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The Passionate Prude
A scandalous entanglement traps a woman of virtue in an unforgettable Regency romance from the bestselling author praised as “a major find” (Mary Balogh). When word reaches Deirdre Fenton that her brother is pursuing the notorious actress Mrs. Dewinters, she immediately sets about extricating her incorrigible sibling from his latest folly. But her brother has gone too far this time for his—or Deirdre’s—own good. For Mrs. Dewinters is under the powerful protection of a war hero, the Earl of Rathbourne . . . the very man Deirdre had summarily rejected years before. And the Earl is not a man to forgive an insult—or forget a lady as passionate as Deirdre Fenton . . . If Rathbourne has learned one thing during his years fighting on the Peninsula, it is to get what he wants by means fair or foul. Now he has Deirdre right where he wants at his mercy. “A major, major talent, Ms. Thornton takes her rightful place as a genre superstar.” —RT Book Reviews
490 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 1988
31 people are currently reading
165 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Thornton
61 books156 followersMary Forrest George, née Baxter was born and educated in Aberdeen, Scotland, where she taught school for a number of years before establishing her own nursery school, St. Swithin Street Nursery School, an institution that is still going strong today.
She and her husband then emigrated to Canada with their three young sons. She taught kindergarten and Grade One for a number of years in Winnipeg, Manitoba, before becoming lay minister at a Presbyterian Church in Winnipeg.
As part of her continuing education, she enrolled in evening classes at the University of Winnipeg to study Classical Greek. Five years later, having completed an Honor's thesis on Women in Euripides, she received her B.A. (Classics Gold Medalist).
After reading her first romance, a Regency by Georgette Heyer, she was captivated by the genre. Hereafter, writing became her hobby. In 1987, her first book, a small Regency entitled, Bluestocking Bride, was published by Zebra books.
She is the author of twenty-four historical romances, and two novellas. She has been nominated for and received many awards including the Romantic Times Trophy Award for the best New Historical Regency Author and Best Historical Regency. Seven of her novels have been finalists in the Romance Writers of America Rita awards, Scarlet Angel, Strangers at Dawn, Princess Charming and The Perfect Princess, Shady Lady, The Marriage Trap, and The Bachelor Trap. Her books appear regularly on national best-selling lists and have been translated into many languages.
Elizabeth's hobbies include reading (particularly mystery and suspense novels, biography, and history), and traveling to do research for her novels. She is also an avid Harry Potter enthusiast.
She and her husband then emigrated to Canada with their three young sons. She taught kindergarten and Grade One for a number of years in Winnipeg, Manitoba, before becoming lay minister at a Presbyterian Church in Winnipeg.
As part of her continuing education, she enrolled in evening classes at the University of Winnipeg to study Classical Greek. Five years later, having completed an Honor's thesis on Women in Euripides, she received her B.A. (Classics Gold Medalist).
After reading her first romance, a Regency by Georgette Heyer, she was captivated by the genre. Hereafter, writing became her hobby. In 1987, her first book, a small Regency entitled, Bluestocking Bride, was published by Zebra books.
She is the author of twenty-four historical romances, and two novellas. She has been nominated for and received many awards including the Romantic Times Trophy Award for the best New Historical Regency Author and Best Historical Regency. Seven of her novels have been finalists in the Romance Writers of America Rita awards, Scarlet Angel, Strangers at Dawn, Princess Charming and The Perfect Princess, Shady Lady, The Marriage Trap, and The Bachelor Trap. Her books appear regularly on national best-selling lists and have been translated into many languages.
Elizabeth's hobbies include reading (particularly mystery and suspense novels, biography, and history), and traveling to do research for her novels. She is also an avid Harry Potter enthusiast.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 3, 2025
Oh, my friends, I have so much I want to say about this soul sucking book, I have decided to bring the popcorn. If you have the time and patience, please, sit down, get comfy and hopefully you'll enjoy a few minutes of my rambling thoughts.
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🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
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🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
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March 11, 2025
Read: 3/11/25
Setting: England, France, Brussels
3 stars
Elizabeth Thornton. How does she do it ? Even when I dislike the plot or characters I'm still glued to the page! And I especially didn't like this h.
Plot:
Gareth is a man that goes after what he wants and what he wants is Deirdre. 5 years ago, he let Deirdre push him away. Now that he's returned, she will be his wife, even if he has to blackmail her into it.
Liked:
1. Gareth was dangerous, mysterious, handsome and domineering.He's so confident in his love for Deirdre and won't play fair this time. He's just the alpha you want in a hr! Unfortunately, his love is wasted on Deirdre.
2. Well written and great pacing
3. I didn't like the h when she was around the H. I did like her more when she was away from him. She's strong, resourceful, and has a cynical wit. ( A few positives)
4. I like the cat and mouse game the couple played. Both are clever and enjoy a good fight.
5. The couples chemistry was great
Problems:
1. The h is the biggest problem!
* She treats him like crap through the whole book. I get why she's scared to trust a man, but that doesn't excuse her being a b***h every time she saw Gareth.
* Her love for her brother was OBSESSIVE!. I would understand her feelings if she had raised him but he's only 4 years younger than her. She acted like his mother.Her obsession to rescue her brother, even when he doesn't want or need her help, was the biggest problems for the couple.
* She's a prude but passionate in his arms The title doesn't lie. Unfortunately, she stays that way through the whole book.
* Hypocritical. She lectures and condemns the H and other men for their gambling and womanizing but ignores her brother's same behavior.
2. No peaceful interlude between fighting. Their tender moments never lasted more than a few pages.
3. The villain was too easy to spot and really wasn't even needed. ET, you don't need a mysterious villain in all your stories!
Conclusion : I have mixed feelings. It's rare to have a h I can't stand but still root for at the same time. Impressive, is it not? If there had been more tender, romantic moments between the couple, I would have given the book 5 stars
Setting: England, France, Brussels
3 stars
Elizabeth Thornton. How does she do it ? Even when I dislike the plot or characters I'm still glued to the page! And I especially didn't like this h.
Plot:
Gareth is a man that goes after what he wants and what he wants is Deirdre. 5 years ago, he let Deirdre push him away. Now that he's returned, she will be his wife, even if he has to blackmail her into it.
Liked:
1. Gareth was dangerous, mysterious, handsome and domineering.He's so confident in his love for Deirdre and won't play fair this time. He's just the alpha you want in a hr! Unfortunately, his love is wasted on Deirdre.
2. Well written and great pacing
3. I didn't like the h when she was around the H. I did like her more when she was away from him. She's strong, resourceful, and has a cynical wit. ( A few positives)
4. I like the cat and mouse game the couple played. Both are clever and enjoy a good fight.
5. The couples chemistry was great
Problems:
1. The h is the biggest problem!
* She treats him like crap through the whole book. I get why she's scared to trust a man, but that doesn't excuse her being a b***h every time she saw Gareth.
* Her love for her brother was OBSESSIVE!. I would understand her feelings if she had raised him but he's only 4 years younger than her. She acted like his mother.Her obsession to rescue her brother, even when he doesn't want or need her help, was the biggest problems for the couple.
* She's a prude but passionate in his arms The title doesn't lie. Unfortunately, she stays that way through the whole book.
* Hypocritical. She lectures and condemns the H and other men for their gambling and womanizing but ignores her brother's same behavior.
2. No peaceful interlude between fighting. Their tender moments never lasted more than a few pages.
3. The villain was too easy to spot and really wasn't even needed. ET, you don't need a mysterious villain in all your stories!
Conclusion : I have mixed feelings. It's rare to have a h I can't stand but still root for at the same time. Impressive, is it not? If there had been more tender, romantic moments between the couple, I would have given the book 5 stars
October 14, 2025
2.5⭐️ If you look up the meaning of “toxic couple” in the dictionary, you’ll definitely find these two staring back at you, probably mid-argument. They were sooooo wrong for each other, like, cosmically wrong, but wooow, were they entertaining. The jealousy, the passion, the drama, the manipulation…oh boy!
A reviewer described them as the villains of other books, and honestly, that’s the most accurate thing I’ve ever read. He’s a domineering, manipulative jerk who’d bulldoze anyone to get his way, and she’s the bitter older sister who judges men on sight and thinks “trust issues” are a personality trait.
Now, people who know me know I don’t waste time on books I don’t enjoy. If I’m not feeling it, I DNF without a shred of guilt. Life’s too short for annoying main characters. So imagine my shock when I couldn’t put this one down, despite ABSOLUTELY HATING both of them. I don’t even know what spell this book cast on me. Maybe it was the complex plot, maybe it was the writing…whatever it was, I was hooked. Hooked, I tell you!!
That being said, I still couldn’t rate it higher than 2 stars. I can handle a bit of dubcon, a stolen kiss here and there, but the MMC’s behavior? No thank you. There were moments where the FMC was genuinely scared of him and not in a “oh no, my feelings” kind of way. If she’d had the chance, she’d have run away.
Sure, she was attracted to him, but her first instinct was always to stay as far away as possible. Only after five years apart (yes, five), after manipulating and coercing her into a relationship with him, did she start to see him differently. And even then, I’m still not convinced she’d have chosen him if she hadn’t been emotionally cornered into it.
To be fair, the FMC wasn’t exactly a turkish delight either. She was bitter, judgmental, and stubborn as a brick wall, the type who argues first and listens never. But alsoooo, she was a product of her past, because her stepfather cheated on her mother and ran off with his mistress, leaving her with a trust issues. So yeah, when it came to men (especially known womanizers like our MMC), she was about as warm as a freezer.
Would I read this again? Absolutely not. Once was plenty. But I will read more from this author, because even though I wanted to throttle both main characters, her writing completely drew me in.
Here is an excerpt I loved sooo much.
“Let me pass, Rathbourne, please?”
“And it means nothing to you if I go to her now and finish what I began? You don’t mind if I hold another woman in my arms and touch her intimately and join my body to hers?”
“Stop it! I won’t listen to more of this!” His face was only inches from her now. “You stink of her scent! Carnations!” she spat at him, and turned her head away.
“Then drench me in yours. It’s what I want.”
“I have an antipathy to perfume. I never wear it!”
“That’s not what I meant.”
The silence stretched taut. His eyes locked with hers and held them. The soft quickening sounds of their mingled breathing beat a disturbing tempo on Deirdre’s senses.
“Do you want me to go to her?” he asked in a whisper, and his breath warm and sensual, fanned Deirdre’s lips.
“A threat, Rathbourne?” she queried.
He groaned. “No! An ultimatum, damn you! I won’t go on with this unnatural celibacy whilst you flirt and do God knows what with every buck who comes sniffing around your skirts. How do you think I felt tonight when you flaunted yourself like a lightskirt with every lecherous roué whose jaded palate revived at the thought of savoring you in his bed?” His hands came up and he braced them on either side of her head. The heat of his body seemed to penetrate every pore of Deirdre’s skin. “You knew how much I wanted you,” he went on raggedly. “You knew! Yet you deliberately tormented me. You belong to me, Deirdre. I’ll kill any man who says otherwise. Now touch me, damn you, touch me.”
He strained against his arms, keeping the press of his weight only inches from her body, making rational thought an impossibility for Deirdre.
“Deirdre!” he groaned. “I need you. I love you.”
Instinctively, she put out her hand and covered his lips with her fingers. “Don’t, oh don’t,” she whispered.
A reviewer described them as the villains of other books, and honestly, that’s the most accurate thing I’ve ever read. He’s a domineering, manipulative jerk who’d bulldoze anyone to get his way, and she’s the bitter older sister who judges men on sight and thinks “trust issues” are a personality trait.
Now, people who know me know I don’t waste time on books I don’t enjoy. If I’m not feeling it, I DNF without a shred of guilt. Life’s too short for annoying main characters. So imagine my shock when I couldn’t put this one down, despite ABSOLUTELY HATING both of them. I don’t even know what spell this book cast on me. Maybe it was the complex plot, maybe it was the writing…whatever it was, I was hooked. Hooked, I tell you!!
That being said, I still couldn’t rate it higher than 2 stars. I can handle a bit of dubcon, a stolen kiss here and there, but the MMC’s behavior? No thank you. There were moments where the FMC was genuinely scared of him and not in a “oh no, my feelings” kind of way. If she’d had the chance, she’d have run away.
Sure, she was attracted to him, but her first instinct was always to stay as far away as possible. Only after five years apart (yes, five), after manipulating and coercing her into a relationship with him, did she start to see him differently. And even then, I’m still not convinced she’d have chosen him if she hadn’t been emotionally cornered into it.
To be fair, the FMC wasn’t exactly a turkish delight either. She was bitter, judgmental, and stubborn as a brick wall, the type who argues first and listens never. But alsoooo, she was a product of her past, because her stepfather cheated on her mother and ran off with his mistress, leaving her with a trust issues. So yeah, when it came to men (especially known womanizers like our MMC), she was about as warm as a freezer.
Would I read this again? Absolutely not. Once was plenty. But I will read more from this author, because even though I wanted to throttle both main characters, her writing completely drew me in.
Here is an excerpt I loved sooo much.
“Let me pass, Rathbourne, please?”
“And it means nothing to you if I go to her now and finish what I began? You don’t mind if I hold another woman in my arms and touch her intimately and join my body to hers?”
“Stop it! I won’t listen to more of this!” His face was only inches from her now. “You stink of her scent! Carnations!” she spat at him, and turned her head away.
“Then drench me in yours. It’s what I want.”
“I have an antipathy to perfume. I never wear it!”
“That’s not what I meant.”
The silence stretched taut. His eyes locked with hers and held them. The soft quickening sounds of their mingled breathing beat a disturbing tempo on Deirdre’s senses.
“Do you want me to go to her?” he asked in a whisper, and his breath warm and sensual, fanned Deirdre’s lips.
“A threat, Rathbourne?” she queried.
He groaned. “No! An ultimatum, damn you! I won’t go on with this unnatural celibacy whilst you flirt and do God knows what with every buck who comes sniffing around your skirts. How do you think I felt tonight when you flaunted yourself like a lightskirt with every lecherous roué whose jaded palate revived at the thought of savoring you in his bed?” His hands came up and he braced them on either side of her head. The heat of his body seemed to penetrate every pore of Deirdre’s skin. “You knew how much I wanted you,” he went on raggedly. “You knew! Yet you deliberately tormented me. You belong to me, Deirdre. I’ll kill any man who says otherwise. Now touch me, damn you, touch me.”
He strained against his arms, keeping the press of his weight only inches from her body, making rational thought an impossibility for Deirdre.
“Deirdre!” he groaned. “I need you. I love you.”
Instinctively, she put out her hand and covered his lips with her fingers. “Don’t, oh don’t,” she whispered.
October 15, 2019
The title and digital cover do this story by Elizabeth Thornton such a disservice because you wouldn't think twice about it, but it is great. One and the same story to To Love An Earl, there are strong highlights to the story: a domineering hero that more than meets his match in the heroine, banter, tension, frisky scenes between the leads, strong supporting cast of secondary characters, a refined writing style, and historical research galore. Thank you to the writers like Thornton that take a few sentences to explain terms we take for granted in the regency universe (I know now what Corinthian means and that long sleeves aren't everything ;)
Deirdre and Gareth first meet five years ago to the start of the story. Despite feeling a mutual attraction, Deidre’s hackles are up against the seasoned rake, and she emphatically rejects him before he leaves to fight in the Napoleonic Wars. Although Gareth is heartbroken, when he learns she remains unmarried, he takes it as a sign that she loves him (lol) and he decides to pursue her hand in marriage once again. They are thrown back together after Deirdre has to get her brother, Armand, out of a spot of trouble when she hears he may fight a duel over Mrs. Dewinters … with none other than Gareth.
I friggin love Deirdre. Deirdre holds her own with Gareth, even when he’s backing her into a corner. She never accepts defeat but always fights. My favourite Deirdre moments: . I have so many favourite Deirdre moments because she is a badass! She has that mama bear energy - proud and protective of her loved ones.
Deirdre is smart and sharp but she is not perfect. She has an Achilles Heel. It’s not her blind love for Armand, but her unresolved issues with extramarital affairs and cheating men. Deirdre must come to peace with her stepfather’s abandonment of her mother and family for his mistress, and what I enjoy about Thornton's writing is that she does a great job of showing the complexity of her characters. Despite her hatred of her stepfather and her vow never to become her mom, she wears an emerald ring that we find out is a gift from her stepfather. She desires to wear bold scarlet colours, even though she knows it doesn't suit her complexion, and it makes her look a lady of the night. She eventually changes her narrow-minded perspective when she becomes friends with Lord and Lady Uxbridge.
Gareth, coincidentally, is a triggering hero for Deirdre, and he will proceed to trigger her throughout the story, mainly through Mrs. Dewinters, a rumoured paramour of his. Gareth is one of those heroes that, despite all actions and appearances to the contrary, expects the heroine to trust him implicitly and holds it against her when she doesn’t. Personally, I don’t love the Duke of Claymore or Rochester archetype. You know, the type that gets up on their high horse to court/test the heroine, even though they are pretending to be somebody else. Thank gosh Deirdre is a match for him.
Now Armand on the other hand! He really did it for me as the star eye candy. Armand is introduced as a bit of rapscallion, a younger man that needs to grow up. It’d be easy to make him a one-dimensional character - childish, laddish, petty or flippant - but from the minute he steps onto the page, he’s a super well-rounded character. Deirdre is overprotective of him but he is not emasculated by her love. He is not resentful or opportunistic of her love for him. It’s true, he gets himself into scrapes but he never runs away from the problem. He plays well off Deirdre and is respectful of Deirdre’s agency. Far from being an overbearing brother, he takes her to gambling dens, for a fun night out on the town with his friends in Brussels, and lets her have her fun at a party, all on her behest. They are great siblings together. He definitely wins the Best Brother Award in all the HRs I’ve read! Because their relationship is so strong and authentic, it makes Gareth’s jealousy of their bond that much more poignant.
For Gareth, he needs to get over his irrational jealousy of Armand. Because in his own way, Gareth is insecure about the unconditional love Deirdre shows Armand. It makes him question his standing in her life. It’s actually comical that this is the hill he will die on. Despite Deirdre asserting she does not want to be with him, he knows she does deep down… and even if she doesn’t, he’ll make her! But by god. That she will defend and protect Armand against him?? DEALBREAKER. Gareth simply doesn’t understand why Deirdre loves her brother so much, but he also doesn’t agree with how she chooses to express that love. You get a sense that Gareth sees in Armand his younger brother, Andrew, that died due to his foolhardy ways. I really enjoyed the complexities to Deirdre and Gareth’s relationship.
From society parties to wartorn battlefields, The Passionate Prude is dark and brutal at times, but overall, it's full of frisky fun provided by the adventurous characters and plot.
Deirdre and Gareth first meet five years ago to the start of the story. Despite feeling a mutual attraction, Deidre’s hackles are up against the seasoned rake, and she emphatically rejects him before he leaves to fight in the Napoleonic Wars. Although Gareth is heartbroken, when he learns she remains unmarried, he takes it as a sign that she loves him (lol) and he decides to pursue her hand in marriage once again. They are thrown back together after Deirdre has to get her brother, Armand, out of a spot of trouble when she hears he may fight a duel over Mrs. Dewinters … with none other than Gareth.
I friggin love Deirdre. Deirdre holds her own with Gareth, even when he’s backing her into a corner. She never accepts defeat but always fights. My favourite Deirdre moments: . I have so many favourite Deirdre moments because she is a badass! She has that mama bear energy - proud and protective of her loved ones.
Deirdre is smart and sharp but she is not perfect. She has an Achilles Heel. It’s not her blind love for Armand, but her unresolved issues with extramarital affairs and cheating men. Deirdre must come to peace with her stepfather’s abandonment of her mother and family for his mistress, and what I enjoy about Thornton's writing is that she does a great job of showing the complexity of her characters. Despite her hatred of her stepfather and her vow never to become her mom, she wears an emerald ring that we find out is a gift from her stepfather. She desires to wear bold scarlet colours, even though she knows it doesn't suit her complexion, and it makes her look a lady of the night. She eventually changes her narrow-minded perspective when she becomes friends with Lord and Lady Uxbridge.
Gareth, coincidentally, is a triggering hero for Deirdre, and he will proceed to trigger her throughout the story, mainly through Mrs. Dewinters, a rumoured paramour of his. Gareth is one of those heroes that, despite all actions and appearances to the contrary, expects the heroine to trust him implicitly and holds it against her when she doesn’t. Personally, I don’t love the Duke of Claymore or Rochester archetype. You know, the type that gets up on their high horse to court/test the heroine, even though they are pretending to be somebody else. Thank gosh Deirdre is a match for him.
Now Armand on the other hand! He really did it for me as the star eye candy. Armand is introduced as a bit of rapscallion, a younger man that needs to grow up. It’d be easy to make him a one-dimensional character - childish, laddish, petty or flippant - but from the minute he steps onto the page, he’s a super well-rounded character. Deirdre is overprotective of him but he is not emasculated by her love. He is not resentful or opportunistic of her love for him. It’s true, he gets himself into scrapes but he never runs away from the problem. He plays well off Deirdre and is respectful of Deirdre’s agency. Far from being an overbearing brother, he takes her to gambling dens, for a fun night out on the town with his friends in Brussels, and lets her have her fun at a party, all on her behest. They are great siblings together. He definitely wins the Best Brother Award in all the HRs I’ve read! Because their relationship is so strong and authentic, it makes Gareth’s jealousy of their bond that much more poignant.
For Gareth, he needs to get over his irrational jealousy of Armand. Because in his own way, Gareth is insecure about the unconditional love Deirdre shows Armand. It makes him question his standing in her life. It’s actually comical that this is the hill he will die on. Despite Deirdre asserting she does not want to be with him, he knows she does deep down… and even if she doesn’t, he’ll make her! But by god. That she will defend and protect Armand against him?? DEALBREAKER. Gareth simply doesn’t understand why Deirdre loves her brother so much, but he also doesn’t agree with how she chooses to express that love. You get a sense that Gareth sees in Armand his younger brother, Andrew, that died due to his foolhardy ways. I really enjoyed the complexities to Deirdre and Gareth’s relationship.
From society parties to wartorn battlefields, The Passionate Prude is dark and brutal at times, but overall, it's full of frisky fun provided by the adventurous characters and plot.
September 1, 2019
Definitely dated: dubious consent, coercion, etc. Very eventful though. And if you want you're pairing in constant quarrel with each other, you'll enjoy it.
January 5, 2020
Hero is obsessed with heroine since he saw her years ago. h is very aloof and wouldn't give H the time of her day which made him want her even more, to the point of insanity (where he almost rraped her). She got away but not before leaving a scar on his face. He went to war, bronken hearted but still could not get over h. He came back to try and get with h again. This time he decided that by whatever means he can, he will win h's heart. When nothing works he used blackmail to get h to marry him. He is EXTREMELY POSSESSIVE of h. He was even jealous of her brother!
I loved this book especially because I could genuinely see that the H really truly loved h. Genuinely cared for her and was utterly possessive of her.
We do get a Happily ever after! 😍
I loved this book especially because I could genuinely see that the H really truly loved h. Genuinely cared for her and was utterly possessive of her.
We do get a Happily ever after! 😍
February 20, 2009
TO LOVE AN EARL (RE-RELEASED)
May 1, 2025
This was so much fun!!! This had everything I love about older historical romances:
Lots and lots of plot
Multiple settings
Nonsense
Drama until the very last page
Two MCs that are probably the worst for each other but somehow the author convinces you that they're meant to be
Dangerous villain and
CREATIVITY!!
Dierdre is a buttoned up society gal and is seen as "cold-hearted". The hero is an absolute rake and has always had eyes for the heroine who hurt him before he went off to war. 5 years after his return they run into each other and old feelings come to the surface. These two constantly antagonize each other but there was so much angst and passion between the two. This was by first Elizabeth Thornton but definitely won't be the last because it made my four hour flight feel like a 30 minute ride.
Lots and lots of plot
Multiple settings
Nonsense
Drama until the very last page
Two MCs that are probably the worst for each other but somehow the author convinces you that they're meant to be
Dangerous villain and
CREATIVITY!!
Dierdre is a buttoned up society gal and is seen as "cold-hearted". The hero is an absolute rake and has always had eyes for the heroine who hurt him before he went off to war. 5 years after his return they run into each other and old feelings come to the surface. These two constantly antagonize each other but there was so much angst and passion between the two. This was by first Elizabeth Thornton but definitely won't be the last because it made my four hour flight feel like a 30 minute ride.
August 26, 2025
This was a bit too old school for me -- I can stomach dubcon on occasion (see: "The Rarest Blooms" series) but this was over the line. The MMC repeatedly sexually assaults the FMC, insisting that she really wants it. At one point, he also spanks her with his shoe (or hers? Can't remember), and several times he vows to beat her if she disobeys him (though he usually adds that he doesn't mean it. Oh, huh, thanks for the clarification.)
Five years earlier (before the start of the story), Gareth and Deirdre meet during Deirdre's first season and have an immediate attraction to each other. She, however, knows his reputation as a ladies' man and decides not only to avoid him but to act icily toward him (while being friendly with other gentlemen.) After a couple of months, Gareth, who has become obsessed with her from a distance, gets her alone and tries to seduce her, with only mild success -- she is horrified that her body betrays her and reacts to his kisses. She gets away from him.
Then a few weeks later it's time for him and all the other young men to head off to Spain to fight the French. The night before he leaves for war, Gareth gets drunk and gets Deirdre alone again. He forces himself on her (though he doesn't get farther than uncovering her breasts) and tells her he wants her to come to Spain with him. (His intention is marriage but he doesn't make that clear to her.) Deirdre, after a brief moment of surrender to him, comes to her senses and punches him while wearing an emerald ring, giving him a permanent scar on his face. She gets away from him again, but also tells him she hopes he dies in battle.
Nice, huh? What a beautiful start to a love story.
Five years go by since the scar-inducing punch. War hero Gareth is an earl, back in London, and is surprised to find Deirdre still unmarried. He decides to trap her for sure. To be honest, he also just tells her to her face, "Look, we're hot for each other, stop denying it, just marry me and be the most envied woman in the country." But she is absolutely determined to reject him, plus she thinks he's keeping an actress as his mistress, and she is frightened that Gareth will come after her younger brother Armand who is also hovering around the same actress. (Spoiler: Gareth is not interested in the actress and isn't having an affair with her. He actually tells Deirdre this early on but she either doesn't hear him or chooses not to believe him.)
So most of the book is the two of them fighting -- Deirdre has convinced herself that Gareth is terrible, PLUS she is marriage-resistant because her mother had a tragic second marriage and ended up a rejected divorcee. Deirdre is deeply distrustful of men and assumes most of them are cheaters.
I wasn't impressed with Gareth either who is profoundly heavy handed and rapey. Also, again, he SPANKED HER WITH A SHOE. AS PUNISHMENT, not in some consensual kinky way.
He ends up blackmailing her into marriage ("if you don't marry me I'll make sure something bad happens to your brother") and they still have a couple of very stupid fights. It was EXHAUSTING. Oh, of course, by the end, all is fine. The little mystery of the person who's trying to kill Gareth is solved, and her brother Armand gets redeemed, and they're all lovey dovey at the end.
Note: The second half of the book includes a lot about the war in Belgium and pages about the Battle of Waterloo. I skimmed all of that.
So, anyway, I finished it, for some reason. I wasn't a fan of either MC. At least three times (maybe more) they tell each other that they never want to see each other again, that the other one is a terrible person and they were fools to ever think otherwise. At least three times! And then within two or three pages they're back together. They were both so enraging I guess it's a good thing that that they found each other.
Five years earlier (before the start of the story), Gareth and Deirdre meet during Deirdre's first season and have an immediate attraction to each other. She, however, knows his reputation as a ladies' man and decides not only to avoid him but to act icily toward him (while being friendly with other gentlemen.) After a couple of months, Gareth, who has become obsessed with her from a distance, gets her alone and tries to seduce her, with only mild success -- she is horrified that her body betrays her and reacts to his kisses. She gets away from him.
Then a few weeks later it's time for him and all the other young men to head off to Spain to fight the French. The night before he leaves for war, Gareth gets drunk and gets Deirdre alone again. He forces himself on her (though he doesn't get farther than uncovering her breasts) and tells her he wants her to come to Spain with him. (His intention is marriage but he doesn't make that clear to her.) Deirdre, after a brief moment of surrender to him, comes to her senses and punches him while wearing an emerald ring, giving him a permanent scar on his face. She gets away from him again, but also tells him she hopes he dies in battle.
Nice, huh? What a beautiful start to a love story.
Five years go by since the scar-inducing punch. War hero Gareth is an earl, back in London, and is surprised to find Deirdre still unmarried. He decides to trap her for sure. To be honest, he also just tells her to her face, "Look, we're hot for each other, stop denying it, just marry me and be the most envied woman in the country." But she is absolutely determined to reject him, plus she thinks he's keeping an actress as his mistress, and she is frightened that Gareth will come after her younger brother Armand who is also hovering around the same actress. (Spoiler: Gareth is not interested in the actress and isn't having an affair with her. He actually tells Deirdre this early on but she either doesn't hear him or chooses not to believe him.)
So most of the book is the two of them fighting -- Deirdre has convinced herself that Gareth is terrible, PLUS she is marriage-resistant because her mother had a tragic second marriage and ended up a rejected divorcee. Deirdre is deeply distrustful of men and assumes most of them are cheaters.
I wasn't impressed with Gareth either who is profoundly heavy handed and rapey. Also, again, he SPANKED HER WITH A SHOE. AS PUNISHMENT, not in some consensual kinky way.
He ends up blackmailing her into marriage ("if you don't marry me I'll make sure something bad happens to your brother") and they still have a couple of very stupid fights. It was EXHAUSTING. Oh, of course, by the end, all is fine. The little mystery of the person who's trying to kill Gareth is solved, and her brother Armand gets redeemed, and they're all lovey dovey at the end.
Note: The second half of the book includes a lot about the war in Belgium and pages about the Battle of Waterloo. I skimmed all of that.
So, anyway, I finished it, for some reason. I wasn't a fan of either MC. At least three times (maybe more) they tell each other that they never want to see each other again, that the other one is a terrible person and they were fools to ever think otherwise. At least three times! And then within two or three pages they're back together. They were both so enraging I guess it's a good thing that that they found each other.
November 18, 2024
Way better than I thought. The style of this author reminded me a lot of Jennifer Blake with the in depth historical story, the macho hero who isn’t above being manipulative and forceful and the tough heroine.
It took me a while to find my footing because the author throws you into a story where the hero has already madly pursued the heroine, been harshly rebuffed and is deciding to do it again. A lot of this is told in info dumps that leave you confused and frustrated because you want to see the initial um…courtship (?) play out in front of you, dang it! Gareth’s words and actions just make for a fast paced first one hundred pages until you get your bearings.
I can’t say that Gareth and Dee were even close to being my favorite couple but the story is a great read. I didn’t mind that Gareth was dominating. It just seemed like he was forever talking about how much he loved Deidre but not SHOWING it. He kept lashing out cruelly every time he felt hurt by her. You don’t do that to someone you love. It was in the last chapter that I found a man I could admire. I liked him broken and snarky more than I liked him bad and moody.
And Dee, I don’t think she was wrong in being judgmental of adulterers. Sure, they may be likable as individuals but there is no need to defend men and women who openly cheated on their spouses. Those people clearly lack honesty and character. I might like Uxbridge on page (and then went to Wikipedia to research his family) but I feel sorry for all who were hurt in his pursuit of Charlotte.
The villain of the piece was pretty obvious from the moment they were introduced but there were still some great twists to the tale.
The story was so classical and correct that every time a sex scene came up it kind of caught me off guard. These 80s books were a strange breed but they actually seemed to be talking to a presumably intelligent readership.
It took me a while to find my footing because the author throws you into a story where the hero has already madly pursued the heroine, been harshly rebuffed and is deciding to do it again. A lot of this is told in info dumps that leave you confused and frustrated because you want to see the initial um…courtship (?) play out in front of you, dang it! Gareth’s words and actions just make for a fast paced first one hundred pages until you get your bearings.
I can’t say that Gareth and Dee were even close to being my favorite couple but the story is a great read. I didn’t mind that Gareth was dominating. It just seemed like he was forever talking about how much he loved Deidre but not SHOWING it. He kept lashing out cruelly every time he felt hurt by her. You don’t do that to someone you love. It was in the last chapter that I found a man I could admire. I liked him broken and snarky more than I liked him bad and moody.
And Dee, I don’t think she was wrong in being judgmental of adulterers. Sure, they may be likable as individuals but there is no need to defend men and women who openly cheated on their spouses. Those people clearly lack honesty and character. I might like Uxbridge on page (and then went to Wikipedia to research his family) but I feel sorry for all who were hurt in his pursuit of Charlotte.
The villain of the piece was pretty obvious from the moment they were introduced but there were still some great twists to the tale.
The story was so classical and correct that every time a sex scene came up it kind of caught me off guard. These 80s books were a strange breed but they actually seemed to be talking to a presumably intelligent readership.
September 27, 2024
Heroine has traits of a villainess you usually read in other books. Same with hero. They kind of deserve each other and shouldn't have had a book written of them. The hero is ragey, rapey, and moody. The heroine is arrogant, judgemental, and a harpish prude who doesn't know herself. I'm glad Elizabeth Thornton's later books are nothing like this...
May 2, 2021
Dragged, but rather enjoyable.
September 23, 2024
4 stars great read
June 25, 2025
will definitely not read again but it was amazing 🤣
October 1, 2025
I liked it but the heroine is so annoying. Prob won’t read again.
July 22, 2024
I had a hard time getting into this “love” story. Deirdre has held onto a childhood trauma that causes her to believe all men are unfaithful and love is a myth. She ignores Gareth’s words and focuses on rumors about his past. Both of them are prone to rudeness and a bit of a temper. That doesn’t give him the right to cheat and blackmail her into his bed.
Eventually Deidre lets down her guard. Eventually Gareth stops trying to treat his marriage like a battle ground. At the end I was optimistic and happy for the couple.
Eventually Deidre lets down her guard. Eventually Gareth stops trying to treat his marriage like a battle ground. At the end I was optimistic and happy for the couple.
November 2, 2011
To love an Ear reprint
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews