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Someone to Watch Over Me

(Bow Street Runners #1)

Lisa Kleypas (Goodreads Author)

3.78 · Rating details · 20,593 ratings · 1,247 reviews

Alternative cover editions for this ISBN can be found here and here.

Grant Morgan is one of London's most eligible and unattainable bachelors. He's also a powerful member of the Bow Street Runners, and when he's called to the waterfront late one night to investigate a drowning victim, Grant is stunned to recognize the face of Vivien Rose Duvall, a well-known woman of the ni ...more

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Mass Market Paperback, Reissue, 362 pages

Published August 25th 2009 by Avon (first published December 1998)

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Apr 19, 2010 Mariel rated it liked it

Recommends it for: prostitute twin sisters who ditch you with the bill

Recommended to Mariel by: it wasn't me!

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 20, 2012 Kinga rated it liked it

Shelves: pub-1998

"She was sore in places she had never been sore before.” Is this an awesome quote, or what?

I think OD’ed on this girly porn, I had a good reason but I need to stop now and read some James Joyce or something.

Spoilers ahead. I am not going to even officially mark it as a spoiler because if you didn’t see that coming from the very first page then you don’t deserve to be warned.

A certain tall, strapping Bow Street Runner named Grant finds a nearly dead woman fished out of Thames. To his surprise an "She was sore in places she had never been sore before.” Is this an awesome quote, or what?

I think OD’ed on this girly porn, I had a good reason but I need to stop now and read some James Joyce or something.

Spoilers ahead. I am not going to even officially mark it as a spoiler because if you didn’t see that coming from the very first page then you don’t deserve to be warned.

A certain tall, strapping Bow Street Runner named Grant finds a nearly dead woman fished out of Thames. To his surprise and delight it is Vivien – most expensive and most desired courtesan of London. And Grant has a bone to pick with her, so he takes her to his house where he intends to have his little revenge. Vivien regains her consciousness but sadly can’t remember a thing, so she can’t provide any clues as to who might want to kill her. She also appears very shy, modest, weirdly into books and absolutely mortified when she finds out she is supposed to be this high flying prostitute. Anyone who has ever seen at least half an episode of any soap opera knows damn well that amnesia goes hand in hand with people having secret twin siblings. Only Grant has never seen any soap opera so he is convinced Vivian playing some silly game. And, of course, how will he find out how wrong he was? Don’t tell me you don’t see it coming. He will have sex with her and bam, realizes she can’t possibly by nation-wide famous prostitute, as she is (or was, now, thanks to him) very much a virgin.

So yeah, a bit out there, non? But probability is not what I want from my girly porn. Neither do I want historical accuracy. If I wanted historical accuracy I would read Dickens. As it is, the setting of Regency romances is a fantasy world, that has its rules, but they don’t really have to be historically accurate. It is something like Middle-earth, if you like.

Eventually ‘Vivien’ learns the truth, finds out that Grant was a bit of a dick who lied to her and is angry at him for like half a page. It goes like this: “You….!!, you..!! Hey, wanna go down on me again?”.

The ending of the book was spoiled with too much mushiness, with Grant promising things like “I will never be apart from for more than two hours”, and all sort of nonsense on and on. For pages. I thought: “Ok, lady, enough. You’re beating a dead horse here.”
...more

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Jan 23, 2010 UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish rated it liked it

Shelves: courtesan, own-have-read, 2010-reads, author-lisa-kleypas, historical, amnesia, historical-romance, reviewed-by-me, romance-historical, historical-romance-series

3.5/5

I’ve been indulging myself in Lisa Kleypas’ books for the past few weeks and have come to appreciate her story telling talents. Perhaps because this is the first book in the Bow Street Runners series, it didn’t grab me quite the way her Wallflower series did. I didn’t find the characters quite as charismatic as those in her other books.

It has an interesting plot – a courtesan with amnesia being pursued by someone who is trying to kill her and the man who saved her life and is now protecting
3.5/5

I’ve been indulging myself in Lisa Kleypas’ books for the past few weeks and have come to appreciate her story telling talents. Perhaps because this is the first book in the Bow Street Runners series, it didn’t grab me quite the way her Wallflower series did. I didn’t find the characters quite as charismatic as those in her other books.

It has an interesting plot – a courtesan with amnesia being pursued by someone who is trying to kill her and the man who saved her life and is now protecting her, bent on revenge for some wrong she did him in the past. There was definitely a lot to keep the pace of the story moving quickly which is a plus because it can be tough to lay the ground work for a new series and still keep the reader’s attention. There were only a couple of instances when I wanted to skip through some of the foundation details and get back down to the nitty-gritty of the story.

Someone To Watch Over Me is a story filled with likable characters, though (with the exception of Sir Ross – but that’s another story) I didn’t feel a connection or attachment to any of them. Honestly it wasn’t until the very end of the book that I had my first “Awwww, how sweet” *sigh* moment. It occurred when Grant showed up unexpectedly at White Rose Cottage, surprising Victoria:

“What are you doing here?”
“You took too long,” he muttered with a scowl.
That statement brought a surprised laugh from her. “We agreed I would stay here a week.”
“It’s been a week.”
“It’s been precisely two and a half days,” she informed him.
“It seemed like a bloody year.”
They exchange a few more words then he asks, “And our engagement,” he asked with a set face. “Do you have an answer for me?”

I loved those few sentences more than any others in the entire book because it gave me a real glimpse into him – an overgrown boy used to getting his own way and not sure what he would do if he didn’t. I could really see that frown/scowl on his face as he nervously (though he masked it well) awaited her answer. I wish we had been given more candid peeks into the man who is Grant Morgan. I didn’t find him exceptionally charming but the sexual tension in this book was amazing. Their intimate encounters had me *fanning myself* and checking to make sure no one was reading over my shoulder and what Grant Morgan lacked in charisma, he more than made up for in heat. He is one sensual, sexual man.
...more

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Aug 09, 2014 Emilia Barnes rated it did not like it

Shelves: genre-historical, rated-disappointment, genre-romance, rated-dnf, period-regency, star-rating-1, genre-mystery, hero-arsehole

Kleypas writes well enough, but I'm a little confused as to when the story was supposed to have taken place, and I think that's mainly because she writes little about the historical context, though there is a lot of physical descriptive detail. Here there was more even than in her other books, but it served no purpose, and certainly did not make it any clearer exactly what period in English history I am imagining. And though I am no expert on the Bow Street Runners I find it difficult to believe ...more

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Mar 21, 2017 Mo rated it really liked it · review of another edition

OK, the "big twist" was obvious as was the "bad guy". Maybe I have read too many Romantic Suspense books over the years that I can pick up on these things! I loved Grant, a commoner, vowed never to wed ... but he is attracted to the lovely Vivien.

I am really interested in the next book. Sir Ross Cannon sounds like an intriguing character.

“His lips pressed against her forehead and she felt him smile against her skin. "Believe me...the only place in the world I want to be is wherever you are."

...more

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Jun 17, 2011 Duchess Nicole rated it liked it

Shelves: self-contained, 3-star-read, genre-historical-romance, e-pcs, read-in-2014, sigh-worthy

3.5 Stars

Not an all time favorite by this author, but that ending...RIGHT IN THE FEELS!!

I wasn't sure I'd like a story about a famous London hooker. I'm not one to be very forgiving of overly promiscuous leads, especially females. Those midwestern roots of mine are showing!! But this heroine won me over very quickly. She was a nice little mystery to unveil. The hero wasn't as charismatic as Kleypas' other men, so maybe that's why the story didn't grab me as much.

Still, a nice HR with a great ...more

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May 25, 2017 ♥Sharon♥ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is my first historical romance book by Lisa Kleypas. I found a certain ease about her writing and I have to say I rather enjoyed it.

Even though Grant was a bit of a brut sometimes I found him to be charming. And Vivien was sweet and kind. A perfect match for him. It had an interesting plot and I loved the ending!!

I'm certainly looking forward to reading more of her historical romance books.

...more

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Jan 22, 2017 Al George rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Love / Hate Love / Hate Love / Hate

But one cannot deny the ultimate apparent hotness of the hero. So, he gets a Daniel Craig. I mean he goes tearing after the bad guy, beats said bad guy up and is torn between giving said bad guy his final look at the world. Yea, he's alpha hot. But he's also an a$$hole. Don't be fooled.

Setting / Time / Genre: Regency

Series: Yep and I think I very well may need to read the rest

Sexy times: Yes, and in comparison to a Joanna Shupe being a 5 and Julia Quinn being ...more

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Jan 15, 2019 Sammy Loves Books rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, her-eggo-is-prego, library-audio, man-whore, virgins-like-sex-too, historical-romance

I've been in a reading funk with a medeocre dragon series.

Thank Goodness for Lisa Kleypas coming to the rescue!!

Vivian Duvall

Vivian is the most sought after courtesan. How unfortunate that she and Grant don't get along.
What an Amazing twist and a wonderful love story!! ...more

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May 10, 2011 Jennifer rated it did not like it

Shelves: historical

I thought the big reveal was a cop out. It was really hard to see Grant as this dreamy guy when he said, felt, and did some really awful things, but it was ok because...(view spoiler)

Yeah, not a fan of this particular storyline at all. ...more

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Jul 15, 2015 Lady Gabriella of Awesomeness (SLOW) rated it really liked it

Shelves: mr-sexy-mr-famous, swoon-worthy-hero, cover-lust, kickass-heroine, historical-romance, suspense-thriller, twists-i-did-not-see-coming, one-heck-of-a-billionare, agents-law-enforcers, his-and-her-pov

3.5 The twist was everything stars

Not one of LK's best,but nevertheless a well written read. ...more

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Nov 18, 2021 Dagmar rated it it was amazing

From the streets to the sheets: MOODY, MESMERIZING, SEXY, BRILLIANT slow burn

My first audiobook and it was absolutely amazing. I love detectives, investigations, mystery, intrigue, suspense and historical romance...This book had it ALL. A bit darker than other Lisa Kleypas books, and that made it all the more special and unique. The writing was so gorgeous and descriptive, the plot twists so intriguing, the love story so gripping, passionate and romantic. Must have patience for slow burn but the ...more

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Jun 27, 2010 Laura rated it liked it

3.5 stars

I liked this book, but the plot needed a deft hand to pull it off. Lisa Kleypas did in fact pull it off, but not to my satisfaction. It was good, it kept me reading, but I don't really think I enjoyed the hero of this book for at least 75% of the book. I did come to like him, but with all the descriptions of him as being large, hulking, a lummox, a thick pelt of fur (chest hair), having large hands, I just pictured him as Robert, the brother from Everybody Loves Raymond. I couldn't help ...more

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Apr 24, 2015 Zoe rated it it was amazing

I read this book many many years ago and loved it. It is a wonderfully written book, definitely one of Lisa Kleypas' classics. Bow Street Runner rescued the virgin sister of a famous courtesan. The attraction is steamy and the lead characters very likable.

What I find a bit unsettling is I never really knew whether the hero liked the heroine or her sister. The mistaken identity is naturally the big plot in the book. It did make me wonder, is he attracted to the heroin, really? Or it is her sister ...more

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Oct 03, 2013 ᴥ Irena ᴥ rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance

2.5
The good thing about this story is that the characters aren't the usual ones. They are not members of aristocracy and overcoming the issue of her being a prostitute should have been a problem then. The Runners are great choice.

After Grant Morgan takes Vivien to his home to recover, remembering how she spread gossip about him two months ago because he refused her, all he wants is revenge. He doesn't expect Vivien not to remember who she is nor that she is completely different person from manip 2.5
The good thing about this story is that the characters aren't the usual ones. They are not members of aristocracy and overcoming the issue of her being a prostitute should have been a problem then. The Runners are great choice.

After Grant Morgan takes Vivien to his home to recover, remembering how she spread gossip about him two months ago because he refused her, all he wants is revenge. He doesn't expect Vivien not to remember who she is nor that she is completely different person from manipulative liar he met before.

And that brings me to the bad: the solution for all this is plain lazy. (view spoiler)

Wallflowers series has its humour and, as far as I could see from reviews, the Hathaways too. Here, I love the idea of Bow Street Runners being at the centre and I will read the rest of this series. ...more

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Apr 13, 2017 Julianna rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Fans of Historical Romance; Amnesia Theme

Shelves: desert-island-keepers, historical-romance, read-2017, romantic-suspense, read-2007

Reviewed for THC Reviews
I first read Lisa Kleypas’ Bow Street Runners series about ten years ago when I’d just been coming off a book drought that had lasted at least that long. I still marvel at how I, a self-confessed bookaholic, could have gone so long without reading much at all, but I guess becoming a mom can completely rearrange your life and priorities that way. In 2007, I promised myself that I would get back to reading regularly and I haven’t looked back in the decade since. If memory s Reviewed for THC Reviews
I first read Lisa Kleypas’ Bow Street Runners series about ten years ago when I’d just been coming off a book drought that had lasted at least that long. I still marvel at how I, a self-confessed bookaholic, could have gone so long without reading much at all, but I guess becoming a mom can completely rearrange your life and priorities that way. In 2007, I promised myself that I would get back to reading regularly and I haven’t looked back in the decade since. If memory serves, Someone to Watch Over Me was the very first book I randomly chose from my overstuffed bookshelves and it was also the first one I ever read by Lisa Kleypas. I didn’t even realize it was part of a series at the time, but lucky for me, it was the first in the series. I remember that it made me fall in love with the author’s work and immediately run out to the library to get the others in the series that I didn’t yet own. When I joined GoodReads in early 2008, I added all the books I read in 2007, rating them as best I could with my faulty memory. I recalled really enjoying Someone to Watch Over Me and the entire series, but I wasn’t sure if I had loved it (and them) enough to warrant 5 stars, so I gave all of them 4 stars (thinking they were really more like 4.5’s). Now that I’ve re-read this book, I can unequivocally say that it is indeed a 5-star read for me. Even though I remembered the big plot twist, I still loved reading it again for all the romance, sweetness, and all the little details that had since been purged from my memory. And since I read it before I started writing reviews in mid-2007, I never wrote one for it, so now I get the pleasure of doing that with double the impressions of the story.:-)

One of the things I got to rediscover is all the reasons why I loved Grant so much. First his backstory is very sympathetic, and while it doesn’t play a huge part in the story, he has experienced a lot of loss in his life. Lisa Kleypas is known for her self-made men and for her everyday historical heroes who aren’t part of the aristocracy. Grant is both. As a teen, he met a Bow Street Runner and idolized the work he did, vowing to become one some day. And that’s exactly what he’s done. He worked his way up through the ranks quickly to become the top Runner at Bow Street. His fame precedes him, and after having many ha’penny novels written about him, he’s become a sought-after guest at many aristocratic functions. It also brings him some of the most lucrative private cases, which has helped him to amass a fortune larger than some aristocrats. But he still moves quite easily in the streets of London where he grew up. He first met Vivian at a society party and was thinking about making an offer to become her protector, but he immediately changed his mind after figuring out how shallow and manipulative she was. This is one of the things I loved about him, because it showed that he's a man of depth and character who wants more than someone with a pretty face to warm his bed. His spurning of Vivien led to her spreading untrue rumors about him. However, in spite of wanting revenge on her for that slight, he can't seem to stop himself from feeling a sense of protectiveness toward her and caring for her tenderly when he finds her near-dead, the victim of an attempted murder. He also senses an innocence about her all along, even though he believes that's impossible given her position as a famous courtesan. While he does have a few moments of hardness when he's determined to make Vivien pay and does lie about their prior relationship, those lies do come back to bite him. He also can't seem to help but soften when he's with her. And his library? I'd marry him for that alone.;-) For a giant of a man, Grant is an incredibly gentle lover, and I loved him to pieces for declaring his love for Vivien before bedding her the first time.

The reader knows nothing about Vivien prior to her being dragged out of the Thames, half-dead and with no memory of who she is. I like how the author keeps the reader just a little off-balance with regards to what's going on with her. I seem to recall when reading it the first time that much like Grant, I was never quite sure whether she is the infamous courtesan Grant believes her to be or not. He knows that she looks exactly like the Vivien he knew, and his eyes can't lie. But she acts so differently, it’s almost like she’s another person. Could the blow to the head have somehow altered her personality as well as caused the memory loss? Half the fun of the story is in finding out the answer to that question. Having previously read it and already knowing the answer, I could look at it from a different perspective, and I think that it was a very well-written and well-plotted story. The Vivien we see recovering at Grant's house has an air of sweetness and innocence about her. She's absolutely mortified to learn that she was a courtesan. Somehow deep inside, she doesn't feel like that's her at all, but Grant says it’s true and she trusts him. I love the way she melts when Grant is around and how she sees the man within and seems to truly understand and appreciate him in a way other women perhaps haven’t. Vivien may be sweet but she certainly has a back bone, too. She bravely puts herself at risk to help Grant find her would-be murderer, and when she discovers Grant's lies, she doesn't let him off easily. I also found her to be very calm and collected, never a woman given to histrionics like many women in her situation might be. When shocking revelations occur, she generally takes them in stride, so I admired her for that. Overall, Vivien (or is she?:-)) was a very well-rounded heroine who I related to quite well.

Someone to Watch Over Me also had a couple of very notable secondary characters who go on to become amazing heroes in their own stories, and I got to start falling for them all over again by re-reading this book. Sir Ross Cannon is the head magistrate and leader of the Bow Street Runners. I love how protective he is toward women and children and how seriously he takes his job. He even has a cat that doesn’t seem to like anyone else but him, which is cute. Ross is definitely an honorable man and it shows even in his supporting scenes. I remember loving him just as much as I loved Grant, maybe even a little more, so I can’t wait to re-read his book, Lady Sophia's Lover, which is the next in the series. Then there’s Dr. Jacob Linley, who’s also a total dreamboat. I seem to recall him playing a supporting role in all the Bow Street Runners books. He’s a young doctor, who is more progressive-thinking than some of his older colleagues. He’s also absolutely wonderful with his female patients, which means that women often seek him out for treatment. Jacob becomes the hero of the novella Against the Odds, which is considered the final story in the Gambler’s of Cravens series. I was so sad when I realized that I hadn’t read his story yet, which is probably the result of it being connected to another series that I also haven’t read, but I’m definitely going to have to rectify that soon.

Overall, Someone to Watch Over Me was a thoroughly enjoyable re-read. It’s a deeply emotional and romantic story. I love how Grant and Vivien bond over a shared love of books, something that surprises Grant, as he didn't think Vivien cared one whit about reading, much less had an intelligent and philosophical mind. The sexual tension between them is exquisite as our hero and heroine navigate the treacherous mystery of who tried to kill Vivien and why, while falling in love. The love scenes are beautiful, tender, and steamy, too, exactly what I expect from Lisa Kleypas. The mystery was well-done, keeping me guessing (the first time I read it :-)) as to whether Vivien is really Vivien and who had it in for her (something I didn’t recall until the story began to progress). It was just an all-around great read that I’d be happy to revisit in about another decade, once I’ve forgotten much of the story again.:-) ...more

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Feb 03, 2009 Dina rated it really liked it

Shelves: to-review, historical-romance

I´m a fairly new reader of LK´s books and I´m yet to read a bad one. STWOM is not the best I´ve ever read, but it´s very good.

The "big mystery" involving the heroine´s identity was pretty easy to figure out, but I enjoyed following the hero try to solve it. I loved Grant, a working-class hero who was a welcome "breeze of fresh air" among the usual Lords that dominate historical romances. I loved Victoria too, an adorable "country girl" who was the perfect match for Grant. I truly enjoyed seeing ...more

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Aug 14, 2020 Heidi rated it liked it · review of another edition

I have heard nothing but great things about Lisa Kleypas, so I knew my historical romance explorations would not be complete until I read some of her novels. My first Lisa Kleypas novel was a light, fun and enjoyable experience. I can see why so many people absolutely adore her combination of interesting and unique characters, fast-paced plots, and unexpected plot twists.

This first book in the Bow Street Runners series follows a Runner, Grant Morgan, who investigates the attempted murder of Vivi I have heard nothing but great things about Lisa Kleypas, so I knew my historical romance explorations would not be complete until I read some of her novels. My first Lisa Kleypas novel was a light, fun and enjoyable experience. I can see why so many people absolutely adore her combination of interesting and unique characters, fast-paced plots, and unexpected plot twists.

This first book in the Bow Street Runners series follows a Runner, Grant Morgan, who investigates the attempted murder of Vivien, a young courtesan, and takes care of her in his home. I usually enjoy a broader plot in my historical romances, so the murder mystery at the center of this story was a nice change of pace. I made the mistake of reading the reviews of this book first, so the big twist in the middle was spoiled for me but I thought it was well-done, albeit slightly predictable. There was also an amnesia plot line that was interesting to read because I haven’t read a historical romance with amnesia yet.

It took me a while to get into this story because, at first, I did not like Grant Morgan’s character at all. After taking care of Viven, he decides that he is going to get revenge on her because she slighted and rejected him during their first encounter. It struck me as incredibly petty, especially since Vivienne literally almost died and she was in a vulnerable position. Grant’s character also was very uneven at the beginning: One minute, he wanted to take care of her and protect her. The next minute, he was unnecessarily cruel to her, throwing her past back in her face. He does get better as the novel progresses, and he was called out on his behavior, so I appreciated that.

I appreciated the romance in this, I think the progression was well-done. It didn’t give me butterflies like some other romances, but it was enjoyable. There is some unnecessary (imo) virgin v. whore dichotomy mentioned that I wish had been more well-developed. I wanted more of a certain character that we only got glimpses of (if you read it, you know who I’m talking about). There were also predictable tropes in here that I didn’t care for, but it kept me turning the pages. I don’t think this will be my favorite Lisa Kleypas, but it made me intrigued to check out more. The bones are there for an incredible historical romance and I can’t wait to fall in love with some of her other novels! ...more

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Apr 02, 2016 Lindsay rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Warning: angry ranting ahead! I'm pretty sure this is my first 1-star HR...I considered giving it 2, but I just can't do it.

So...this book has the worst male lead I have come across in almost a year of reading HR. Grant Morgan sucks. He is a Bow Street Runner who is brought to the banks of the Thames where a presumably dead woman has been fished out of the water. Turns out, she's not dead, and as she gasps for breath, Grant realizes he knows her. She's a high-brow courtesan named Vivian Duvall ...more

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Oct 10, 2021 Antonella rated it liked it

Shelves: audiobook, historical-romance, amnesia

guessed what's up pretty early on...
not the worst LK book because it had some great moments...
...more

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Oct 06, 2021 eyes.2c rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: library, regency-romance

Just the right balance of mystery, danger and romance!

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Dec 09, 2018 Sophia rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance, audio-books, review-requests

For some time, I have been told that 'if you love historical romance, you must try Kleypas'. And, I've been meaning to do that, but you know how it goes... Anyway, I finally did it and now I can see what all the fuss is about. Engaging plot, lush and spicy romance, and well-drawn characters had me listening eagerly each chance I had.

Someone to Watch Over Me was an interesting combination of romantic suspense and historical romance bringing together tropes with amnesia, revenge, and few others th For some time, I have been told that 'if you love historical romance, you must try Kleypas'. And, I've been meaning to do that, but you know how it goes... Anyway, I finally did it and now I can see what all the fuss is about. Engaging plot, lush and spicy romance, and well-drawn characters had me listening eagerly each chance I had.

Someone to Watch Over Me was an interesting combination of romantic suspense and historical romance bringing together tropes with amnesia, revenge, and few others that I'll keep to myself because of spoilers. The book opens on a dramatic scene of hard-bitten Bow Street Runner, Grant Morgan being on hand to investigate when a woman's body is fished out of the Thames one night. But, instead of dead, she is still a live one and presents him with a bigger mystery than over for she is an infamous courtesan and she has lost her memories.

Vivian finds herself at the mercy of a man who takes prodigious care of her, but she feels that he doesn't like her- at least the her she was before her near death. As she learns more and more about herself, she can see why Grant would feel that way because she doesn't like her old self either. What she doesn't realize is that she once dealt Grant a vicious blow by spreading a malicious lie that made him the laughingstock of High Society when he was already burdened by their disdain for his common birth and bitterness that a commoner had achieved some status and wealth by being the best at his job- hunting down criminals and being more ruthless than they were.

Ah, yes... this was the opening of a story that had me wary of just how far Grant would take it with his revenge and wondering what the fall out would be when Vivian learned of his original intent to pay her back in full- and it was not big gamble to know that was coming. When I say original intent, I mean that Vivian the amnesiac turns out to be nothing like that cold, narcissistic woman who took his gentle rebuff poorly. This Vivian is sweet, caring, and generous- she couldn't be any more different. He reluctantly starts falling for her just as she does for him.

I found a great deal about this story to be predictable including the mystery with its twists and the romance itself. The hints were there- trust me, I'm not that intuitive. But, I don't say this as a criticism. I don't mind predictability when I like the characters and the storyline has my interests. Grant could be a jerk and Vivian had the 'my hero' flutter going on, but I thought they were great for each other when they were learning about each other and sharing surprising interests beyond the wild attraction.

The climax was exciting and breathtaking. I was riveted. What came afterward did drag somewhat. For the first time through the whole book, I was grateful to a character that I never liked. Vivian needed a kick in the pants to stop dithering and it was well-delivered. I am definitely interested to see what comes next for this series with a different Bow Street Runner.

The narrator was one I have enjoyed before, Anna Parker-Naples. She had a good handle on the British accents and genders, the situation and pacing of the various parts of the story. If I have a niggle, it was that I felt Vivian's voice could sound like a little girl now and then.

All in all, I found my first experience with the author to be a strong success. I will be hitting her backlist and watching for future releases. And, in turn, I will pitch my own recommendation to historical romance fans who like things to get spicy.

My thanks to Tantor audio for the opportunity to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Nov 12, 2013 kris rated it it was ok

Ugh. Just--ugh.

The plot itself wasn't bad--Bow Street Runner misidentifies a woman pulled out of the Thames as a well-known courtesan and proceeds down a super asshole path to Teach Her a Lesson until he finds himself In Love©.

It was all suitably overwrought and full of hijinks and what-have-you.

EXCEPT FOR THE GROSS INNOCENCE FETISH!! AND THE SHAMING OF COURTESANS!! AND THE UNNECESSARY VILLIANIZATION OF VIVIAN!!

True story: having sex is not a sin. Having sex with more than one person is not a ...more

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Aug 22, 2020 Korrie’s Korner rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

4.5 stars!

“She was sore in places she had never been sore before.”

Feels good to be back in the world of Lisa Kleypas. I loved Grant & Victoria’s story so much! A woman’s body pulled from icy cold waters, presumably dead starts coughing and awakens not remembering who she is or what happened. This story had several tropes in it. Big strong dashing Bow Street Runner starting to fall for this woman with Amnesia. A case of mistaken identity. Body guard falling for the one he is protecting. I won’t s ...more

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Apr 03, 2018 Sara Reads (mostly) Romance rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: Kleypas fans, and sweet romance fans

Shelves: historical-romance

Update! 4.5 unexpectedly pleasant, why have I not read this before stars

To say I was pleasantly surprised would be an understatement! This book was wonderful and sweet! Can't believe it took me this long to read lol. The blurb is misleading. Full review to come

to read or not to read
that is the question.

I'm not a fan of romances that start off with deception, and it's in the blurb. Still, it's Kleypas, and I liked the third one in the series. so maybe I'll give it a shot ...more

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Feb 22, 2022 zsyree rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-romance, 2022-goodreads-reading-challenge, 2022-mad-about-series-challenge, desert-isle-keeper, bow-street-runners-series

Rating: 5 Stars

Among Lisa Kleypas books, the Bow Street Runners series has been on my TBR pile for years but have never gotten around to picking it up. I’m a big fan of Kleypas. I loved her Wallflowers series which I read years ago and enjoy her Hathaway series. Someone To Watch Over Me is the first book in the Bow Street Runners series and features Grant Morgan, a runner and Vivien Rose Duvall, a courtesan. I understand not many LK fans pick this book as their favorite but I was pleasantly su ...more

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Mar 28, 2010 Leah rated it liked it

Shelves: m-f, adult-lit, 3-stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. When Bow Street Runner Grant Morgan is called to the docks of the Thames River to check out a dead body, he discovers Vivien Duvall, the most infamous courtesan in London, affording him the perfect opportunity for a slight against him a few months before. When Vivien wakes up, though, she suffers from amnesia and is not at all the woman Grant remembers. She's...nice? Against all odds, Grant starts to care for Vivien and devotes himself to finding the man who tried to murder her. They end up fall When Bow Street Runner Grant Morgan is called to the docks of the Thames River to check out a dead body, he discovers Vivien Duvall, the most infamous courtesan in London, affording him the perfect opportunity for a slight against him a few months before. When Vivien wakes up, though, she suffers from amnesia and is not at all the woman Grant remembers. She's...nice? Against all odds, Grant starts to care for Vivien and devotes himself to finding the man who tried to murder her. They end up falling for each other but are still hesitant about being together. Well, Vivien is.

When new developments come to light, Grant discovers that Vivien is actually Victoria Devane, twin sister of the real Vivien Duvall. He also finds out that the man who tried to kill Victoria is a Bow Street Runner, Keyes. The very Runner that was stationed at Grant's house that night to watch over Victoria. That night, her memory comes back and she remembers this fact, making her run to Sir Ross at number 4 Bow Street, the only man besides Grant that she knows she can trust. When Keyes catches up to her, he pulls her off and attempts to rape her before killing her. But, he is stopped when Grant comes in and saves the day.

The next day, Victoria and Grant freely admit their feelings for each other and Grant proposes. She tells him she needs time to think and they agree that she'll go back to her home for a week to think about it before he comes for her. When there, Victoria talks to Vivien and she is forced to acknowledge that she is afraid to let Grant into her heart, afraid that he'll eventually regret being with her. However, when he comes to her two and a half days later, she agrees. A few months later, Victoria tells Grant that she is pregnant, Vivien's illegitimate child shows up on their doorstep, and they live happily ever after.

Once again, Lisa Kleypas has written a wonderful book. While I did not like this one quite as much as other of LK's books, this was still good. Someone to Watch Over Me was an interesting book for me to read. Interesting in the way that I thought it was great but there were a few things I would change. There were two things that bothered me the most but I'll get to those later.

The characters were interesting; I liked Grant for the most part and I adored Victoria. I'm really interested to read the next book because I am quite intrigued by Sir Ross Cannon. The servants of Grant's house were sweet and adorable. Vivien, while unscrupulous, was an interesting character.

Now, before I get into the two things that bother me, I just want to say that I thought it was painfully obvious that Keyes was the attempted murderer. Was that obvious to me only? I think that Grant should have been suspicious since the first moment he got the case when Keyes knew that the body in the Thames was a woman before Grant said anything about it. But, anyway, that's not anything that bothered me too much.

First thing that bothered me: The fact that Grant was so obtuse. He couldn't accept the fact that he was dealing with a complete innocent without having witnessed the proof of her virginity firsthand? If he couldn't figure it out without that proof, how in the hell does he solve any of his cases?!

Second thing that bothered me: I think that the ending was dragged on for too long. In my personal opinion, LK should have ended the book much sooner. She should have ended it with Grant saving Victoria, Sir Ross making him assistant magistrate, and Victoria accepting his marriage proposal. Now, I understand the need for Victoria talking to Vivien but, like I said, I think that the ending was prolonged for too long. And this reason is what made me bring the rating down from a four to a three.

Overall, the book was a good one and I look forward to continuing the Bow Street Runners series. ...more

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Aug 16, 2017 Insh rated it liked it

Shelves: ebook, historicalromance

"I think the truth is something
you recognize with your heart,
even when the evidence seems to prove otherwise."

...more

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Aug 25, 2012 Lucina rated it really liked it

Shelves: genre-historical-romance, location-england

4.5 stars

I haven't read a Lisa Kleypas novel in a long, long time (the last book I read was "Love in the Afternoon" and I think I read it in 2009/2010) and I'm definitely not regretting buying and reading "Someone To Watch Over Me", although I initially wanted to read her newest historical "A Cold-hearted Rake". Unfortunately the more or less disappointed reviews of "A Cold-hearted Rake" made me starting an older series of her instead and I think I made the right decision. I will probably read " 4.5 stars

I haven't read a Lisa Kleypas novel in a long, long time (the last book I read was "Love in the Afternoon" and I think I read it in 2009/2010) and I'm definitely not regretting buying and reading "Someone To Watch Over Me", although I initially wanted to read her newest historical "A Cold-hearted Rake". Unfortunately the more or less disappointed reviews of "A Cold-hearted Rake" made me starting an older series of her instead and I think I made the right decision. I will probably read "A Cold-hearted Rake" someday, but this day has yet to come. ;)

"Someone To Watch Over Me" was a good book, I enjoyed reading this novel and liked the characters, but even so I wouldn't consider "Someone To Watch Over" me one of my favourite historicals. The novel has it's flaws.

The crime plot for example. This novel is the perfect example why I don't like crime plots in most historicals, most of the time they are boring and uninspired. Our hero finds the heroine after she nearly drowned in the Themes and was nearly choked and hit to death. Afterwards he tries to find the culprit but for most of the remaining story nothing really happens regarding the case. I expected a story full of suspense but in the end I good the typical historical romance crime story ending. Although the ending wasn't that bad I was a little disappointed, especially after I read "A Talent for Trickery" by Alissa Johnson, which has a great crime story for a historical romance novel.

Another flaw were the characters. I really liked both of them, especially memoryless Vivien was very sweet! I had some problems understanding Grants character, because he was easy with his declaration of love (which definitely surprised me when he admitted it the first time, because I didn't see it coming. I wasn't even expecting him having realized that he is in love with her at this time), but at the same time he was SO convinced in the beginning that marriage and fidelity is not his thing. And I just couldn't fit both Grants in my mind. The one who is so strongly against marriage and the one who is so open with his feelings. And then there is the ruthless Grant to. His revenge plot wasn't his best idea, but I could understand it and I truly believe that "the past Vivien" wouldn't have suffered a lot after his deception came to light. But I was surprised to see him driven by his emotions so much that he would break the law and everything the Bow Street Runner stand for (view spoiler)
But the flaw is that Grant and Vivien were too one-dimensional for me. In Viviens case it's understandable, because she has lost her memory for most of the story, but Grant wasn't showing more complexity either. They had their backgrounds, both were good enough, but neither played an important role for the story nor their characters. Their pasts explained some of the decisions they made, e.g why Grant became a Bow Street Runner or some of their character traits, which were only important in minor parts of the novel.
Nevertheless I was relieved to notice that Viven wasn't the typical courtesan, because I'm not a fan of courtesan heroines. I don't expect or need them to be virgins, but an infamous mistress as Viven was described is another matter altogether. (view spoiler) In contrast to "courtesan heroines" I really like the amnesia trope. And I think it made the story so enjoyable in my eyes. It was interesting to the the past Vivien and the current Vivien collide, especially because of Grants dislike for one and his affection for the other. ;-)

Overall this was a nice and enjoyable story, but not as good as it could have been. I will definitely read the next two books in this series and probably the short story about the doctor in "Where's My Hero". I read the latter a LONG (9-10 years?) time ago, because of Kinley MacGregors story and cannot remember a thing about the other two stories (okay, I admit it, I don't remember anything from Kinley MacGregors story too!) ...more

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Nov 25, 2017 Anita rated it really liked it

Shelves: kindle-la-city, audio, historical-romantic-suspense

Historical-Romance with mystery and suspense. I'll have to move this one to the top of Mt. TBR. I really like using the audio version for Historical Romance books. For this one, the narrator was excellent and added much to the listening experience. "Someone to Watch Over Me" starts with an attempted murder and takes its' time resolving that and we get a hot, sweet romance along the way.

Grant Morgan is a noted Bow Street Runner who moves through the various strata of London society with ease and ...more

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About Lisa Kleypas

Lisa Kleypas

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LISA KLEYPAS is the RITA award-winning author of 21 novels. Her books are published in fourteen languages and are bestsellers all over the world. She lives in Washington State with her husband and two children.

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“His lips pressed against her forehead and she felt him smile against her skin. "Believe me...the only place in the world I want to be is wherever you are."

-Grant Morgan” — 75 likes

“It's fairly easy to break hearts, Miss Duvall. The more interesting challenge is how to keep someone's love, not to lose it.” — 45 likes

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Someone to Watch Over Me

(Bow Street Runners #1)

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