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The Academy of Love #2
A Figure of Love
These 7 Regency Era teachers are searching for work but what they get are some serious lessons in love. . . .
Gareth Lockheart is one of the richest men in England, but it will take more than money for the reclusive eccentric to gain entrée into the corridors of power; it will also take a proper country estate and an aristocratic wife with impeccable connections. Gareth is determined to find the right woman the same way he does everything in his life: using logic and mathematics.
Serena Lombard might be the widow of a duke’s son, but she’s always existed on the ton’s fringes. The unconventional French émigré has worked hard to create a secure home for her son and has struggled to establish herself as a respected sculptor and landscape gardener.
Gareth should have known doing business with a woman would be a mistake, especially an unorthodox, opinionated, and far too appealing French widow who manages to destroy his iron-clad ability to concentrate without even trying.
Serena loves the project the wealthy industrialist has hired her to do; it’s too bad the man himself is so remote and unreadable. Not to mention distracting, gorgeous, and utterly captivating.
The only thing the two opposites can agree on is that they should avoid becoming entangled with one another—no matter how difficult that proves to be. But when Serena’s dangerous past catches up with her, it is Gareth she turns to for help and he doesn’t hesitate to give it. But can a man who needs order like other men need air give himself up to the most unpredictable emotion of all: Love?
Gareth Lockheart is one of the richest men in England, but it will take more than money for the reclusive eccentric to gain entrée into the corridors of power; it will also take a proper country estate and an aristocratic wife with impeccable connections. Gareth is determined to find the right woman the same way he does everything in his life: using logic and mathematics.
Serena Lombard might be the widow of a duke’s son, but she’s always existed on the ton’s fringes. The unconventional French émigré has worked hard to create a secure home for her son and has struggled to establish herself as a respected sculptor and landscape gardener.
Gareth should have known doing business with a woman would be a mistake, especially an unorthodox, opinionated, and far too appealing French widow who manages to destroy his iron-clad ability to concentrate without even trying.
Serena loves the project the wealthy industrialist has hired her to do; it’s too bad the man himself is so remote and unreadable. Not to mention distracting, gorgeous, and utterly captivating.
The only thing the two opposites can agree on is that they should avoid becoming entangled with one another—no matter how difficult that proves to be. But when Serena’s dangerous past catches up with her, it is Gareth she turns to for help and he doesn’t hesitate to give it. But can a man who needs order like other men need air give himself up to the most unpredictable emotion of all: Love?
358 pages, ebook
Published March 3, 2020
239 people are currently reading
489 people want to read
About the author
Minerva Spencer
65 books1,754 followers**I ONLY RATE BOOKS I REALLY ENJOYED**.
Before I began writing I spent time as a dock worker, a reader for the blind, a criminal prosecutor, and I taught American History on the college level for five years. My last job was running an 8-bedroom bed and breakfast, a subject I will never write about...
I like historical fiction because I enjoy escaping into the past when I relax. And I write romance because I love a happy ending and everything that happens along the way.
I came to writing late in life and I feel like I have to write fast to catch up! I work every day at a desk looking out over the Sangre de Cristo mountains, my free range birds, and my three flock protecting hounds Earl, Spot, and Rover.
When I'm not writing I'm playing with my animals, knitting, DIYing, crocheting, sewing, or watching old movies.
I also write historical romance and erotic romance under the name S.M. LaViolette and historical mystery under the name S.M. Goodwin.
Before I began writing I spent time as a dock worker, a reader for the blind, a criminal prosecutor, and I taught American History on the college level for five years. My last job was running an 8-bedroom bed and breakfast, a subject I will never write about...
I like historical fiction because I enjoy escaping into the past when I relax. And I write romance because I love a happy ending and everything that happens along the way.
I came to writing late in life and I feel like I have to write fast to catch up! I work every day at a desk looking out over the Sangre de Cristo mountains, my free range birds, and my three flock protecting hounds Earl, Spot, and Rover.
When I'm not writing I'm playing with my animals, knitting, DIYing, crocheting, sewing, or watching old movies.
I also write historical romance and erotic romance under the name S.M. LaViolette and historical mystery under the name S.M. Goodwin.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
April 9, 2020
I'm a big fan of Minerva Spencer, and I was very excited to read A Figure of Love after I loved the first in the series. And Minerva did it again with another interesting, exciting historical romance story.
Though it doesn't explicitly say so, I loved how we got a male MC on the autistic spectrum. Autistic MCs are fairly rare in romance, though I've read a few, and it was exhilarating to find one in this story, even if he was on the very high functioning end of the spectrum. I sincerely hope that this author keeps coming up with interesting, less mainstream characters because I'm absolutely here for it.
Minerva Spencer writes characters with tortured, angsty pasts, and I liked how she balanced the true hardships they've been through without weighing down the story and making it feel overly depressing. She is an expert at that, and I really enjoyed it here.
The plot was a bit confusing and muddled at times, but I didn't want to put it down. It's fairly fast-paced, and you will want to keep reading straight through in one sitting. The great chemistry and pacing makes up for the overly complicated plot.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
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Though it doesn't explicitly say so, I loved how we got a male MC on the autistic spectrum. Autistic MCs are fairly rare in romance, though I've read a few, and it was exhilarating to find one in this story, even if he was on the very high functioning end of the spectrum. I sincerely hope that this author keeps coming up with interesting, less mainstream characters because I'm absolutely here for it.
Minerva Spencer writes characters with tortured, angsty pasts, and I liked how she balanced the true hardships they've been through without weighing down the story and making it feel overly depressing. She is an expert at that, and I really enjoyed it here.
The plot was a bit confusing and muddled at times, but I didn't want to put it down. It's fairly fast-paced, and you will want to keep reading straight through in one sitting. The great chemistry and pacing makes up for the overly complicated plot.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
goodreads|instagram|twitter|blog
March 17, 2020
Just as the previous book in the series.
A lovely romance and a lovely hero! I liked very much that he a geek and his being befuddled with a normal human interactions. He just don't understand them! It was almost funny, but also very sad. He just doesn't understand why people don't speak plainly!
Also the heroine has lived some very difficult times, but retained her humor and joy.
A lovely book!
I'm looking forward to the next one!
A lovely romance and a lovely hero! I liked very much that he a geek and his being befuddled with a normal human interactions. He just don't understand them! It was almost funny, but also very sad. He just doesn't understand why people don't speak plainly!
Also the heroine has lived some very difficult times, but retained her humor and joy.
A lovely book!
I'm looking forward to the next one!
February 14, 2023
Not bad!
November 2, 2021
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: I don’t recall much.
(These are all personal preference on a scale of 1-5 (yours ratings may vary depending what gives you feels and how you prefer you sex scenes written, etc) except the Steam Scale which follows our chart from The Ton and the Tartans facebook group.)
Should I read in order?
This one is fine to pick up as a stand alone novel. The heroine from this book is friends with the heroine from the first book, but any reference to or page time of is minimal. (Also the character development for this heroine in book 1 is quite minimal. She’s barely mentioned)
Basic plot
Gareth has made himself one of the richest men in England, pulling himself up from nothing. He is working through creating a proper country estate and is in need of a gardener to finish the beauty of his home outside. This leads him to Serena. She is working to create a name for herself as a gardener and scultpor to support herself and her son.
Give this a try if you want:
- Mid to high steam – this book has 4 on page scenes that are quite explicit
- Artist heroine, autistic and mathematics loving hero
- Children in the story (heroine has a son – he’s 9 or 10)
- Sexually experienced heroine
- Regency time period
- You are okay with content warnings (see spoilers at end)
My thoughts:
Sadly, this one was also not for me. I’m not sure what’s happening. It could totally just be me. I usually adore Minerva Spencer. I love her character depth and the sexual tension that forms and the detailed sex scenes that I found in The Outcasts. I am not finding that in this series. I’m finding hot sex, yes, but I’m not really sure how or why we get there. So I end up not caring about the sex.
This book had a bit of a slow start. I just wanted them to be on page together doing anything! And when they are together, I found myself enjoying it more. But the book is sprinkled with frequent separations. Also lots of drama. So the ending kind of spun out of control with lots of danger and drama and intrigue and the relationship wasnt developed enough at that point for me to get enjoyment out of it.
I do plan on trying another SM LaViolette, but I think I may give it a bit of a break. Also, reading books 1 and 2 right after each other, I found so many similarities with the heroines. As their problems weren’t things I love in a romance (blackmail, past coming to haunt you) it didn’t endear the book to me :(
Content Warnings:
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: I don’t recall much.
(These are all personal preference on a scale of 1-5 (yours ratings may vary depending what gives you feels and how you prefer you sex scenes written, etc) except the Steam Scale which follows our chart from The Ton and the Tartans facebook group.)
Should I read in order?
This one is fine to pick up as a stand alone novel. The heroine from this book is friends with the heroine from the first book, but any reference to or page time of is minimal. (Also the character development for this heroine in book 1 is quite minimal. She’s barely mentioned)
Basic plot
Gareth has made himself one of the richest men in England, pulling himself up from nothing. He is working through creating a proper country estate and is in need of a gardener to finish the beauty of his home outside. This leads him to Serena. She is working to create a name for herself as a gardener and scultpor to support herself and her son.
Give this a try if you want:
- Mid to high steam – this book has 4 on page scenes that are quite explicit
- Artist heroine, autistic and mathematics loving hero
- Children in the story (heroine has a son – he’s 9 or 10)
- Sexually experienced heroine
- Regency time period
- You are okay with content warnings (see spoilers at end)
My thoughts:
Sadly, this one was also not for me. I’m not sure what’s happening. It could totally just be me. I usually adore Minerva Spencer. I love her character depth and the sexual tension that forms and the detailed sex scenes that I found in The Outcasts. I am not finding that in this series. I’m finding hot sex, yes, but I’m not really sure how or why we get there. So I end up not caring about the sex.
This book had a bit of a slow start. I just wanted them to be on page together doing anything! And when they are together, I found myself enjoying it more. But the book is sprinkled with frequent separations. Also lots of drama. So the ending kind of spun out of control with lots of danger and drama and intrigue and the relationship wasnt developed enough at that point for me to get enjoyment out of it.
I do plan on trying another SM LaViolette, but I think I may give it a bit of a break. Also, reading books 1 and 2 right after each other, I found so many similarities with the heroines. As their problems weren’t things I love in a romance (blackmail, past coming to haunt you) it didn’t endear the book to me :(
Content Warnings:
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
July 16, 2023
See the concept of a single mother x rich autistic love interest appealed to me but the book was so boring and the romance build up was uninteresting and nearly non existent
April 22, 2020
For those of you that have Ian McKenzie as your book BF and frankly who doesn't??? I think you are going to love this book! Our hero reminds me a of Ian and some of his mannerisms and how he deal...or in this case doesn't deal with people. The writing was well done and I have nothing but good things to say about this book. I wish I had it in paperback so I could just flip to my favorite parts. The Dover Rd carriage scene was particularly spicy...I was disheveled and out of breath as well by the time we arrived at our destination. ;-) I can't wait for the next in the series.
March 4, 2020
A Figure of Love
The Academy of Love Series #2
Minerva Spencer as S.M. Laviolette
https://m.facebook.com/MinervaSpencer...
Release date 03/03/2020
Publisher Crooked Sixpence press
Blurb :
Gareth Lockheart is one of the richest men in England, but it will take more than money for the reclusive eccentric to gain entrée into the corridors of power; it will also take a proper country estate and an aristocratic wife with impeccable connections. Gareth is determined to find the right woman the same way he does everything in his life: using logic and mathematics.
Serena Lombard might be the widow of a duke’s son, but she’s always existed on the ton’s fringes. The unconventional French émigré has worked hard to create a secure home for her son and has struggled to establish herself as a respected sculptor and landscape gardener.
Gareth should have known doing business with a woman would be a mistake, especially an unorthodox, opinionated, and far too appealing French widow who manages to destroy his iron-clad ability to concentrate without even trying.
Serena loves the project the wealthy industrialist has hired her to do; it’s too bad the man himself is so remote and unreadable. Not to mention distracting, gorgeous, and utterly captivating.
The only thing the two opposites can agree on is that they should avoid becoming entangled with one another—no matter how difficult that proves to be. But when Serena’s dangerous past catches up with her, it is Gareth she turns to for help and he doesn’t hesitate to give it. But can a man who needs order like other men need air give himself up to the most unpredictable emotion of all: Love?
My review :
When two damaged persons with a high chemistry must find a way to trust one another with their secrets ...
I would normally had read this book faster as eager I was to go through the pages but alas a cold blurred part of my brain so I needed to slow down a bit my reading to not miss anything. And it would have been a shame as Mrs Spencer/LaViolette has a way with words and to bring to life larger than life characters.
Mrs Minerva Spencer likes her heroes and heroines to have lived quite an horrendous life before getting the happy ever after they rightly deserve.
And this one book does not go out of this pattern.
Gareth’s past is only revealed by some input this and there and until the very end when the ugliness of it is truly disclosed. Awkward among people, he appears as being a misunderstood genius, more like an autistic savant.
He does like to be touched, he does not understand jokes, retreats in his mind when things bore him or when he feels overwhelmed by the outside world.
Still he is a very moving character aware of his flaws but also talents, he is not afraid to speak his mind until his interactions with Serena unsettle his well organized and arranged world.
Serena has fled France and thought she has left her painful past behind until it caught up with her and it seems she will never be free of it. Her history is bit by bit told and it is no less horrible. She is a survivor like Gareth, and still she is able to function and love with her whole heart what ever she endured.
Because of she still being bind to her dreadful past, she tries at her best to establish a new path for herself and her son, but each she is a step forward, something reduces it to ash.
I am no writer so it is difficult to express how I loved this book, while they are both disabled, from their past and present, she running away and he avoiding others, by some happy luck, they cross path and each will help the other to reconstruct oneself, they will never be perfect and fully healed, but they will have a shoulder on which to lie on.
5 stars as there is no higher rating for this wondrous tale of finding one’s home.
I now do wonder if Declan will have his own story.
I was granted an advance copy by the author and prior to it preordered my own. Here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272...
The Academy of Love Series #2
Minerva Spencer as S.M. Laviolette
https://m.facebook.com/MinervaSpencer...
Release date 03/03/2020
Publisher Crooked Sixpence press
Blurb :
Gareth Lockheart is one of the richest men in England, but it will take more than money for the reclusive eccentric to gain entrée into the corridors of power; it will also take a proper country estate and an aristocratic wife with impeccable connections. Gareth is determined to find the right woman the same way he does everything in his life: using logic and mathematics.
Serena Lombard might be the widow of a duke’s son, but she’s always existed on the ton’s fringes. The unconventional French émigré has worked hard to create a secure home for her son and has struggled to establish herself as a respected sculptor and landscape gardener.
Gareth should have known doing business with a woman would be a mistake, especially an unorthodox, opinionated, and far too appealing French widow who manages to destroy his iron-clad ability to concentrate without even trying.
Serena loves the project the wealthy industrialist has hired her to do; it’s too bad the man himself is so remote and unreadable. Not to mention distracting, gorgeous, and utterly captivating.
The only thing the two opposites can agree on is that they should avoid becoming entangled with one another—no matter how difficult that proves to be. But when Serena’s dangerous past catches up with her, it is Gareth she turns to for help and he doesn’t hesitate to give it. But can a man who needs order like other men need air give himself up to the most unpredictable emotion of all: Love?
My review :
When two damaged persons with a high chemistry must find a way to trust one another with their secrets ...
I would normally had read this book faster as eager I was to go through the pages but alas a cold blurred part of my brain so I needed to slow down a bit my reading to not miss anything. And it would have been a shame as Mrs Spencer/LaViolette has a way with words and to bring to life larger than life characters.
Mrs Minerva Spencer likes her heroes and heroines to have lived quite an horrendous life before getting the happy ever after they rightly deserve.
And this one book does not go out of this pattern.
Gareth’s past is only revealed by some input this and there and until the very end when the ugliness of it is truly disclosed. Awkward among people, he appears as being a misunderstood genius, more like an autistic savant.
He does like to be touched, he does not understand jokes, retreats in his mind when things bore him or when he feels overwhelmed by the outside world.
Still he is a very moving character aware of his flaws but also talents, he is not afraid to speak his mind until his interactions with Serena unsettle his well organized and arranged world.
Serena has fled France and thought she has left her painful past behind until it caught up with her and it seems she will never be free of it. Her history is bit by bit told and it is no less horrible. She is a survivor like Gareth, and still she is able to function and love with her whole heart what ever she endured.
Because of she still being bind to her dreadful past, she tries at her best to establish a new path for herself and her son, but each she is a step forward, something reduces it to ash.
I am no writer so it is difficult to express how I loved this book, while they are both disabled, from their past and present, she running away and he avoiding others, by some happy luck, they cross path and each will help the other to reconstruct oneself, they will never be perfect and fully healed, but they will have a shoulder on which to lie on.
5 stars as there is no higher rating for this wondrous tale of finding one’s home.
I now do wonder if Declan will have his own story.
I was granted an advance copy by the author and prior to it preordered my own. Here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272...
November 1, 2021
THIS HELD PROMISE, BUT WHILE MANY RAVED OVER IT....I FELT THAT IT LACKED A TYPE OF CONNECTION BETWEEN THE MCs TO MAKE IT ALL REAL.
GARETH is the kind of character I like. Stiff, quiet and wants absolutely nothing to do with society though he lacked the tall, dark and brooding stereotype. He reminded me of a Duke, except he's a cit who earned his money while the ton just earned their rights by birth. Unfortunately, Gareth's character was shy of becoming a stone cold statue, if it wasn't for the sex. LOL, I'm probably not making sense but I guess all I'm trying to say is that while I liked what Gareth represented, there was a lack of emotion within him that felt genuine as a reader. Yes, he can be a silent guy but the potential of his character failed to come through AT ALL. Gareth is good with numbers, tinkering and well all that geeky stuff you can expect from a man in the 18th century. Social niceties isn't his forte, and with a past with his, who could blame him. Right now, his sole goal is to have what all the aristocrats have just to rub shoulders with them and look like he fit in. Whatever money can buy, he'll have it. Thus, he hired our heroine to decorate his garden and be his landscape designer. Unconventional as it seems, Gareth opened his country home to Serena and her son, while getting to know them both in a professional capacity.
SERENA isn't my kind of heroine. She's been through all, from France back to England, bringing her son along with her. I don't usually read stories featuring widows or ruined women...but I decided to give this the benefit of the doubt. And...I still wasn't a fan. I just blame it on my personal preference. Serena, despite being the daughter-in-law to the Duchy, doesn't want people to know about it much since she's lowering herself to do common labor. After her husband's death, she returned to England and raised her son alone. This time, she's hired to do Gareth's garden and frankly now that I think about it, the plot itself was lame and it didn't take Serena long to find her employer handsome and boy would she like to fuck him.
OVERALL meh....it could have been great, but it lacked a really strong chemistry between the characters and while the sex scenes were raunchy, the lack of emotional connection just made it a damper. But I do love the book cover. After this one, I don't think I will be revisiting this series any longer because it all features women who are rather...old if not widows or something other. Not my kind of interest.
GARETH is the kind of character I like. Stiff, quiet and wants absolutely nothing to do with society though he lacked the tall, dark and brooding stereotype. He reminded me of a Duke, except he's a cit who earned his money while the ton just earned their rights by birth. Unfortunately, Gareth's character was shy of becoming a stone cold statue, if it wasn't for the sex. LOL, I'm probably not making sense but I guess all I'm trying to say is that while I liked what Gareth represented, there was a lack of emotion within him that felt genuine as a reader. Yes, he can be a silent guy but the potential of his character failed to come through AT ALL. Gareth is good with numbers, tinkering and well all that geeky stuff you can expect from a man in the 18th century. Social niceties isn't his forte, and with a past with his, who could blame him. Right now, his sole goal is to have what all the aristocrats have just to rub shoulders with them and look like he fit in. Whatever money can buy, he'll have it. Thus, he hired our heroine to decorate his garden and be his landscape designer. Unconventional as it seems, Gareth opened his country home to Serena and her son, while getting to know them both in a professional capacity.
SERENA isn't my kind of heroine. She's been through all, from France back to England, bringing her son along with her. I don't usually read stories featuring widows or ruined women...but I decided to give this the benefit of the doubt. And...I still wasn't a fan. I just blame it on my personal preference. Serena, despite being the daughter-in-law to the Duchy, doesn't want people to know about it much since she's lowering herself to do common labor. After her husband's death, she returned to England and raised her son alone. This time, she's hired to do Gareth's garden and frankly now that I think about it, the plot itself was lame and it didn't take Serena long to find her employer handsome and boy would she like to fuck him.
OVERALL meh....it could have been great, but it lacked a really strong chemistry between the characters and while the sex scenes were raunchy, the lack of emotional connection just made it a damper. But I do love the book cover. After this one, I don't think I will be revisiting this series any longer because it all features women who are rather...old if not widows or something other. Not my kind of interest.
May 30, 2025
3.5 stars
I love a reclusive quiet even socially awkward hero 🤭
But this book had a lot going on and some parts of the heroine,s history didn’t sit well with me..
Otherwise overall a nice love story
I love a reclusive quiet even socially awkward hero 🤭
But this book had a lot going on and some parts of the heroine,s history didn’t sit well with me..
Otherwise overall a nice love story
July 27, 2021
The Academy of Love series by Minerva Spencer tells the stories of seven Regency Era teachers who while in pursuit of ork, find themselves immersed in lessons in love of the kind to last a lifetime. A Figure of Love is the second installment in the series, bringing to readers the tale of widower Serena Lombard and 35 year old Gareth Lockheart, a self-made aristocrat in England.
Gareth is a man of few words and controlled emotions. Having grown up at an orphanage and having been at the receiving end of the worst that humanity has to offer, Gareth has the emotional scars to prove it. One of the richest men in England, Gareth knows that taking his businesses to the next level requires that something elusive which would need him to make his entrance into the genteel world of society’s accepted breed of aristocrats.
Designing his country house to standards befitting that of the world he plans to inhabits is how Serena comes into his life. A French emigrant who is the widow of the youngest son of a Duke and Duchess, Serena is someone who defies the conventions and has been working towards making a name for herself as a respected sculptor and landscape gardener.
Neither of them are what they expect each other to be, and for Serena, Gareth is the man who unlocks her passions and makes her want a significant other after years of living through excruciating loneliness. In her heart, Serena is the woman who thaws the heart of the enigmatic man that is Gareth, but in reality, she knows that the secrets that she hides would never let it be so.
I loved this story on so many levels, Gareth being the first and foremost reason. He is the kind of hero that speaks to you in every single way that matters without him having to utter a single word. Ms. Spencer has done a remarkable job in bringing him to life, his sheer presence enough to make you feel as if he is your whole world. His fascination with numbers, his faithful nature even if it may seem unwarranted at that point, all that and more tells you the kind of man he is deep inside.
His passions lie dormant, not because he does not feel them, but because he reserves them for those whom he feels it to be worthy of. In Serena, he finds the woman who shakes him up in a way no other woman has, and he knows that it is futile to deny his burgeoning feelings of desire and need for her, which is when Ms. Spencer with her remarkable flair ushers in the kind of love scenes that leaves the reader in a state of stunned anticipation for more.
Serena was a swell heroine, just the right touch of everything that is needed for Gareth. With a young son in tow, it is the secrets that she carries which puts her and those she cares about in danger. And it is her need to protect Gareth from that ugly reality which lands her in an untenable situation which drives the story to its climax and beyond.
In my opinion, Gareth was the star of this story – there is something about a strong and silent hero that just speaks to me on a level that is indescribable. I loved Serena too, she loves Gareth and all that he is just as fiercely as he does her, and is protective of him in a way that no one has ever been all through his life. I also loved the character of her son – his character meshes well with that of Gareth, which made for enjoyable reading.
Recommended for fans of Ms. Spencer, fans of the series, and fans of Regency Era romances! Romance, suspense, and toe-curling sex – this one has got it all!
Final Verdict: Featuring exquisitely crafted scenes of scrumptious passion that is trademark Ms. Spencer, A Figure in Love is a notable addition to this beautifully crafted series!
Rating = 4.5/5
For more reviews and quotes, please visit A Maldivian's Passion for Romance
Gareth is a man of few words and controlled emotions. Having grown up at an orphanage and having been at the receiving end of the worst that humanity has to offer, Gareth has the emotional scars to prove it. One of the richest men in England, Gareth knows that taking his businesses to the next level requires that something elusive which would need him to make his entrance into the genteel world of society’s accepted breed of aristocrats.
Designing his country house to standards befitting that of the world he plans to inhabits is how Serena comes into his life. A French emigrant who is the widow of the youngest son of a Duke and Duchess, Serena is someone who defies the conventions and has been working towards making a name for herself as a respected sculptor and landscape gardener.
Neither of them are what they expect each other to be, and for Serena, Gareth is the man who unlocks her passions and makes her want a significant other after years of living through excruciating loneliness. In her heart, Serena is the woman who thaws the heart of the enigmatic man that is Gareth, but in reality, she knows that the secrets that she hides would never let it be so.
I loved this story on so many levels, Gareth being the first and foremost reason. He is the kind of hero that speaks to you in every single way that matters without him having to utter a single word. Ms. Spencer has done a remarkable job in bringing him to life, his sheer presence enough to make you feel as if he is your whole world. His fascination with numbers, his faithful nature even if it may seem unwarranted at that point, all that and more tells you the kind of man he is deep inside.
His passions lie dormant, not because he does not feel them, but because he reserves them for those whom he feels it to be worthy of. In Serena, he finds the woman who shakes him up in a way no other woman has, and he knows that it is futile to deny his burgeoning feelings of desire and need for her, which is when Ms. Spencer with her remarkable flair ushers in the kind of love scenes that leaves the reader in a state of stunned anticipation for more.
Serena was a swell heroine, just the right touch of everything that is needed for Gareth. With a young son in tow, it is the secrets that she carries which puts her and those she cares about in danger. And it is her need to protect Gareth from that ugly reality which lands her in an untenable situation which drives the story to its climax and beyond.
In my opinion, Gareth was the star of this story – there is something about a strong and silent hero that just speaks to me on a level that is indescribable. I loved Serena too, she loves Gareth and all that he is just as fiercely as he does her, and is protective of him in a way that no one has ever been all through his life. I also loved the character of her son – his character meshes well with that of Gareth, which made for enjoyable reading.
Recommended for fans of Ms. Spencer, fans of the series, and fans of Regency Era romances! Romance, suspense, and toe-curling sex – this one has got it all!
Final Verdict: Featuring exquisitely crafted scenes of scrumptious passion that is trademark Ms. Spencer, A Figure in Love is a notable addition to this beautifully crafted series!
Rating = 4.5/5
For more reviews and quotes, please visit A Maldivian's Passion for Romance
May 27, 2020
Ooh, another reclusive hero! They make the best heroes because they usually have such dark and riveting history. Gareth exhibits the classic signs of a functional autistic, and he also has his own demons to live with. But he falls hard for Serena who hides a few major secrets of her own. As in the first in the series, the skills of these Academy instructors are just the impetus to bring the main couple together and not an integral element to the plot, but that's okay since Gareth steals the show with his awkward manner, his laser focus, his growing affection toward Serena and her son, Oliver. I couldn't get enough of him. The sexy bits are hot and heavy, too, and oh so delicious. Spencer can definitely write her way around the most intimate details of a love affair. I want more! 4 stars.
March 3, 2020
Gareth Lockheart is one of the richest men in England, but it will take more than money for the reclusive eccentric to gain entrée into the corridors of power; it will also take a proper country estate and an aristocratic wife with impeccable connections. Serena Lombard might be the widow of a duke’s son, but she’s always existed on the ton’s fringes. The unconventional French émigré has worked hard to create a secure home for her son Oliver and has struggled to establish herself as a respected sculptor and landscape gardener.
Gareth has bought the country estate & now needs the gardens landscaping & hires Serena to carry out the work. Serena loves the project the wealthy industrialist has hired her to do.
When Serena’s dangerous past catches up with her, it is Gareth she turns to for help and he doesn’t hesitate to give it.
This is the second book in the series & is easily read on its own. A very well written page turning read. The characters are well fleshed & complex. The pace flows effortlessly & for a book of over 350 pages it never lagged & to be honest felt as though it shorter! It took me on a roller coaster of emotions from tears to sitting on the edge of my seat. I was drawn in from the start & loved the enigmatic Gareth & how his backstory was gradually revealed. Serena was a strong woman who also had her secrets, which were also gradually revealed. I loved the chemistry between the pair & how their relationship developed. I also loved Oliver who whilst a typical boy was caring & loving. Declan intrigued me & I hope he has his story, he deserves a happy ever after. An engrossing captivating read that whilst I was happy at the end I also hungered for more & look forward to the rest of the series.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Gareth has bought the country estate & now needs the gardens landscaping & hires Serena to carry out the work. Serena loves the project the wealthy industrialist has hired her to do.
When Serena’s dangerous past catches up with her, it is Gareth she turns to for help and he doesn’t hesitate to give it.
This is the second book in the series & is easily read on its own. A very well written page turning read. The characters are well fleshed & complex. The pace flows effortlessly & for a book of over 350 pages it never lagged & to be honest felt as though it shorter! It took me on a roller coaster of emotions from tears to sitting on the edge of my seat. I was drawn in from the start & loved the enigmatic Gareth & how his backstory was gradually revealed. Serena was a strong woman who also had her secrets, which were also gradually revealed. I loved the chemistry between the pair & how their relationship developed. I also loved Oliver who whilst a typical boy was caring & loving. Declan intrigued me & I hope he has his story, he deserves a happy ever after. An engrossing captivating read that whilst I was happy at the end I also hungered for more & look forward to the rest of the series.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
May 3, 2020
Yesssssss. Only the 2nd story I’ve read by this Author (and Book 2 in her Academy Series) but yesssssss! The style and storyline are a bit reminiscent of Hoyt’s Prince and also Soldier Series, yet Spencer’s voice remains unique - and she can write a sex scene. Probably because unlike some other genre authors, both the H and h are not novices to sex...just love.
And yes, the H may remind some of the epic Ian MacKenzie, but its the relationship with his best friend as was Ian’s with his oldest brother that is most similar and not that both Ian and Garret may fall on the Spectrum.
Pet peeve and reason for minus .5 stars - Spencer throws in that annoying Buy The Next Book Trick at the end of this tale. Rather than bask in the glow of the featured couples epilogue, future stories are hinted at with other characters in the last pages.
And yes, the H may remind some of the epic Ian MacKenzie, but its the relationship with his best friend as was Ian’s with his oldest brother that is most similar and not that both Ian and Garret may fall on the Spectrum.
Pet peeve and reason for minus .5 stars - Spencer throws in that annoying Buy The Next Book Trick at the end of this tale. Rather than bask in the glow of the featured couples epilogue, future stories are hinted at with other characters in the last pages.
June 20, 2020
4 stars. An experienced widow and a wealthy man on the autism spectrum! Not the usual characters of one of these books. I liked a lot about it, but did skim past the romance scenes as they didn’t enhance the story to me.
October 29, 2022
Another one from this author with a hiding blackmail trope. Not my favorite but I still enjoyed this book. The hero is somewhere on the spectrum. The heroine is a sculptor. Most of this author's heroines are pretty free thinkers on the sexual front so there is typically plenty of sex scenes.
May 15, 2020
I stayed up all night to read this one until I was cross-eyed. An absolutely phenomenal book in an absolutely phenomenal series. Serena is a sculptor and also designs gardens. Commissioned to design the grounds of one home of one the richest men in England is a dream come true. Gareth is closed off where Serena is vibrant. A little boy and his mother bring joy to a man who never thought he could open his heart. Into their budding relationship is a secret that will test their relationship. Spencer's unusual hero carries the story. Waiting impatiently for the next book. Gifted a copy of this book.
October 24, 2021
This story was intriguing due to the lead male character being obviously on the spectrum without using such contemporary diagnoses/terms.
Having him created as a wealthy eccentric worked well for the story and his bewildered way of making his way through his life was written in an engaging way.
Having him created as a wealthy eccentric worked well for the story and his bewildered way of making his way through his life was written in an engaging way.
May 8, 2020
2.5 stars. Having now read two of this author’s books, I can identify at least one specific plot point she’s fond of for some godforesaken reason as either character background or ways of showing the evil character as truly evil: the sexual abuse of children and rape. This ultimately soured and overrode the main narrative, which, in this book, also never felt truly formed. The forgiveness/main conflict resolution felt very “tell not show”. Was it a twist? Yes. Did it feel jarring when the hero never grappled with the heroines supposed betrayal on page except that they fucked and he realized he was just totally horny for her? Yes.
Ironic considering the heroine of the book which gained the same author many readers and praise from authors I trust is a victims of kidnap and sexual abuse wrapped up in the trappings of Orientaljsm ultimately portrayed in a positive way (or, at the very least, where the white brits only act in justified ways)!
Ultimately I read this because of the comparison to one of my favorite romances, THE MADNESS OF LORD IAN MACKENZIE (itself not without problems I feel wouldn’t make it past the editing stage in 2020, thankfully), and though Gareth is another savant, the vibe never clicked. Clearly Declan will be another hero, and I have a good idea of his heroine given the way the genre works, but it feels singularly exhausting to have to potentially work through another book where the hero’s childhood and traumas are the result of sexual assault. Giving your characters dark backgrounds isn’t a bad thing, and is generally something I enjoy, but using the same reason in multiple books isn’t a pleasant reading experience.
Ironic considering the heroine of the book which gained the same author many readers and praise from authors I trust is a victims of kidnap and sexual abuse wrapped up in the trappings of Orientaljsm ultimately portrayed in a positive way (or, at the very least, where the white brits only act in justified ways)!
Ultimately I read this because of the comparison to one of my favorite romances, THE MADNESS OF LORD IAN MACKENZIE (itself not without problems I feel wouldn’t make it past the editing stage in 2020, thankfully), and though Gareth is another savant, the vibe never clicked. Clearly Declan will be another hero, and I have a good idea of his heroine given the way the genre works, but it feels singularly exhausting to have to potentially work through another book where the hero’s childhood and traumas are the result of sexual assault. Giving your characters dark backgrounds isn’t a bad thing, and is generally something I enjoy, but using the same reason in multiple books isn’t a pleasant reading experience.
September 29, 2024
I really tried to like this book, but just couldn’t no matter how I looked at it. What ruined it for me was the ableist depiction of the MMC. I love an MMC on the spectrum, but his whole character felt like the author screaming “Look at me!! I wrote a hero on the spectrum!! Look how inclusive I’m being!!” He didn’t feel like a unique person, just a list of traits copy/pasted from Wikipedia and never used to build an actual personality for him.
His character made absolutely no sense to me. How can you have an MMC who was exposed to an incredibly dark side of life as a child and still maintain SO much naivety as an adult? I also didn’t understand how just the fact that he was really good at math, made him a brilliant businessman. Based on my experience, the business world requires some semblance of social finesse and having a character be completely inept in any and all social situations, to me, contradicted his supposed business acumen. It would have still fit a character on the spectrum to have him be able to mask enough to flourish in social settings and paired it with a description of what masking feels like and how hard it is. As someone with a sizable case of ADHD, I have some experience with it and I would have been interested in reading a character’s experience. It would’ve made the MMC a lot more believable in my opinion as well as a lot more relatable, but who knows, maybe I’m the one who’s way off.
The FMC wasn’t much better either. Everything about her was so bland and forced, she felt like a bad actress in a b-movie.
I also had a tough time with the narration and dialogue style. It was so modern it took you completely out of the historical setting and felt like reading a contemporary romance in period clothes. As a final note, I find frequent Jane Austen references railroaded into a story simply because you happen to be reading historical romance to be super cringey. Multiple characters referenced “Emma” throughout the book and it was irritating to say the least.
His character made absolutely no sense to me. How can you have an MMC who was exposed to an incredibly dark side of life as a child and still maintain SO much naivety as an adult? I also didn’t understand how just the fact that he was really good at math, made him a brilliant businessman. Based on my experience, the business world requires some semblance of social finesse and having a character be completely inept in any and all social situations, to me, contradicted his supposed business acumen. It would have still fit a character on the spectrum to have him be able to mask enough to flourish in social settings and paired it with a description of what masking feels like and how hard it is. As someone with a sizable case of ADHD, I have some experience with it and I would have been interested in reading a character’s experience. It would’ve made the MMC a lot more believable in my opinion as well as a lot more relatable, but who knows, maybe I’m the one who’s way off.
The FMC wasn’t much better either. Everything about her was so bland and forced, she felt like a bad actress in a b-movie.
I also had a tough time with the narration and dialogue style. It was so modern it took you completely out of the historical setting and felt like reading a contemporary romance in period clothes. As a final note, I find frequent Jane Austen references railroaded into a story simply because you happen to be reading historical romance to be super cringey. Multiple characters referenced “Emma” throughout the book and it was irritating to say the least.
March 27, 2022
2.5⭐️ Well, I liked the title because it related to Serena and Gareth. Very clever. And, I loved the font used whenever characters wrote letters. From there, it went downhill. The story was boring, following a predictable trajectory. Too much hinged on the MCs lack of communication. So old fashioned and overdone. After reading the first book in the series it also seemed like the same elements were getting recycled.
Typos—enough to become distracting.
For me, epilogues can make or break a story. This one was truly an unnecessary appendage. It knocked off half a star.
Typos—enough to become distracting.
For me, epilogues can make or break a story. This one was truly an unnecessary appendage. It knocked off half a star.
June 5, 2021
Mais uma resenha.
Um Algoritmo do Amor, livro 2 da série Academia do Amor, S.M. LaViolette
🗣 cenas indicadas para +18 anos, violência, estupro, sexo explícito
Serena Lombard é uma escultora talentosa, viúva do filho de um Duque, mãe amorosa e que precisa trabalhar para viver, pois ela não quer depender do financiamento dos sogros, e aceitar uma excelente encomenda de um dos homens mais ricos da Inglaterra parece ser um bom emprego vindo em seu socorro desde que a academia de artes veio à falência.
O Sr. Gareth Lockheart parece não se importar com nada a não ser números, não em questão de dinheiro ou status social, mas por problemas matemáticos e de cálculos. Um homem muito prático, direto e honesto, algo um tanto raro nos salões londrinos e sua beleza masculina não deixa a desejar. Serena sente uma atração crescente por seu patrão, porém ela precisa se preservar e concluir o seu trabalho, garantir uma vida digna para seu filho Oliver, por mais que Gareth a atraia sem que ele mesmo perceba.
Ela não precisa de mais problemas.
*
Órfão desde que se lembra, Gareth tem uma memória excelente e que se prova ser uma benção e uma maldição muitas vezes, ele construiu uma fortuna com seu amigo quase irmão Declan McElroy.
Seus interesses são geralmente fixos nos problemas de cálculos, conseguir um bom negócio não é algo de grande dificuldade, apenas as relações humanas é que lhe causam um pouco de incógnita, pois lidar com pessoas não é seu talento, mesmo que ele não se importe muito com isso.
Contratar a Sra. Lombard era apenas um meio de alcançar uma melhor posição social, era importante acercar-se de pessoas influentes, pois era bons para os negócio. Porém Gareth começou a perceber que Serena era uma mulher intrigante e que fazia despertar nele algum sentimento, que gostava de passar o tempo com Oliver e que tinham interesses em comum, já não era "A mulher" ou "O menino", eram pessoas que se tornavam queridas, como se dentro dele o robô estivesse se tornando de carne e osso, ele não poderia negar que havia algo especial crescendo.
*
O passado triste de Serena e Gareth voltam em pesadelos e pessoas, cabem aos dois superar esses desafios e perigos.
*
Gostei muito, quero o livro do Declan, ele foi uma pedra no caminho, mas eu entendi muito o lado dele. O final, com revelações do passado dos dois amigos foi muito pesado, triste, minha gente, mas quero o livro do irlandês, sim! Ele merece amor.
Disponível em forma física e no K.U.
#amoler #livros #libros #books #romancedeepoca #Leabharbooks #umalgoritmodoamor
Um Algoritmo do Amor, livro 2 da série Academia do Amor, S.M. LaViolette
🗣 cenas indicadas para +18 anos, violência, estupro, sexo explícito
Serena Lombard é uma escultora talentosa, viúva do filho de um Duque, mãe amorosa e que precisa trabalhar para viver, pois ela não quer depender do financiamento dos sogros, e aceitar uma excelente encomenda de um dos homens mais ricos da Inglaterra parece ser um bom emprego vindo em seu socorro desde que a academia de artes veio à falência.
O Sr. Gareth Lockheart parece não se importar com nada a não ser números, não em questão de dinheiro ou status social, mas por problemas matemáticos e de cálculos. Um homem muito prático, direto e honesto, algo um tanto raro nos salões londrinos e sua beleza masculina não deixa a desejar. Serena sente uma atração crescente por seu patrão, porém ela precisa se preservar e concluir o seu trabalho, garantir uma vida digna para seu filho Oliver, por mais que Gareth a atraia sem que ele mesmo perceba.
Ela não precisa de mais problemas.
*
Órfão desde que se lembra, Gareth tem uma memória excelente e que se prova ser uma benção e uma maldição muitas vezes, ele construiu uma fortuna com seu amigo quase irmão Declan McElroy.
Seus interesses são geralmente fixos nos problemas de cálculos, conseguir um bom negócio não é algo de grande dificuldade, apenas as relações humanas é que lhe causam um pouco de incógnita, pois lidar com pessoas não é seu talento, mesmo que ele não se importe muito com isso.
Contratar a Sra. Lombard era apenas um meio de alcançar uma melhor posição social, era importante acercar-se de pessoas influentes, pois era bons para os negócio. Porém Gareth começou a perceber que Serena era uma mulher intrigante e que fazia despertar nele algum sentimento, que gostava de passar o tempo com Oliver e que tinham interesses em comum, já não era "A mulher" ou "O menino", eram pessoas que se tornavam queridas, como se dentro dele o robô estivesse se tornando de carne e osso, ele não poderia negar que havia algo especial crescendo.
*
O passado triste de Serena e Gareth voltam em pesadelos e pessoas, cabem aos dois superar esses desafios e perigos.
*
Gostei muito, quero o livro do Declan, ele foi uma pedra no caminho, mas eu entendi muito o lado dele. O final, com revelações do passado dos dois amigos foi muito pesado, triste, minha gente, mas quero o livro do irlandês, sim! Ele merece amor.
Disponível em forma física e no K.U.
#amoler #livros #libros #books #romancedeepoca #Leabharbooks #umalgoritmodoamor
March 13, 2020
Figure Of Love is the 2nd book of the Academy Of Love by Minerva Spencer, writing as S.M. LaViolette. Gareth Lockheart is one of the richest men and a reclusive eccentric. His goals: own a proper country estate and marry an aristocratic woman with impeccable connections. He expects to find the right woman the same way by using logic and mathematics. Serena Lombard, a widow of a duke’s son. exists on the ton’s fringes. To support herself and her son, she struggled to establish herself as a respected sculpture and landscape gardener. She loves the project Gareth hired her to do, but she finds him distracting, yet gorgeous and utterly captivating. Gareth should have known better than to hire a woman, especially one who is unorthodox, opinionated, and far too appealing.
Gareth is an intriguing character whose genius puts him at odd with people. He doesn’t understand jokes, retreats in his mind when things bore or overwhelm him. He knows he’s flawed but speaks his mind. His orderly world is turned upside by Serena which makes the story more interesting. And there is her son who is a sweet and respectable lad who connects with Gareth through their love for mathematics.
I enjoy the intrigue among certain characters and romance between Gareth and Serena. Their chemistry is like two locomotives heading toward each other. It is explosive. Minerva Spencer goes in great depth to create strength and weakness of her characters by having them survive a horrendous life that enable them to grasp their happily ever after. The twist and turn of the plot captivate me page after page, throwing out few unexpected surprises. Figure Of Love is a phenomenal book, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is a must-read book. This is my honest review.
Gareth is an intriguing character whose genius puts him at odd with people. He doesn’t understand jokes, retreats in his mind when things bore or overwhelm him. He knows he’s flawed but speaks his mind. His orderly world is turned upside by Serena which makes the story more interesting. And there is her son who is a sweet and respectable lad who connects with Gareth through their love for mathematics.
I enjoy the intrigue among certain characters and romance between Gareth and Serena. Their chemistry is like two locomotives heading toward each other. It is explosive. Minerva Spencer goes in great depth to create strength and weakness of her characters by having them survive a horrendous life that enable them to grasp their happily ever after. The twist and turn of the plot captivate me page after page, throwing out few unexpected surprises. Figure Of Love is a phenomenal book, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is a must-read book. This is my honest review.
March 9, 2020
An emotional detachment
Serena has survived being half French escaping a war and returning to England damaged and pregnant! Gareth is handsome, abrupt and emotionally detached! He's endured harshness and depravity so much so he hates being touched and refusing to form any attachments! Serena is a gifted sculptor and garden designer hired to sculpture and make over the entire grounds of Gareth estate! Serena has a 10 year old son who has also come with her to complete this commission! Oliver is serious quiet and has an analytical mind much like Gareth who thinks in mathematical equations and numbers for fun! Gareth is an unrivaled enigma! He is a very difficult person to get to know! I love how the author goes into great depth to develop the characters! Once you understand their history you u understand how they tick and their reasons and actions of sometimes desperate measures becomes clear! Declan who is Gareth best friend and appears a lot in the road to HEA! Another page turner I could not put down! So sorry I have to wait so long for the next book! Can't wait for each character from the school to share their story!!! 😍
Serena has survived being half French escaping a war and returning to England damaged and pregnant! Gareth is handsome, abrupt and emotionally detached! He's endured harshness and depravity so much so he hates being touched and refusing to form any attachments! Serena is a gifted sculptor and garden designer hired to sculpture and make over the entire grounds of Gareth estate! Serena has a 10 year old son who has also come with her to complete this commission! Oliver is serious quiet and has an analytical mind much like Gareth who thinks in mathematical equations and numbers for fun! Gareth is an unrivaled enigma! He is a very difficult person to get to know! I love how the author goes into great depth to develop the characters! Once you understand their history you u understand how they tick and their reasons and actions of sometimes desperate measures becomes clear! Declan who is Gareth best friend and appears a lot in the road to HEA! Another page turner I could not put down! So sorry I have to wait so long for the next book! Can't wait for each character from the school to share their story!!! 😍
December 17, 2022
Idk, I really like the characters but, just like the first one, the plot is just so over the top. There is too much trauma that’s just glossed over like, “My personality is this way because this horrible thing happened in my past. Ok now that I’ve said that let’s have sex again.” No sort of recovery or unpacking. And even after something traumatic happens on page, the characters bounce back like it was no big deal.
Another thing that bugs me is kind of hard to explain. It’s like there is this big drama/mystery that happens and it get solved by the character finding something then just thinking, ”this is from that thing I gave the missing character.” But the reader never got to see that scene, it’s only told right now like an afterthought. It bugs me and it happens a couple times. The book has so much in it already, they could’ve used a different kind of clue that made more sense instead of adding this last minute. That could just be my preference though.
I want to keep reading because a couple of the other books in the series have peaked my interest, but at the same time these first two books have required a great deal of suspension of belief and I’m not sure if it’s worth it.
Another thing that bugs me is kind of hard to explain. It’s like there is this big drama/mystery that happens and it get solved by the character finding something then just thinking, ”this is from that thing I gave the missing character.” But the reader never got to see that scene, it’s only told right now like an afterthought. It bugs me and it happens a couple times. The book has so much in it already, they could’ve used a different kind of clue that made more sense instead of adding this last minute. That could just be my preference though.
I want to keep reading because a couple of the other books in the series have peaked my interest, but at the same time these first two books have required a great deal of suspension of belief and I’m not sure if it’s worth it.
August 17, 2023
Spencer is hit or miss with me, and unfortunately this one was a miss. Similarly to the previous book, I could kind of go along with the first half or so, and then my enjoyment of it just really dwindled. The characters did a bunch of dumb stuff and it just made the whole thing feel less buyable as it went along. A lot of things were packed into this one, which is sometimes interesting, but it just felt piled-on here. I like characters and plots that are more than one note, but this was just *a lot*.
August 24, 2022
Kent 1817. Had sex scenes. Gave this one 3 stars.
I liked that the hero Gareth + his bestie, Declan,
were orphans together and now business partners.
Gareth came across as taciturn and anti-social and
was preoccupied w/ mathematics & math formulas.
He disliked the dark and closed spaces. Declan, more
social, spoke in innuendoes. I'm surprised the heroine
did not slap him.
Gareth had the magic touch in making money and
running and rescuing businesses. Serena had a
secret and a son. Her skills included sculping and
landscape gardening.
IMO the sex scenes and the baddies detracted from
the romance. The slow burn was building and then
the author added two distractions.
I liked that the hero Gareth + his bestie, Declan,
were orphans together and now business partners.
Gareth came across as taciturn and anti-social and
was preoccupied w/ mathematics & math formulas.
He disliked the dark and closed spaces. Declan, more
social, spoke in innuendoes. I'm surprised the heroine
did not slap him.
Gareth had the magic touch in making money and
running and rescuing businesses. Serena had a
secret and a son. Her skills included sculping and
landscape gardening.
IMO the sex scenes and the baddies detracted from
the romance. The slow burn was building and then
the author added two distractions.
January 25, 2024
Unveiling the Thriving World of Crypto Mining Platforms
In recent years, the concept of Crypto Mining platform global cryptocurrencies has taken the world by storm. Alongside their rise, the process of mining, which plays a crucial role in their creation and validation, has flourished. Crypto mining platforms have emerged as a thriving industry, encompassing a wide range of activities and opportunities for individuals and businesses alike. This article aims to unveil the fascinating world of crypto mining platforms, shedding light on their purpose, mechanics, and the potential they hold for those willing to explore this exciting frontier.
visit here
https://minerfirm.com/
In recent years, the concept of Crypto Mining platform global cryptocurrencies has taken the world by storm. Alongside their rise, the process of mining, which plays a crucial role in their creation and validation, has flourished. Crypto mining platforms have emerged as a thriving industry, encompassing a wide range of activities and opportunities for individuals and businesses alike. This article aims to unveil the fascinating world of crypto mining platforms, shedding light on their purpose, mechanics, and the potential they hold for those willing to explore this exciting frontier.
visit here
https://minerfirm.com/
April 3, 2024
Not my favorite. I felt like if some parts were explored in more depth is one would've been a winner. But I felt like the plot was more or less second to the sex scenes. And to be blunt about it, I usually skim over those scenes for the most part. I get that this book was going to have a lot of smut which is fine, but when it seems like that takes over the actual plot. Eh....honestly if you want a romance with a survivor read How To Love a Duke in Ten Day by Kerrigan Bryne or if you want a book featuring a character on the spectrum read Lisa Kleypas's Chasing Cassandra. Both of these books handled the subject matter more thoroughly and neither of those books are perfect.
June 28, 2020
Great story (quite long) and lots of interesting drama and some action near the end. A well written historical set in England with a sizzling, slow burn romance leading into some steamy scenes that were tastefully written. Plus, not a Duke in sight. It was a pity there were a few typos, but nothing that detracted from the story. I didn't really love the heroine as much as I could've, but the hero was certainly swoon-worthy and different and I really want to read the next book in the series. In the meantime, I have a couple more of this author's books on my e-reader. This book stands alone.
October 13, 2021
No. Just no. A woman who is repeatedly raped and held in bondage for five months is not into BDSM. A woman who bites the penis of yet another kidnapper-rapist to the point of drawing significant blood is not a woman who immediately becomes sexually excited about being tied up to immobility for sex. Her trauma is ignored, left unaddressed. This is disturbing and an insult to the reader. She is one of my favorite authors but this book will tend to trigger people because it ignores the heroine’s significant trauma in sexual matters.
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