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Ruined by the Reckless Viscount
The Lady in Red
Viscount Winterton abducts a woman to protect her--but he kidnaps the wrong girl in red! The scandalous carriage dash leads to the ruin of Lady Florentia Hale-Burton's reputation...and the viscount's apparent demise.
Years later, Flora discovers her kidnapper is alive and as entrancingly handsome as she remembers! Disguised, she agrees to paint his portrait in an attempt to understand the man who's haunted her fantasies. Is it revenge that has brought her this close to him again...or something even more reckless?
Viscount Winterton abducts a woman to protect her--but he kidnaps the wrong girl in red! The scandalous carriage dash leads to the ruin of Lady Florentia Hale-Burton's reputation...and the viscount's apparent demise.
Years later, Flora discovers her kidnapper is alive and as entrancingly handsome as she remembers! Disguised, she agrees to paint his portrait in an attempt to understand the man who's haunted her fantasies. Is it revenge that has brought her this close to him again...or something even more reckless?
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published June 20, 2017
21 people are currently reading
82 people want to read
About the author
Sophia James
175 books126 followersGeorgette Heyer novels formed Sophia James' reading tastes as a teenager, but her writing life only started when she was given a pile of Mills & Boons to read after she had had her wisdom teeth extracted! Filled with strong painkillers, she imagined that she could pen one, too. Many drafts later, Sophia thinks she has the perfect job writing for Harlequin Historical, as well as taking art tours to Europe with her husband, who is a painter.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 20, 2017
Another gorgeous Sophia James book with well crafted characters, unusual heroines who manage independence and find men who love their differences.
Flora is a gorgeous character, and Winter is so incredibly broken but loveable. Frederick Rutherford is genius, and Winter's reactions to Rutherford are especially beautiful and heartfelt.
This is a soft and gentle story, with horrific events having occurred in the past. A really interesting juxtaposition.
Flora is a gorgeous character, and Winter is so incredibly broken but loveable. Frederick Rutherford is genius, and Winter's reactions to Rutherford are especially beautiful and heartfelt.
This is a soft and gentle story, with horrific events having occurred in the past. A really interesting juxtaposition.
November 10, 2017
Surprisingly weighty for a Harlequin historical, I was happily surprised by this story. Both Winter and Florentia are sympathetic characters. He accidentally ruins her, but the cost to him is almost as high as the cost to her. Watching these two struggle to find their way back to the life they could have had after so many years of living mired in the past, was quietly moving. Their falling for each other was quite sweet, especially when contrasted with the violence of their first meeting.
The pacing of the ending was rushed. I think the final denouement would have been more meaningful if we had seen at least some of Winter's past, rather than just heard it described as uprooted and without affection. Other than that, I really enjoyed this romance novel. It makes me want to read more of James's work.
The pacing of the ending was rushed. I think the final denouement would have been more meaningful if we had seen at least some of Winter's past, rather than just heard it described as uprooted and without affection. Other than that, I really enjoyed this romance novel. It makes me want to read more of James's work.
January 24, 2019
I do really enjoy these regency books - often interesting with a story as well as a romance to make it more than just a romantic novel, but a historical one as well! This is no exception to that quality - it's fast paced, interesting, romantic and definitely worth a second look on those library shelves - plus it doesn't take forever to read like many of my chosen novels (and the next novel I'm on is definitely a long one!) - The author is one I've read and enjoyed before, and is not too soppy an author as to make the normal girl cringe (not that we would, but some books are OTT on the 'oh how handsome, oh, i'm swooning' type of thing, and I've yet to meet a book by this author that made me feel icky with that kinda dread lol!) Hope Sophia keeps writing - they say each book you write is better than the last for quality! xx
December 3, 2017
1,5 stars in fact.
Half of the book was fine enough but then it become tedious and annoying. I didn't like the fact that he went off to America to become rich instead of try to find her and apologize (he even said so to his cousin: "I can't die because I have to apologize to her", well something like that).
Anyway, I was disappointed in this book, I relied to all the good reviews find here but it wasn't as I expected it.
If you want to read an historical book in which the main heroine disguise herself as a young man, try Devil-May-Dare by Mary Nichols, it's funny and I recommend that over this any time.
Half of the book was fine enough but then it become tedious and annoying. I didn't like the fact that he went off to America to become rich instead of try to find her and apologize (he even said so to his cousin: "I can't die because I have to apologize to her", well something like that).
Anyway, I was disappointed in this book, I relied to all the good reviews find here but it wasn't as I expected it.
If you want to read an historical book in which the main heroine disguise herself as a young man, try Devil-May-Dare by Mary Nichols, it's funny and I recommend that over this any time.
July 1, 2023
Here are my take-a-ways:
Flip floppy on the trope of revenge and then forgiveness. -.5
Same sex attraction innuendos. -.3 I didn't sign up for that kind of novel.
I loved the Cinderella-take. I loved the beautiful imagery.
I think that the author missed the BIGGEST opportunity to connect pain, guilt, and forgiveness. In all actuality. Flora's wild dare caused the death of her twin brother, the heir.
The secret half brother, the supposed affair, and the scuffle were extraordinary. One page of intrigue.
The marital steamy scene was beautiful.
The end was ridiculous. -.5
3.7 stars.
Flip floppy on the trope of revenge and then forgiveness. -.5
Same sex attraction innuendos. -.3 I didn't sign up for that kind of novel.
I loved the Cinderella-take. I loved the beautiful imagery.
I think that the author missed the BIGGEST opportunity to connect pain, guilt, and forgiveness. In all actuality. Flora's wild dare caused the death of her twin brother, the heir.
The secret half brother, the supposed affair, and the scuffle were extraordinary. One page of intrigue.
The marital steamy scene was beautiful.
The end was ridiculous. -.5
3.7 stars.
July 5, 2017
Loved this story, however I felt that there could have been a bit more romance. Loved the fact that there was only one sex scene and that happened after the 2 were married. If there were anymore throughout the story it would have detracted from what was going on.
Did not like the one side plot with the hero, it seemed to end out of left field and seemed almost like it was a bunch of filler scenes.
Did not like the one side plot with the hero, it seemed to end out of left field and seemed almost like it was a bunch of filler scenes.
August 5, 2017
E excellent
Well written, good content, original story couldn't put it down. The Ton which thrived on gossip alone and could destroy reputations , businesses in a blink of an eye regardless of how wealthy or powerful they where . The characters in this story where really beautiful.
Well written, good content, original story couldn't put it down. The Ton which thrived on gossip alone and could destroy reputations , businesses in a blink of an eye regardless of how wealthy or powerful they where . The characters in this story where really beautiful.
July 16, 2018
My favourite thing about this book were the descriptions of Flora's paintings and her process. Flora was a great character, vulnerable but strong. I loved that she decided to dress as a man in order to take charge of and confront her past. This book had me gripped and really wanting the romantic leads to be together.
November 22, 2020
WOW
Never have I read such a different and unique story that I truly loved, including an abduction. You slay me. To write a beautiful love 💘story with the opening chapter about the heroine being kidnapped by a man who would cause her ruin and end up being the love of her life, is nothing I have ever read before. I love how Lady Sophia made a story like this work. Kudos!
Never have I read such a different and unique story that I truly loved, including an abduction. You slay me. To write a beautiful love 💘story with the opening chapter about the heroine being kidnapped by a man who would cause her ruin and end up being the love of her life, is nothing I have ever read before. I love how Lady Sophia made a story like this work. Kudos!
November 12, 2017
I particularly enjoyed the heroine and hero' s philosophical discussion which revealed their inner sentiments about life.
January 1, 2018
Sophia James si conferma una brava autrice, romanzo godibile e con punte inaspettate. Un buon prodotto, considerando il costo ridicolo!
August 18, 2018
good read
January 30, 2019
This could have so easily been terrible, but it was turned into a symbolic masquerade of redemption, in a gonzo way. I enjoyed seeing all the characters evolve.
June 26, 2019
One mistaken moment in time to destroy two lives. This was a tale out of the ordinary with excellent characterization. I enjoyed the ingenuity of the plot.
February 24, 2020
Beautiful language. NZ author.
July 18, 2020
I couldn't even finish this. Such a shame as when I read the synopsis I was really looking forward to it 😔
July 10, 2017
Viscount Winterton's cousin asked him to pick up his mistress him for him, and bring her to the countryside where he is recovering from a broken leg. Winter figures it'll be no big deal and goes to collect the woman, except he gets the wrong one. He discovers this approximately five minutes before her father finds them, shoots him, and leaves him for dead.
Despite nothing happening and the short amount of time she spent with him, Florentia is ruined, and spends the next six years in Kent painting. She has created a false name for herself, Frederick Rutherford, and has been selling her paintings under that name. Her agent wants her to come to town, and when her sister asks the same of her, she decides to go incognito. Disguised as Frederick, Florentia discovers that the man who ruined her life is still alive and arranges to paint him in order to learn about the man who ruined her life.
Both Florentia and Winter are broken people. Winter was a spy during the Napoleonic Wars and was captured and tortured, and then he kidnaps Flora and almost dies. After recovering from his wounds, he goes to America, but he is still burdened by guilt and tormented by various traumas of his past. All he wants is to find Flora, apologize to her, and learn if there is anything he could do to make her forgive him. Flora has built a kind of life for herself, but she is deeply lonely and isolated, and when she takes on the role of Frederick she enjoys the freedom he has. She is also tormented over the death of her twin brother, and her role in it. As she paints him, the two of them fall in love, even though Winter doesn't know she is a woman, and they begin to heal from their various wounds. This is a fairly angsty story, and I liked the tortured aspects of both characters.
Florentia was one of the best crossdressers I've read. Most crossdressers in fiction just seem to throw on a pair of pants and bind their breasts, but she actually puts in a lot of effort. She gets a wig, fake facial hair and glasses, puts lifts in her boots, and stuffs cotton in her mouth all to change her appearance and make herself more masculine. It's one of the few times I actually believe the crossdressing could be pulled off.
I didn't care for the subplot revolving around Winter's father. It felt strange and a bit like a deus ex machina. The resolution was lackluster as was that of the Heron family. I wish they had retained their villainous role and added more conflict to the story. Despite the guilt and agony between the two leads, there isn't a lot of conflict in the story.
I also didn't like how Winter went off to America for a few years. If he was so guilty over what he had done, I feel like as soon as he was able, he should have tried to find Florentia and tried to make it up to her, not gone off to get rich in America.
There was also a point where someone asks why Florentia would marry the man that ruined her which felt weird to me because that would have been more expected than her not marrying him. This is a really small point, but it just stuck out a lot to me.
I liked the concept of this story, but a weird subplot dragged the story down as did some questionable character choices.
Despite nothing happening and the short amount of time she spent with him, Florentia is ruined, and spends the next six years in Kent painting. She has created a false name for herself, Frederick Rutherford, and has been selling her paintings under that name. Her agent wants her to come to town, and when her sister asks the same of her, she decides to go incognito. Disguised as Frederick, Florentia discovers that the man who ruined her life is still alive and arranges to paint him in order to learn about the man who ruined her life.
Both Florentia and Winter are broken people. Winter was a spy during the Napoleonic Wars and was captured and tortured, and then he kidnaps Flora and almost dies. After recovering from his wounds, he goes to America, but he is still burdened by guilt and tormented by various traumas of his past. All he wants is to find Flora, apologize to her, and learn if there is anything he could do to make her forgive him. Flora has built a kind of life for herself, but she is deeply lonely and isolated, and when she takes on the role of Frederick she enjoys the freedom he has. She is also tormented over the death of her twin brother, and her role in it. As she paints him, the two of them fall in love, even though Winter doesn't know she is a woman, and they begin to heal from their various wounds. This is a fairly angsty story, and I liked the tortured aspects of both characters.
Florentia was one of the best crossdressers I've read. Most crossdressers in fiction just seem to throw on a pair of pants and bind their breasts, but she actually puts in a lot of effort. She gets a wig, fake facial hair and glasses, puts lifts in her boots, and stuffs cotton in her mouth all to change her appearance and make herself more masculine. It's one of the few times I actually believe the crossdressing could be pulled off.
I didn't care for the subplot revolving around Winter's father. It felt strange and a bit like a deus ex machina. The resolution was lackluster as was that of the Heron family. I wish they had retained their villainous role and added more conflict to the story. Despite the guilt and agony between the two leads, there isn't a lot of conflict in the story.
I also didn't like how Winter went off to America for a few years. If he was so guilty over what he had done, I feel like as soon as he was able, he should have tried to find Florentia and tried to make it up to her, not gone off to get rich in America.
There was also a point where someone asks why Florentia would marry the man that ruined her which felt weird to me because that would have been more expected than her not marrying him. This is a really small point, but it just stuck out a lot to me.
I liked the concept of this story, but a weird subplot dragged the story down as did some questionable character choices.
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August 24, 2017"James sweeps us into another sumptuous tale of redemption and patchwork hope when a friendly prank goes horribly awry and leaves scars that neither side can ever truly disguise. James’ elegant talent explores the unique and powerful bond that can form in an instant of tragedy, and the heroic effort it takes to overcome a dark past before being able to seize the future" (4 stars @ RT Book Reviews).
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews