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At the Pleasure of the Marquess

(Shadows and Silk #5)

Sofie Darling (Goodreads Author)

4.67 · Rating details · 9 ratings · 9 reviews

Hortense Marchand has played many roles, but never wife. Until one desperate marquess seeks the lady spy’s help—and her hand…

Thief. Spy. Wife.

Orphaned as a child, Hortense has had to fight her way to becoming the ton’s favorite private investigator. But for a woman who lives on the edge, the past is never dead. When her former spymaster asks her to find his wastrel brother ...more

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ebook, 303 pages

Expected publication: April 28th 2021

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· 9 ratings · 9 reviews

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Apr 13, 2021 Barbara Rogers rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2021-read, author-arc

Series: Shadows and Silk #5
Publication Date: 4/28/21
Number of Pages: 303
** 3.5 stars **

Two broken people from disparate backgrounds find their HEA despite all of the odds against them.

James Asquith, Marquess of Clare, doesn’t think much of love or relationships – or perhaps just people in general. He was raised by unloving, uncaring, totally debauched parents who could hardly stand to be in the same room with each other. James had been doing a great job of drinking himself into oblivion until h Series: Shadows and Silk #5
Publication Date: 4/28/21
Number of Pages: 303
** 3.5 stars **

Two broken people from disparate backgrounds find their HEA despite all of the odds against them.

James Asquith, Marquess of Clare, doesn’t think much of love or relationships – or perhaps just people in general. He was raised by unloving, uncaring, totally debauched parents who could hardly stand to be in the same room with each other. James had been doing a great job of drinking himself into oblivion until his parents were killed in a carriage a few months earlier. For some reason, after they had departed this earth, his need to drink himself to death evaporated. What he has done in the past five months, however, is sequester himself in his home because he needed that time alone. He has shut everyone out, including his brother Nick who we met in the first book of the series, Three Lessons in Seduction. Nick, a former spymaster, wants to know if his brother has finally succeeded in drinking himself to death – or if he is ill – or … So, he hires one of his former spies to infiltrate James’s home and see what is going on.

Hortense Marchand has been the much-loved child of doting parents, a resident of the St. Mary Magdalen workhouse, a pickpocket and member of the Lucky Eels, a spy, and now she conducts discrete inquiries. When her old spymaster approaches to ask her to gain employment in his brother’s home and report back on James’s well-being, she readily agrees. Gaining employment there is easy, but she certainly never expected to get caught in her spying. James certainly isn’t drinking – and he’s very sharp and intelligent – not to mention handsome.

James was intrigued by Hortense during their brief encounter and when he had news that needed further investigation, he decided to hire her for the job. Of course, his stipulation was that he gets to go along during the investigation – and since he offered more payment than she could refuse, she agreed. When that investigation leads to even more shocking revelations, the investigation had to continue – and it had to continue in an area where Hortense dreaded to go. “Once an eel, always an eel.”

I thoroughly enjoyed James and Hortense who were both lovely and relatable characters. I loved how protective James was and how Hortense would bristle at it. What I didn’t love was the cavalier manner the author spoke of annulling the marriage – and that was a large part of the story. An annulment or divorce was all but impossible to get in that period. You didn’t just have ‘papers drawn up to get an annulment even if you were a marquess.

I enjoyed the story, and I liked the characters, but every time the annulment was mentioned, I just lost track of the story. So, while I enjoyed the characters and the story, I probably wouldn’t read it a second time.

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

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Apr 04, 2021 Minx rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2021, romance-historical

I received a digital ARC of this novel courtesy of NetGalley and Aurora Publicity in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. Will post full review closer to publication date of April 28, 2021.

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Mar 15, 2021 Lana Birky rated it it was amazing

Hortense Marchand was orphaned at an early age & she has fought & clawed her way from being a pickpocket on the mean streets & finally becoming an member of an informal spy organization but it disbanded two years ago. Her handler & mentor, Lord Nicholas Asquith introduced her to his society acquaintances & she quickly became the favored investigator for society members who needed tact & expertise for their needs. Most cases were based around infidelity & fees from those investigations were the b Hortense Marchand was orphaned at an early age & she has fought & clawed her way from being a pickpocket on the mean streets & finally becoming an member of an informal spy organization but it disbanded two years ago. Her handler & mentor, Lord Nicholas Asquith introduced her to his society acquaintances & she quickly became the favored investigator for society members who needed tact & expertise for their needs. Most cases were based around infidelity & fees from those investigations were the bulk of her earnings but occasionally there were lost or stolen items - nothing dangerous in any of the cases. Nick contacted her, he asked her to locate his wastrel brother Lord James Asquith, Marquess of Clare; she assumed it would be a just covering up more dirt about another society member & not something that would eventually change her life forever.

Jamie has lived some wild, dark, drinking, rakish times in the past & has now kept himself out of society or public while finding himself & dealing with all the duties of a marquess. His mother & father had died suddenly in a carriage accident & he was not ready to take on the title of marquess but he had to snap out of his wastrel life & take responsibility to the title. Tonight, he was waiting in his study for the person who had been here & searching for something - evidenced by things being moved at different angles that Jamie had placed them.

Jamie's study is where he first meets Hortense - she is there to find evidence of Jamie's drinking but hasn't found anything in the last few days. But then she is startled by him in the dark when he ask what she is looking for - after ascertaining she has been hired by his brother to make sure he is alive. He tells her "you may go' & before she leaves, she tells him to contact his brother & says "I thought you would be more impressive" (comparing him to his brother). This statement bother him & he follows her to show her how impressive is really is. All the fun starts here with capers, danger of returning to her childhood as a pickpocket & danger to him when his rakish past come back to haunt him, the romance is sigh-worthy. The story offers a page turning adventure for this wonderful couple & I loved the rescued dog, Sir Bacon! I voluntarily read & reviewed an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book; all thoughts & opinions are my own. ...more

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Apr 15, 2021 Karen_ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc

At The Pleasure of the Marquess
(Shadows and Silk #5)
Written by: Sofie Darling

I don’t read Historical Romance as much as I should. Sofie Darling’s At The Pleasure of the Marquess is proof that I really should read at least three a month.

Darling gives us a hero who would have given up being the new Marquess if he could have. James (Jamie) Asquith, Lord Clare would have preferred to carry on being a wastrel and a rake, after all he learned that from his father, instead upon the untimely death of hi ...more

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Apr 15, 2021 Deb Diem rated it it was amazing

At The Pleasure Of The Marquess is an enchanting historical romance by Sofie Darling. I warn you, once you start this book you may have trouble putting it down. Ms. Darling has provided readers with a well-written book populated with an outstanding cast of characters. I LOVED the characters in this story. After Amelie's parents died she was shuttled off to a workhouse. At a young age she managed to escape into a gang of pickpockets and grifters. She was pulled into the spy/detective business whe ...more

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Apr 04, 2021 Marcy G rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Forced into a life she never expected. Orphaned, workhouse, thief, spy, how could she ever
expect happiness and trust love. He grew up in a family that showed no love for one another or
there sons. He new nothing about trust, feelings, and love.
Yet, putting this together Sofie Darling has given us an incredible tale how Love can really change
everything. Filled with, adventure, new beginnings, letting go, excepting change, and lots of
passion.
Hortense and Jamie Marquess of Claire are a couple that ...more

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Mar 23, 2021 Maxine Wilson rated it it was amazing

Intriguing, suspense, romance, add some spying and this is a first rate read. Absolutely a fantastic book.

Those heart strings pulled for Hortense’s life from birth, to the work house then spying until on one of those spying mission she meets Jamie, who is determined to change her life around and in doing so his own as well.

Well written with quite a few twist and turns which pulled you into these two characters lives, wishing they would actually surrender to each other.

Superbly written, don’t do ...more

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Mar 14, 2021 Shelly rated it it was amazing

This book tugged (and ripped!) at my heartstrings over and over. Hortense was alone in the world and created her own family over and over again, for better or worse. The Marquess of Clare was less than impressive, but he was working hard to show her just how impressive he could be. Their adventures are not the typical ton activities, so this book is not your run of the mill romance. Great writing!

* I was fortunate to receive an ARC of this book in return for an honest review. **

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Apr 10, 2021 Angela rated it really liked it

We have the Marquess, Jamie, and a pickpocket turned spy/investigator, Hortense. The interactions were very interesting and a bit funny between these two characters. There is a bit of mystery and of course villains. It is a story of sacrifice and love. Wonderful story.

I received a complimentary copy from the author.

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About Sofie Darling

Sofie Darling

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Sofie Darling is an award-winning author of historical romance. Her debut novel, THREE LESSONS IN SEDUCTION, won the Writers’ League of Texas’ Manuscript Contest in the Romance Category in 2016.
She spent much of her twenties raising two boys and reading every book she could get her hands on. Once she realized she simply had to write the books she loved, she finished her English degree and embarked ...more