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Written on Your Skin
THE SOCIETY BEAUTY WHO SAVED HIS LIFE ...
Beauty, charm, wealthy admirers: Mina Masters enjoys every luxury but freedom. To save herself from an unwanted marriage, she turns her wiles on a darkly handsome stranger. But Mina's would be hero is playing his own deceptive game. A British spy, Phin Granville has no interest in emotional entanglements ... until the night Mina saves his life by gambling her own.
THE JADED SPY WHO VOWED TO FORGET HER ...
Four years later, Phin inherits a title that frees him from the bloody game of espionage. But memories of the woman who saved him won't let Phin go. When he learns that Mina needs his aid, honor forces him back into the world of his nightmares.
IN LIVES BUILT ON LIES, LOVE IS THE DARKEST SECRET OF ALL ...
Deception has ruled Mina's life just as it has Phin's. But as the beauty and the spy match wits in a dangerous dance, their practiced masks begin to slip, revealing a perilous attraction. And the greatest threat they face may not be traitors or murderous conspiracies, but their own dark desires ...
Beauty, charm, wealthy admirers: Mina Masters enjoys every luxury but freedom. To save herself from an unwanted marriage, she turns her wiles on a darkly handsome stranger. But Mina's would be hero is playing his own deceptive game. A British spy, Phin Granville has no interest in emotional entanglements ... until the night Mina saves his life by gambling her own.
THE JADED SPY WHO VOWED TO FORGET HER ...
Four years later, Phin inherits a title that frees him from the bloody game of espionage. But memories of the woman who saved him won't let Phin go. When he learns that Mina needs his aid, honor forces him back into the world of his nightmares.
IN LIVES BUILT ON LIES, LOVE IS THE DARKEST SECRET OF ALL ...
Deception has ruled Mina's life just as it has Phin's. But as the beauty and the spy match wits in a dangerous dance, their practiced masks begin to slip, revealing a perilous attraction. And the greatest threat they face may not be traitors or murderous conspiracies, but their own dark desires ...
357 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 28, 2009
110 people are currently reading
1968 people want to read
About the author
Meredith Duran
18 books1,835 followersMEREDITH DURAN blames Anne Boleyn for sparking her lifelong obsession with British history. She is the author of twelve novels, all published by Pocket Books. Her debut, The Duke of Shadows, has been translated into thirteen languages and was ranked among the top 100 romances of all time by NPR and All About Romance. Her other books include RITA award winner Fool Me Twice and her February 2017 release, A Lady's Code of Misconduct, which was called one of the best romances of the year by BookList and Amazon, and received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus, the latter of which opined: “This book weaves its spell so thoroughly that the most fortunate reader will be the one who has time to read the entire thing in one sitting.” Her next release, THE SINS OF LORD LOCKWOOD, hits the shelves on February 27, 2018.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 238 reviews
February 4, 2012
90% of the book felt like filler - ponderings, and descriptions. Plot developments not shown. Weak vague dialogue.
STORY BRIEF:
Mina’s stepfather Collins was doing something illegal in Hong Kong. Phin was working undercover to catch Collins. Someone poisoned Phin’s drink and he collapsed. Mina took him to a room to recover and helped him escape. Phin worked for Ridland at that time. Four years later Collins escaped British authorities. Ridland imprisons Mina in a locked hotel room thinking she can help him catch Collins. She escapes Ridland and wants Phin to help her find her mother. Mina believes Collins kidnapped her mother.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
This is the kind of book that makes me think I am not a good reader. I had a terrible time concentrating. It was hard to read, hard to pay attention, hard to know what was going on. Maybe a different kind of mind can handle this writing style. I cannot. So many things were vague. I don’t know what happened to Collins, Mina, or her mother during the four years. Who arrested Collins and for what. How did he escape and from where and why. Mina says she liked Phin, but we never saw how they met or why she liked him. There were not enough events and actions to develop the plot. For example, Phin and Mina are on a train. Just before they get off, they suspect a man is following them because he is well dressed. So Phin presses a nerve causing the man to fall unconscious just as he and Mina leave the train. Nothing else happens regarding that man. He was never in the story before or after the train. We are never told if he was working for someone, was following them, or anything else the man did afterwards. It felt like an unrelated and isolated event to show that Phin knew how to make a man unconscious. Another example, Mina is imprisoned in a hotel room. We are told Ridland imprisoned her, but we never saw the conversation or action that put her there. The next thing you know she is out of the room. We don’t see her leaving the room. The next scene has her talking with Phin saying her servant is missing. She believes Phin may know something about it. I don’t know how she found Phin, or got to him, or if he was the one who came to her. The events are choppy, no flow.
The conversations are too drawn out with too much pondering between comments. For example on page 221 Phin tells Mina they must stay the night at the inn. She then ponders for TWO PAGES thinking about the following before she says anything. She thinks about the size of the bed, Phin’s appearance and qualities, a former guy she knew and had sex with, suffragettes, free love, contraception, sex outside of marriage, divorce is a sin, fallen women, and what Phin might teach her about sex. Then she says “Well, I suppose we are here for the night, then.” Soon after this book I was reading a John Grisham book and a Lisa Kleypas book. Their styles are enjoyable and easy to read. Neither one of them drew out conversations this way. Their style is the following: A says something. B “thinks” (maybe 1 or 2 sentences of thought, if any) and then B “says” ... These authors do not use TWO PAGES of pondering before B responds to A. Not all conversations in “Written On Your Skin” are interrupted as badly as this. But far too many of them have paragraphs of ponderings that distract from the conversation. I lose interest.
During the entire book, nothing was interesting. I kept reading or trying to read hoping something good would come. It didn’t. The dialogue between Mina and Phin was vague. She was either playing mind games or just sounding illogical. The sex scenes did nothing for me. I felt the need to skim.
DATA:
Story length: 357 pages. Swearing language: moderate, including religious swear words. Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: 3. Estimated number of sex scene pages: 23. Setting: 1880 Hong Kong and 1884 England. Copyright: 2009. Genre: historical romance.
STORY BRIEF:
Mina’s stepfather Collins was doing something illegal in Hong Kong. Phin was working undercover to catch Collins. Someone poisoned Phin’s drink and he collapsed. Mina took him to a room to recover and helped him escape. Phin worked for Ridland at that time. Four years later Collins escaped British authorities. Ridland imprisons Mina in a locked hotel room thinking she can help him catch Collins. She escapes Ridland and wants Phin to help her find her mother. Mina believes Collins kidnapped her mother.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
This is the kind of book that makes me think I am not a good reader. I had a terrible time concentrating. It was hard to read, hard to pay attention, hard to know what was going on. Maybe a different kind of mind can handle this writing style. I cannot. So many things were vague. I don’t know what happened to Collins, Mina, or her mother during the four years. Who arrested Collins and for what. How did he escape and from where and why. Mina says she liked Phin, but we never saw how they met or why she liked him. There were not enough events and actions to develop the plot. For example, Phin and Mina are on a train. Just before they get off, they suspect a man is following them because he is well dressed. So Phin presses a nerve causing the man to fall unconscious just as he and Mina leave the train. Nothing else happens regarding that man. He was never in the story before or after the train. We are never told if he was working for someone, was following them, or anything else the man did afterwards. It felt like an unrelated and isolated event to show that Phin knew how to make a man unconscious. Another example, Mina is imprisoned in a hotel room. We are told Ridland imprisoned her, but we never saw the conversation or action that put her there. The next thing you know she is out of the room. We don’t see her leaving the room. The next scene has her talking with Phin saying her servant is missing. She believes Phin may know something about it. I don’t know how she found Phin, or got to him, or if he was the one who came to her. The events are choppy, no flow.
The conversations are too drawn out with too much pondering between comments. For example on page 221 Phin tells Mina they must stay the night at the inn. She then ponders for TWO PAGES thinking about the following before she says anything. She thinks about the size of the bed, Phin’s appearance and qualities, a former guy she knew and had sex with, suffragettes, free love, contraception, sex outside of marriage, divorce is a sin, fallen women, and what Phin might teach her about sex. Then she says “Well, I suppose we are here for the night, then.” Soon after this book I was reading a John Grisham book and a Lisa Kleypas book. Their styles are enjoyable and easy to read. Neither one of them drew out conversations this way. Their style is the following: A says something. B “thinks” (maybe 1 or 2 sentences of thought, if any) and then B “says” ... These authors do not use TWO PAGES of pondering before B responds to A. Not all conversations in “Written On Your Skin” are interrupted as badly as this. But far too many of them have paragraphs of ponderings that distract from the conversation. I lose interest.
During the entire book, nothing was interesting. I kept reading or trying to read hoping something good would come. It didn’t. The dialogue between Mina and Phin was vague. She was either playing mind games or just sounding illogical. The sex scenes did nothing for me. I felt the need to skim.
DATA:
Story length: 357 pages. Swearing language: moderate, including religious swear words. Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: 3. Estimated number of sex scene pages: 23. Setting: 1880 Hong Kong and 1884 England. Copyright: 2009. Genre: historical romance.
February 24, 2019
Incredible mother/daughter conversation in the first chapter. I really felt for both of them and could see both sides of the argument. There were a lot of insightful and very thought provoking comments in that conversation. The author's writing was very intense and spectacular.
This story definitely had a darker tone and may not be for everyone. I personally enjoyed the underbelly of human psyche aspect of the book.
This book was infused with intelligent humor and it was a treat to read a fresh, new view on romance stories. The romance field is starting to be over saturated with regency romance stories if you ask me; writers or publishing companies seem to have forgotten there are other historical time periods out there people wouldn't mind reading about. There were times when I was reading this story that the author's writing style made me think of Connie Brockway and faintly of Marsha Canham (but without the historical detail). This constitutes as very high praise from me.
This book took a long time for me to finish and I don't really know why. When I was reading it I felt very involved and the story had an emotional tenseness not found in a lot of books. However, when I stepped away from it, I found it very hard to get myself to pick it up again. I didn't feel the gripping desire to start reading the story I usually do with great books. It's so strange how I would find other things to do instead of getting back to the story. I think the bigger picture part of the story was not captivating enough.
On the other hand I enjoyed this author's intelligent, dark, intense writing style.At the end of the day (forgive me I have been watching way too much Sportscenter) this book just didn't do it for me. I never felt a burning desire to finish the story. The beginning intrigued me but the middle and end dragged for me. Like I said before it is a different take on historical romance so if you want something new it might worth a shot. Phin and Mina have such dark, deep layers to their personalities that I kept thinking the best way to describe this book would be to call it a cold blooded romance story.
This story definitely had a darker tone and may not be for everyone. I personally enjoyed the underbelly of human psyche aspect of the book.
This book was infused with intelligent humor and it was a treat to read a fresh, new view on romance stories. The romance field is starting to be over saturated with regency romance stories if you ask me; writers or publishing companies seem to have forgotten there are other historical time periods out there people wouldn't mind reading about. There were times when I was reading this story that the author's writing style made me think of Connie Brockway and faintly of Marsha Canham (but without the historical detail). This constitutes as very high praise from me.
This book took a long time for me to finish and I don't really know why. When I was reading it I felt very involved and the story had an emotional tenseness not found in a lot of books. However, when I stepped away from it, I found it very hard to get myself to pick it up again. I didn't feel the gripping desire to start reading the story I usually do with great books. It's so strange how I would find other things to do instead of getting back to the story. I think the bigger picture part of the story was not captivating enough.
On the other hand I enjoyed this author's intelligent, dark, intense writing style.At the end of the day (forgive me I have been watching way too much Sportscenter) this book just didn't do it for me. I never felt a burning desire to finish the story. The beginning intrigued me but the middle and end dragged for me. Like I said before it is a different take on historical romance so if you want something new it might worth a shot. Phin and Mina have such dark, deep layers to their personalities that I kept thinking the best way to describe this book would be to call it a cold blooded romance story.
August 23, 2023
It's been years since I last read a Duran novel and reading this has reminded me what a wonderful writer she was. It is a great loss to HR lovers that she appears to be on a continuous hiatus from writing.
I adore the heroine, Mina Masters, whipsmart and ahead of her time, but forced to hide her intellect behind the flirty facade of a ditzy society beauty. She has learned to rely on only herself and despite obstacles and past trauma, she has managed to forged a path forward for herself. After her mother's disappearance, Mina is however forced to join forces with ex-spy Phin Granville. Both of them have major trust issues to overcome.
There's sharp, witty bantering and a lot of head butting to keep this story enthralling. Phin needed his head bashed in a time or two but he did come good. All in all, this was good fun and I wonder why it took me so long to finally read this one. On to the next Duran classic that I have previously skipped.
He looked back to her. She gave him another pretty smile. Was this her technique of interrogation? If so, she needed to work on it.
And you cannot account for it, so you resent me. You tell yourself there must be some explanation other than the real one. You think I’m working for someone who’s clever. You can’t even consider that I might be clever, because that would mean—well, that between the two of us, you’re the one who’s the idiot.”
She was healthier than opium or bullets, more pleasurable, marginally safer.
“If you bring out the worst in a man, that doesn’t mean you’re to blame for his sin.”
...it seemed clear—thoroughly, irrationally clear—that if she touched him right now, their flesh would recognize each other. The wildest thought: these scars, his and hers, would speak to each other, communicating intimacies that could not be unshared.
Let her dance as close to cliffs as she demanded. He had it in him to catch her if she fell.
I adore the heroine, Mina Masters, whipsmart and ahead of her time, but forced to hide her intellect behind the flirty facade of a ditzy society beauty. She has learned to rely on only herself and despite obstacles and past trauma, she has managed to forged a path forward for herself. After her mother's disappearance, Mina is however forced to join forces with ex-spy Phin Granville. Both of them have major trust issues to overcome.
There's sharp, witty bantering and a lot of head butting to keep this story enthralling. Phin needed his head bashed in a time or two but he did come good. All in all, this was good fun and I wonder why it took me so long to finally read this one. On to the next Duran classic that I have previously skipped.
He looked back to her. She gave him another pretty smile. Was this her technique of interrogation? If so, she needed to work on it.
And you cannot account for it, so you resent me. You tell yourself there must be some explanation other than the real one. You think I’m working for someone who’s clever. You can’t even consider that I might be clever, because that would mean—well, that between the two of us, you’re the one who’s the idiot.”
She was healthier than opium or bullets, more pleasurable, marginally safer.
“If you bring out the worst in a man, that doesn’t mean you’re to blame for his sin.”
...it seemed clear—thoroughly, irrationally clear—that if she touched him right now, their flesh would recognize each other. The wildest thought: these scars, his and hers, would speak to each other, communicating intimacies that could not be unshared.
Let her dance as close to cliffs as she demanded. He had it in him to catch her if she fell.
March 12, 2018
This review can also be found at Romantic Historical Reviews.
Written on Your Skin might only be my second read by this author but it was a book that I was hugely anticipating after my first experience with her work, some general hype, and a relentless 'do not put this book off' recommendation by a buddy; so my expectations were rather off the charts. And for the most part the experience completely lived up to them.
As in Duke of Shadows, we have an historical romance story opening up in a setting that is not England. This time we're in Hong Kong and our heroine, Mina Masters, happens to be American and something of a featherbrained flirt – or so it appears. We find out her silly behaviour is mostly a front and that she'd been focusing her flirtation on a certain man in hopes of securing a way out of an arranged situation that her stepfather would be most pleased to finalize on her behalf. However, she plays her role so well that she manages to convince Phin Monroe, mapmaker and government agent and target of said flirtation, that she really is nothing more than a beautiful idiot.
When his role in the investigation of Mina's stepfather is compromised and he's poisoned by another agent playing both sides, it's Mina who saves Phin's life, at great risk to herself, and helps him to escape. All she asks in return is a promise that one day he'll repay his debt to her.
Four years later, both of their circumstances have changed. Free from her stepfather's influence after his arrest, Mina and her mother have made a good life for themselves in London. At least, that is, until her stepfather's escape from the authorities and her mother's subsequent abduction. Now Mina is forced to rely on a government man she doesn't trust, and who doesn't trust her, and every day brings more worry, and more fear that she’ll never see her mother again.
Phin's prospects, however, have changed dramatically – for the better, or so it seems on the surface. He's inherited a title in the wake of his uncle's death, he's left government service and his role as reluctant spy, and every day is a challenge to fit this new role and leave the darkness of his past deeds behind. He's done his best to forget Mina over the years but when she calls in her favour, he can't turn away, and they are once again thrown together. He finds it hard to believe that her intentions aren't more than what meets the eye, and she isn't willing to gamble her one trump card on someone who refuses to trust her. Both are at the inconvenient mercy of their mutual attraction, and naturally they are perfect for one another.
"You tell yourself there must be some explanation other than the real one. You think I'm working for someone who’s clever. You can’t even consider that I might be clever, because that would mean – well, that between the two of us, you're the one who's the idiot."
Where this story excels is in the characterization, especially that of Mina. A beauty, completely aware of her charms, she's painfully clever and intelligent, and it's that awareness that forces her to act the harmless innocent in order to not only survive in the world of men, but also thrive in it. She's got a successful business, investors, and manages to outwit anyone in her path no matter the situation. But Phin challenges her. He pushes her and manages to see to the truth of her – even after he doubts himself and his instincts. Phin carries so much self-doubt (most of it the result of family circumstances) in himself, in his abilities, in not feeling comfortable in his new position; all of which are compounded by the losses he's faced in his role as an agent. Mina struggles to prove to Phin that he's worth her faith in him, but the bigger challenge to overcome is convincing him to have faith in himself.
"One of us is going to have to yield."
"Then we are both doomed to disappointment, for I don't think either of us is the yielding sort."
Every interaction between these two is so great, not to mention a wee bit angsty, because they take each other apart piece by piece, not cruelly, nor for sport, but rather to highlight the best of what they are individually and how they fit together so well.
The mystery of the double agent, the missing mother, even Phin's recruiter, it's all diverting and interesting, but in my mind was totally eclipsed by the couple and their relationship. The push and pull of their chemistry, trying to outwit one another, the emotional reveals that happen along the way, their intimate interactions, and Mina's adamant refusal to be locked away, to be protected without given means to be given a choice.. it's breathtaking. Frustrating. Sexy as all hell.
Strangely, though, the end of the book leaves us on something of a lighthearted and almost silly note. The resolution to the abduction plotline was something I wish I had seen coming and as much as the shift was a little jarring, in hindsight I'm totally amused by it all. As for the romance, I loved the final chapter between Phin and Mina. It's so perfectly suited to their relationship.
Though I didn't love the whole story as much as I loved Duke of Shadows, it did nothing to diminish my respect and love for this author. Meredith Duran has created some of the most intelligent, layered characters in historical romance, which are only reinforced by her brilliant writing, and every book of hers I read makes me question why it's taken me so long to discover her. In spite of my small reservation, Written on Your Skin is highly recommended.
Written on Your Skin might only be my second read by this author but it was a book that I was hugely anticipating after my first experience with her work, some general hype, and a relentless 'do not put this book off' recommendation by a buddy; so my expectations were rather off the charts. And for the most part the experience completely lived up to them.
As in Duke of Shadows, we have an historical romance story opening up in a setting that is not England. This time we're in Hong Kong and our heroine, Mina Masters, happens to be American and something of a featherbrained flirt – or so it appears. We find out her silly behaviour is mostly a front and that she'd been focusing her flirtation on a certain man in hopes of securing a way out of an arranged situation that her stepfather would be most pleased to finalize on her behalf. However, she plays her role so well that she manages to convince Phin Monroe, mapmaker and government agent and target of said flirtation, that she really is nothing more than a beautiful idiot.
When his role in the investigation of Mina's stepfather is compromised and he's poisoned by another agent playing both sides, it's Mina who saves Phin's life, at great risk to herself, and helps him to escape. All she asks in return is a promise that one day he'll repay his debt to her.
Four years later, both of their circumstances have changed. Free from her stepfather's influence after his arrest, Mina and her mother have made a good life for themselves in London. At least, that is, until her stepfather's escape from the authorities and her mother's subsequent abduction. Now Mina is forced to rely on a government man she doesn't trust, and who doesn't trust her, and every day brings more worry, and more fear that she’ll never see her mother again.
Phin's prospects, however, have changed dramatically – for the better, or so it seems on the surface. He's inherited a title in the wake of his uncle's death, he's left government service and his role as reluctant spy, and every day is a challenge to fit this new role and leave the darkness of his past deeds behind. He's done his best to forget Mina over the years but when she calls in her favour, he can't turn away, and they are once again thrown together. He finds it hard to believe that her intentions aren't more than what meets the eye, and she isn't willing to gamble her one trump card on someone who refuses to trust her. Both are at the inconvenient mercy of their mutual attraction, and naturally they are perfect for one another.
"You tell yourself there must be some explanation other than the real one. You think I'm working for someone who’s clever. You can’t even consider that I might be clever, because that would mean – well, that between the two of us, you're the one who's the idiot."
Where this story excels is in the characterization, especially that of Mina. A beauty, completely aware of her charms, she's painfully clever and intelligent, and it's that awareness that forces her to act the harmless innocent in order to not only survive in the world of men, but also thrive in it. She's got a successful business, investors, and manages to outwit anyone in her path no matter the situation. But Phin challenges her. He pushes her and manages to see to the truth of her – even after he doubts himself and his instincts. Phin carries so much self-doubt (most of it the result of family circumstances) in himself, in his abilities, in not feeling comfortable in his new position; all of which are compounded by the losses he's faced in his role as an agent. Mina struggles to prove to Phin that he's worth her faith in him, but the bigger challenge to overcome is convincing him to have faith in himself.
"One of us is going to have to yield."
"Then we are both doomed to disappointment, for I don't think either of us is the yielding sort."
Every interaction between these two is so great, not to mention a wee bit angsty, because they take each other apart piece by piece, not cruelly, nor for sport, but rather to highlight the best of what they are individually and how they fit together so well.
The mystery of the double agent, the missing mother, even Phin's recruiter, it's all diverting and interesting, but in my mind was totally eclipsed by the couple and their relationship. The push and pull of their chemistry, trying to outwit one another, the emotional reveals that happen along the way, their intimate interactions, and Mina's adamant refusal to be locked away, to be protected without given means to be given a choice.. it's breathtaking. Frustrating. Sexy as all hell.
Strangely, though, the end of the book leaves us on something of a lighthearted and almost silly note. The resolution to the abduction plotline was something I wish I had seen coming and as much as the shift was a little jarring, in hindsight I'm totally amused by it all. As for the romance, I loved the final chapter between Phin and Mina. It's so perfectly suited to their relationship.
Though I didn't love the whole story as much as I loved Duke of Shadows, it did nothing to diminish my respect and love for this author. Meredith Duran has created some of the most intelligent, layered characters in historical romance, which are only reinforced by her brilliant writing, and every book of hers I read makes me question why it's taken me so long to discover her. In spite of my small reservation, Written on Your Skin is highly recommended.
March 24, 2022
3.5 to 4 stars. Phin (Phineas) has been a somewhat reluctant spy for Her Majesty's government, in Hong Kong as well as other places. Now back in England, he has retired from spying and has inherited a title. He still has occasional panic attacks and indulges in the occasional opium jag to dull his guilt at the men he has killed in the course of his duties as a spy.
Mina met Phin several years ago when they were both in Hong Kong. Trying to escape the prospect of an unpleasant marriage herself, she gets embroiled in Phin's affairs and ends up saving his life as he escapes from Hong Kong. Neither of them have seen each other since then, but now they meet again.
There is a complicated plot that involves kidnapping, murder, traitorous spies, a secret cipher that the bad guys will do anything to get hold of, etc etc. Not usually my kind of story, actually. But I still enjoyed this one. Duran is good at writing emotionally real stories about flawed and damaged characters. Phin and Mina both have a slew of problems and issues to deal with, but they can't deny their deep attraction to each other. As the plot unwinds, they grow to understand each other better, and to fall deeply in love.
I liked the growth in both of the MCs. Their love story was touching and convincing. Another enjoyable read from Duran.
Mina met Phin several years ago when they were both in Hong Kong. Trying to escape the prospect of an unpleasant marriage herself, she gets embroiled in Phin's affairs and ends up saving his life as he escapes from Hong Kong. Neither of them have seen each other since then, but now they meet again.
There is a complicated plot that involves kidnapping, murder, traitorous spies, a secret cipher that the bad guys will do anything to get hold of, etc etc. Not usually my kind of story, actually. But I still enjoyed this one. Duran is good at writing emotionally real stories about flawed and damaged characters. Phin and Mina both have a slew of problems and issues to deal with, but they can't deny their deep attraction to each other. As the plot unwinds, they grow to understand each other better, and to fall deeply in love.
I liked the growth in both of the MCs. Their love story was touching and convincing. Another enjoyable read from Duran.
July 8, 2023
It's no small feat to pull off a historical romance like this-- or any romance. The characters cannot be vulnerable or even themselves with one another and yet Duran does a magnificent job of still making their vulnerability visible to the reader and the characters.
While the suspense is fun, it just helps up the ante and the backdrop of danger for this high-adrenaline couple. Phin is an incredibly appealing hero, but he is, at times, overshadowed by Mina, and I was just fine with that. Mina clearly has a whole world orchestrated around her, and was clearly Phin's perfect match from go. Though they were brilliant in partnership, they equally soared in their antagonism. I know I will return to this novel, as I will with most of Duran's.
While the suspense is fun, it just helps up the ante and the backdrop of danger for this high-adrenaline couple. Phin is an incredibly appealing hero, but he is, at times, overshadowed by Mina, and I was just fine with that. Mina clearly has a whole world orchestrated around her, and was clearly Phin's perfect match from go. Though they were brilliant in partnership, they equally soared in their antagonism. I know I will return to this novel, as I will with most of Duran's.
September 7, 2023
Well written and totally unique, but I found the constant warfare and game-playing unpleasant. And the ending was disappointing—it felt too tidy and convenient in a novel that celebrated murkiness and messiness up to that point.
I love this author and the way she rattles my chains but I didn’t enjoy this one quite as much as the others I’ve read.
I love this author and the way she rattles my chains but I didn’t enjoy this one quite as much as the others I’ve read.
November 27, 2017
Duran is a brilliant writer. But this is ability is a double edged sword when it comes to writing full length novels. The human brain is capable of producing 70,000 thoughts per day most which we are unaware of....however when Duran writes she gives substance to each and every thought of her characters....she elaborates, probes, and inspects every aspect of her characters behaviors....while this ability is extraordinary and gives rise to beautiful writing and depth to her characters it takes away from story telling. She is not a good storyteller...she weaves beautiful moments but fails to connect them effortlessly to fluidly advance the plot. It is exhausting to read all these thoughts of a single character while you are waiting for a mystery to be unraveled or a villain to be brought to face retribution. God help us the day she is able to find the balance between plot development and character development.....because then she will be unstoppable...until then I enjoy her superior writing and flawed storytelling.
As far as this specific book goes it was the moments between Phin and Mina that were worth reading I skimmed through most of everything else.
As far as this specific book goes it was the moments between Phin and Mina that were worth reading I skimmed through most of everything else.
May 13, 2024
“You said you had no choice.”
“Yes, I told myself that afterward, too. But it’s harder to believe when I know a woman who made choices for herself when none seemed to exist.”
---------------------
We start with Mina Masters as the beautiful, flighty stepdaughter of a war profiteer. When she meets Phin, an actual spy for the British government, she's fully disguised herself as what Phin calls a "bufflehead," so when she saves his he's caught off-guard.
Four years later Mina needs his help to save her mother, but Phin's help is cautiously given. He's not sure who Mina is working for or what she really wants from him, so instead of starting as partners, Phin locks her up and tries to assert his control over her. Trouble is, Mina isn't actually a peabrain, so she overmatches him at every turn.
When they finally team up it's a joy to watch. Sexual tension is off the charts. I'm convinced Duran can't write a bad book.
“Yes, I told myself that afterward, too. But it’s harder to believe when I know a woman who made choices for herself when none seemed to exist.”
---------------------
We start with Mina Masters as the beautiful, flighty stepdaughter of a war profiteer. When she meets Phin, an actual spy for the British government, she's fully disguised herself as what Phin calls a "bufflehead," so when she saves his he's caught off-guard.
Four years later Mina needs his help to save her mother, but Phin's help is cautiously given. He's not sure who Mina is working for or what she really wants from him, so instead of starting as partners, Phin locks her up and tries to assert his control over her. Trouble is, Mina isn't actually a peabrain, so she overmatches him at every turn.
When they finally team up it's a joy to watch. Sexual tension is off the charts. I'm convinced Duran can't write a bad book.
February 4, 2010
I hate to give this book two stars but it was really hard to get through. While it is well written and the author clearly knows what she is talking about it, it was boring. I don't know if it is because I read so many good reviews that I hyped it up too much in mind or what. I couldn't feel the romance in the book. It took too long for me to understand why the characters should be together. There was also alot of inner dialogue. I love to know what the characters in a story is thinking about but when was they ever going to communicate with each other. I was like come on already! I'm disappointed with this one!
July 30, 2009
My expectations are very high when it comes to a Meredith Duran books. The romances she pens do not have a simple storyline where boy meets girl, they go on an adventures and their happily ever is pretty much a given. Written on Your Skin is a gut retching journey, not only for the two main characters but for the reader. I hardly ever cry while I read and I did with Written on Your Skin. *Shakes fist at Meredith*. Written on Your Skin is a beautiful, all encompassing experience. Meredith makes sure to bring forth every emotion. And those who wish to write their own historical romance, take note. Meredith Duran is becoming a master writer of this genre. Learn from her.
The year is 1880, the setting is Hong Kong, Tokyo. Phin Granville is working undercover as a British spy. He needs to take down a Mr. Gerard Collins who will soon be arrested for crimes against the British government. Phin hates this life. He doesn’t want to be a spy. It eats away at him where the stress gets to him so much that he has horrible headaches. But Phin doesn’t really have a plan or the desire to figure out what he wants in life. He does enjoy making maps, that’s for certain, and longs for the sweet release of his torments through smoking Opium. Phin is close to having a breakdown at any moment. But then Collins’ step-daughter waltzes into his life and the suffering he experiences will not compare to the run around Mina gives him. Mina is a young, brash American who flaunts herself in front of society and taunts Phin wherever he goes. When Phin first meets Mina he thinks of her as a featherbrain, a very fragile young woman who looks like a porcelain doll. Mina is full of energy and enjoys speaking what's on her mind. Mina wants Phin and even though Phin thinks he can handle Mina, he can’t. He treats her with disdain and near loathing, but underneath this façade, he wants her desperately. He hates feeling this way for a woman and can’t decide if he wants to wring her neck or screw her into oblivion.
It’s all about facades between these two. The world sees Phin one way. The same goes for Mina. Her step father beats her poor mother who is like a butterfly, fluttering against a window pane and trying to find a way to escape, but knows she can’t because she is stuck in the hell of her own making. Mina won’t be like her mother, even though she loves her dearly. Mina wants to break away and will help her mother also but running back to New York City and away from Collins. But there is a problem, and it is Phin. He is poisoned by one of Collins’ lackeys. Mina nurses him back to health and helps him get away. And because Mina does help, the horrors her mother has gone through will not compare to what Mina will endure under Collins’ hands.
Because Mina is a resourceful young woman she and her mother are able to make their way back to New York. Mina has started a very profitable hair tonic business. But Mina is now in London, four years later, searching for her missing mother. I am not sure why and how Mina’s mother is in England and again at the hands of Collins, but Mina must find her mother before she is hurt or found dead. Collins is not one you want to cross and he will take out his anger on Mina’s mama before Mina can save her. Mina is only one small woman after all. She may be resourceful but needs someone who is more skillful at the deceit and spy game. And that is Phin.
Phin never thought he would see Miss Masters again and does not want Mina in his life because she affects him in ways he cannot understand. Mina is very vulnerable even though she hides it so well. She is so good at putting on an act, one that even Phin misses at first. But he knows what game she is playing. Mina may drive him batty, but he sees her as a woman who cares for her mother and wants to save her from a horrible man before it is too late. Phin is now a rich Baron and has no choice but to help Mina. They will search across the English countryside looking for Mina’s missing mother. During this time they will come to learn and understand who each other really is and why they act the way they do towards one another. Their desire and lust will grow and grow until it can no longer be contained.
Written on Your Skin is one of the most wonderfully sophisticated books I have read this year. In the mood for a road romance? This is your book. What some hotter than hot sex scenes? The passion and heat between this duo is very intense. There is one scene where my mouth dropped because Phin is so very naughty when he expresses his desire to bed Mina. And when these two do the deed, the crude language Phin uses with Mina will shock, but in a good way. The sex between Phin and Mina is a very powerful thing because this is where they accept each other, faults and all. Phin is too pushy and acts cold and superior to Mina because the idea that she can break through his defenses he has built around himself scares him. Mina may act mature and worldly but she lashes out in ways that are very immature. It is a mechanism to protect herself. Meredith has also given Mina an adorable childhood addiction she can’t give up that equals to one sucking their thumb.
Written on Your Skin is an incredible feat of writing, one where you will read late into the night so you can soak up every detail on the page. Dark, poignant and all consuming, this book will have you awestruck because the words that Meredith Duran has written reaches deep into your soul. Written on Your Skin is one book that is a must read for 2009 and perhaps one of the best historicals of this decade.
The year is 1880, the setting is Hong Kong, Tokyo. Phin Granville is working undercover as a British spy. He needs to take down a Mr. Gerard Collins who will soon be arrested for crimes against the British government. Phin hates this life. He doesn’t want to be a spy. It eats away at him where the stress gets to him so much that he has horrible headaches. But Phin doesn’t really have a plan or the desire to figure out what he wants in life. He does enjoy making maps, that’s for certain, and longs for the sweet release of his torments through smoking Opium. Phin is close to having a breakdown at any moment. But then Collins’ step-daughter waltzes into his life and the suffering he experiences will not compare to the run around Mina gives him. Mina is a young, brash American who flaunts herself in front of society and taunts Phin wherever he goes. When Phin first meets Mina he thinks of her as a featherbrain, a very fragile young woman who looks like a porcelain doll. Mina is full of energy and enjoys speaking what's on her mind. Mina wants Phin and even though Phin thinks he can handle Mina, he can’t. He treats her with disdain and near loathing, but underneath this façade, he wants her desperately. He hates feeling this way for a woman and can’t decide if he wants to wring her neck or screw her into oblivion.
It’s all about facades between these two. The world sees Phin one way. The same goes for Mina. Her step father beats her poor mother who is like a butterfly, fluttering against a window pane and trying to find a way to escape, but knows she can’t because she is stuck in the hell of her own making. Mina won’t be like her mother, even though she loves her dearly. Mina wants to break away and will help her mother also but running back to New York City and away from Collins. But there is a problem, and it is Phin. He is poisoned by one of Collins’ lackeys. Mina nurses him back to health and helps him get away. And because Mina does help, the horrors her mother has gone through will not compare to what Mina will endure under Collins’ hands.
Because Mina is a resourceful young woman she and her mother are able to make their way back to New York. Mina has started a very profitable hair tonic business. But Mina is now in London, four years later, searching for her missing mother. I am not sure why and how Mina’s mother is in England and again at the hands of Collins, but Mina must find her mother before she is hurt or found dead. Collins is not one you want to cross and he will take out his anger on Mina’s mama before Mina can save her. Mina is only one small woman after all. She may be resourceful but needs someone who is more skillful at the deceit and spy game. And that is Phin.
Phin never thought he would see Miss Masters again and does not want Mina in his life because she affects him in ways he cannot understand. Mina is very vulnerable even though she hides it so well. She is so good at putting on an act, one that even Phin misses at first. But he knows what game she is playing. Mina may drive him batty, but he sees her as a woman who cares for her mother and wants to save her from a horrible man before it is too late. Phin is now a rich Baron and has no choice but to help Mina. They will search across the English countryside looking for Mina’s missing mother. During this time they will come to learn and understand who each other really is and why they act the way they do towards one another. Their desire and lust will grow and grow until it can no longer be contained.
Written on Your Skin is one of the most wonderfully sophisticated books I have read this year. In the mood for a road romance? This is your book. What some hotter than hot sex scenes? The passion and heat between this duo is very intense. There is one scene where my mouth dropped because Phin is so very naughty when he expresses his desire to bed Mina. And when these two do the deed, the crude language Phin uses with Mina will shock, but in a good way. The sex between Phin and Mina is a very powerful thing because this is where they accept each other, faults and all. Phin is too pushy and acts cold and superior to Mina because the idea that she can break through his defenses he has built around himself scares him. Mina may act mature and worldly but she lashes out in ways that are very immature. It is a mechanism to protect herself. Meredith has also given Mina an adorable childhood addiction she can’t give up that equals to one sucking their thumb.
Written on Your Skin is an incredible feat of writing, one where you will read late into the night so you can soak up every detail on the page. Dark, poignant and all consuming, this book will have you awestruck because the words that Meredith Duran has written reaches deep into your soul. Written on Your Skin is one book that is a must read for 2009 and perhaps one of the best historicals of this decade.
February 11, 2018
This was one of those books that I loved so much and fear there aren't enough words in the English language for me to explain why. To be honest, in many ways I'm daunted by the sheer beauty of Meredith's words. This much maligned genre needs to make this book required reading for anyone who thinks it can't be well written or feminist. Because oh this very much was. I felt drugged, seduced, enraptured by the words, the story, the characters. The last several months, I've been flitting around multiple books and having a hard time finding anything that holds my attention for any length of time. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm not that monogamous with my reading, but this was different. This is the book I've been searching many months for. The writing alone is what captivated me, but the characters, the scars they carried (physical and emotional), the discussions/arguments about women and their rights during this time frame, discussions of consent... it all equaled sheer brilliance for me.
January 19, 2019
What I loved about this book was the intense emotion deftly navigated. I was in agony - agony! - for hunks of this book. Suffering with Mina and Ashmore. But it was the tenderest torture.
As the book began I wasn’t sure what to think of either of them. Mina in particular was a conundrum. But in one of the best displays of character development ever these two unfolded and revealed themselves to be brilliant and complex and hurting and loving.
They had two of the strongest personalities in recent memory. I have difficultly saying if I loved this one for the hero or heroine. There were moments from 60 to 80% when they were unintentionally injuring one another where I had to set the book down and breathe.
I anticipate this being my top romance of 2019. Of course I could be wrong - I do have a lot more Duran to read this year.
As the book began I wasn’t sure what to think of either of them. Mina in particular was a conundrum. But in one of the best displays of character development ever these two unfolded and revealed themselves to be brilliant and complex and hurting and loving.
They had two of the strongest personalities in recent memory. I have difficultly saying if I loved this one for the hero or heroine. There were moments from 60 to 80% when they were unintentionally injuring one another where I had to set the book down and breathe.
I anticipate this being my top romance of 2019. Of course I could be wrong - I do have a lot more Duran to read this year.
April 2, 2024
4.5 stars.
I enjoyed watching these two highly complicated, secretive and distrustful characters fall in love.
I wanted to read Phin’s story from “Bound by your touch” and this book more then paid off.
He is such a great, dark, smart man and I enjoyed Mina as well and how she refused to be contained holding on to her independence.
The only thing I was hoping for was to see more emotional charge to her scars which were for him.
I enjoyed watching these two highly complicated, secretive and distrustful characters fall in love.
I wanted to read Phin’s story from “Bound by your touch” and this book more then paid off.
He is such a great, dark, smart man and I enjoyed Mina as well and how she refused to be contained holding on to her independence.
The only thing I was hoping for was to see more emotional charge to her scars which were for him.
January 7, 2021
The writing style does not suit me. Complex plot and characters, their story is Told during complex, teasing conversations. So many hints, lies and innuendo. They had their reasons; she's trying to save her mother from an evil man and the H is a spy she'd saved years before. I liked how they changed their lives but she was difficult to like. Almost DNF.
August 17, 2009
Dunno how she does it, but once again, I was STUNNED & blown away by MD's extraordinary writing skills. Gotta admit that WOYS has really surpassed 'The Duke of Shadows' as my fav to date, probably 'cuz I'm partial to the mouth-watering ingredients : cloak-and-dagger espionage, road romance, airhead heroine who turns out to be whip smart & a brilliant actress, tortured hero who has to exorcise his inner demons & fights his attraction every step of the way, to the point of feeling depraved for feeling the way he does. I savored every word & worshiped this book to pieces. It's my absolute fav read of 2009, bar none. I luved both H/H equally, which is v. rare for me, 'cuz usually the hero catapults the book into the prestigious fav re-read status. Phin is 1 delicious, tortured, reluctant spy =^2 It's not common for me to wanna read the book from cover to cover again as soon as I reach the last line, but that's exactly how I felt when I read the last word. I luved how Phin & Mina try their darndest to outwit, outsmart & outseduce each other. They're 2 damaged souls. The sparkling chemistry between H/H literally leaps off the pages. Cool, calm, collected Phin is constantly exasperated & astounded by Mina's subterfuge & outrageous antics. He finally finds his match in resourceful Mina. There are so many fav scenes that I'll be re-reading, esp when she gets caught snooping around @ his desk, on the train & how cool he terminates the sleazebags who try to harm Mina under his own roof & @ the park. He takes my breath away. I'm waiting w/ bated breath for her next installment ! =^P
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2022
El tópico de muchacha norteamericana que enamora a un aristócrata inglés se ha contado de muchas maneras… Esta es una: con espionaje de por medio.
Estando en Hong Kong, Mina Master salva inesperadamente a Phin Granville, espía de la Corona que no se molesta en mirar atrás a ver qué coste ha tenido para ella esa acción. Pasa el tiempo y él deja de lado esa vida de misterios, pero Mina recurrirá a él cuando su madre desaparece. Se inicia un juego de apariencias, en el que ninguno se revela del todo tal cual es. Una cosa es lo que piensan y otra lo que dicen. Tienes que leer con atención cada frase, e intentar ver qué está ocurriendo en realidad. Cuando tienes que fingir tanto, al final la confusión acaba dominándolo todo. La traducción, ya lo advierto, no me pareció particularmente lograda. Pero es de Meredith Duran, para mí, un valor fijo en romántica histórica cuando quieres algo con un poco de chicha.
Crítica más extensa, en mi blog.
Estando en Hong Kong, Mina Master salva inesperadamente a Phin Granville, espía de la Corona que no se molesta en mirar atrás a ver qué coste ha tenido para ella esa acción. Pasa el tiempo y él deja de lado esa vida de misterios, pero Mina recurrirá a él cuando su madre desaparece. Se inicia un juego de apariencias, en el que ninguno se revela del todo tal cual es. Una cosa es lo que piensan y otra lo que dicen. Tienes que leer con atención cada frase, e intentar ver qué está ocurriendo en realidad. Cuando tienes que fingir tanto, al final la confusión acaba dominándolo todo. La traducción, ya lo advierto, no me pareció particularmente lograda. Pero es de Meredith Duran, para mí, un valor fijo en romántica histórica cuando quieres algo con un poco de chicha.
Crítica más extensa, en mi blog.
June 26, 2012
This is hands down my favorite Meredith Duran book. And given how much I have loved ALL of her books, that is high praise indeed.
August 7, 2021
Too boring to finish. A lot of gap between incidents.
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June 9, 2011
My review contains spoilers and they're mostly my thoughts as I went with the book. This one's got 2 parts.
I've just about read 8 chapters of the book and I'm very disappointed. Except for a few scenes in the beginning, the book is just slow and boring. I thought I'd love Phin from whatever I read in Bound by Your Touch but I'm wrong. He seems too cold, emotionally detached for my liking. And the heroine, Mina, I'm not really impressed by her. There are just too many 'odes' to her 'porcelain perfect skin, petite figure and ice-blonde hair' all over the book and honestly, whatever MD is trying to pass her as, she isn't that smart, just plain irritating sometimes. The incidents of this book is happening simultaneously with Bound by Your Touch, except the incidents 4 yrs ago.
I really liked the 1st chapters, the back story. I liked the way Phin acted and yes, one line he said to Mina, I loved it :p . I thought he'd be yum! But, now, I'm not sure. Too many details about his life scattered around the book, none is complete. So, I end up with questions such as what was his relationship with the Sheldrakes? I knew he used to know them for a long time though haven't seen them recently, spend times with them. Like Phin, Mr. Sheldrake was a cartographer. The family, I guess, was a escape from his own dreadfully drunk and debauched father. But, that's just my guess. It's like this, I keep guessing but that's all and it is seriously confusing sometimes. Also, something happened when he was working for a man called Ridland, who, now we know, isn't an honest/good man. I really don't know what happened to make Phin such a cold individual. Mr. Sheldrake's daughter Laura had a crush on him when they were both young, she seems a perfectly nice girl and likes him still. But he's rather attracted to Mina and I have no idea why ... Except for the obvious, of course! Bleh.
Now Mina, what can I say? She spent most of the book 'acting as a feather brain' but me, I really don't find much difference with the real Mina. She's an American (though her mother is British), rich, her step-father is the villain (so far) of this book. The case, which inevitably involved Phin, started 4 yrs earlier. She saved Phin's life then. She's wanting the favor back and the way she's reminding him about the favor is rather annoying. But, guess I can't blame her. Why's she wanting a favor from Phin? She's in England and her mom has gone missing, so a big amount of the book is whirling around this issue but honestly, I could care less. Whatever I read about the women, she is vain, self-centered and yes I agree with one review, ungrateful. But, guess, can't blame her for this either, after all, this is her mother we are speaking of. Then again, I don't care at all!
Mina is now in despair. Long ago, she decided not to become a 'weak woman' like her mother and willing to do anything to exact that favor from Phin. Since, he's now a peer of the realm and doesn't need money (which she has plenty), Mina's willing to trade her body (as far as I've guessed) for it. And, of course, our Miss Mina is no 'blushing virgin', if you take my meaning! I know Phin feels a lot of lust for Mina but love, I doubt. I'm tired of his odes, really. Mina wants him, that much is sure.
So, after reading a few more lines of odes to her 'baby perfect porcelain skin', I've stopped reading. No, I'm gonna finish it just to see how far this circus goes! And, I never leave a book unfinished, just to determined I won't re-read them and of course, there is the thing about the money. *sigh*
********************
Lord, where do I start? What load of confusing rubbish! I, however irritated, somehow made myself finish it.
Mina was manipulative, self-centered, pestering, annoying, sluttish, confused 'til the end of the book. Her goal in life is whining I-Want-My-Way. I was so disgusted, my god! She thinks like a 'new woman' and by new woman she means dumping virginity with a man she never cared for, making it known she's having an affair and of course, doing WHATEVER it takes to get her own way, even if it means whoring or killing a man. And, I already said all the 'good stuffs' that describes her perfectly. Her cluless, logicless blabbering made me so mad, at some point I wanted to throw the book out. I have nothing to say about Phin except I have no respect for him either. The way he, even knowing how Mina is, gave into the temptation of screwing her.
Love? Hell, NO! What I read about love here was totally forced and unrealistic. In real life, they're bound to kill each-other soon. They belong to a bedlam. Really, what kind of a man fantasizes about a woman who wants to learn to kill, do whatever it takes to have her own way? Only a perv! Why? Because she's got 'sea blue eyes, ice-blonde hair and porcelain perfect skin'? How shallow is that? I DO NOT think if Mina didn't possess all those 'glories', Phin would've obliged her anything. Also, 'sweet and pretty' girls like Laura Sheldrake hold no appeal for Phin. I was shocked to read these following lines. Do these mean what I think they mean?
Oh, hell, he would not lie to himself. Laura Sheldrake smiled, and he wanted to smash her fingers; Mina Masters pried into his desk, and he wanted to lift her skirts and lick the frown from her brow.
They didn't trust each-other (not Mina at least) 'til the last page, with Mina being as manipulative as ever. The book ended with the following lines:
... Will you marry me, Miss Masters?”
She deliberately withheld her reply, waiting until he frowned and laid his lips against hers again. “On one condition,” she said into his mouth.
“Name it,” he breathed.
She smiled. Excellent. “I keep all the keys.”
Seriously? And Phin, it looks like, gave in. Mina couldn't even say ILU back without hesitations on whatever crap her mother hammered into her brain from an early age.
I am thoroughly disappointed with this book. If MD keeps writing such boring, shallow and horrible stuff, with such pesky, awful heroines, I'll stop reading her books.
Now, in the end, Mina's mother was saved and I saw, again, why Mina turned out how she is. Her mother is such an example of mercenary thoughts and ungratefulness! I already wasted space on her in my earlier comment so no more. I've read enough to say my opinion of her never changed, moreover, it worsened as I read the last chapters. Even 2 stars seem a lot to me!
I've just about read 8 chapters of the book and I'm very disappointed. Except for a few scenes in the beginning, the book is just slow and boring. I thought I'd love Phin from whatever I read in Bound by Your Touch but I'm wrong. He seems too cold, emotionally detached for my liking. And the heroine, Mina, I'm not really impressed by her. There are just too many 'odes' to her 'porcelain perfect skin, petite figure and ice-blonde hair' all over the book and honestly, whatever MD is trying to pass her as, she isn't that smart, just plain irritating sometimes. The incidents of this book is happening simultaneously with Bound by Your Touch, except the incidents 4 yrs ago.
I really liked the 1st chapters, the back story. I liked the way Phin acted and yes, one line he said to Mina, I loved it :p . I thought he'd be yum! But, now, I'm not sure. Too many details about his life scattered around the book, none is complete. So, I end up with questions such as what was his relationship with the Sheldrakes? I knew he used to know them for a long time though haven't seen them recently, spend times with them. Like Phin, Mr. Sheldrake was a cartographer. The family, I guess, was a escape from his own dreadfully drunk and debauched father. But, that's just my guess. It's like this, I keep guessing but that's all and it is seriously confusing sometimes. Also, something happened when he was working for a man called Ridland, who, now we know, isn't an honest/good man. I really don't know what happened to make Phin such a cold individual. Mr. Sheldrake's daughter Laura had a crush on him when they were both young, she seems a perfectly nice girl and likes him still. But he's rather attracted to Mina and I have no idea why ... Except for the obvious, of course! Bleh.
Now Mina, what can I say? She spent most of the book 'acting as a feather brain' but me, I really don't find much difference with the real Mina. She's an American (though her mother is British), rich, her step-father is the villain (so far) of this book. The case, which inevitably involved Phin, started 4 yrs earlier. She saved Phin's life then. She's wanting the favor back and the way she's reminding him about the favor is rather annoying. But, guess I can't blame her. Why's she wanting a favor from Phin? She's in England and her mom has gone missing, so a big amount of the book is whirling around this issue but honestly, I could care less. Whatever I read about the women, she is vain, self-centered and yes I agree with one review, ungrateful. But, guess, can't blame her for this either, after all, this is her mother we are speaking of. Then again, I don't care at all!
Mina is now in despair. Long ago, she decided not to become a 'weak woman' like her mother and willing to do anything to exact that favor from Phin. Since, he's now a peer of the realm and doesn't need money (which she has plenty), Mina's willing to trade her body (as far as I've guessed) for it. And, of course, our Miss Mina is no 'blushing virgin', if you take my meaning! I know Phin feels a lot of lust for Mina but love, I doubt. I'm tired of his odes, really. Mina wants him, that much is sure.
So, after reading a few more lines of odes to her 'baby perfect porcelain skin', I've stopped reading. No, I'm gonna finish it just to see how far this circus goes! And, I never leave a book unfinished, just to determined I won't re-read them and of course, there is the thing about the money. *sigh*
********************
Lord, where do I start? What load of confusing rubbish! I, however irritated, somehow made myself finish it.
Mina was manipulative, self-centered, pestering, annoying, sluttish, confused 'til the end of the book. Her goal in life is whining I-Want-My-Way. I was so disgusted, my god! She thinks like a 'new woman' and by new woman she means dumping virginity with a man she never cared for, making it known she's having an affair and of course, doing WHATEVER it takes to get her own way, even if it means whoring or killing a man. And, I already said all the 'good stuffs' that describes her perfectly. Her cluless, logicless blabbering made me so mad, at some point I wanted to throw the book out. I have nothing to say about Phin except I have no respect for him either. The way he, even knowing how Mina is, gave into the temptation of screwing her.
Love? Hell, NO! What I read about love here was totally forced and unrealistic. In real life, they're bound to kill each-other soon. They belong to a bedlam. Really, what kind of a man fantasizes about a woman who wants to learn to kill, do whatever it takes to have her own way? Only a perv! Why? Because she's got 'sea blue eyes, ice-blonde hair and porcelain perfect skin'? How shallow is that? I DO NOT think if Mina didn't possess all those 'glories', Phin would've obliged her anything. Also, 'sweet and pretty' girls like Laura Sheldrake hold no appeal for Phin. I was shocked to read these following lines. Do these mean what I think they mean?
Oh, hell, he would not lie to himself. Laura Sheldrake smiled, and he wanted to smash her fingers; Mina Masters pried into his desk, and he wanted to lift her skirts and lick the frown from her brow.
They didn't trust each-other (not Mina at least) 'til the last page, with Mina being as manipulative as ever. The book ended with the following lines:
... Will you marry me, Miss Masters?”
She deliberately withheld her reply, waiting until he frowned and laid his lips against hers again. “On one condition,” she said into his mouth.
“Name it,” he breathed.
She smiled. Excellent. “I keep all the keys.”
Seriously? And Phin, it looks like, gave in. Mina couldn't even say ILU back without hesitations on whatever crap her mother hammered into her brain from an early age.
I am thoroughly disappointed with this book. If MD keeps writing such boring, shallow and horrible stuff, with such pesky, awful heroines, I'll stop reading her books.
Now, in the end, Mina's mother was saved and I saw, again, why Mina turned out how she is. Her mother is such an example of mercenary thoughts and ungratefulness! I already wasted space on her in my earlier comment so no more. I've read enough to say my opinion of her never changed, moreover, it worsened as I read the last chapters. Even 2 stars seem a lot to me!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 31, 2009
While I ultimately enjoyed this book, it's another one that I find difficult to categorize. I think Meredith Duran is a brilliant writer, but once again, I feel like she's holding back. I hate to keep harping about it, but Duke of Shadows was such an amazingly unique & original book, and as was (IMO) the case with Bound by Your Touch, Duran appears to squandering her talents on stories she should be able to write in her sleep.
I don't have a problem with spy romances per se. Certainly, I have read some good ones, but that's just the point - I've read them. What Duran gave me with Duke of Shadows was a glimpse into the undiscovered country in historical romance, and as much as I hate to sound like an ingrate, I'd really love a return trip.
Written on Your Skin is something I've seen before. Granted, I can't say that anything similar to it is on quite the same level, but in a (probably very unfair) way, that almost adds insult to injury. It's like indulging in a pointless pissing contest when you have the ability to create a flood of biblical proportions:P
And as I've freely admitted before, I know it's unfair to set the bar higher for her and not expect anything approaching literary miracles from lesser writers, but then again, it's kind of her own fault. She shouldn't have absolutely slain me with Duke of Shadows, only to follow it up with anything less emotionally devastating:P
As they already exist in abundance, I won't bother with a synopsis of this story. Phin was an intriguing secondary character from Bound by Your Touch, and while I didn't expect another DoS, I did anticipate a certain level of greatness. Allusions to opium smoking and a background in the spy biz certainly lent him a certain mystique as a tortured hero with an interesting past. Mina, the heroine, came across well in her opening scenes as a woman of hidden depth. I was more than a little curious as to how Duran meant to reveal her character, given that while Phin found her attractive, he initially took her very much at face value as a brainless flibbertigibbet. Kudos to her for the well paced and engrossing character development of a heroine - something you don't get to see every day, as many writers seem to think that this level of character development should be solely reserved for heroes. I found both characters fully dimensional, likable people, and I enjoyed reading about them. Where I initially had trouble with them was as a couple. I couldn't really see how they were going to come together as a couple; they just didn't seem to have a lot of chemistry together.
Duran blows that out of the water in the second half of the book, although I didn't find the transition completely seamless. Mina's internal monologue works well in terms of helping the reader come to terms with her increasing trust of and strengthening attraction to Phin, but even with the constant surprises Mina throws at him, I never really felt that he wanted her all that desperately until he starts to act on it. Once they get between the sheets is when Phin & Mina turn into a really scorching couple, and the depth of all those repressed feelings they have for each other becomes apparent. Where I had trouble remaining attentive in part one, I was positively riveted in part two.
The external conflict was interesting, if not fully engrossing. My biggest quibble with it being that the reveal regarding the villain and his actual role in the conflict was a bit deflating. As quibbles go, it's not a very large one though. All of the necessary elements for a good suspense build up were present, and while Mina did fall into the heroine who refuses to sit on the sidelines & allow the hero to take care of the dangerous stuff routine, her reasoning & motivations were definitely more genuine and much easier to relate to than is usually the case.
I gave Written on Your Skin a *somewhat* generous A-. In some ways, it's not as good as Bound by Your Touch, and in others (the H&H and the romance in the second half) it slightly surpasses it.
Just don't expect either book to be comparable to Duke of Shadows. It's just vaguely possible that Duran may never outdo herself there.
I don't have a problem with spy romances per se. Certainly, I have read some good ones, but that's just the point - I've read them. What Duran gave me with Duke of Shadows was a glimpse into the undiscovered country in historical romance, and as much as I hate to sound like an ingrate, I'd really love a return trip.
Written on Your Skin is something I've seen before. Granted, I can't say that anything similar to it is on quite the same level, but in a (probably very unfair) way, that almost adds insult to injury. It's like indulging in a pointless pissing contest when you have the ability to create a flood of biblical proportions:P
And as I've freely admitted before, I know it's unfair to set the bar higher for her and not expect anything approaching literary miracles from lesser writers, but then again, it's kind of her own fault. She shouldn't have absolutely slain me with Duke of Shadows, only to follow it up with anything less emotionally devastating:P
As they already exist in abundance, I won't bother with a synopsis of this story. Phin was an intriguing secondary character from Bound by Your Touch, and while I didn't expect another DoS, I did anticipate a certain level of greatness. Allusions to opium smoking and a background in the spy biz certainly lent him a certain mystique as a tortured hero with an interesting past. Mina, the heroine, came across well in her opening scenes as a woman of hidden depth. I was more than a little curious as to how Duran meant to reveal her character, given that while Phin found her attractive, he initially took her very much at face value as a brainless flibbertigibbet. Kudos to her for the well paced and engrossing character development of a heroine - something you don't get to see every day, as many writers seem to think that this level of character development should be solely reserved for heroes. I found both characters fully dimensional, likable people, and I enjoyed reading about them. Where I initially had trouble with them was as a couple. I couldn't really see how they were going to come together as a couple; they just didn't seem to have a lot of chemistry together.
Duran blows that out of the water in the second half of the book, although I didn't find the transition completely seamless. Mina's internal monologue works well in terms of helping the reader come to terms with her increasing trust of and strengthening attraction to Phin, but even with the constant surprises Mina throws at him, I never really felt that he wanted her all that desperately until he starts to act on it. Once they get between the sheets is when Phin & Mina turn into a really scorching couple, and the depth of all those repressed feelings they have for each other becomes apparent. Where I had trouble remaining attentive in part one, I was positively riveted in part two.
The external conflict was interesting, if not fully engrossing. My biggest quibble with it being that the reveal regarding the villain and his actual role in the conflict was a bit deflating. As quibbles go, it's not a very large one though. All of the necessary elements for a good suspense build up were present, and while Mina did fall into the heroine who refuses to sit on the sidelines & allow the hero to take care of the dangerous stuff routine, her reasoning & motivations were definitely more genuine and much easier to relate to than is usually the case.
I gave Written on Your Skin a *somewhat* generous A-. In some ways, it's not as good as Bound by Your Touch, and in others (the H&H and the romance in the second half) it slightly surpasses it.
Just don't expect either book to be comparable to Duke of Shadows. It's just vaguely possible that Duran may never outdo herself there.
September 10, 2024
September 2024:
What a difference 9 years can make! I really didn't enjoy this much during my second time reading it. The plot didn't intrigue me and the character development and relationship didn't have the kind of depth I wanted. Duran's prose is always good, but it wasn't enough for me to keep my previous 4 stars; I'm bumping it down to 3.
Maybe it's just that I know how good her writing can be, and compared to books like The Duke of Shadows, A Lady's Code of Misconduct, and The Sins of Lord Lockwood, Written on Your Skin just doesn't compare.
September 2015:
I'm surprised by the number of low ratings of this book. To me it was another entertaining and well-written offering from Meredith Duran.
Both main characters were fascinating, complex, and well-developed. I appreciated Mina's intelligence, bravery, and strength, and her understandable unwillingness to let a man run her life, given her mother's tragic example. I absolutely loved Phin, a spy haunted by a decade of killing and deception, who'd finally broken free only to be drawn back in due to his connection to Mina. Both characters had a lot to overcome in order to move on from the pain of their pasts and learn to trust and care about one another. Both were good, if troubled, people. It was easy to root for them.
I liked the mystery underpinning Mina and Phin's love story, and the atmosphere of Hong Kong and London. Duran does a great job of creating a vivid, believable Victorian ambiance in her stories. The plot held my interest from the beginning; I didn't find it slow at all, like a lot of reviewers seemed to. And of course Duran's writing style is as beautiful and masterly as always. She's rapidly becoming one of my favorite authors in any genre, not just historical romance.
What a difference 9 years can make! I really didn't enjoy this much during my second time reading it. The plot didn't intrigue me and the character development and relationship didn't have the kind of depth I wanted. Duran's prose is always good, but it wasn't enough for me to keep my previous 4 stars; I'm bumping it down to 3.
Maybe it's just that I know how good her writing can be, and compared to books like The Duke of Shadows, A Lady's Code of Misconduct, and The Sins of Lord Lockwood, Written on Your Skin just doesn't compare.
September 2015:
I'm surprised by the number of low ratings of this book. To me it was another entertaining and well-written offering from Meredith Duran.
Both main characters were fascinating, complex, and well-developed. I appreciated Mina's intelligence, bravery, and strength, and her understandable unwillingness to let a man run her life, given her mother's tragic example. I absolutely loved Phin, a spy haunted by a decade of killing and deception, who'd finally broken free only to be drawn back in due to his connection to Mina. Both characters had a lot to overcome in order to move on from the pain of their pasts and learn to trust and care about one another. Both were good, if troubled, people. It was easy to root for them.
I liked the mystery underpinning Mina and Phin's love story, and the atmosphere of Hong Kong and London. Duran does a great job of creating a vivid, believable Victorian ambiance in her stories. The plot held my interest from the beginning; I didn't find it slow at all, like a lot of reviewers seemed to. And of course Duran's writing style is as beautiful and masterly as always. She's rapidly becoming one of my favorite authors in any genre, not just historical romance.
July 1, 2015
It is seldom that you get a historical romance heroine that is intelligent, wily, determined, and so contemporary in her thinking without painting her as an annoying, over the top character that bulldozes her way through the males in the story. This story features such a heroine and i just love her! Mina Masters is very beautiful society miss, practical in her ways and cunning in getting what she wants underneath her fluffy-flighty exterior (It's refreshing to read a story that features a woman who is smart about what she wants and how she gets it). Phin Granville is a cartographer by profession and a jaded English spy. He comes across as a man who never managed to come to terms with his espionage career. He was relieved when he came into his title as he no longer need to be involved in assignments but he lives his life aimlessly numbing it with opium.
Both characters were mentioned in the previous book, Bound by Your Touch as Phin is a close friend to Lord Sanburne. Mina was introduced as an unusual houseguest at Phin's house where she met Lydia, Sanburne's love interest, after an attempted kidnapping. (I'm rather surprised that there was a connection between the two books as all MD's books are deemed as stand-alone stories).
This is not exactly light reading. One does need to read the story at a more leisurely pace in order to get the full effect. Having said that, it is no tedious task as the quality of writing is impressive and puts the book/ story above the rest.
So if you like heroines that go against the grain and broody confused heroes that finally see the light (of course, thanks to the heroine), this is a great book to dive in. It's got a bit of adventure, a lot of back and forth bantering, a decent amount of sexual tension and a sweet ending (there is no epilogue with the MC's HEA or a cliffhanger)
Definitely a recommended read.
Both characters were mentioned in the previous book, Bound by Your Touch as Phin is a close friend to Lord Sanburne. Mina was introduced as an unusual houseguest at Phin's house where she met Lydia, Sanburne's love interest, after an attempted kidnapping. (I'm rather surprised that there was a connection between the two books as all MD's books are deemed as stand-alone stories).
This is not exactly light reading. One does need to read the story at a more leisurely pace in order to get the full effect. Having said that, it is no tedious task as the quality of writing is impressive and puts the book/ story above the rest.
So if you like heroines that go against the grain and broody confused heroes that finally see the light (of course, thanks to the heroine), this is a great book to dive in. It's got a bit of adventure, a lot of back and forth bantering, a decent amount of sexual tension and a sweet ending (there is no epilogue with the MC's HEA or a cliffhanger)
Definitely a recommended read.
August 29, 2010
***3.5***
This one was a tough one. Something about it just sits not-quite-right with me. I think part of it is that the author tried too hard to integrate this story with Bound by Your Touch. The timelines don't quite mesh. I actually grabbed BbYT right after I finished this one, to reread the scene where Lydia (the heroine of that book) met Mina (the heroine of this book). And the timeline is just all kinds of off. Their conversation would imply that Mina was still a prisoner in Phin's house, but given where the author had the scene at the music hall occur (right before the climax of this book), that can't possibly be the case.
Anyway, it is a a thing that is not integral to this story, but it became a HUGE distraction, at least for me, because it felt like a chime that was ringing out of tune. It ended up detracting from this book.
That aside, I found the book really enjoyable. I really liked both the hero and the heroine. But something about the ending felt off to me. It is possible that it was just the discordant mesh with BbYT that threw me off, but I think it was more than that. I was really into it until the last... 60 or so pages. And then it felt like things got unfocused and off-kilter. I wish I could put my finger on why.
Anyway. Not her best, but certainly not one that will turn me off of Duran. :)
This one was a tough one. Something about it just sits not-quite-right with me. I think part of it is that the author tried too hard to integrate this story with Bound by Your Touch. The timelines don't quite mesh. I actually grabbed BbYT right after I finished this one, to reread the scene where Lydia (the heroine of that book) met Mina (the heroine of this book). And the timeline is just all kinds of off. Their conversation would imply that Mina was still a prisoner in Phin's house, but given where the author had the scene at the music hall occur (right before the climax of this book), that can't possibly be the case.
Anyway, it is a a thing that is not integral to this story, but it became a HUGE distraction, at least for me, because it felt like a chime that was ringing out of tune. It ended up detracting from this book.
That aside, I found the book really enjoyable. I really liked both the hero and the heroine. But something about the ending felt off to me. It is possible that it was just the discordant mesh with BbYT that threw me off, but I think it was more than that. I was really into it until the last... 60 or so pages. And then it felt like things got unfocused and off-kilter. I wish I could put my finger on why.
Anyway. Not her best, but certainly not one that will turn me off of Duran. :)
August 1, 2009
The writing is amazing and the characters are deep and plot is definitely unique. It's a great novel, if you are in a mood for something angsty and deep. Mina is hard to actually relate to, considering her thoughts and background, but she is quite likable, considering that she fought to be where she is but still has a heart. Phin, in all ways but one, is the perfect brooding man. His demons linked with his opium addiction. It is a theme that I would never consider workable, but obviously it did.
The reason I did not give this 5 stars is because it really isn't my type of book. A little too angsty with heavy characters. Not my idea of a light read while taking a break from studying for class.
The reason I did not give this 5 stars is because it really isn't my type of book. A little too angsty with heavy characters. Not my idea of a light read while taking a break from studying for class.
May 4, 2010
I was quite disappointed with this book, considering the high rating it currently has. I liked the 2 main characters but the other characters were totally undeveloped. The plot was quite convoluted and for most of the book I could not figure out what the characters were doing or why they were doing it. Things that should have been explained early on were finally mentioned near the end of the book (e.g. why Phin hated the dreaded spymaster). Way too many loose ends, non-sequiturs and red herrings.
October 14, 2011
I read a review of this that made me hesitant to read it. I should have just ignored the review. I love this book. I love that the heroine isn't the typical feisty heroine who gets in over her head and needs the hero to rescue her. She actually fights the hero to play an active role in her life because she doesn't want to be "protected." By the end, they see each other clearly and love each other not just for their strengths, but for their faults as well. That's damned seductive. The best Meredith Duran I've read yet.
July 30, 2009
Another success from Meredith Duran. Initially I had misgivings on Phin (who we knew to be an opium smoker) and Mina (who we thought was an idiotic flirt). But both characters are not what we assume them to be, and they are intense. Loved this. I thought this was a fair shot closer to the deep emotionalism of Duke of Shadows that Duran seems to do really well.
It really was a lovely read.
It really was a lovely read.
July 8, 2014
For some reason, I couldn't sink myself fully into the story. It was well written, the main characters were intriguing and the chase was interesting. But many times I was confused as to what the book really wanted to be...I felt something was missing. I wanted desperately to love it but ended up just liking it instead. Maybe a reread in the future will change my mind. I really, really hope so.
August 13, 2015
Really high quality historical romance. Not surprisingly, both the characters and the story were well drawn out and developed. And even though the characters themselves had personalities and qualities that I couldn't relate to, they were both understandable and they felt real.
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