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Bared to the Viscount
Poor, plain spinster Mary Wilkins has no business falling in love with Viscount Parkhurst. They may have been best friends in childhood, but he’s the wealthy, powerful lord of the manor now, and everyone knows he’s bound to marry a beautiful local heiress. Mary tries to resign herself to a life of hopeless yearning, but when she and the viscount find themselves entangled in a stand of wild blackberry vines, unexpected passions flare. The viscount can’t seem to keep his hands off her. But is he planning to make her his wife—or only his secret mistress?
246 pages, Paperback
First published June 23, 2015
34 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
Lara Archer
5 books8 followersLara Archer is a multi-award-winning author of super-hot historical and contemporary romance.
Whether you love handsome dukes in lavish ballrooms, or hunky forest rangers on redwood-covered mountains, you'll find stories that warm your heart, and fire your desires!
Whether you love handsome dukes in lavish ballrooms, or hunky forest rangers on redwood-covered mountains, you'll find stories that warm your heart, and fire your desires!
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
April 29, 2020
Delightful characters, the vicar's daughter and the Viscount. Heaps of action, lots of twists, beautiful very sexy sex scenes. A delight from start to finish. Didn't want it to end - but couldn't stop reading.
July 26, 2015
Absolutely delicious. This is my first read by Ms. Archer and it certainly won't be the last. Bared to the Viscount is a sexy take on the childhood friends to lovers, with a bit of ugly duckling thrown in.
Mary and John grew up running through the woods playing pirates, but the vicar's daughter and retired army officer don't have much in common with their childhood selves, or so they believe. As viscount, John's been all but officially betrothed to his late father's best friend's daughter, while Mary believes herself to be plain and thus unattractive to the male half of the populace.
An unexpected encounter proves them still very compatible and throws a wrench in their expectations...
John and Mary are well written and very sympathetic characters, and their emotions and attraction are quite believable. And their chemistry is off the charts. I loved their story and can't wait for the next in the series, about Mary's brother, the new vicar.
Mary and John grew up running through the woods playing pirates, but the vicar's daughter and retired army officer don't have much in common with their childhood selves, or so they believe. As viscount, John's been all but officially betrothed to his late father's best friend's daughter, while Mary believes herself to be plain and thus unattractive to the male half of the populace.
An unexpected encounter proves them still very compatible and throws a wrench in their expectations...
John and Mary are well written and very sympathetic characters, and their emotions and attraction are quite believable. And their chemistry is off the charts. I loved their story and can't wait for the next in the series, about Mary's brother, the new vicar.
August 30, 2015
Wonderful. I just finished this (I admit, I'm the slowest reader outside of first grade) and I'm going to be in book hangover mode for a very long time because I enjoyed this so much and I'm hoping there's more to come soon.
John and Mary were REAL. I loved their story, I loved their conflict, I loved seeing them overcome the obstacles in front of them. I loved their distinct voices and personalities, and seeing how they changed when it all came together in the end. I CARED about these characters. I'd love to know more about their lives together and see how happy they continued to be. I want to see their Happily Ever After so I can believe that kind of thing happens.
Hopefully Thomas and Rosamund's story is next? And Sam, and his brothers; can they get stories too? Please please please? :) Brava, Lara; great job!
John and Mary were REAL. I loved their story, I loved their conflict, I loved seeing them overcome the obstacles in front of them. I loved their distinct voices and personalities, and seeing how they changed when it all came together in the end. I CARED about these characters. I'd love to know more about their lives together and see how happy they continued to be. I want to see their Happily Ever After so I can believe that kind of thing happens.
Hopefully Thomas and Rosamund's story is next? And Sam, and his brothers; can they get stories too? Please please please? :) Brava, Lara; great job!
July 6, 2015
Quite enjoyable!
I really liked this book. The characters were interesting and fun to read about. It is a hot, steamy and sexy read with a good ending. I had never read this author before, but I will be back for more.
I really liked this book. The characters were interesting and fun to read about. It is a hot, steamy and sexy read with a good ending. I had never read this author before, but I will be back for more.
June 9, 2017
Loved this diamond-in-the-rough heroine and her story of sexual awakening. My favorite part of this book was the author's masterful description of that loose-limbed, lush sensation that envelops a woman already in lust, and on the cusp of love.
December 10, 2020
A little frustrating
The misunderstandings throughout this book were quite annoying. The characters were very good. The story was very good. The sex scenes were very good. But Mary never said what she was thinking and her own insecurities took over until the very end.
The misunderstandings throughout this book were quite annoying. The characters were very good. The story was very good. The sex scenes were very good. But Mary never said what she was thinking and her own insecurities took over until the very end.
March 4, 2021
Wonderfully written
I loved it! Steamy, sexy, sweet, honest, loving, perfect. I was totally immersed in the story. I am not eloquent at writing reviews...I don’t know how to say how perfect her writing is. Such great world-building and character development. You will love it.
I loved it! Steamy, sexy, sweet, honest, loving, perfect. I was totally immersed in the story. I am not eloquent at writing reviews...I don’t know how to say how perfect her writing is. Such great world-building and character development. You will love it.
May 11, 2018
Overly simple plot
I felt like this book was written as a sex scene first and a plot second. Characters lacked depth and story was full of holes.
I felt like this book was written as a sex scene first and a plot second. Characters lacked depth and story was full of holes.
July 3, 2020
Magical
The story of John and Mary is extremely sweet, hot, and tantalizingly wicked. A great read with great words that will have you panting at some point
The story of John and Mary is extremely sweet, hot, and tantalizingly wicked. A great read with great words that will have you panting at some point
October 12, 2015
“Bared to the Viscount” by Lara Archer is the first book in her series, “The Rites of May”. Mary Wilkins is the clergyman’s sister, twenty-six years old, and firmly on the shelf. On her way through the church storage house, she espies the sexton and proprietress of the local pub engaging in a clandestine rendezvous and wonders how she can go on living as a spinster (What’s stopped her before?). The most fervent object of her desire is John, Viscount Parkhurst, recently returned to the village and resigned to keeping his father’s promise to marry one of Lord Lawton’s daughters and join their abutting properties. However, while he musters of the courage to enter into a loveless marriage he spends his days working beside Mary Wilkins, his childhood friend. It is during one of these excursions to locate a new well that their hidden passions bubble to the surface casting them along a wave of conflicts and miscommunications.
*** SPOILER ALERT****
There was some lovely writing in this story although it did take a while for the actual story to get started – there seemed to be a lot of information dump in the beginning. Archer spent an enormous amount of words describing the heroine’s history and plain looks when perhaps a more active approach could have been used to hook readers.
My biggest complaint was that I did not like the heroine, Mary Wilkins. Perhaps Archer wanted me to sympathize with Mary because she was so plain when the men were so attractive (including Mary’s brother Thomas), but I thought Archer could have engaged my feelings another way: perhaps used the Lawton family to belittle Mary? Mostly, I was troubled by Mary’s fickle attitude: she claimed to love John, yet when she thinks he’s engaged to one of the Lawton girls, Mary almost hooks up with Sam, a local landowner. Call me old-fashion (You’re old-fashioned!), but I don’t like my hero/heroine to go past second base with other characters. Not to say I haven’t read it before, but the author (for example: “Worth Any Price” by Lisa Kleypas) has to submit a very good reason that the hero is having sex with someone other than the heroine. That being said, Mary jumping from one hot clinch to Sam’s…AND then, back to John’s…left me with an icky feeling. And later, Mary hugs Sam like they’re good friends. Uh…awkward.
My other big complaint was Archer using the ol’ “failure to communicate” instead of developing a real conflict. Miscommunication does not equal conflict. Mary thinks that John is going to propose to one of the Lawton girls and then keep Mary on the side as his mistress. Later, Lord Lawton lies about an engagement and John lets himself get wrapped in the lie. He doesn’t spend the time to clear the miscommunication, which made me very frustrated with him and Mary. Ugh. Mary’s running away from John also made me dislike her. I thought she was smarter than that, but her actions speak louder than words.
Overall, I had problems with structure and plot of the story. Good writing, unfortunately, did not save this story for me. One thing I do admire about Archer is she introduced readers to other interesting characters (that I hope get their own story) in very subtle ways. Sometimes the first book in a series spends too much time setting up future conflicts or world-building, but Archer applies a light touch with her character introductions and leaves future conflicts rather vague. I might give another of her books a read with hopes her plotting improves.
*** SPOILER ALERT****
There was some lovely writing in this story although it did take a while for the actual story to get started – there seemed to be a lot of information dump in the beginning. Archer spent an enormous amount of words describing the heroine’s history and plain looks when perhaps a more active approach could have been used to hook readers.
My biggest complaint was that I did not like the heroine, Mary Wilkins. Perhaps Archer wanted me to sympathize with Mary because she was so plain when the men were so attractive (including Mary’s brother Thomas), but I thought Archer could have engaged my feelings another way: perhaps used the Lawton family to belittle Mary? Mostly, I was troubled by Mary’s fickle attitude: she claimed to love John, yet when she thinks he’s engaged to one of the Lawton girls, Mary almost hooks up with Sam, a local landowner. Call me old-fashion (You’re old-fashioned!), but I don’t like my hero/heroine to go past second base with other characters. Not to say I haven’t read it before, but the author (for example: “Worth Any Price” by Lisa Kleypas) has to submit a very good reason that the hero is having sex with someone other than the heroine. That being said, Mary jumping from one hot clinch to Sam’s…AND then, back to John’s…left me with an icky feeling. And later, Mary hugs Sam like they’re good friends. Uh…awkward.
My other big complaint was Archer using the ol’ “failure to communicate” instead of developing a real conflict. Miscommunication does not equal conflict. Mary thinks that John is going to propose to one of the Lawton girls and then keep Mary on the side as his mistress. Later, Lord Lawton lies about an engagement and John lets himself get wrapped in the lie. He doesn’t spend the time to clear the miscommunication, which made me very frustrated with him and Mary. Ugh. Mary’s running away from John also made me dislike her. I thought she was smarter than that, but her actions speak louder than words.
Overall, I had problems with structure and plot of the story. Good writing, unfortunately, did not save this story for me. One thing I do admire about Archer is she introduced readers to other interesting characters (that I hope get their own story) in very subtle ways. Sometimes the first book in a series spends too much time setting up future conflicts or world-building, but Archer applies a light touch with her character introductions and leaves future conflicts rather vague. I might give another of her books a read with hopes her plotting improves.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2016
Historical second chances romance with childhood friends meeting as adults and finding lust and then love.
There is a LOT of sex in this short 200 pages! Only M/F stuff, but there is voyeurism, butt stuff... um, this book is not for prudes! I'm a bit of a prude so I was shocked that this author could pack in so much sex in so few pages while still keeping a natural flow of the building romance between the Vicar's spinster sister, Mary Wilkins and Viscount Parkhurst (aka John).
There is a HEA, but Mary really drags it out by rejecting poor John about a dozen times.
I guess this is a series and then next story with be Mary's vicar brother's love story with one of the Lawson daughters. I didn't get into the story enough to check out the other books.
203 pages and kindle freebie
2 stars
There is a LOT of sex in this short 200 pages! Only M/F stuff, but there is voyeurism, butt stuff... um, this book is not for prudes! I'm a bit of a prude so I was shocked that this author could pack in so much sex in so few pages while still keeping a natural flow of the building romance between the Vicar's spinster sister, Mary Wilkins and Viscount Parkhurst (aka John).
There is a HEA, but Mary really drags it out by rejecting poor John about a dozen times.
I guess this is a series and then next story with be Mary's vicar brother's love story with one of the Lawson daughters. I didn't get into the story enough to check out the other books.
203 pages and kindle freebie
2 stars
July 25, 2015
Could be better
I'm totally confused as to why this author chose to muck up what would have been a truly good book by putting in the crude sex acts of secondary characters near the beginning and spattered throughout. If that was edited out.....since it truly had nothing to do with anything else that is going on in the story....It would have easily been at least a four-year book. The main plot is very good and the writing is good...funny, sensual, thrilling and interesting. Again, it gets totally confused with the crude sex acts of incidental secondary characters. I couldnt recommend this book as,written.
I'm totally confused as to why this author chose to muck up what would have been a truly good book by putting in the crude sex acts of secondary characters near the beginning and spattered throughout. If that was edited out.....since it truly had nothing to do with anything else that is going on in the story....It would have easily been at least a four-year book. The main plot is very good and the writing is good...funny, sensual, thrilling and interesting. Again, it gets totally confused with the crude sex acts of incidental secondary characters. I couldnt recommend this book as,written.
September 13, 2015
This is the first book I've read by this author and after reading it, I promptly went to go check out her other books. Sadly, it's her first. I really enjoyed this book. It was fun, sweet, well written and unexpectedly raunchy.
Why not 5 stars? This was too short a book for everything that went on. I think this easily could have been 300 pages. Pages that could have been used to show more growth in the relationship and give more of a breather in between all the sex scenes. I'm hoping any books in the future will be full novels because she does have a talent for writing.
Why not 5 stars? This was too short a book for everything that went on. I think this easily could have been 300 pages. Pages that could have been used to show more growth in the relationship and give more of a breather in between all the sex scenes. I'm hoping any books in the future will be full novels because she does have a talent for writing.
May 5, 2016
The writing itself was good. I liked the plot. I just got a little tired of hearing that they shouldn't be together, but at every chance, Mary was spreading her legs. And when she tried to forget him by going with Sam, the story really fell for me. Here's a spinster woman in love with a man, her brother is clergy and she grew up in the church, and she is willing to just do it with anyone. Skipped alot after that.
March 24, 2016
I have to commend the author on the well written erotic scenes.
However the three stars is due to
- the heroine immediately being ready to sex Sam and almost doing it despite feeling "chemistry" with John from the start
- the hero standing helpless when the engagement scene happened
It could have been much better. Will definitely read more by her.
However the three stars is due to
- the heroine immediately being ready to sex Sam and almost doing it despite feeling "chemistry" with John from the start
- the hero standing helpless when the engagement scene happened
It could have been much better. Will definitely read more by her.
March 26, 2016
Glad I came across this book!
The characters and background story are well thought out. I could picture myself at the May Day festival. Ms. Archer is a fantastic writer. I can't wait for her next book, Bared to the Heiress to be released! Historical romance lovers will enjoy this book.
The characters and background story are well thought out. I could picture myself at the May Day festival. Ms. Archer is a fantastic writer. I can't wait for her next book, Bared to the Heiress to be released! Historical romance lovers will enjoy this book.
April 15, 2016
Growing together
This book is exceptional, it shows what happens when you grow up together and one is of one class and the other of a higher class in the peerage of Regency times.But no matter love doesn't make class distinctions.
This book is exceptional, it shows what happens when you grow up together and one is of one class and the other of a higher class in the peerage of Regency times.But no matter love doesn't make class distinctions.
August 15, 2016
Well it was good
I guess I'm spoil but Lara I wish you much success in the future. As for those interested in reading this book please do you have your own review to give .writing a book is a lot of work and each of us have our own opinions. D.H from New York City
I guess I'm spoil but Lara I wish you much success in the future. As for those interested in reading this book please do you have your own review to give .writing a book is a lot of work and each of us have our own opinions. D.H from New York City
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August 7, 2022Great read
Fast paced, raunchy and a good storyline. Beginning catches you off guard but sets the tone of the rest of the book.
Fast paced, raunchy and a good storyline. Beginning catches you off guard but sets the tone of the rest of the book.
May 18, 2016
I received a free copy to review and judge for a competition.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews