The Inevitable Fall of Christopher Cynster

Cynster Next Generation #8

by Stephanie Laurens

#1 New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Laurens returns to the Cynsters' next generation with a rollicking tale of smugglers, counterfeit banknotes, and two people falling in love.

A gentleman hoping to avoid falling in love and a lady who believes love has passed her by are flung together in a race to unravel a plot to undermine the realm.

Christopher Cynster has finally accepted that to have the life he wants, he needs a wife, but before he can even think of searching for the right lady, he's drawn into an investigation into the distribution of counterfeit banknotes.

London born and bred, Ellen Martingale is battling to preserve the fiction that her much-loved uncle, Christopher's neighbor, still has his wits about him, but Christopher's questions regarding nearby Goffard Hall trigger her suspicions. As her younger brother attends card parties at the Hall, she feels compelled to investigate.

While Ellen appears to be the sort of frippery female Christopher abhors, he quickly learns that, in her case, appearances are deceiving. And through the twists and turns in an investigation that grows ever more serious and urgent, he discovers how easy it is to fall in love, while Ellen learns that love hasn't, after all, passed her by.

But then the villain steps from the shadows, and love's strengths and vulnerabilities are put to the test—just as Christopher has always feared. Will he pass muster? Can they triumph? Or will they lose all they've so recently found?

A historical romance with a dash of intrigue, set in rural Kent. A Cynster Next Generation novel—a full-length historical romance of 124,000 words.

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Audiobook, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Regency Romance

460 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 19, 2020

About the author

Stephanie Laurens was born in Sri Lanka, which was at the time the British colony of Ceylon. When she was 5, her family moved to Melbourne, Australia, where she was raised. After continuing through school and earning a Ph.D. in Biochemistry in Australia, Stephanie and her husband moved to Great Britain, taking one of the last true overland journeys from Katmandu to London.

Once in London, Stephanie and her husband both began work as research scientists in Kent. They lived in an area surrounded by history. Their own cottage was built in the 16th century, while next door were the protected ruins of an early Roman villa, and nearby was a 14th century castle.

After four years in England, Stephanie and her husband returned to Australia, where she continued to work in cancer research, eventually heading her own research laboratory. One evening Stephanie realized that she did not have any more of her favorite romance novels to read. After years of thinking about writing her own novel, during nights and weekends for the next several months, she began crafting her own story. That manuscript, Tangled Reins, was the first of her books to be published. After achieving a level of success with her novels, Stephanie "retired" from scientific research and became a full-time novelist. Her novels are primarily historical romances set in the Regency time period.

Stephanie and her husband live on peaceful acreage on the outskirts of Melbourne. If she isn't writing, she's reading, and if she's not reading, she's tending her garden.

Reviews

[Barbara Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Series: Cynster Next Generation #8
Publication Date: 3/19/20
Number of Pages: 460

Vane and Patience Cynster (A Rake's Vow) are traveling in the America’s and have left their oldest son, Christopher, in charge of their estate, Walkhurst Manor in Kent. Christopher knows that his plotting parents have their own motives for that – his father wants to assure that Christopher is ready to take over and his mother wants to prove to him that he needs a helpmate – namely a wife. Once that happens, Christopher is sure that his parents will move to London and live with their best friends, Sylvester (Devil's Bride) and Honoria, who are the Duke and Duchess of St. Ives and head of the Cynster family. Believe it or not, Christopher has come to that same realization about a wife, he just doesn’t know when/where/how he’ll find that wife. Well, batten down the hatches Christopher – here she comes!

Ellen Martingale is London born and bred and had no idea she’d love living in the country until she, her brother, Robert, and her aunt Emma sell their townhouse in London and move to her beloved uncle’s country home, Bigfield House. Her uncle, Sir Humphrey, is in declining mental health and as the heir, her brother needs to take over the estate – but since he is underage, they have to try to keep their uncle’s decline a secret. To say that Ellen and Robert are ill-prepared to manage a country estate is putting it lightly, but both are trying very hard to learn. Ellen’s first encounter with her neighbor is an eventful one – Ellen’s uncle’s herd of pet goats got out of their pen and got into the Cynster’s crop. So, imagine hungry goats munching happily away on a robust cash crop.

Ellen quickly learns that Christopher isn’t the enemy and can help – but – then they learn that some strange things are happening at Goffard Hall. Christopher has been enlisted by his cousin Louisa’s husband, spymaster Drake Varisey (The Greatest Challenge of Them All), to investigate.

There is smuggling, counterfeiting, murder and lots of mayhem involved in the investigation and resolution. Not to mention all the visits by various Cynster cousins – and, of course, a lovely, lovely epilogue. I loved that Christopher quickly learned that appearances could be deceiving and that behind all of those fripperies was a lovely, intelligent, confident person.

I thoroughly enjoyed both the romance and the mystery portion of this book. It is written in typical Stephanie Laurens style – which I enjoy. There is a nice set-up for the next book, and the pairing might surprise you. I loved Sir Humphrey, Robbie and aunt Emma – they were nice additions to the story without being featured characters.

I hope you will enjoy the book as much as I did.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Sammy Loves Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute! Christopher is the last unwed Cynster and is feeling a bit jaded! Who would have thought that his perfect mate would turn out to be his neighbor.

[Virginia Tican · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this to take a break from Mysteries. The humor was still spot on, specially on the typical male Cynster allergic reaction to the inevitable 'Cynster Curse' that every Cynster of both sexes and of marriageable age were fated to succumb to willy~nilly... some kicking and screaming... some mulishly digging in their heels but as sure as the sun sets on the west and rises in the east ~ 'Resistance is Futile' (to borrow a Trekish Borg phrase). When Christopher met his Destiny, it was not in a ton ballroom... it was on his neighbour's library and the lady was bedecked in all things he hated ~ an over abundance of ribbons and lace of the most disgusting dizzying fallals and furbelows... He was infront of the door and She was walking fast to open said door... they collided in à la Einstien's Theory of Relativity re~ Christopher as the immovable object and Ella as the mild unstoppable force and their bodies temporarily meshed on impact... and Christopher Cynster was Doomed. I found more of a thrill their hunt for the mind behind the counterfeit bank notes with Drake and some younger Cynsters, as this was a Whitehall operation. The author has acquitted herself in my eyes but then I have always believed that nobody could put a very competent writer down and she had always done her research... had always given a solid characterization and had always managed to give a new and fresh take on common plots that have some authors following with the common banal formula.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars rounded up to 4
The very first Cynster story I read was Vane and Patience- Christopher's parents, so I was hoping this would be good and it didn't disappoint. I really liked this, liked the story, liked the characters. I can't put my finger on what exactly is missing to keep this from a higher rating. I think maybe the lack of detail in the interactions between Christopher and Ellen. There is plenty of dialogue, lots of thoughts and feelings, and open communication between the main characters- but I wanted more descriptions...the looks, the touches, the anticipation building between them wasn't there.
Loved the inclusion of Drake and Louisa- they have been my favorite couple from the next generation series. All the little interactions between them... the looks, the touches, the kisses. I know they are married so it's acceptable for them to do more of it than our main characters but I wanted more heat in this story than I got.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

just okay - this was a slow burn for the romance and Laurens skimped on details. The main focus of the story was a mystery but wasn't written like a good mystery novel. Probably won't read Therese's story either because the premise alone sounds boring. Maybe it's time for a break from Laurens' books.


#1 Devil's Bride - ★★★★☆
#2 A Rake's Vow - ★★★★☆
#3 Scandal's Bride - Haven't Read
#4 A Rogue's Proposal - Haven't Read
#5 A Secret Love - Haven't Read
#6 All About Love - Haven't Read
#7 All About Passion - Haven't Read
#8 On a Wild Night - ★★★★☆
#9 On a Wicked Dawn - Haven't Read
#10 The Perfect Lover - ★★★★☆
#11 The Ideal Bride - ★★★★☆
#12 The Truth About Love - No Rating
#13 What Price Love? - ★★★★★
#14 The Taste of Innocence - ★★★☆☆
#15 Temptation and Surrender - ★★★★☆
#16 Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue - ★★★★★
#17 In Pursuit of Eliza Cynster - ★★★★★
#18 The Capture of the Earl of Glencrae - ★★★★☆
#19 And Then She Fell - ★★★★☆
#20 The Taming of Ryder Cavanaugh - ★★★☆☆
#21 By Winter's Light - ★★★☆☆
#22 The Tempting of Thomas Carrick - ★★★☆☆
#23 A Match for Marcus Cynster - ★★☆☆☆
#24 The Lady By His Side - ★★★☆☆
#25 An Irresistible Alliance - ★★★☆☆
#26 The Greatest Challenge Of Them All - ★★★★☆
#27 A Conquest Impossible To Resist - ★★★☆☆

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The novel opens with Christopher Cynster sitting in his study in Kent, reaching the long suppressed conclusion that he needs - wants - a wife, and neeeds to determine what he wants in a wife and how to go about finding one without being the cynosure of all the matchmaking mamas of the ton. His cogitations are interrupted by a servent coming to warn him that the neighbor's herd of goats has gotten into his blossoming hop field. As Christopher rushes out to rescue the crop and return the goars, all dedicated fans of the regency romance genre know that this is the beginning of a meet cute between a regency male and his wife-to-be.

Sure enough, we now meet diminurtive, dainty Ellen, of the procelain complexion, abundant blonde curls, enchanting hazel eyes, and rosebud lips, clad in an absolute froufrou of a gown loaded down with ruffles, lace, ribbons, bows, rosettes, all making one see doll, brainless doll at that. Don't be fooled. Ellen has a spine of steel, a sharp intellegence and observant mind, and a loving heart kind enough to give her beloved aunt pleasure by letting her dress Ellen as she sees fit, because Ellen just doesn't care. As a result of her uncle's failure of memory, Ellen is working to keep the manor and its lands operating until her younger brother is of age to take control, while at the same time keeping up the illusion that her uncle is still running things.

Naturally, Christopher initially misjudges here but very quickly realizes how mistaken he is and that he might just have met his future soul mate. Meanwhile, a counterfeit ring is operating in the neighborhood and much of the drama of the story rests in Christopher and Ellen working with Christopher's spymaster cousin Drake and his wife Louisa to unmask and capture the haut ton peer mastermind of the counterfeit scheme before endangering the financial stability of the nation.

Ellen is a strong woman, who isn't afraid of making her own demands and stating her opinions and wishes. She's without question Christopher's equal and they both know it. That's actually quite a lot of fun. I also enjoyed meeting the romany tribe who arrives to help with the harvest just as they are also needed to help unveil the plot. What I especially enjoyed in this one, and what has me giving this one 3.5 stars, is the scenes describing in detail how a country manor house and its staff set up for a large card game house party, which included a tour of the manor linen closet and a mini-lecture on the different household linens stored there. It's these touches of regency era life that I so enjoy reading.

[Elaine Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not among my favorites from the author. I felt the story had a lot of repetitive information. Needed tighter editing. Also the emphasis on Ellen's dress got a little boring and didn't have a resolution. I, at the least, expected her to be rescued by dropping rosettes and ribbons along the road.

[Sandra Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

My rating: 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.

This book, and the others in the Cynsters Next Generation series, is well-written -- but it is not as good as the earlier Cynster books. All of the books seem unnecessarily wordy, and this one is just far too long. Much of the detail of the plot could have been left out, and the story would not have suffered.

My main issue with this book is the mystery aspect. There was so much emphasis on it and the details of how they worked to stop it, that it almost overrode the romance. The earlier Cynster books usually had a mystery to solve, but the main story was always the romance -- in this series, in every book I've read so far, it seemed that the romances were very secondary to the mystery.

I also didn't like that the books, especially this one, were so long. A great deal of that length was due to unnecessary details of the mystery. That could have been covered sufficiently with much less detail.

Stephanie Laurens is an excellent writer, but this series so far has had too much emphasis on the mysteries -- and not enough on the romances. Since I read Laurens' books for the romances, I don't really enjoy so much emphasis on the mysteries.

My rating system is below.
1 star -- Hated it, or did not finish. I usually only give this rating if some of the content is truly objectionable to me, like if one of the main characters does something really awful, and gets away with it.
2 stars -- Didn't like it. This rating usually means that I thought the writing wasn't very good, the editing was terrible, I didn't like the characters, or it had other major flaws.
3 stars -- I liked it, but had some minor issues with it. This rating means that there were minor editing issues, the story needed more character development, it was just too unrealistic, or had some other fairly minor issue. The majority of books I read get this rating – I do not consider it a bad rating.
4 stars -- I liked it a lot. This is a high rating for me, and I rarely give a higher one.
5 stars -- I loved it, and will probably read it again. Very few books are good enough to get this rating from me. The ones that do are usually classics.

[Judy Hankom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christopher Cynster finally has accepted that he needs to marry. He wants to have the lifestyle that his parents and cousins have. It is inevitable that he must marry. He has come back from his cousin's wedding in Ireland. He never thought Prudence would marry but now she has.

So he is seriously thinking about marriage. He will inherit the manor estate and has already learned the ropes of raising crops.

At the same time, Ellen Martingale is settling into country life. She, her brother, Robbie, and Aunt Emma have come to live at Bigfield House Estate. Her uncle, Sir Humphrey, is losing his memory and needs help.

Ellen and Christopher meet up when he comes to complain about the goats getting into the Cynster hops. There is an instant attraction between them.

A question arises about card parties being held in a neighboring estate. Robbie is continuing to be invited to the parties and Ellen has some concerns about them.

As it turns out, a counterfeit banknote scheme is afoot. Fake British banknotes are being printed abroad and being smuggled into the country. They are being passed off at these card parties.

Drake Varisey (from two earlier books) is in charge of government crimes and he comes to the area and asks for help from Christopher and Ellen. Finally the note engraver is found. Then the smuggler has to be found. Then how are the banknotes handed off to the person holding the parties? And how does she hand them off?

There are many questions to be investigated. And the attraction keeps growing between Ellen and Christopher.

This was another good Cynster book.

[Rosemarie Grainer · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good to see another Cynster meet his match!

I love the Cynster series and seeing the children of the original series now finding their way in the world. Ellen is struggling to keep her uncle's major running smoothly until her brother is old enough to take over. Christopher is just deciding that maybe he does want to look for a wife to be his love and help him run his estate. There is Ellen, not at all what he was expecting! She is overly beribboned and bowed, and looks like a doll. But looks can be deceiving, as Christopher discovers.

While the time frame is short for the mystery, the romance itself feels like it has a leisurely pace. The tone is positive and hopeful with a storyline that is character oriented with some action and some mild steam without the extreme play-by-play that we have seen in many romances. The characters are vibrant and engaging. This is definitely a romance with cute little touches to show them coming together, and a sweet secondary romance, too! To get the full benefit, I would recommend reading this series in order from the beginning which has a LOT of books! If you don't want to do that, then read this Next Generation series in order, realizing that some of the main characters are from other series by Stephanie Laurens, like Bastian Club. Enjoy!

[PATRICIA KUNA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by Stephanie.
Christopher Cynster is at loose ends. He needs or want to find that woman that is meant to be his.

Ellen Martingagle is a neighbor with her brother and Uncle. She becomes a friend and then helps him and Louisa and Drake are all working together to find out who is passing counterfeit notes around.

They all work together to get to the answer and find the mastermind behind the scheme.

Christopher and Ellen come to find that there are sparks there and they start to develop.
Just went Ellen has given up on finding love and Christopher is hoping to avoid falling in love.
But fate has other ideas for these two.

They find that love with each other. Meant just for them.

Stepanie give us another great romance and another Cynster find love.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stephanie never disappoints, while I will I miss the original Bar Cynster and their spouses. I am glad Lady O and the grande dames get to was in. This story was more remote then the rest but Louisa and Drake were the perfect foils to set this stage. Ellen is the right mix of soft & stern for the clan.
I was a little disappointed that the mastermind was a weaker character but I sense this might not be the neat ending , just an earlier round. Time will tell.

Thank you again Stephanie.

[Becky Tatar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another plot to underemine the British Empire. This time, it's counterfeit money that is being slowly distributed in house parties of young gambling men in Christopher Cynster's neighborhood. And he and his cousin Toby Cynster have been asked by Drake Versisy, the Marquis of Winchelsea, to investigate. And as it happens, Christopher meets his neighbor, Ellen Martingale, over some goats, and her brother, Robbie, is one of the young men who attends these gambling parties. As they investigate, and Drake and Louisa are drawn into assisting, Christopher and Ellen become closer together.

[Pj Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Someday I'll have time to reread every Stephanie Laurens books again.

I'm happy to have Christopher story told, so highly recommend this book with no spoilers from me.
But I really want the time to read every book again. I Will admit that many have already be read multiple times by me. But it's time for a complete re-read from start to finish. I'm looking forward to that time. This author's work is enduring, I always look forward to sinking into her world. Thank you again.

[Carilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christopher is left to take up the reins of his parents house.

He decides to find a wife. When goats break a fence and get 8n his hips, he had no choice to look up his neighbor. There he finds Ellen and soon realizes that although he has found his wife. They face many hurdles before they can wed. With the help of his family and others,they help to stop a plot that would cause the monarchy and treasury problems.

[Lester Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cynsters answer the call of the Crown

What should be a busy time with his parents away turns even more so when he meets his new neighbors. The sheep are in the hops oh no. To make matters even worse his cousin by marriage ask him to help the crown. Can his new neighbor help hold things together. As all ways the Cynster cousins can be counted on to keep you excited and deal out the romance

[Susan Clair Holt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christopher and Ellen

I just love this author and the continuation of the Cynster books with the next generation. I have read almost every book she has written, some more than once. This story was great, a little romance, a little intrigue and ending with a wedding. So the Cynsters get together and there is a lot of guessing as to who will call victim to the Cynster curse.

[April Neal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intriguing and captivating

Poor Christopher it was always going to happen, but Ellen was not at all what he expected. However her true strength and kindness out shone her over the top gowns to show him his true love. Add in the mystery of counterfeit notes and you will enjoy a tale of twists and turns.

[Steph · Rating 1 out of 5]

The story deserves 3 stars, but as a historical romance novel, it deserves only 1 due to the near complete lack of romance & unbelieveable HH relationship found within its pages. Throughout the book, I often forgot that I was reading an HR, and there was nothing to propel the relationship we were supposed to believe was forming.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know that the next generation of Cynsters should be more emotionally envolved than their parents. But I do miss a little bit of the struggle and back-and-forth about whether sex mean marriage. And how futures will be decided. But I still loved the book. Honestly a little bit heartbroken that I’ve read the 2nd to last book in the series.

[Mrs. Patricia Fletcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book a bit repetitive and while i understand the heroine, Ellen letting her Aunt Emma "dress" her, i didnt need to constantly hear about the ribbons and bows! I would have liked her to have the sense to pick her own wedding dress!! Its quite nice that one book leads into another and im enjoying Therese's story now. I do find that i much preferred Ms. Laurens earlier books.

[Elena MG · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pues no me ha gustado prácticamente, la verdad. Las tramas cada vez se vuelven más locas y pesadas, quitándole tiempo y páginas al romance y la pasión, que es para lo que estoy aquí.

Otra ronda tremendamente decepcionante de relaciones sexuales abstractas y llenas de florituras, sin pararse en lo importante, o sin describir mejor y más real. Disappointed but not surprised 😪

[June · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one dragged for me. Maybe it is the audio format.

Christopher is taking care of the manor estate while his parents are traveling and is finally considering that he doesn't want to spend his life alone, when he finds himself attracted to the niece who has come to live with her uncle. A counterfeit scheme in the neighborhood needs to be dealt with.

[Louise Risser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Next to fall

As usual, the next Cynster romance was a page Turner. Ms Lauren's has a way of doing a stand alone book but keeping you invested with her main family. I recommend this as well as all of her books.

[Pat Loop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming Cynsters Next Generation. Best romance author. Story flows so smooth you get pulled in from the first page. Well developed characters as all the Cynsters have been from the beginning. Have read all Ms. Laurens books to date and anticipate the next.

[Candice Hume · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt something was missing for Christopher Cysnter's story. Usually I can lose myself with any of the Cysnter books but this one it took me 3 weeks to finally finish. It wasn't bad but it wasn't something I had to read. Hopefully the next Cysnter book will come back up.

[Connie Carney · Rating 5 out of 5]

The inevitable Fall etc

Another superbly readable story from Ms. Laurens. Enjoy following this Cynster family through generation to generation. Love her writing and litery situations

[Karen Fan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy that our hero and heroine are sure enough in themselves and each other that we do have silly happenings due to believing other people’s lies. I like being able to read a romance without mishaps!

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Don't get me wrong. I love Stephanie Laurens. But, the best I can say about the romance between Christopher and Ellen is that it was pleasant. There was no real passion, nor any real danger until, predictably, the last few pages. I was very disappointed in this book.

[Linda Burris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful!!!!

I love reading about the Cynster's. The family dynamics is fantastic. It is great to read about how the mighty meet , have an adventure and fall in love. Stephanie has done a wonderful job as always. I highly recommend this book and this author.