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To Woo an Heiress #1
Lady Lissa's Liaison
When Lady Lissa--a wealthy heiress who is tired of being courted solely for her money--becomes attached to the notorious rakehell Gideon Gordon to scare all her suitors away, the tables turn as she falls madly in love with the dashing rogue and vows to melt his icy heart. Original.
224 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
June 1, 2021
Silly, light book
November 25, 2013
In this Regency love story that is set in the countryside, instead of London, we meet Lady Lissa, who has just entered society after her year of mourning her father's death, only to be beset by nearly every eligible bachelor of London's high society, who have all come to her Derbyshire doorstep. Sure that they are more interested in her inheritance than in her, Lady Lissa refuses all suitors. However, Lord Langford is more persistent, claiming suit by fastening a locket around her neck. He tells her that if she does not return the necklace by the end of the summer season, he will know she has accepted his suit.
Lissa is not one bit interested in marrying anyone. She prefers spending her time sketching insects and other wildlife along the Dove river, and comes up with a plan to create the illusion that she has had a liaison with her neighbor, the infamous and reclusive Lord Wylde. If she connects her name to a man that polite society has labeled a heartless and cruel man, perhaps the other suitors will tuck tail and run.
Of course the plan backfires. If it worked perfectly right away, there would be no story. What neither Lissa or Gabriel Gordon, the Sixth Earl of Wylde, considers is that they could possibly fall in love. Nor does Lissa know just how troublesome Lord Langford is going to be, especially since she is not able to return the necklace in a timely manner.
The characters are well-defined and very likeable people. Well, except for Langford. I truly enjoyed them all, including the delightful, gossipy Tilley. Aunt Pru, who loves and supports her niece, and the charming boy, Harry, son of Lord Wylde.
Being a nature lover myself, I really enjoyed the scenes by the river and all the details about fly fishing, as Lord Wylde attempts to catch the trout that swallowed the necklace after it fell into the river. The narrative was so well done; it was like the reader could be there with the swarms of insects and hear the rush of the water over rocks. It was in those scenes that the characters really came to life, and of course, the tension between Wylde and Lissa was kept pulled very tightly.
For me, there were some problems with the plotting toward the end. I don't want to give anything away, so I can't detail what those problems were, but some incidents and some character behaviors seemed to be forced in order to fit a plot twist. The final resolution, however, was the perfect happy-ever-after, and getting to there from the beginning is an enjoyable read.
Lissa is not one bit interested in marrying anyone. She prefers spending her time sketching insects and other wildlife along the Dove river, and comes up with a plan to create the illusion that she has had a liaison with her neighbor, the infamous and reclusive Lord Wylde. If she connects her name to a man that polite society has labeled a heartless and cruel man, perhaps the other suitors will tuck tail and run.
Of course the plan backfires. If it worked perfectly right away, there would be no story. What neither Lissa or Gabriel Gordon, the Sixth Earl of Wylde, considers is that they could possibly fall in love. Nor does Lissa know just how troublesome Lord Langford is going to be, especially since she is not able to return the necklace in a timely manner.
The characters are well-defined and very likeable people. Well, except for Langford. I truly enjoyed them all, including the delightful, gossipy Tilley. Aunt Pru, who loves and supports her niece, and the charming boy, Harry, son of Lord Wylde.
Being a nature lover myself, I really enjoyed the scenes by the river and all the details about fly fishing, as Lord Wylde attempts to catch the trout that swallowed the necklace after it fell into the river. The narrative was so well done; it was like the reader could be there with the swarms of insects and hear the rush of the water over rocks. It was in those scenes that the characters really came to life, and of course, the tension between Wylde and Lissa was kept pulled very tightly.
For me, there were some problems with the plotting toward the end. I don't want to give anything away, so I can't detail what those problems were, but some incidents and some character behaviors seemed to be forced in order to fit a plot twist. The final resolution, however, was the perfect happy-ever-after, and getting to there from the beginning is an enjoyable read.
April 15, 2024
3.5 stars
RTC
RTC
January 6, 2016
dnf. this was atrocious. I love...LOVE alliteration but if you're using it multiple times on every page it gets tedious very quick. I knew I wasn't going to like it from the start because I like period pieces that stay true to the time but without the ridiculous language that isn't always necessary. if that had been my only problem I wouldn't have rated because that's a taste thing. but if you're going to write in that obnoxious hard to read language you have to stick with it...don't just throw random modern words in here and there that just makes no sense. and the two characters I managed to meet were not very compelling. the maid was a shrill annoying little thong and I cringed every time she had dialogue. the heroine might've had some good qualities but the three pages of how beautiful she was made me want to vomit. didn't even meet the hero I couldn't stand anymore than eight pages of this
August 12, 2014
Very enjoyable romance
Very enjoyable romance
Normally I enjoy my romances with a bit more spice but this was a pleasant change from my usual reads. The story was entertaining and the characters were interesting and very likeable. If you are interested in romance that has none of the very descriptive love scenes that a lot of them have these days, then this is definitely the right romance for you. I thoroughly enjoyed Lady Lissa's Liason and highly recommend it.
Very enjoyable romance
Normally I enjoy my romances with a bit more spice but this was a pleasant change from my usual reads. The story was entertaining and the characters were interesting and very likeable. If you are interested in romance that has none of the very descriptive love scenes that a lot of them have these days, then this is definitely the right romance for you. I thoroughly enjoyed Lady Lissa's Liason and highly recommend it.
January 13, 2018
Too short
Cute story but far, far too short. I understand that the story continues in a next book, but this feels like it was merely a chapter or two in a longer book and is incomplete. Very dissatisfying and I’m not inclined to get the next book in order to keep reading because of how abruptly it ended.
Cute story but far, far too short. I understand that the story continues in a next book, but this feels like it was merely a chapter or two in a longer book and is incomplete. Very dissatisfying and I’m not inclined to get the next book in order to keep reading because of how abruptly it ended.
April 14, 2018
This was just an okay read for me. This is book on in the To woo an heiress series. I did love Lady Lissa but Gabriel was just a jerk for most of the book. I wasn’t over the moon about him.
June 30, 2022
This was a fun, entertaining romance.
January 5, 2015
This was Nook Book's Free Friday's offering. Free Fridays tends to lurk around the romance aisle in it's offering.
Let's see, reluctant and beautiful heiress Lissa, thinks she has concocted a great plan, make people believe that she's linked with her next door neighbor, who has the blackest of violent reputations. Surely she thinks this will send them running.
But she feels she should probably talk to the man just one, before ruining her reputation, and runs into the thing she has not counted on, which is chemistry.
He eventually becomes wise to her machinations, and acts....(IM)maturely. But they aren't really good at being that stubborn, someone always seems to capitulate. Misunderstandings the cornerstone of any romance novel, aren't as frequent or severe as other novels.
And the ending seemed awfully contrived, I've met six year olds..most are not quite that resourceful all in one day.
It's not a bodice ripper, as in no bodices were ripped, nor disturbed in the writing of this novel. However kisses were exchanged an several occasions. It was a simple, diversionary read.
Let's see, reluctant and beautiful heiress Lissa, thinks she has concocted a great plan, make people believe that she's linked with her next door neighbor, who has the blackest of violent reputations. Surely she thinks this will send them running.
But she feels she should probably talk to the man just one, before ruining her reputation, and runs into the thing she has not counted on, which is chemistry.
He eventually becomes wise to her machinations, and acts....(IM)maturely. But they aren't really good at being that stubborn, someone always seems to capitulate. Misunderstandings the cornerstone of any romance novel, aren't as frequent or severe as other novels.
And the ending seemed awfully contrived, I've met six year olds..most are not quite that resourceful all in one day.
It's not a bodice ripper, as in no bodices were ripped, nor disturbed in the writing of this novel. However kisses were exchanged an several occasions. It was a simple, diversionary read.
January 25, 2015
Cute clean Historical English romance with a rich (somewhat naive) smart country heiress, Lady Lissa who finds love with a jaded (supposedly) society reject and next door neighbor, Lord Gideon Gordon. This is set in the lovely Derbyshire district in central England.
There is a lot of fishing discussions which seemed authentic, but as I know next to nothing about fly fishing, I could not verify the accuracy. There is some miscommunication about feelings and people's pasts which could have cleared up some of the angst and heartbreak, but HEA is guaranteed. I always wondered how some men don't notice when children show up looking just like they did when they were children (umm, hint, hint...) so that was a frustrating moment for me as the reader because I wanted to slap the villain or at least poke him in the back a few times.
224 pages and kindle freebie and originally published in 1998.
2 stars
There is a lot of fishing discussions which seemed authentic, but as I know next to nothing about fly fishing, I could not verify the accuracy. There is some miscommunication about feelings and people's pasts which could have cleared up some of the angst and heartbreak, but HEA is guaranteed. I always wondered how some men don't notice when children show up looking just like they did when they were children (umm, hint, hint...) so that was a frustrating moment for me as the reader because I wanted to slap the villain or at least poke him in the back a few times.
224 pages and kindle freebie and originally published in 1998.
2 stars
July 22, 2014
Sweet, with a few annoyances
Sweet, with a few annoyances
Overall, the story is not unlike many regency romances. The fluff-brained heroine concocts a flimsy, ludicrous scheme and it, unsurprisingly, backfires. No biggie. The ending is no surprise: the villain is revealed to be villainous; the adopted child is the villain's eastward son; t h e misunderstood and much maligned hero is really a compassionate and good man. The annoyances were misused or incorrect words. One does not form a "tender" for another, but a "tendre." The auto correct function on the author's word processing software likely changed that. The other wince-inducer is "bosom-bow." That should be "bosom beau" or "beau" if we're referring to the plural. The romance is sweet, not steamy. Points in this book's favor go to it being a web story, no cliffhanger, no sequel.
Sweet, with a few annoyances
Overall, the story is not unlike many regency romances. The fluff-brained heroine concocts a flimsy, ludicrous scheme and it, unsurprisingly, backfires. No biggie. The ending is no surprise: the villain is revealed to be villainous; the adopted child is the villain's eastward son; t h e misunderstood and much maligned hero is really a compassionate and good man. The annoyances were misused or incorrect words. One does not form a "tender" for another, but a "tendre." The auto correct function on the author's word processing software likely changed that. The other wince-inducer is "bosom-bow." That should be "bosom beau" or "beau" if we're referring to the plural. The romance is sweet, not steamy. Points in this book's favor go to it being a web story, no cliffhanger, no sequel.
June 1, 2014
A romance novel set in Elizabethan England - way more rules of "society" especially for women than I would be able to deal with.
Lissa is a smart, rich woman who doesn't want to marry just because. All the men who are woo-ing her are doing so because when her father died she became a very wealthy woman. She sets up a ruse to have her name associated with a local man who has a terrible rep. Figures that the other men will run away.
Her ruse backfires and then she falls in love with the local man. His rep is totally undeserved (of course) and he turns out to be a most honorable person.
Lissa is a smart, rich woman who doesn't want to marry just because. All the men who are woo-ing her are doing so because when her father died she became a very wealthy woman. She sets up a ruse to have her name associated with a local man who has a terrible rep. Figures that the other men will run away.
Her ruse backfires and then she falls in love with the local man. His rep is totally undeserved (of course) and he turns out to be a most honorable person.
August 25, 2014
Lady Lissa's Liaison is a free read from Barnes & Noble, but is better than many high priced books. Lissa, who is still grieving the death of her father, is besieged by all the males of Society looking to wed a fat purse. Horrified by all the attention, and just wanting to be left in peace, she concocts a scheme to rid herself of all suitors. Lissa's new neighbor has a shady, and questionable, past and she intents to use it to her advantage. Too bad he doesn't appreciate her ingenuity. An adorable illegitimate son and a crazed suitor help to assist the romance along.
June 5, 2014
I enjoyed reading this book, in much the same way I will enjoy eating inexpensive candy. Sweet, yes, and diverting, but hardly something I want my literary diet to consist of in the main. I think I would have preferred a longer story (things wrap up incredibly quickly at the end there—too quickly, really) with less reliance on excessive adjectives and tropes and a greater focus on developing more complex characters.
June 21, 2014
This book is very short. I read it in about 6 hours. It's not a bad romance, it's clean so if you have a kid who likes to read romance novels and you don't want it to be too sexual, this is a good book. I learned more about fly fishing than I ever wanted to know, but it had a good story and a decent mystery. I would have liked the mystery a little more fleshed out, it would have made a longer book, but it would have been a more rounded book.
All in all a good short read.
All in all a good short read.
July 22, 2014
Two is probably a generous rating for this book. I did enjoy the relationship between Gabriel and Lissa--and I always appreciate a strong, female lead especially in historical romances. However, the fly fishing definitely overtook the book. It was seriously boring and totally alienating to most readers I imagine.
July 28, 2014
This was a perfectly wicked romance. I loved Lissa's plot to escape the fortune seeking suitors and how Gabriel turned it back on her. Little Harry was a wonderful addition to the story, and I hope we get to see more of him in a future book (hopefully still full of plots and mischief). I would definitely read more from this author.
September 14, 2014
Sweet, love story. Fast, enjoyable read and no sex--refreshing in a time when most authors assume explicit sex is necessary in a love story. I loved the characters: the seemingly single-minded heroine, the misjudged, reclusive hero, and especially Harry, the brave, curious, lovable 6 year old. Great entertainment.,
May 14, 2014
dont expect much. also, this is the kind of ending that needs an epilogue...
May 13, 2014
This has all the requisites for a typical romance and thus an enjoyable, quick and light read.
May 16, 2014
This is a short, somewhat uneventful short (187 page) little book perfect for the rainy afternoon during which I read it with a cup of tea...
June 13, 2014
Too much fishing, too little romance.
June 11, 2014
Simple reading. You know the plot and how it will end when you start. Light thoughtless book
August 4, 2014
This was a very sweet story. I loved how the book was put together. I was also surprised at the information that was given without making the book longer or involved with further details.
August 10, 2014
Once again one wonders, where is the editor? How could this start off so good and get so stupid?
August 30, 2014
Loved this!
a very intriguing story and romance. it was not the usual storyline and t :) at made it more interesting.
a very intriguing story and romance. it was not the usual storyline and t :) at made it more interesting.
September 17, 2014
I thought it was a cute story. Different from the usual female leads. I adored her fishing fly making and knowing all about the different types of insects to attract trout.
September 30, 2014
A so so book, neither good nor bad. I got it as a freebie on Amazon and it was an okay read, but I don’t think I can recommend spending more than 99 cents on it ...
July 17, 2015
Too much fishing, not enough heaving bosoms.
June 18, 2015
A clean regency romance...I was pleasantly surprised.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews