping the two potential lovers apart, except for a class-based one (which, of course, falls to the wayside at novel's end for no apparent reason beyond the hero's willingness to break with tradition, and the heroine's willingness to overlook her previous scruples about cross-class alliances)

• Loved the fact that Eleanor is not only a writer, but a publisher. But the explanation for how she came to own her own paper & printing press is pretty glib ("I saved for it, and some friends lent me $"). With all the barbs she lobs about the treatment of women during her sparring with Daniel, she seemed remarkably untouched by any institutional or personal sexism herself

• The usual anachronisms common the genre are here, ones that make it easier for contemporary readers to feel comfortable in the past. But others, ones that just seem the result of carelessness (omnibuses? In 1816??) kept distracting me

• Daniel is supposed to be a rake, but, as is usual with current Regency romances, we never see much sign of his formerly rakish behavior, or how being such a rake impacts his current behavior.

• Eleanor gets really angry when Daniel suggests maybe she could do better than to write and publish gossip & scandal, so angry that she kicks him out. And then he has to apologize. This sounds more like a writer of romance in the 21st century justifying her decision than a writer of a scandal sheet in the early 19th.

• The two grow closer when Daniel admits he's jealous of Eleanor's passion for her work, that he feels "empty" because he's just a wastrel aristocrat. Totally ignoring the many responsibilities an aristocrat did have: serving in Parliament, running his estate(s), just to name two. I find this very American sense that work is only employment for pay very annoying.

• Knowing that once she's married, her property will be her husband's (unless there is some canny lawyerly dealing in the writing up of the marriage settlement) never comes up for discussion at book's end, when the two if course marry by special license.

:-(

...more

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Aug 07, 2016 ᴥ Irena ᴥ rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance

If I'd wanted to read a contemporary romance chock-full of contemporary issues (real and imaginary), I would have read a contemporary romance chock-full of contemporary issues (repetition deliberate).

It's like the author had this check list of the things people are bothered about today (or in the 1900s, I'll give you that) and proceeded to cross out one item at a time.

I can usually suspend my disbelief in romances, but not this much. The story supposedly takes place in the early 1800s! At one ...more

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Jul 25, 2020 Sophie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 4-stars, 2015-releases, own-read, read-in-2020, 2020-beat-the-backlist-challenge

In Forever Your Earl, newspaper proprietress Eleanor Hawke finds herself drawn into the world of renowned rake, Daniel Balfour, the Earl of Ashford. Her prosperous gossip paper, The Hawk’s Eye, loves to tell the tales of the life and scandals of the upper crust, and Daniel commonly makes appearances in the paper. Daniel, though, is not too pleased with this, and marches into her offices to speak with a Mr Hawke, and is astonished to discover Eleanor is the owner. He needs to keep the paper off h In Forever Your Earl, newspaper proprietress Eleanor Hawke finds herself drawn into the world of renowned rake, Daniel Balfour, the Earl of Ashford. Her prosperous gossip paper, The Hawk’s Eye, loves to tell the tales of the life and scandals of the upper crust, and Daniel commonly makes appearances in the paper. Daniel, though, is not too pleased with this, and marches into her offices to speak with a Mr Hawke, and is astonished to discover Eleanor is the owner. He needs to keep the paper off his back, especially when they've gotten too close to home at times, and he is trying to protect the family of his missing best friend. So, Daniel invites Eleanor along to his various outings: gambling nights, races, masquerades, etc., and it soon becomes obvious that their attraction is more than they can overcome, and they need to decide whether an Earl and a commoner can be together, and face what comes at them, or stop their romance in it's tracks.

My first Eva Leigh book was Would I Lie to the Duke which I was approved to review, and as soon as I finished it, I went out and bought her entire back list. Her debut novel, Forever Your Earl was simply fantastic. The main character, Eleanor, had had a difficult childhood with an alcoholic father, and she had managed to educate herself, and use her intellect to write articles in the place of her father. Her journalistic prowess was so good, that she was even starting to get published under her own name, and when the chance to buy a struggling paper came up, she did so, and paid back all loans in just two years. She was an amazing person, so strong and caring, and even though we knew her and Daniel would get together, she fully deserved her happiness. Daniel, on the other hand, has a reputation all around town, and knows that by bigging up his 'rogue'-ness, he would be able to keep the journalists, and Eleanor especially, off the trail of searching for his missing friend, Jonathan, who was suffering from PTSD after the Napoleonic Wars, and fled his family. Daniel showed his caring side here, helping Jonathan's sister, Catherine, search, and ruining his own reputation further so that they didn't suffer. He and Eleanor were perfect for each other in every way, and the way they built each other up when they were struggling was beautiful! I think they are one of the best matched couples I had read in a historical romance, and everything about their love story was spot on. I'm so glad I've bought Eva's other books, because I'm reading them straight away! ...more

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Aug 21, 2015 nick (the infinite limits of love) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc

Historical romance is one of my favorite genre of adult romance to read, but I have to admit that I'm very picky when it comes to them. Only certain authors work for me and I'm always a little wary to start series by new authors. Forever Your Earl intrigued me because the protagonist, Eleanor, is a writer. Considering the day and age that the book was set in, that was very much unconventional, and for me, refreshing. I ended up really enjoying this title and by the end, I was ready to read more ...more

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Aug 31, 2015 Jenny Q rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: review-copy, romantic-historical-reviews

I'm not likely to pick up a new Regency these days unless there's something very different about it, and when I read the description of Forever Your Earl, it immediately went on my list. Of course I was drawn to a historical heroine who publishes her own newspaper!

Business is booming for Eleanor Hawke, thanks in no small part to the Earl of Ashford, whose society antics printed in her pages have readers clamoring for more. Some may dismiss The Hawk's Eye as rubbish, but Eleanor believes in givin I'm not likely to pick up a new Regency these days unless there's something very different about it, and when I read the description of Forever Your Earl, it immediately went on my list. Of course I was drawn to a historical heroine who publishes her own newspaper!

Business is booming for Eleanor Hawke, thanks in no small part to the Earl of Ashford, whose society antics printed in her pages have readers clamoring for more. Some may dismiss The Hawk's Eye as rubbish, but Eleanor believes in giving the lower classes entertainment, and if exposing the vices and ugly side of upper society helps convince them to live a more moral life, then so much the better. But she never expects her paper's number one subject to storm into her office demanding to speak to the publisher, much less bearing a proposition she can't turn down.

Daniel Balfour is used to being the topic of conversation, but The Hawk's Eye manages to get too close to too many truths, including one he's desperately trying to keep out of the public spotlight. Expecting to be able to reason with a man of business, he is stunned to discover that publisher E. Hawke is actually a woman, and a sharp, no-nonsense, beautiful one at that. Forced to abruptly change tactics, he offers to give Eleanor the scoop of a lifetime by letting her chronicle his exploits firsthand. An exclusive series with London's most notorious rake will take her paper to the next level. And Daniel figures he'll be able to keep her so preoccupied with his after-dark activities that she won't have time to ferret out his secret.

But of course, things don't go quite as planned. While showing Eleanor the lifestyle of the rich and famous, he begins to realize how empty his pursuit of pleasure has been and how much he longs for a woman like Eleanor to share his life with. And Eleanor begins to see how much pressure a man like Daniel is under and that there is far more to him than she ever expected, but what is he still hiding from her? Can a privileged earl and a working-class woman come together to form a partnership the likes of which London has never before seen? Or will their differences and secrets prove to be too much to overcome?

This was my first experience with this author, who has more than a dozen novels under her belt as Zoe Archer, and I will definitely be reading more. It was so much fun to follow Daniel and Eleanor on their adventures. This story is filled with sparkling dialogue and wit, the characters are well developed and compelling, and the sexual tension sizzles. I only have one real complaint, but unfortunately it's an all-encompassing one, and that is that the book is overly wordy and heavy on inner monologues that grow repetitive. It bogs the story down, and I found myself skimming to get back to the action.

But I really enjoyed the story itself. Eleanor is a unique and engaging heroine. I'm not sure how plausible she is for the time period, but she sure is fun to read about. Though it's not all fun and games. The story does bring to light some of the failings and injustices lying beneath the wealthy, polished veneer of Regency high society, and Daniel does come to question many aspects of the disparity between the classes and what he can do to amend that. I loved the depiction of Eleanor's friendship with another female writer, and I adore the premise for this series, The Wicked Quills of London, which will each feature a woman who makes her living with her pen. I am very much looking forward to book two, Scandal Takes the Stage, which will feature two intriguing characters introduced in Forever Your Earl. A good start to a unique series!

*This review was originally posted to Romantic Historical Reviews ...more

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May 04, 2015 Arshia rated it liked it · review of another edition

DRC provided by edelwiess and Avon.

The premise of the story was a little confusing from the beginning. The hero's motive never made sense to me on why he wanted the heroine to follow along. He could've done his investigation clandestine. Clearly a spy he was not. The heroine for this era was pretty independent. Educated, working woman, editor in charge, sexually active, pretty liberal for those days.

The story was well written but some oomph was missing which would've made me love it. ...more

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Sep 18, 2020 Lynn Spencer rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance

This had a few slow spots, but was primarily a delightful read for me. I love banter and smart conversation, and this novel delivered on that.

I adored the heroine. Eleanor Hawke is intelligent and has carved out a niche for herself with her gossip pages. She is aware of her vulnerability due to her gender and class, but she has found a way for herself in the world. When Daniel Balfour, the Earl of Ashford invites her to witness and write about his exploits, she seizes the opportunity. She's smar ...more

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Sep 16, 2015 Jennifer rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2015-reads, in-disguise, reviewed-on-blog, regency-england, historical-romance, edelweiss, unusual-occupations, class-differences, masquerade-party, writer-heroine

4 Stars

I received an eARC of this book from Avon Publishing via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

Forever Your Earl is the first book in the Wicked Quills of London series, written by Eva Leigh who I first discovered as Zoe Archer. The series focuses on female writers who live and work in Regency England. Eleanor Hawke, owner and editor of the popular scandal sheet, The Hawk's Eye, is the first heroine and her life gets complicated when she begins to tangle with the rakish earl who is h ...more

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Dec 14, 2017 Sarah rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction-romance, library-books

19/12 - This was a very modern historical romance. The heroine, Eleanor, was living what amounts to a female bachelor's life - living alone in a boarding house, working as a newspaper editor, writer, and owner with multiple staff working under her (who apparently were not bothered by her gender), claiming to have no reputation thus could do pretty much whatever she wanted because it wouldn't change her social standing, and occasionally (view spoiler) 19/12 - This was a very modern historical romance. The heroine, Eleanor, was living what amounts to a female bachelor's life - living alone in a boarding house, working as a newspaper editor, writer, and owner with multiple staff working under her (who apparently were not bothered by her gender), claiming to have no reputation thus could do pretty much whatever she wanted because it wouldn't change her social standing, and occasionally (view spoiler).

The hero, Daniel, Earl of Ashford has some backward (for our current era) ideas on what women can and should do, especially as relates to how Eleanor should conduct her newspaper. He's a rake who has a problem with Eleanor's paper constantly reporting on his whereabouts because it might jeopardise his search for an old friend who is suffering from PTSD (although, of course no one says that, the book's not that modern) after returning from war and because the family don't want his disappearance being spread around as it would ruin his sister's chances for a good marriage.

Daniel decides the best way to keep Eleanor from uncovering his search is to distract her by allowing her an insider's view into what he really gets up to as a rake of the first water. So he takes her to a gambling hell, a phaeton race, and a masquerade ball. The cover actually shows a woman with a resemblance to the heroine dressed in a gown similar to what Eleanor wears to the masquerade carrying a mask - must be the first cover in the last 50 that actually shows something that happens in the book (the only difference is the mask on the cover is hand held rather than tied on with ribbon)

Eleanor stands behind her decision to write about the goings on of the Ton because it provides a little light entertainment to the poor, downtrodden masses, but I couldn't get behind Eleanor's opinion on what could be compared to a gossip magazine. They may provide momentary entertainment to the public, but what about the damage they do to the lives of the people they're reporting on? I wonder how many famous couples can honestly say they enjoy all the attention the paparazzi gives them. And how many of those couples could point to magazine articles that created rifts in their relationship. For the quick laugh it may provide I don't think it's worth the negative consequences. And that's not even considering how many of the articles are pure rubbish created by a journalist reading too much into the way two people are standing in relation to each other and turning it into a scandal to be splashed across every front page in the country. Okay, rant about gossip magazines over.

I would read the next book in the series, Eleanor's best friend Maggie's and Daniel's best friend Viscount Marwood's book, but it's not one I would go to a lot of trouble to hunt down. ...more

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Oct 18, 2016 Yuki rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Recommended to Yuki by: First Reads

Shelves: american, historical-fiction, owned, wwww, 笑笑笑, love-hate-relationship, la-moche-du-fondue, complimentary, read-in-english, first-reads

"He needs experience, don't you think, love?" Marwood drawled. "Take him upstairs and break him a little. My treat," he added, winking at Eleanor.
"Uh..." True panic gripped her. What was she supposed to do? There would be some very awkward explaining - and some bribes to pay - if Jenny discovered that Eleanor's manly goods were as false as Jenny's hair color.
Ashford reached out and plucked Jenny's hand from Eleanor's face. "Very generous of you, Marwood. But my aunt would never forgive me if I r

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Jan 12, 2016 Amanda rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance, quillfully-inclined-leads, women-helping-women, banter-gives-me-life, regency-era, reviewed-books, women-who-get-shit-done, competence-porn, working-class-leads, ladies-in-breeches

I liked this one and I especially loved Eleanor. She was so confident and capable and took great pride in the life she built for herself through sheer hard work and perseverance. Daniel I found to be a little on the bland side but I loved how he came to respect what an incredible and accomplished person Eleanor actually was. Their banter, adventures in London and the witty prose were the highlights of the book. I also found the details about Eleanor’s newspaper business particularly interesting. ...more

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Nov 26, 2017 Lorka marked it as dnf-at-all · review of another edition

If only....If only this heroine wasn't written with such a over-the-top feminist, contemporary twist. She was a business owner of a scandal sheet. Which would have been ok, if the author had not also made her a heroine that has had several lovers. For me, in a historical romance, I can only imagine courtesans or mistresses of a lord to be the heroines that are not virgins and can brag of having had several lovers in and out of her life. It just had way too much of a modern day feel to it all aro ...more

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Dec 08, 2019 Irene rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: regency-romances-and-bodice-rippers

Modern characters in a historical romance done right. Every once in a while, a vanilla Regency is sweet and funny enough to be memorable. I do have issues with it but even when it got predictable, I didn't mind because Leigh wrote some very strong scenes right out the gate.

Read this for the Lord Rakehell plotline. It is the best part of the story - so much fun! Eleanor, editor in chief of The Hawk’s Eye, a gossip rag, agrees to accompany Daniel on his nightly exploits so that she can get them ri ...more

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Oct 27, 2015 Natalie rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2015, romance-heroines-i-love, beta-males, spitfire-heroines, working-women, female-friendships-and-sisterhood, favorite-2015-releases

"She'd never spoken words like that to anyone. Always, always, she'd carefully sheltered her heart, knowing full well that this was a world of jagged edges that tore into unguarded flesh. So she'd contented herself with ambition for the newspaper, and occasional physical gratification, and told herself it was enough."

I loved Eleanor a lot. She was ridiculously, ridiculously witty, super take charge and bossy, but also very much allowed herself to be vulnerable. I think the natural instinct for a "She'd never spoken words like that to anyone. Always, always, she'd carefully sheltered her heart, knowing full well that this was a world of jagged edges that tore into unguarded flesh. So she'd contented herself with ambition for the newspaper, and occasional physical gratification, and told herself it was enough."

I loved Eleanor a lot. She was ridiculously, ridiculously witty, super take charge and bossy, but also very much allowed herself to be vulnerable. I think the natural instinct for a lot of characters who guard themselves fiercely is to continue guarding themselves even in the face of true love. But Eleanor was different. When the moment came to say how she felt, unlike most stories and most characters who would swallow their feelings and create more cause for angst, Eleanor said how she felt. I love angst, I think swallowing your feelings because you're afraid to be vulnerable is completely human and normal. But what's also wonderful is someone who allows themselves to be vulnerable and grab on to something beautiful, which is what Eleanor does. And that takes a lot of courage.

"You want to see me brought low? I am. I ask you, respectfully, humbly to tell me where she is. Because I find that without her..." He fought to find the words. "I'm only a shell. A glossy, brittle shell. I've got to tell her this. Whatever the consequences, she has to know."

I loved Daniel too. Daniel like Eleanor, allows himself to be vulnerable at the right time. He also owns up to his mistakes and is not afraid to swallow his pride when it matters with Eleanor. He is very alpha-like but I do think he is a true beta hero.

Anyway, I liked how supportive Daniel was of Eleanor, and how much he paid attention to her work, respected her for it and what she had achieved as Editor In chief and Founder of The Hawk's Eye. I liked that amazing scene where he confesses to Eleanor that she makes him seem small and unworthy after all that she had to go through and has accomplished. That kind of swallowing of pride, you don't get to see it often in male characters.

The romance I thought was very well paced and developed. As Eleanor and Daniel spent more and more time with each other, simple attraction grew to encompass admiration, respect and understanding, and ultimately love. Their encounters allowed them to learn really important things about each other. Eleanor's intelligence, tenacity and ambition, Daniel's kindness, generosity and courage. And the three excursions they had were thrilling and entertaining, and I loved the world Eva Leigh created, from the gaming hell to the imperial Theatre, to the phaeton racing to the amazing masquerade ball.

This book was pretty much a breeze to read because of its two flawed, three-dimensional but very likable leads, a really fun premise and a lovely romance. I'm very excited to read Maggie's book because she seems like another complicated character. ...more

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Dec 23, 2015 cookiemonger rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

In the spirit of fairness, I think this one was just not for me. My most objective issue with it is that the writing style is really clunky. Bits of fact and historical flavour tended to fall flat--not helped by the almost preachy moments of contemporary views.

At first blush, the premise is Okay to Pretty Good. Eleanor Hawke is the proprietor of and also writes for the periodical The Hawk's Eye. She doesn't announce her gender, but also makes little effort to hide it. While she's at work, an ear ...more

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Sep 19, 2015 Melissa rated it liked it

What to say about this book? It made for a pleasant read on this otherwise boring and lazy day, but it had its issues, not least that the dialogue and attitudes seemed very anachronistic, to the point where I found myself taken out of the story quite a few times. I also felt like the resolution of the two big plot points was somewhat rushed and too simplistic. I still enjoyed it fairly well in spite of all that, but I'm not in a big hurry to add the upcoming second book in the series to my to-re ...more

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Sep 08, 2015 Emily rated it liked it · review of another edition

This book didn't do much for me. It was well written, but I never really felt an emotional connection to the characters or felt part of the world. The mystery and why the hero needed the heroine's help was pretty confusing at first. Still, the characters in the second book sound interesting, so I will definitely give that one a try.

I'm no historian, but I had time believing that the heroine would be that "modern" (as the heroine put it) during the Regency era. I could buy it more during the Vic ...more

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Jul 10, 2016 G. rated it it was ok · review of another edition

2.5/5
Progressive, anachronistically so, in fact. Though that didn't bother me. The premise didn't make much sense to me, but I continued on despite that. I liked the heroine, but the hero was bland, especially compared to her. Their romance? Kind of as bland as the hero. They had some great banter, but I can't say I was invested. ...more

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Jan 03, 2016 Ana rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, united-states-literature, historical-fiction, fiction, 21st-century, north-american-literature

Great debut with plenty of limericks!

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Dec 24, 2017 Sam (AMNReader) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2017, romance, historical, library

Finally! 3.5

Those book was an easy, entertaining read. I liked both characters. It was funny and steamy and exactly what I needed during this crazy time.

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Sep 26, 2015 The Lusty Literate rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites-of-all-time, sweet-tender-and-talented-male, dashing-and-devilish-male, good-series, likeable-heroine, insatiable-voracious-lover, good-romance, well-written, swoon-worthy-man, passionate-love-affair

4.5/5 Stars | Hot Steam

Utterly captivating and absolutely unforgettable, Eva Leigh’s glittering and gorgeous Avon Historical debut is, without a doubt, one of this year’s very best! Brilliantly written with uncommon intelligence, command, polish, delicious detail and soul-stirring depth, I simply couldn’t put it down! Every single moment I spent immersed in Eleanor and Daniels’ riveting story felt like a precious gift. Their incredibly charming, dynamic and multi-layered personalities came alive ...more

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