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Pleasure Me
A courtesan afraid of true love...
Youth and beauty are a courtesan's greatest assets. At forty-one, Lady Ruth Attwood appears to have lost both, as her latest lover just abandoned her for a younger mistress. Struggling with the knowledge that she's no longer considered desirable, she's uncertain whether to be offended or flattered when a younger man makes her an unusual offer. In need of funds, she agrees. But then she does the unthinkable. She falls in love.
And a gentleman ashamed of his true nature...
Despite his reputation as a man's man, Baron Garrick Stratfield has never been with a woman. His physical impairment is such that he knows not even a whore will touch him, and he needs a mistress who's willing to be kept without sharing his bed. But passion is just a delicious kiss away, because his new mistress is wreaking havoc with his senses. Worse yet, someone is not only out to ruin his reputation, but frame him for murder.
Youth and beauty are a courtesan's greatest assets. At forty-one, Lady Ruth Attwood appears to have lost both, as her latest lover just abandoned her for a younger mistress. Struggling with the knowledge that she's no longer considered desirable, she's uncertain whether to be offended or flattered when a younger man makes her an unusual offer. In need of funds, she agrees. But then she does the unthinkable. She falls in love.
And a gentleman ashamed of his true nature...
Despite his reputation as a man's man, Baron Garrick Stratfield has never been with a woman. His physical impairment is such that he knows not even a whore will touch him, and he needs a mistress who's willing to be kept without sharing his bed. But passion is just a delicious kiss away, because his new mistress is wreaking havoc with his senses. Worse yet, someone is not only out to ruin his reputation, but frame him for murder.
340 pages, Paperback
First published July 8, 2014
About the author
Monica Burns
54 books510 followersAn award-winning author of spicy historical and paranormal romance, Monica Burns penned her first short romance story at the age of nine when she selected the pseudonym she uses today.
Facebook Reader Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/Monic...
Her historical book awards include the 2011 RT BookReviews Reviewers Choice Award and the 2012 Gayle Wilson Heart of Excellence Award for Pleasure Me .
She is also the recipient of the prestigious paranormal romance award, the 2011 PRISM Best of the Best award for Assassin’s Heart .
From the days when she hid her stories from her sisters to her first completed full-length manuscript, she always believed in her dream despite rejections and setbacks. A workaholic wife and mother, Monica believes it’s possible for the good guy to win if they work hard enough.
Facebook Reader Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/Monic...
Her historical book awards include the 2011 RT BookReviews Reviewers Choice Award and the 2012 Gayle Wilson Heart of Excellence Award for Pleasure Me .
She is also the recipient of the prestigious paranormal romance award, the 2011 PRISM Best of the Best award for Assassin’s Heart .
From the days when she hid her stories from her sisters to her first completed full-length manuscript, she always believed in her dream despite rejections and setbacks. A workaholic wife and mother, Monica believes it’s possible for the good guy to win if they work hard enough.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
January 31, 2016
5 stars.
This is one of the better virgin hero romance novels I have read. The story is well written with no editing issues I could see. It is a stand alone and loaded with wonderful, sensual and beautiful love scenes.
The chartacters are well developed, the pace is steady and I could not put the book down.
The hero as well as the heroine had troubled pasts and when finally revealed them one another, it was clear they were truly made for one another. The chemistry between the two was intense and beautiful.
Here we have a 29 year old hero who is a virgin due to a physical defect. I imagine it is difficult to for a writer to justify this with any sort of plausability, but this author has done it spledidly. He meets 41 year old courtesan Ruth who helps him overcome his reservations about being with a woman while he in turn helps her to overcome her age insecurities.
I really love the fact that the h is older than the H. She obviously has a lot of problems dealing with growing old especially being a courtesan. I can totally relate to this being 47 myself, and I truly felt her insecurities about getting involved with a younger man for fear he will inevitably leave her for a younger woman as had all of her lovers before. What she doesn't see is that age is just a number and that although she is 41, she is still beautiful physically and the H thinks so too. This is such a unique and refreshing theme that women of all ages can relate to. Why is it that in the eyes of society it is ok for an older man to be with a young woman and not ok for an older woman to have a younger man? I give double kudos to the writer for bringing this topic out.
I will definately be reading more from this author.
This is one of the better virgin hero romance novels I have read. The story is well written with no editing issues I could see. It is a stand alone and loaded with wonderful, sensual and beautiful love scenes.
The chartacters are well developed, the pace is steady and I could not put the book down.
The hero as well as the heroine had troubled pasts and when finally revealed them one another, it was clear they were truly made for one another. The chemistry between the two was intense and beautiful.
Here we have a 29 year old hero who is a virgin due to a physical defect. I imagine it is difficult to for a writer to justify this with any sort of plausability, but this author has done it spledidly. He meets 41 year old courtesan Ruth who helps him overcome his reservations about being with a woman while he in turn helps her to overcome her age insecurities.
I really love the fact that the h is older than the H. She obviously has a lot of problems dealing with growing old especially being a courtesan. I can totally relate to this being 47 myself, and I truly felt her insecurities about getting involved with a younger man for fear he will inevitably leave her for a younger woman as had all of her lovers before. What she doesn't see is that age is just a number and that although she is 41, she is still beautiful physically and the H thinks so too. This is such a unique and refreshing theme that women of all ages can relate to. Why is it that in the eyes of society it is ok for an older man to be with a young woman and not ok for an older woman to have a younger man? I give double kudos to the writer for bringing this topic out.
I will definately be reading more from this author.
July 9, 2022
Once upon a time in Ye Olde 2011, I’d never known the great joy of romance novels. I was young and naive, and possibly a bit snobbish, thinking I was too good for “those kinds of books.” Tsk tsk. Anyway, I saw a review for Monica Burns’ Pleasure Me, thought that the story sounded quite good/different than one’s usual preconceptions regarding romance. Virgin heroes? Middle-aged heroines? What what? I was intrigued, so I obtained a copy, devoured it...devoured it again. And then like 5 more times in the next year or so.
Pleasure Me honestly changed my life, so now, 5 or 6 years after the fact, I figure I owe it a proper review. It’s the least I can do, really.
Looking back, this is kind of a weird book to be one’s first romance novel. It really doesn’t have many of the more popular tropes that one sees today. No rakes, no wallflowers, no comic interludes—it’s not even Regency! Rather, Pleasure Me is a Victorian romance featuring a no-longer-20-and-fresh-faced courtesan and a virgin baron. And if I were to describe the plot in a sentence, I’d say something like “This is a book about two people overcoming extreme anxieties/traumas...and also screwing each other silly.” Really, the plot is actually kind of nonexistent when I examine it, but it doesn’t matter so much in the long run. (Because the sex is great.)
I think it’s the particular tropes here that appeal to me so much, that drew me into reading it in the first place, and that consistently draw me back—I think I’ve read this almost 10 times, honestly. The Virgin Hero trope, for one, is huge for me. For some reason it’s really refreshing to have the roles switched and see the male protagonist in a position where he’s uncertain, inexperienced, and isn’t superlatively great. It’s also about the furthest from overconfident mansplaininess as you can get. And Burns really does well with Garrick’s characterization in this area. The reasons for his virginity will be discussed below in the section of the review dedicated to Trauma & Angst, but for now: yes. I liked how the whole thing was handled.
Ruth being a middle-aged courtesan was/is also an appealing aspect of the book. Shy, bookish wallflowers who’re convinced of their lack of appeal until some roguish lord convinces them they’re beautiful might be The Big Thing, but I like Ruth. She knows she’s gorgeous, she’s confident in her own intelligence and seductive qualities, and also dedicates her time to charities when she can. Again, she deals with lots of Trauma & Angst, but we’ll discuss this later.
So, obviously the very nature of the two tropes just discussed lends to...sex. A whole lot of sex. I feel like there’s a bit more sex in Pleasure Me than one would generally expect to find in your average romance, which was wonderfully titillating for me the first time I read this. And, now that I’ve read plenty more romances, I can now admit, also, that the spiciness level of the sexual content is Hot, much hotter than typical mainstream romance novels, which I find to be consistently medium or medium/mild. Honestly, this book is...mostly sex, with some character angst thrown in between.
And now to the promised Trauma & Angst.
Basically both our heroine and our hero spend much of the book throwing themselves massive—and I do mean massive—pity parties. Ruth is pathologically self-conscious about her age; she feels that she’s old and ugly and unlovable and tries to run away from Garrick because, obviously, he could never love an ancient hag like her. Garrick naturally overcomes her objections over time, but it takes the whole book.
Garrick, meanwhile, has remained a virgin until the ripe age of 29 due to a highly traumatizing event when he was 17, in which his abusive uncle set him up to be “seduced” with the intention of making fun of him, and in the process discovered that Garrick was born with only one testicle. Yep. Garrick spends the entire book in an agony of shame and humiliation because...only one ball. Again, this anxiety is relieved by Ruth and Garrick learns how desirable he really is, blah blah blah.
So, having highlighted the two main prongs of Burns’ attack, let’s simplify. The format of this book is usually: 1) a casual conversation between Garrick and Ruth, 2) a scene where one of them agonizes over their unique trauma, 3) a sex scene, 4) more internal angsting, 5) a conversation where one tries to convince the other to set aside their trauma, 6) more sex. Repeat, repeat, repeat.
Uh...I feel like I’m talking very dismissively about this book, even though it’s the Most Important Romance I’ve ever read and definitely the one I’ve re-read most often. The thing is that Pleasure Me is super readable and super sexy, but when you examine the plot with any level of scrutiny, it’s not great. Which is why I haven’t reviewed it until now, because it’s my favorite and I must protect it at all costs. Which I will do.
What Pleasure Me has going for it, and what I love about it, is the Super Steamy Sex Scenes (honestly my favorite of all time), the really hot chemistry between the characters even when they’re not engaged in coitus, the relatively unusual/unique characterization, and the way Ruth and Garrick’s tropes interplay. Also nostalgia, but that should be obvious by now and beside the point.
Briefly: The book that made Renae a lover of romance fiction, featuring age differences, virgin heroes, angst, and lots of sexytimes. 10/10 would recommend.
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Pleasure Me honestly changed my life, so now, 5 or 6 years after the fact, I figure I owe it a proper review. It’s the least I can do, really.
Looking back, this is kind of a weird book to be one’s first romance novel. It really doesn’t have many of the more popular tropes that one sees today. No rakes, no wallflowers, no comic interludes—it’s not even Regency! Rather, Pleasure Me is a Victorian romance featuring a no-longer-20-and-fresh-faced courtesan and a virgin baron. And if I were to describe the plot in a sentence, I’d say something like “This is a book about two people overcoming extreme anxieties/traumas...and also screwing each other silly.” Really, the plot is actually kind of nonexistent when I examine it, but it doesn’t matter so much in the long run. (Because the sex is great.)
I think it’s the particular tropes here that appeal to me so much, that drew me into reading it in the first place, and that consistently draw me back—I think I’ve read this almost 10 times, honestly. The Virgin Hero trope, for one, is huge for me. For some reason it’s really refreshing to have the roles switched and see the male protagonist in a position where he’s uncertain, inexperienced, and isn’t superlatively great. It’s also about the furthest from overconfident mansplaininess as you can get. And Burns really does well with Garrick’s characterization in this area. The reasons for his virginity will be discussed below in the section of the review dedicated to Trauma & Angst, but for now: yes. I liked how the whole thing was handled.
Ruth being a middle-aged courtesan was/is also an appealing aspect of the book. Shy, bookish wallflowers who’re convinced of their lack of appeal until some roguish lord convinces them they’re beautiful might be The Big Thing, but I like Ruth. She knows she’s gorgeous, she’s confident in her own intelligence and seductive qualities, and also dedicates her time to charities when she can. Again, she deals with lots of Trauma & Angst, but we’ll discuss this later.
So, obviously the very nature of the two tropes just discussed lends to...sex. A whole lot of sex. I feel like there’s a bit more sex in Pleasure Me than one would generally expect to find in your average romance, which was wonderfully titillating for me the first time I read this. And, now that I’ve read plenty more romances, I can now admit, also, that the spiciness level of the sexual content is Hot, much hotter than typical mainstream romance novels, which I find to be consistently medium or medium/mild. Honestly, this book is...mostly sex, with some character angst thrown in between.
And now to the promised Trauma & Angst.
Basically both our heroine and our hero spend much of the book throwing themselves massive—and I do mean massive—pity parties. Ruth is pathologically self-conscious about her age; she feels that she’s old and ugly and unlovable and tries to run away from Garrick because, obviously, he could never love an ancient hag like her. Garrick naturally overcomes her objections over time, but it takes the whole book.
Garrick, meanwhile, has remained a virgin until the ripe age of 29 due to a highly traumatizing event when he was 17, in which his abusive uncle set him up to be “seduced” with the intention of making fun of him, and in the process discovered that Garrick was born with only one testicle. Yep. Garrick spends the entire book in an agony of shame and humiliation because...only one ball. Again, this anxiety is relieved by Ruth and Garrick learns how desirable he really is, blah blah blah.
So, having highlighted the two main prongs of Burns’ attack, let’s simplify. The format of this book is usually: 1) a casual conversation between Garrick and Ruth, 2) a scene where one of them agonizes over their unique trauma, 3) a sex scene, 4) more internal angsting, 5) a conversation where one tries to convince the other to set aside their trauma, 6) more sex. Repeat, repeat, repeat.
Uh...I feel like I’m talking very dismissively about this book, even though it’s the Most Important Romance I’ve ever read and definitely the one I’ve re-read most often. The thing is that Pleasure Me is super readable and super sexy, but when you examine the plot with any level of scrutiny, it’s not great. Which is why I haven’t reviewed it until now, because it’s my favorite and I must protect it at all costs. Which I will do.
What Pleasure Me has going for it, and what I love about it, is the Super Steamy Sex Scenes (honestly my favorite of all time), the really hot chemistry between the characters even when they’re not engaged in coitus, the relatively unusual/unique characterization, and the way Ruth and Garrick’s tropes interplay. Also nostalgia, but that should be obvious by now and beside the point.
Briefly: The book that made Renae a lover of romance fiction, featuring age differences, virgin heroes, angst, and lots of sexytimes. 10/10 would recommend.
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March 13, 2011
I wanted to love this story and given the chemistry of the characters I thought I would, however, to be honest the story was borderline, exhausting. Garrick is completely obsessed with his physical abnormality and Ruth is completely obsessed with her age and how society will view her being in a relationship with a much younger man. Both obsessions took center stage through the entire book and as a result I felt drained and ready for the story to be over instead of anticipating a HEA. I give credit to Ms. Burns for creating well developed and passionate characters, but the continued self-deprecation of both left little satisfaction in the final outcome of this couple.
July 10, 2022
Je me suis lancée dans cette lecture, car je voulais une romance historique, mais avec un peu de nouveautés. En effet, dans ce genre littéraire, il n'est pas rare de voir un bas-bleu ou encore un personnage naïf ou romantique à outrance. Ici, la "nouveauté" est que Ruth est une courtisane qui a pas mal d'expérience et qui a passé les 40 ans. En face, on retrouve son soupirant qui n'a aucune expérience et qui a 12 ans de moins qu'elle. Se basant sur cela, l'auteure joue avec plusieurs thématiques dont la différence d'âge et les critiques à cet égard, les complexes masculins qui ces derniers n'ont pas d'expérience ou d'une difformité. Nous passons aussi en revue le sujet du rejoint familiale.
Les personnages sont attachants, et ce, dès le début. J'ai dévoré ma lecture en quelques heures à peine. Il m'a été très difficile de réaliser que je ne retrouverai plus les protagonistes.
En somme, bien que cette histoire ne soit pas nouvelle et qu'elle date de plusieurs années, elle n'est aucunement démodée. Encore aujourd'hui, elle produit son effet. Je ne peux que vous la recommander si vous cherchez la thématique sur l'expérience sexuelle et la différence d'âge. En plus, la sensualité et la tension sexuelle entre les personnages sont à son comble jusqu'à la toute fin.
Les personnages sont attachants, et ce, dès le début. J'ai dévoré ma lecture en quelques heures à peine. Il m'a été très difficile de réaliser que je ne retrouverai plus les protagonistes.
En somme, bien que cette histoire ne soit pas nouvelle et qu'elle date de plusieurs années, elle n'est aucunement démodée. Encore aujourd'hui, elle produit son effet. Je ne peux que vous la recommander si vous cherchez la thématique sur l'expérience sexuelle et la différence d'âge. En plus, la sensualité et la tension sexuelle entre les personnages sont à son comble jusqu'à la toute fin.
April 11, 2014
Lady Ruth Atwood is 41—not a good age, for a courtesan. Her last protector dumps her for a younger model—and refuses to pony up on the large house he promised her. If she sells some of her other stuff, she can probably buy the large house herself. She helps run an orphanage, and the kids need more room.
Baron Garrick Stratfield is handsome, and despite the fact that he's got a reputation as a ladies' man, he's actually never been with a woman. Seems he has a deformity down there
The first woman he tried to do the deed with was party to a cruel game by his uncle—the two of them scorned and laughed at him and left him certain that no woman will ever want to touch him.
Garrick wants the large house too—and for the same reason. To protect his reputation, he also needs a new fake mistress—the last one has gone off and married, and some guys who hate him are putting about that he secretly plays Backgammon.
She's sensitive about her age. He's sensitive about his man bits. The love scenes are very tentative and very sweet (still sexy, though). And the bad guys add just enough drama to keep it from being too angsty for my tastes. I'll give it a 3.7.
Baron Garrick Stratfield is handsome, and despite the fact that he's got a reputation as a ladies' man, he's actually never been with a woman. Seems he has a deformity down there
The first woman he tried to do the deed with was party to a cruel game by his uncle—the two of them scorned and laughed at him and left him certain that no woman will ever want to touch him.
Garrick wants the large house too—and for the same reason. To protect his reputation, he also needs a new fake mistress—the last one has gone off and married, and some guys who hate him are putting about that he secretly plays Backgammon.
She's sensitive about her age. He's sensitive about his man bits. The love scenes are very tentative and very sweet (still sexy, though). And the bad guys add just enough drama to keep it from being too angsty for my tastes. I'll give it a 3.7.
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September 5, 2024I never got to the sex part. The writing is simple and trite. The story is trite - she’s fixated with her age, he’s fixated with having just 1 ball. I mean really… really???? Get over it!
March 1, 2011
Favorite Quote: “A teacher of mine once told me that some women like to hear a man whisper naughty words into their ears.” His teeth nibbled at her earlobe. Her knees gave away, and only his body kept her from sliding to the floor. “Are you one of those women, my lady?”
Forty-One year old Lady Ruth has been a courtesan most of her life and a very successful one at that. However, her latest lover has cast her aside for someone younger. Ruth isn’t quite sure how to feel about this. She knows this lifestyle will not last forever, but she is sad to see her younger years have passed her by. Determined not to let her former lover get the better of her, she decides to make an appearance at a ball that night. Word of her split has already made the rounds though and to start the ball she is the center of viscous gossip.
Baron Garrick Stratfield can’t stand to see a woman hurt, and when he hears Ruth being cut down, he intervenes on her behalf. Ruth thinks he is only being nice because he pities her and they part ways. They soon find each other again when they both want to purchase the same house. Unknown to the other, they both have interests in two separate orphanages and they both need to expand. The more they run into each other, the more their attraction builds. But this attraction has many barriers.
Garrick is only 29. Ruth knows he is younger, and assumes if they entered into a relationship, he would eventually cast her aside as well. Garrick on the other hand is a virgin (obviously a tightly kept secret). He has had a mistress in the past, but never entered into a physical relationship with her. He has a physical impairment, that causes him much shame, and can’t bare to be naked with a woman. Garrick can’t get sex out of his mind when he is around Ruth, but his shame outweighs his desires – at least at first.
Pleasure Me is one of the most sultry and sensual historical romance books I have read. Garrick has this intense vibe about him, but he is also a virgin and carries around such shame about his impairment. This vulnerability is such a contrast with his outward persona. It makes him out to be such a fun hero to read about. He is sexual, and he is a seducer, he just can’t complete the deed due to his shame. He is alpha in everything in his life, except when a woman wants to have sex.
Ruth and Garrick have such amazing chemistry, yet both are so reluctant to make that step forward to a physical relationship. Monica Burns builds the tension ever so slowly. They truly become friends first, even though that step is even hard for them. Ruth is so obsessed with her age and how society will judge her if she is seen with a younger man. Garrick is so obsessed with his physical impairment and how a woman will judge him if he unclothes himself. There is no easy road for them. They fight, they don’t communicate – but there is this magnetic force pulling them back together. They have much in common – both involved in orphanages and both had traumatic childhoods which have sculpted them into the adults they are today. Best of all, as we go through the steps of their friendship, the sexual tension Monica Burns gives us is off the chart.
The author blurb on the front of the cover states, “I have never anticipated a love scene with such fervor before,” and I can’t agree more. I literally couldn’t put this book down. I NEEDED to get to the eventual love scene between the virgin and the very experienced courtesan. Best of all – the scene plays out beautifully. It is not rushed, spanning a couple of chapters. I don’t want to give anything away – but it is done with such an erotic twist. Not only is the build-up amazing, the actual love scenes really, really pay off.
The first 95% of the book I loved every word. Right at the end, I think it veers off course just a little. A betrayal comes into play that seemed a bit forced to me. Otherwise, this book is fantastic. Pleasure Me made my smexy heart beat in all its glory. I love this book.
Rating: A-
Forty-One year old Lady Ruth has been a courtesan most of her life and a very successful one at that. However, her latest lover has cast her aside for someone younger. Ruth isn’t quite sure how to feel about this. She knows this lifestyle will not last forever, but she is sad to see her younger years have passed her by. Determined not to let her former lover get the better of her, she decides to make an appearance at a ball that night. Word of her split has already made the rounds though and to start the ball she is the center of viscous gossip.
Baron Garrick Stratfield can’t stand to see a woman hurt, and when he hears Ruth being cut down, he intervenes on her behalf. Ruth thinks he is only being nice because he pities her and they part ways. They soon find each other again when they both want to purchase the same house. Unknown to the other, they both have interests in two separate orphanages and they both need to expand. The more they run into each other, the more their attraction builds. But this attraction has many barriers.
Garrick is only 29. Ruth knows he is younger, and assumes if they entered into a relationship, he would eventually cast her aside as well. Garrick on the other hand is a virgin (obviously a tightly kept secret). He has had a mistress in the past, but never entered into a physical relationship with her. He has a physical impairment, that causes him much shame, and can’t bare to be naked with a woman. Garrick can’t get sex out of his mind when he is around Ruth, but his shame outweighs his desires – at least at first.
Pleasure Me is one of the most sultry and sensual historical romance books I have read. Garrick has this intense vibe about him, but he is also a virgin and carries around such shame about his impairment. This vulnerability is such a contrast with his outward persona. It makes him out to be such a fun hero to read about. He is sexual, and he is a seducer, he just can’t complete the deed due to his shame. He is alpha in everything in his life, except when a woman wants to have sex.
Ruth and Garrick have such amazing chemistry, yet both are so reluctant to make that step forward to a physical relationship. Monica Burns builds the tension ever so slowly. They truly become friends first, even though that step is even hard for them. Ruth is so obsessed with her age and how society will judge her if she is seen with a younger man. Garrick is so obsessed with his physical impairment and how a woman will judge him if he unclothes himself. There is no easy road for them. They fight, they don’t communicate – but there is this magnetic force pulling them back together. They have much in common – both involved in orphanages and both had traumatic childhoods which have sculpted them into the adults they are today. Best of all, as we go through the steps of their friendship, the sexual tension Monica Burns gives us is off the chart.
The author blurb on the front of the cover states, “I have never anticipated a love scene with such fervor before,” and I can’t agree more. I literally couldn’t put this book down. I NEEDED to get to the eventual love scene between the virgin and the very experienced courtesan. Best of all – the scene plays out beautifully. It is not rushed, spanning a couple of chapters. I don’t want to give anything away – but it is done with such an erotic twist. Not only is the build-up amazing, the actual love scenes really, really pay off.
The first 95% of the book I loved every word. Right at the end, I think it veers off course just a little. A betrayal comes into play that seemed a bit forced to me. Otherwise, this book is fantastic. Pleasure Me made my smexy heart beat in all its glory. I love this book.
Rating: A-
April 30, 2011
This is the first Monica Burns novel I've read and...wow! Amazing!
The title might be misleading for those who just want more erotica, or expecting a lot of hot and passionate love scenes, but this novel is a gripping tale of how two people struggled to find happiness amidst a cruel society. The characters were unpredictable and really complex, there were a lot of layers to them and the storytelling was fast-paced it really got me hooked. For a novel branded as erotica, it has fewer scenes than I expected, but it had substance.
This is a story where both the hero and heroine are tortured, both had difficult childhoods, but they are really caring people and they're devoted to orphans, and both of them have deep secrets. It's not difficult to like the both of them and I liked how the conflicts pile up after one another, they got of at a smooth-turned-rocky start and I loved Garrick's tenacity in pursuing Ruth.
I found myself being lured in Ms Burns's writing that I became teary-eyed in some scenes, I felt the character's emotions and I was really impressed with the quality of the novel; reading this has been a breath of fresh air. Not that I was disappointed for the lack of love scenes, they were expertly written and they were perfectly in line with the story. The author really built the anticipation and I was anxious to find out how each scene would play out.
The tone was never dragging, the conversation at a minimum, and actions spoke louder than words, the words themselves misconstrued and uttered with different intentions in mind. Garrick's character is not the usual alpha male who's a domineering ass, he's really in tune with Ruth, one can't blame her for having insecurities about her age and her fears aren't really unfounded. Ms Burns really did a good job of keeping me in suspense, not the type that I'll whine "get over it already" but there's the anticipation.
One other thing I noted about this is the long-term effect of ridiculing a child. It messes him/her up and this story has a lot of cause and effect. It's far different from the historicals I've read and I definitely felt the romance here. What this story tried to convey is age is just a number, it's no barrier for true love. Like one of the characters said, "...do not let happiness slip away from you, no matter what the reason." It stuck with me because a lot of people aren't really content with what they have they always find excuses.
So on that note, thank you Vikisha for recommending this to me, and I'm definitely going to read her other works.
The title might be misleading for those who just want more erotica, or expecting a lot of hot and passionate love scenes, but this novel is a gripping tale of how two people struggled to find happiness amidst a cruel society. The characters were unpredictable and really complex, there were a lot of layers to them and the storytelling was fast-paced it really got me hooked. For a novel branded as erotica, it has fewer scenes than I expected, but it had substance.
This is a story where both the hero and heroine are tortured, both had difficult childhoods, but they are really caring people and they're devoted to orphans, and both of them have deep secrets. It's not difficult to like the both of them and I liked how the conflicts pile up after one another, they got of at a smooth-turned-rocky start and I loved Garrick's tenacity in pursuing Ruth.
I found myself being lured in Ms Burns's writing that I became teary-eyed in some scenes, I felt the character's emotions and I was really impressed with the quality of the novel; reading this has been a breath of fresh air. Not that I was disappointed for the lack of love scenes, they were expertly written and they were perfectly in line with the story. The author really built the anticipation and I was anxious to find out how each scene would play out.
The tone was never dragging, the conversation at a minimum, and actions spoke louder than words, the words themselves misconstrued and uttered with different intentions in mind. Garrick's character is not the usual alpha male who's a domineering ass, he's really in tune with Ruth, one can't blame her for having insecurities about her age and her fears aren't really unfounded. Ms Burns really did a good job of keeping me in suspense, not the type that I'll whine "get over it already" but there's the anticipation.
One other thing I noted about this is the long-term effect of ridiculing a child. It messes him/her up and this story has a lot of cause and effect. It's far different from the historicals I've read and I definitely felt the romance here. What this story tried to convey is age is just a number, it's no barrier for true love. Like one of the characters said, "...do not let happiness slip away from you, no matter what the reason." It stuck with me because a lot of people aren't really content with what they have they always find excuses.
So on that note, thank you Vikisha for recommending this to me, and I'm definitely going to read her other works.
March 7, 2015
Entretenido.
No sé muy bien los barámetros para que un libro se catalogue de erótico o no. El sexo tarda en aparecer y no he encontrado más que en otras novelas eróticas de época (por ejemplo Nicole Jordan que no se cataloga así)
La trama gira y gira y gira, hasta resultar algo cansina en dos detas, el problemilla de él y la edad de ella y eso provoca que parece que en muchos momentos la historia se quede ahí dando vueltas sin avanzar.
Luego hay otra pequeña subtrama que da un giro y puedes volver a descansar del tema
Me ha gustado más de lo que esperaba ya que a pesar de que hay algunas escenas de sexo (no muchas) hay una trama que acompaña y unos personajes que no resultan planos
No sé muy bien los barámetros para que un libro se catalogue de erótico o no. El sexo tarda en aparecer y no he encontrado más que en otras novelas eróticas de época (por ejemplo Nicole Jordan que no se cataloga así)
La trama gira y gira y gira, hasta resultar algo cansina en dos detas, el problemilla de él y la edad de ella y eso provoca que parece que en muchos momentos la historia se quede ahí dando vueltas sin avanzar.
Luego hay otra pequeña subtrama que da un giro y puedes volver a descansar del tema
Me ha gustado más de lo que esperaba ya que a pesar de que hay algunas escenas de sexo (no muchas) hay una trama que acompaña y unos personajes que no resultan planos
February 19, 2011
I have a small number of authors I always rely on who give me a well-written, unique story. These authors are either comfort reads or ones who are willing to take a chance and write unconventional characters and storylines. Monica Burns is all of the above. She gives me the comfort I need, while writing excellent romance and with characters who are not the ho-hum, been there, done that I’ve seen countless times before. Her latest release, Pleasure Me has a perfect combination of what I love in romance. We have a semi-alpha type hero who has been scarred from an event in his younger years due to a horrendous relative. Because of that, he feels he’s less than a man and has never been intimate with a woman. The heroine is considered past her prime at 41 years old, a courtesan who should retire and never been seen again. Both Baron Garrick Stratfield and Lady Ruth Attwood are two maturely written characters I had the delight to read about set in a Victorian London, England at the turn of the 19th century.
Virgin alpha hero + older experience heroine in Victorian England = Win!
Ruth has just been tossed aside by Lord Marston, her recent protector, for a much younger woman. At forty-one, Ruth knows her options have become limited. She’s ready to retire as a courtesan, but it pains her to do so. Not because of the pleasure she may receive from a man, but the idea that she’s dried up and lacking in her sexuality because of her age. Ruth has a kind heart, for she volunteers her time at an orphanage. Her goal is to purchase Crawley Hall to make into a new orphanage that the odious Marston had promised to give her. Unfortunately for her there is another interested buyer- Barron Garrick Stratfield.
Garrick wants Crawley Hall for his sister Lily, who also helps the orphans (coincidentally the same ones Ruth is involved with). The moment Garrick sees Ruth at a ball he’s bowled over by her. Her advanced age doesn’t concern him. He wants her as his mistress, but in name only. The reason is Garrick feels he’s has abnormality that makes him less than a man. His uncle who, became his and his siblings’ guardian after his parents death, found out what he has and made a point to ridicule Garrick when he was only seventeen and coming into his sexuality. Because of that event, Garrick has never been sexually active, other than kissing, because he dare not let anyone see him naked. But with Ruth he longs to be with her naked and do everything a man would do with a woman he desires. At first Ruth wants nothing to do with him because he’s too forceful, too young for her, and knows all the gossip about his prowess from other women. She assumes he’ll eventually leave her for another woman, especially since he’ll need to get married and have heirs. And since Ruth is past her prime and because of her reputation, she can never have a future with Garrick.
At first Garrick only offers her friendship. But Garrick has a bad habit of kissing Ruth every change they’re together. Ruth is undone by his skillful kisses. If he can make her almost climax with his lips, she can only just imagine what he’ll be like in the bedroom. And when Ruth invites him to her bed, he has one request- she can never see him naked and must wear a blindfold. Ruth allows this since she wants Garrick badly, but he’s unlike any of her past suitors. Something about Garrick if off. He’s more than willing to offer her pleasure, but not receive anything in return. And when she finds out what Garrick is hiding and why, she tries her best to get him to trust her, hoping that when they break off, it won’t be too painful. But Garrick isn’t the type to walk away, because now that he has Ruth he’ll never let her leave him.
Passion is the key word here. Monica can write such unbelievable sexual tension. I really can’t find any fault with the way Garrick and Ruth interacted with one another. They have this deep pull toward one another. Garrick ultimately holds back because of his fear and loathing over his body. Ruth’s reason is because of her age. These two may seem to harp on a great deal about their faults, but it’s written in such a way that makes perfect sense why they think the way they do.
I had a few “what if” moments with Garrick. What if he’d only gone to a doctor at a younger age to discuss his deformity as he thinks it to be (to announce what it is would take away from the enjoyment of the story)? But if he had, then the story would be very different from the way Monica has envisioned it. Garrick is the type to keep things closely guarded, and for a man of that time to be open and honest, even with his physician, may have caused more psychological damage. Because of that, Garrick puts on an amazing front, a self-assured man who will not be messed with, even as his enemies accuse him of being a sodomite because he’s not a braggart when it comes to his sexual conquests. It’s very telling how male society views themselves when it comes to the number of women they have conquered. Monica gives a great psychological study, as well as a woman’s status and respect among her counterparts with Ruth.
Pleasure Me is Monica’s best book to date. It’s mature and smart reading that doesn’t get better than this. I really had high hopes for Pleasure Me when I first heard about it. If there's a virgin hero, and one who’s younger than the heroine, you have me on board to read. Monica has sold me hook, line and sinker. Those who are bored with historical romance because it’s the same old stereotypical trite stories, Pleasure Me is perfect in taking away those blah feelings.
I’m giving you another call to action to buy. Pleasure Me as a fabulous read and one of the best books released for this spring season.
Virgin alpha hero + older experience heroine in Victorian England = Win!
Ruth has just been tossed aside by Lord Marston, her recent protector, for a much younger woman. At forty-one, Ruth knows her options have become limited. She’s ready to retire as a courtesan, but it pains her to do so. Not because of the pleasure she may receive from a man, but the idea that she’s dried up and lacking in her sexuality because of her age. Ruth has a kind heart, for she volunteers her time at an orphanage. Her goal is to purchase Crawley Hall to make into a new orphanage that the odious Marston had promised to give her. Unfortunately for her there is another interested buyer- Barron Garrick Stratfield.
Garrick wants Crawley Hall for his sister Lily, who also helps the orphans (coincidentally the same ones Ruth is involved with). The moment Garrick sees Ruth at a ball he’s bowled over by her. Her advanced age doesn’t concern him. He wants her as his mistress, but in name only. The reason is Garrick feels he’s has abnormality that makes him less than a man. His uncle who, became his and his siblings’ guardian after his parents death, found out what he has and made a point to ridicule Garrick when he was only seventeen and coming into his sexuality. Because of that event, Garrick has never been sexually active, other than kissing, because he dare not let anyone see him naked. But with Ruth he longs to be with her naked and do everything a man would do with a woman he desires. At first Ruth wants nothing to do with him because he’s too forceful, too young for her, and knows all the gossip about his prowess from other women. She assumes he’ll eventually leave her for another woman, especially since he’ll need to get married and have heirs. And since Ruth is past her prime and because of her reputation, she can never have a future with Garrick.
At first Garrick only offers her friendship. But Garrick has a bad habit of kissing Ruth every change they’re together. Ruth is undone by his skillful kisses. If he can make her almost climax with his lips, she can only just imagine what he’ll be like in the bedroom. And when Ruth invites him to her bed, he has one request- she can never see him naked and must wear a blindfold. Ruth allows this since she wants Garrick badly, but he’s unlike any of her past suitors. Something about Garrick if off. He’s more than willing to offer her pleasure, but not receive anything in return. And when she finds out what Garrick is hiding and why, she tries her best to get him to trust her, hoping that when they break off, it won’t be too painful. But Garrick isn’t the type to walk away, because now that he has Ruth he’ll never let her leave him.
Passion is the key word here. Monica can write such unbelievable sexual tension. I really can’t find any fault with the way Garrick and Ruth interacted with one another. They have this deep pull toward one another. Garrick ultimately holds back because of his fear and loathing over his body. Ruth’s reason is because of her age. These two may seem to harp on a great deal about their faults, but it’s written in such a way that makes perfect sense why they think the way they do.
I had a few “what if” moments with Garrick. What if he’d only gone to a doctor at a younger age to discuss his deformity as he thinks it to be (to announce what it is would take away from the enjoyment of the story)? But if he had, then the story would be very different from the way Monica has envisioned it. Garrick is the type to keep things closely guarded, and for a man of that time to be open and honest, even with his physician, may have caused more psychological damage. Because of that, Garrick puts on an amazing front, a self-assured man who will not be messed with, even as his enemies accuse him of being a sodomite because he’s not a braggart when it comes to his sexual conquests. It’s very telling how male society views themselves when it comes to the number of women they have conquered. Monica gives a great psychological study, as well as a woman’s status and respect among her counterparts with Ruth.
Pleasure Me is Monica’s best book to date. It’s mature and smart reading that doesn’t get better than this. I really had high hopes for Pleasure Me when I first heard about it. If there's a virgin hero, and one who’s younger than the heroine, you have me on board to read. Monica has sold me hook, line and sinker. Those who are bored with historical romance because it’s the same old stereotypical trite stories, Pleasure Me is perfect in taking away those blah feelings.
I’m giving you another call to action to buy. Pleasure Me as a fabulous read and one of the best books released for this spring season.
March 16, 2026
Nessun segreto è un historical romance autoconclusivo che racconta una storia d’amore molto inusuale. Siamo a Londra nel 1898, Ruth è una cortigiana ed è stata appena lasciata dal suo ultimo protettore per una donna più giovane. La donna è preoccupata perché ha 41 anni e a quell’età sarà impossibile trovare un nuovo protettore ma a una serata incontra il ricchissimo barone Garrick Stratfield che la trova molto attraente. Purtroppo il barone è più giovane di lei (lei ignora che in realtà hanno 12 anni di differenza) e Ruth non vuole avere niente a fare con lui per paura delle chiacchiere della gente. Garrick, invece, vorrebbe frequentare lo stesso Ruth, non solo perché le piace ma anche per mettere a tacere strane voci che circolano su di lui. Garrick, infatti, non è mai stato con una donna a causa di un’anomalia congenita che, se diventasse di pubblico dominio, la gente riderebbe di lui oltre a considerarlo un mezzo uomo (come purtroppo è successo in passato quell’unica volta che ha provato a stare con una donna di cui era infatuato). Riusciranno i due, con queste premesse, ad abbandonarsi alla passione?
Questo è il primo libro che leggo di quest’autrice e mi è piaciuto davvero tanto. Le vicende sono raccontate (in terza persona) dal punto di vista dei due protagonisti: Ruth e Garrick.
Si tratta di una storia sull’accettazione di se stessi e con una trama abbastanza basilare (sul finale c’è un piccolo mistero ma si risolve davvero in poche pagine).
Mi sono piaciuti i dialoghi ma non ci sono grandi colpi di scena. Per quanto riguarda il livello di sensualità è molto alto e le scene d’amore sono frequenti ma non così tante da appesantire la lettura.
Bella l’idea di avere una protagonista femminile esperta sessualmente ma allo stesso tempo elegante e caratterialmente forte. È stato bello vederla aiutare Garrick quando scopre la sua condizione.
L’autrice è riuscita a rendere bene che cosa provano i due protagonisti. Entrambi già cercano di stare lontani l’uno dall’altro ma per di più le persone che li circondano con la loro crudeltà acuiscono i loro problemi.
Se devo trovare un difetto è che forse i due protagonisti rimarcano costantemente quello che impedisce loro di stare insieme (trascinano la questione da inizio a fine libro e la cosa dopo un po’ diventa irritante).
Ho apprezzato l’alchimia fisica ed emotiva tra i due personaggi. Garrick dimostra a Ruth che la ama indipendentemente dall’età, mentre Ruth fa capire a Garrick che può vivere la sua vita senza curarsi della sua disabilità.
Per quanto riguarda l’epilogo mi è piaciuto anche se può risultare un po’ forzato per certi aspetti. Avrei voluto inoltre vedere un confronto tra padre e figlia.
Recupererò altri libri di quest’autrice.
Questo è il primo libro che leggo di quest’autrice e mi è piaciuto davvero tanto. Le vicende sono raccontate (in terza persona) dal punto di vista dei due protagonisti: Ruth e Garrick.
Si tratta di una storia sull’accettazione di se stessi e con una trama abbastanza basilare (sul finale c’è un piccolo mistero ma si risolve davvero in poche pagine).
Mi sono piaciuti i dialoghi ma non ci sono grandi colpi di scena. Per quanto riguarda il livello di sensualità è molto alto e le scene d’amore sono frequenti ma non così tante da appesantire la lettura.
Bella l’idea di avere una protagonista femminile esperta sessualmente ma allo stesso tempo elegante e caratterialmente forte. È stato bello vederla aiutare Garrick quando scopre la sua condizione.
L’autrice è riuscita a rendere bene che cosa provano i due protagonisti. Entrambi già cercano di stare lontani l’uno dall’altro ma per di più le persone che li circondano con la loro crudeltà acuiscono i loro problemi.
Se devo trovare un difetto è che forse i due protagonisti rimarcano costantemente quello che impedisce loro di stare insieme (trascinano la questione da inizio a fine libro e la cosa dopo un po’ diventa irritante).
Ho apprezzato l’alchimia fisica ed emotiva tra i due personaggi. Garrick dimostra a Ruth che la ama indipendentemente dall’età, mentre Ruth fa capire a Garrick che può vivere la sua vita senza curarsi della sua disabilità.
Per quanto riguarda l’epilogo mi è piaciuto anche se può risultare un po’ forzato per certi aspetti. Avrei voluto inoltre vedere un confronto tra padre e figlia.
Recupererò altri libri di quest’autrice.
September 23, 2019
Reviewed for THC Reviews
Pleasure Me was one of those random book choices I picked up, not having read the author before and not really knowing what to expect. I chose it in large part because it contains quite a number of themes I typically enjoy: virgin hero, hero with a physical imperfection who’s also dealing with past emotional abuse, courtesan heroine, heroine over forty, and an older woman/younger man May/December relationship. In many ways, these tropes helped me to like the book much better than I probably would have if they hadn’t been a part of the story. Another attraction for me was that I noticed this appeared to be a steamy romance – which it was – although not quite “erotic” as billed on the cover. The love scenes are extremely sensual, but they definitely don’t overwhelm the story in any way. I think there were only maybe three or four in the whole book. Also, while they do contain some mildly erotic content (a scene of light bondage, a blindfold, and a bit of sensual role-playing that didn’t end in consummation), these elements simply weren’t spicy enough to top a four out of five on my sensuality scale. However, they were very emotional and well-written and were some of my favorite parts of the book as well. That said, though, it was mainly the favorite tropes, steamy love scenes, and a pretty good emotional connection that helped garner the story a four-star rating from me, because it unfortunately had some frustrating moments which I’ll address shortly.
After losing both his parents, Garrick and his siblings were placed under the guardianship of an uncle who was emotionally and sometimes physically abusive, and who sadistically loved to taunt him. Garrick was born with a physical abnormality that he’d thought little about until he developed feelings at the age of seventeen for a young ballerina his uncle had invited to their estate. Little did he know that the girl and his uncle conspired to lure him to the woman’s room for sport where they cruelly made fun of his deformity. Mortified over the incident, Garrick vowed never to bed a woman again, and as soon as he was of age, he threw his uncle out and has been paying him hush money ever since, terrified that his secret might get out. Over the years, he’s carefully cultivated the facade of the ultimate man’s man, becoming skilled at boxing and creating the persona of a womanizer. However, his peers are beginning to become suspicious of his sexual preferences, as he never shows off his “mistress” like most men do. Then said “mistress” falls in love with another man and moves away, leaving Garrick without a cover. When he meets Ruth just after she’s been thrown over by her lover, he’s enchanted by her strength and beauty. He unconventionally proposes that they become friends, but he quickly finds himself wanting much more. However, his past experiences have left him emotionally scarred and unwilling to expose his body to a woman again. Garrick is the perfect mix between an alpha male and a more sensitive man with a wounded heart and psyche. I like how he gradually opens himself up to Ruth and he proves to be a quick study in the bedroom arts. Underneath it all, he has a kind heart, caring for orphans and lost souls. Overall, he was the type of hero I generally love, but I did find myself frustrated that even after Ruth proves herself trustworthy, he still seems to have little confidence in her or their relationship.
When her mother died and she was all but disowned by her father who erroneously believed she was another man’s child, Ruth had few other options except to become a wealthy man’s mistress. The life of a courtesan is all she knows, and she’s generally been content with her lot in life until her latest lover throws her over for a much younger woman. Faced with the fact that her youth and beauty are fading fast, Ruth considers retiring to the country. However, she’s the primary patron of an orphanage that she’d hoped to expand to a property she wants to buy and doesn’t yet have enough money to do so. Then she meets Baron Stratfield who has an interest in the same country manor, making her fear that her dreams may be evaporating before he eyes, until he makes her a very unusual offer. His awkward pursuit leaves her uncertain whether to be flattered or offended, but eventually he wins her over with his charm. However, the fact that he’s younger than her is a constant concern, and when she realizes she’s done the unthinkable and fallen in love with him, she knows polite society would never accept their age difference and believes he deserves a more youthful woman. Ruth is a kind, caring person who accepts and respects Garrick despite his birth defect and is more than willing to meet him at his own comfort level. She’s very giving and loving toward him and also toward the children in the orphanage, always happy to pitch in and help in whatever way is needed even if it means getting her hands dirty. I sympathized with her fears over getting older and over their age difference, but at times, I felt like her issues were belabored instead of her gradually growing and coming to trust in Garrick’s love for her.
Throughout reading Pleasure Me, I had a roller-coaster relationship with the book. As I said before, I generally liked both Garrick and Ruth, and their story had a number of tropes I truly enjoy. However, the characters internalized issues and inability to fully trust one another became a bit repetitive and tedious at times. They come together and things start looking up for them, and then on the next page, they’re being distrustful of one another again. This up and down continues pretty much throughout the entire book. I also picked up on some circular thinking and repetitious words and phrases that only exacerbated the problem. IMHO, it would have been a stronger story if the author had given more attention to building the external conflict, instead of almost constantly relying on Garrick and Ruth’s respective internal conflicts to keep the story moving. The ingredients to do so were present, but not utilized to their full potential in my estimation. I think this would have made it possible for them to trust one another more fully and sooner and also would have left me with a more satisfied feeling, since to me, trust is equally as important as love in a romance. I struggled mightily with how to rate this book. Parts of it were probably only worthy of about 3.5 stars, but because there were a number elements I liked and it did manage to tug on my heartstrings several times, I decided to round it up to four. In any case, it was good enough to make me interested in trying another Monica Burn’s book. While Pleasure Me is considered a stand-alone story, Ruth’s friends Allegra and Shaheen from Kismet put in a few appearances, so I might check out their story at some point.
Pleasure Me was one of those random book choices I picked up, not having read the author before and not really knowing what to expect. I chose it in large part because it contains quite a number of themes I typically enjoy: virgin hero, hero with a physical imperfection who’s also dealing with past emotional abuse, courtesan heroine, heroine over forty, and an older woman/younger man May/December relationship. In many ways, these tropes helped me to like the book much better than I probably would have if they hadn’t been a part of the story. Another attraction for me was that I noticed this appeared to be a steamy romance – which it was – although not quite “erotic” as billed on the cover. The love scenes are extremely sensual, but they definitely don’t overwhelm the story in any way. I think there were only maybe three or four in the whole book. Also, while they do contain some mildly erotic content (a scene of light bondage, a blindfold, and a bit of sensual role-playing that didn’t end in consummation), these elements simply weren’t spicy enough to top a four out of five on my sensuality scale. However, they were very emotional and well-written and were some of my favorite parts of the book as well. That said, though, it was mainly the favorite tropes, steamy love scenes, and a pretty good emotional connection that helped garner the story a four-star rating from me, because it unfortunately had some frustrating moments which I’ll address shortly.
After losing both his parents, Garrick and his siblings were placed under the guardianship of an uncle who was emotionally and sometimes physically abusive, and who sadistically loved to taunt him. Garrick was born with a physical abnormality that he’d thought little about until he developed feelings at the age of seventeen for a young ballerina his uncle had invited to their estate. Little did he know that the girl and his uncle conspired to lure him to the woman’s room for sport where they cruelly made fun of his deformity. Mortified over the incident, Garrick vowed never to bed a woman again, and as soon as he was of age, he threw his uncle out and has been paying him hush money ever since, terrified that his secret might get out. Over the years, he’s carefully cultivated the facade of the ultimate man’s man, becoming skilled at boxing and creating the persona of a womanizer. However, his peers are beginning to become suspicious of his sexual preferences, as he never shows off his “mistress” like most men do. Then said “mistress” falls in love with another man and moves away, leaving Garrick without a cover. When he meets Ruth just after she’s been thrown over by her lover, he’s enchanted by her strength and beauty. He unconventionally proposes that they become friends, but he quickly finds himself wanting much more. However, his past experiences have left him emotionally scarred and unwilling to expose his body to a woman again. Garrick is the perfect mix between an alpha male and a more sensitive man with a wounded heart and psyche. I like how he gradually opens himself up to Ruth and he proves to be a quick study in the bedroom arts. Underneath it all, he has a kind heart, caring for orphans and lost souls. Overall, he was the type of hero I generally love, but I did find myself frustrated that even after Ruth proves herself trustworthy, he still seems to have little confidence in her or their relationship.
When her mother died and she was all but disowned by her father who erroneously believed she was another man’s child, Ruth had few other options except to become a wealthy man’s mistress. The life of a courtesan is all she knows, and she’s generally been content with her lot in life until her latest lover throws her over for a much younger woman. Faced with the fact that her youth and beauty are fading fast, Ruth considers retiring to the country. However, she’s the primary patron of an orphanage that she’d hoped to expand to a property she wants to buy and doesn’t yet have enough money to do so. Then she meets Baron Stratfield who has an interest in the same country manor, making her fear that her dreams may be evaporating before he eyes, until he makes her a very unusual offer. His awkward pursuit leaves her uncertain whether to be flattered or offended, but eventually he wins her over with his charm. However, the fact that he’s younger than her is a constant concern, and when she realizes she’s done the unthinkable and fallen in love with him, she knows polite society would never accept their age difference and believes he deserves a more youthful woman. Ruth is a kind, caring person who accepts and respects Garrick despite his birth defect and is more than willing to meet him at his own comfort level. She’s very giving and loving toward him and also toward the children in the orphanage, always happy to pitch in and help in whatever way is needed even if it means getting her hands dirty. I sympathized with her fears over getting older and over their age difference, but at times, I felt like her issues were belabored instead of her gradually growing and coming to trust in Garrick’s love for her.
Throughout reading Pleasure Me, I had a roller-coaster relationship with the book. As I said before, I generally liked both Garrick and Ruth, and their story had a number of tropes I truly enjoy. However, the characters internalized issues and inability to fully trust one another became a bit repetitive and tedious at times. They come together and things start looking up for them, and then on the next page, they’re being distrustful of one another again. This up and down continues pretty much throughout the entire book. I also picked up on some circular thinking and repetitious words and phrases that only exacerbated the problem. IMHO, it would have been a stronger story if the author had given more attention to building the external conflict, instead of almost constantly relying on Garrick and Ruth’s respective internal conflicts to keep the story moving. The ingredients to do so were present, but not utilized to their full potential in my estimation. I think this would have made it possible for them to trust one another more fully and sooner and also would have left me with a more satisfied feeling, since to me, trust is equally as important as love in a romance. I struggled mightily with how to rate this book. Parts of it were probably only worthy of about 3.5 stars, but because there were a number elements I liked and it did manage to tug on my heartstrings several times, I decided to round it up to four. In any case, it was good enough to make me interested in trying another Monica Burn’s book. While Pleasure Me is considered a stand-alone story, Ruth’s friends Allegra and Shaheen from Kismet put in a few appearances, so I might check out their story at some point.
May 28, 2020
It was really good. I can't believe Garrick believed that Ruth could ever betray him like that. (It would be so out of character for her, it seemed to me that Monica Burns devised that plot point to add more tension to the story. It didn't fit)
What I just found super sad was the fact that Lord Tremaine ruined Ruth's parents' marriage and their lives. Glad the father found out the truth in the end. I think he should have believed his wife though. That was very sad.
Also, in the beginning, Ruth kept being snappish around Garrick, which annoyed me. Lastly, it didn't exactly annoy me, but I could see other people having problems with this: the fact that they kept thinking and bringing up their insecurities (Ruth her age, and Garrick his physical deformity).
Also, what's the coincidence they both were running/patronages of orphanages??
I really really liked the love scenes in this book. Monica is a very talented author at writing love scenes. I was wondering how they were going to have sex since Garrick seemed so against showing himself. I'm really glad Ruth was able to have kids (as seen in the epilogue) because she wanted them, and to show her that she wasn't too old to still have kids (I was surprised she didn't get pregnant in the main book because they did not practice safe sex at all lmao), and to show Garrick that he could still have kids with only one testicle.
I just followed the author on Instagram after finishing this book lol. Also, this was the rare book I purchased for myself on Amazon (can you believe I actually purchased myself a book...).
What I just found super sad was the fact that Lord Tremaine ruined Ruth's parents' marriage and their lives. Glad the father found out the truth in the end. I think he should have believed his wife though. That was very sad.
Also, in the beginning, Ruth kept being snappish around Garrick, which annoyed me. Lastly, it didn't exactly annoy me, but I could see other people having problems with this: the fact that they kept thinking and bringing up their insecurities (Ruth her age, and Garrick his physical deformity).
Also, what's the coincidence they both were running/patronages of orphanages??
I really really liked the love scenes in this book. Monica is a very talented author at writing love scenes. I was wondering how they were going to have sex since Garrick seemed so against showing himself. I'm really glad Ruth was able to have kids (as seen in the epilogue) because she wanted them, and to show her that she wasn't too old to still have kids (I was surprised she didn't get pregnant in the main book because they did not practice safe sex at all lmao), and to show Garrick that he could still have kids with only one testicle.
I just followed the author on Instagram after finishing this book lol. Also, this was the rare book I purchased for myself on Amazon (can you believe I actually purchased myself a book...).
June 8, 2022
My first Monica Burns book and W-O-W. I loved it. I especially loved her depiction of an older (41) heroine. Such a refreshing change from the early twenty-somethings that you usually find in historical romance. This one also takes place in Victorian England (instead of the usual Regency period that I read). Burns writing style is both lyrical and elegant and her characters are full-bodied. I loved Lady Ruth's pride and vulnerability--something that sometimes never goes away no matter how old you get. And Garrick was handsome, seductive, and endearing.
December 11, 2017
On one hand, Pleasure Me has the older heroine/younger hero trope. And he’s a virgin! But the hang ups each has, while significant to them, were thrown up every damned chapter. I wanted to smack both of them. If they would have just talked to each other. There was far too much eye rolling on my part while reading.
Bought from kindle
Bought from kindle
March 24, 2021
C'est tendre, c'est doux et délicat. J'ai passé un très bon moment avec cette romance historique au thème atypique.
March 1, 2011
Pleasure Me is the first historical romance I read by Monica Burns, I was already familiar with her Order of Sicari Novels and I loved those. So I wondered if her latest historical romance could mesmerize me in the same way as her paranormal romances. I guess I was not prepared for Baron Garrick Strattfield; he knocked me off my feet with his raw, intense, masculinity right from the start. And I immediately felt sympathy for Lady Ruth Attwood and was vexed on her behalf, in only 18 pages (the first chapter) I went through a whole range of different emotions, so yeahhhh this story had my undivided attention.
Lady Ruth Attwood is a 41 year old courtesan. She fears she is no longer attractive since her last two lovers have left her for younger women. She struggles with the fact that she is considered old and now has to figure out how to proceed with her life. Then she meets Baron Garrick Strattfield who is obvious younger than her, the attraction between them is instant, but she keeps her distance. Having a younger lover is just “not done” in the Ton, but Garrick makes her an offer she can’t refuse.
The undeniable attraction is obvious from the moment Garrick and Ruth meet in the entryway of some party, and it only grows stronger throughout the story. But both have to deal with their personal issues, and these issues stand in the way of forming a deeper connection. Another thing that stands in their way of finding happiness is the Ton. Breaking the rules of the upper class society equals social ruin so Garrick and Ruth are under a lot of pressure. I love how Monica Burns brings Ruth and Gareth to life and puts them through the emotional wringer to find and accept themselves and each other. Their dialogues are emotional and full of controlled passion; you can feel their sexual tension from start to finish.
Both Garrick and Ruth have insecurities. From page one it is clear that Ruth is hung up about her age and the fact that all the men in her life leave her. Her father’s refusal to acknowledge her forced her to become a courtesan. She is smart, independent, compassionate and very stubborn. But most of all she is a real classy lady with her heart in the right place and although she always longed for a family of her own, she knows that will never happen. To protect herself and Garrick from further heartache she keeps throwing her age in Garrick’s face to stop him from getting any closer. But does that stop Garrick at all, nooo and it made me love him even more.
Now Garrick’s masculinity rolls of the pages in huge waves, a real alpha male, very protective of the ones he loves, fierce, honorable but also gentle. Yet he has to live with an embarrassing birth defect and his uncle has humiliated him to the bone for it when he was a kid, because of this he has never shared a bed with a woman and denies himself the chance to find true love and happiness. So he overcompensates by trying to be the best in everything else he does. Garrick pulled at all my heartstrings and I was rooting for him the whole time!
As Pleasure Me is a character-driven story mostly focused on Garrick and Ruth, I found it refreshing to read that Ruth is the one with all the experience and that Garrick is the virgin in the bedroom. It was touching to see how their trust in one another grew page after page and how they slowly broke down each other’s walls. Pleasure Me is not the average historical romance read, it is intense, passionate and emotional. You don’t have to be a historical romance lover “pur sang” to enjoy it; I dare to say it is one of the better upcoming historical releases.
The secondary cast of characters enhance the story even more, most of them linger a bit in the background yet somehow as the story enfolds it turns out that some of them have influenced the lives of both Garrick and Ruth profoundly in the past and continue to do so in the present time. The plotline is straight yet invigorates around page 220 when it becomes clear that someone is out to ruin Garrick. I loved how Monica Burns effortlessly interweaves all the pieces of the plotline and the characters to a fabulous, hot read. Her fluent, smooth writing had me hooked from the start. The epilogue ends the story perfectly and left me completely contented and with a big smile on my face.
Monica Burns is an author to keep your eye on because Pleasure Me is breathtaking, intense and sheer passion with a capital P!
Lady Ruth Attwood is a 41 year old courtesan. She fears she is no longer attractive since her last two lovers have left her for younger women. She struggles with the fact that she is considered old and now has to figure out how to proceed with her life. Then she meets Baron Garrick Strattfield who is obvious younger than her, the attraction between them is instant, but she keeps her distance. Having a younger lover is just “not done” in the Ton, but Garrick makes her an offer she can’t refuse.
The undeniable attraction is obvious from the moment Garrick and Ruth meet in the entryway of some party, and it only grows stronger throughout the story. But both have to deal with their personal issues, and these issues stand in the way of forming a deeper connection. Another thing that stands in their way of finding happiness is the Ton. Breaking the rules of the upper class society equals social ruin so Garrick and Ruth are under a lot of pressure. I love how Monica Burns brings Ruth and Gareth to life and puts them through the emotional wringer to find and accept themselves and each other. Their dialogues are emotional and full of controlled passion; you can feel their sexual tension from start to finish.
Both Garrick and Ruth have insecurities. From page one it is clear that Ruth is hung up about her age and the fact that all the men in her life leave her. Her father’s refusal to acknowledge her forced her to become a courtesan. She is smart, independent, compassionate and very stubborn. But most of all she is a real classy lady with her heart in the right place and although she always longed for a family of her own, she knows that will never happen. To protect herself and Garrick from further heartache she keeps throwing her age in Garrick’s face to stop him from getting any closer. But does that stop Garrick at all, nooo and it made me love him even more.
Now Garrick’s masculinity rolls of the pages in huge waves, a real alpha male, very protective of the ones he loves, fierce, honorable but also gentle. Yet he has to live with an embarrassing birth defect and his uncle has humiliated him to the bone for it when he was a kid, because of this he has never shared a bed with a woman and denies himself the chance to find true love and happiness. So he overcompensates by trying to be the best in everything else he does. Garrick pulled at all my heartstrings and I was rooting for him the whole time!
As Pleasure Me is a character-driven story mostly focused on Garrick and Ruth, I found it refreshing to read that Ruth is the one with all the experience and that Garrick is the virgin in the bedroom. It was touching to see how their trust in one another grew page after page and how they slowly broke down each other’s walls. Pleasure Me is not the average historical romance read, it is intense, passionate and emotional. You don’t have to be a historical romance lover “pur sang” to enjoy it; I dare to say it is one of the better upcoming historical releases.
The secondary cast of characters enhance the story even more, most of them linger a bit in the background yet somehow as the story enfolds it turns out that some of them have influenced the lives of both Garrick and Ruth profoundly in the past and continue to do so in the present time. The plotline is straight yet invigorates around page 220 when it becomes clear that someone is out to ruin Garrick. I loved how Monica Burns effortlessly interweaves all the pieces of the plotline and the characters to a fabulous, hot read. Her fluent, smooth writing had me hooked from the start. The epilogue ends the story perfectly and left me completely contented and with a big smile on my face.
Monica Burns is an author to keep your eye on because Pleasure Me is breathtaking, intense and sheer passion with a capital P!
February 7, 2018
Somehow I missed out on this book when it first released back in 2011. That was a pretty spectacular feat, looking back and seeing how much some of my book buddies really loved it. Pleasure Me is chock full of some of my favorite tropes and while it wasn’t 100% perfect for me, I really enjoyed the story.
Lady Ruth is a 41-year-old courtesan who has just lost her protector to a younger woman. She must face the reality that she is growing too old to be an ideal mistress. It makes her question her self-worth and convinces her she will never find another man. Instead, she decides to focus on the orphanage that she runs.
Garrick is gorgeous and smart and powerful. He’s also 12 years younger than Ruth. But when he encounters her at a ball, he is helplessly drawn to her. The attraction only intensifies when he wants to buy the same property she does for his own orphan charity.
But here’s the thing, Garrick is a virgin. Yes, a delicious virgin hero. But he has no plans to change his virginal status. He considers himself deformed, and oddity no woman would ever want, because he has only one testicle. I chuckled writing that, but it was very serious business to Garrick. His one attempt to bed a woman ended in laughter and ridicule mixed with derision over his abnormality, and he swore to himself he would never invite another opportunity for a woman to hurt him like that again.
Unfortunately for Garrick, people are starting to notice that he has no lady loves in his life. There are even rumors that he might bat for the other team, so he concocts a plan to create the appearance of Ruth as his mistress. Only in his proximity to her, is he unable to keep the ruse from becoming reality.
This is my first book from Monica Burns and let me tell you, she is great with longing, angst, and sexual tension. I was glued to the page, waiting anxiously for every touch kiss and exchange between these two. They both fight their attraction so hard, Garrick because he did not want his secret revealed, and Ruth because of the age difference and her belief that Garrick would eventually dump her for a newer model. So big kudos for that. And also for the love scenes, which were hot as hell.
The problem I had was that these two drilled their insecurities into the ground. Long after Ruth had clearly accepted Garrick’s testicular state, he still did not trust in her when the chips fell. And, I swear to God, if I had to read about Ruth bemoaning her age one more time, I was about ready to jump in the book just to slap her mouth closed. I get that these insecurities were the hurdles to this couple getting together, but at a certain point, enough was enough for me.
That said, my irritation was not nearly enough to keep me from enjoying what worked so well here. Honestly, some of the scenes were so good, I stayed up way past my bedtime, unwilling to put the book down just so I could enjoy a few more pages. This was my first Burns book, but it won’t be my last. If you missed this one the first time, you should pick it up and give it a try now.
Rating: B/B+
*Review copy provided by author
Lady Ruth is a 41-year-old courtesan who has just lost her protector to a younger woman. She must face the reality that she is growing too old to be an ideal mistress. It makes her question her self-worth and convinces her she will never find another man. Instead, she decides to focus on the orphanage that she runs.
Garrick is gorgeous and smart and powerful. He’s also 12 years younger than Ruth. But when he encounters her at a ball, he is helplessly drawn to her. The attraction only intensifies when he wants to buy the same property she does for his own orphan charity.
But here’s the thing, Garrick is a virgin. Yes, a delicious virgin hero. But he has no plans to change his virginal status. He considers himself deformed, and oddity no woman would ever want, because he has only one testicle. I chuckled writing that, but it was very serious business to Garrick. His one attempt to bed a woman ended in laughter and ridicule mixed with derision over his abnormality, and he swore to himself he would never invite another opportunity for a woman to hurt him like that again.
Unfortunately for Garrick, people are starting to notice that he has no lady loves in his life. There are even rumors that he might bat for the other team, so he concocts a plan to create the appearance of Ruth as his mistress. Only in his proximity to her, is he unable to keep the ruse from becoming reality.
This is my first book from Monica Burns and let me tell you, she is great with longing, angst, and sexual tension. I was glued to the page, waiting anxiously for every touch kiss and exchange between these two. They both fight their attraction so hard, Garrick because he did not want his secret revealed, and Ruth because of the age difference and her belief that Garrick would eventually dump her for a newer model. So big kudos for that. And also for the love scenes, which were hot as hell.
The problem I had was that these two drilled their insecurities into the ground. Long after Ruth had clearly accepted Garrick’s testicular state, he still did not trust in her when the chips fell. And, I swear to God, if I had to read about Ruth bemoaning her age one more time, I was about ready to jump in the book just to slap her mouth closed. I get that these insecurities were the hurdles to this couple getting together, but at a certain point, enough was enough for me.
That said, my irritation was not nearly enough to keep me from enjoying what worked so well here. Honestly, some of the scenes were so good, I stayed up way past my bedtime, unwilling to put the book down just so I could enjoy a few more pages. This was my first Burns book, but it won’t be my last. If you missed this one the first time, you should pick it up and give it a try now.
Rating: B/B+
*Review copy provided by author
January 12, 2011
Pleasure Me is a historical romance that features an aging courtesan and a young nobleman crippled by a hidden birth defect. Ruth Attwood is a woman who has not chosen her place in the world, it was a last resort but despite the circumstances that pushed her into becoming a courtesan, she behaves with grace and dignity. Ruth Attwood is the kind of person you want to know, and the kind of woman who could be very dangerous Garrick Stratfield and his secrets.
This is unlike Monica's other books in that there is no immediate, serious physical danger to the characters. Pleasure Me is more about two people finding themselves and each other. That's not to say that there isn't external danger, but they stand to hurt one another far more than others.
Each of the characters has a crutch: Ruth is hung up on her age, and Garrick believes his defect is more debilitating than it really is. I read this book straight through, so if you're like me, you're probably going to get to the last quarter of the book and shrug each time Ruth brings up her age. I pity Garrick getting through that stone wall! But it was Garrick's crutch that really hooked me. At a young age he was mocked for his defect and has spent much of his adult life compensating; so much that he's let much of life pass him by. I cheered for Garrick the whole time. He stole bits of my heart as I read. The characters, in Monica Burns style, come alive; not just Ruth and Garrick, but Garrick's sisters and Ruth's friends.
The supporting cast is just as endearing as the two main characters. Ruth and Garrick are not the only ones with a story going on in this book. A lot of books seem to forget that life goes on for people surrounding the pivotal couple, but not in Pleasure Me. The whole cast of characters connect with you on some level; from the character who got the second chance at life, to those struggling through the pitfalls of life.
As with Monica's writing, there's plenty of hot, steamy stuff between the sheets and everywhere else. There's also other elements of Ruth and Garrick's lives that intertwine through the story that just goes to show that age and disability mean a person doesn't live and do great things, even if those great things are small acts of kindness.
I love Monica's books; they make you feel, and not all writers can do that.
This is unlike Monica's other books in that there is no immediate, serious physical danger to the characters. Pleasure Me is more about two people finding themselves and each other. That's not to say that there isn't external danger, but they stand to hurt one another far more than others.
Each of the characters has a crutch: Ruth is hung up on her age, and Garrick believes his defect is more debilitating than it really is. I read this book straight through, so if you're like me, you're probably going to get to the last quarter of the book and shrug each time Ruth brings up her age. I pity Garrick getting through that stone wall! But it was Garrick's crutch that really hooked me. At a young age he was mocked for his defect and has spent much of his adult life compensating; so much that he's let much of life pass him by. I cheered for Garrick the whole time. He stole bits of my heart as I read. The characters, in Monica Burns style, come alive; not just Ruth and Garrick, but Garrick's sisters and Ruth's friends.
The supporting cast is just as endearing as the two main characters. Ruth and Garrick are not the only ones with a story going on in this book. A lot of books seem to forget that life goes on for people surrounding the pivotal couple, but not in Pleasure Me. The whole cast of characters connect with you on some level; from the character who got the second chance at life, to those struggling through the pitfalls of life.
As with Monica's writing, there's plenty of hot, steamy stuff between the sheets and everywhere else. There's also other elements of Ruth and Garrick's lives that intertwine through the story that just goes to show that age and disability mean a person doesn't live and do great things, even if those great things are small acts of kindness.
I love Monica's books; they make you feel, and not all writers can do that.
May 4, 2021
This book was okay eventually. I read about 3 chapters and I was just bored so then I skimmed it for the next several chapters. There was a lot of talk and conversation about what seemed like nothing. I also didn’t buy into Ruth. She’s a castoff mistress who is worried about money so shouldn’t she be trying to find another protector? And instead she is headstrong and rude to Garrick, always trying to get away from him. And I’m reading this thinking she’s acting more like a lady of the ton than a freshly abandoned mistress in need of money who feels like she’s past her prime. She should be latching onto his interest and trying to seduce him from the get-go. Also, since when does the demimonde rub elbows with the tin at social events? Shouldn’t she be ostracized from polite society?
Toward the end, the whole scene with Garrick, Ruth, and Tremaine really bothered me. Ruth was supposed to go with Tremaine so that Garrick’s secret would be kept but then he shows up and it comes to light that Tremaine knows. So....Garrick knows that Tremaine knows. And Ruth doesn’t take up for him because she’s scared he will know she loves him? So, when she first decides she will roll with the bad guy, it’s to pretext Garrick. But then after Garrick knows the cats outta the bag, she’s just too selfish to take up for him? Her holding onto that didn’t make any sense to me.
Toward the end, the whole scene with Garrick, Ruth, and Tremaine really bothered me. Ruth was supposed to go with Tremaine so that Garrick’s secret would be kept but then he shows up and it comes to light that Tremaine knows. So....Garrick knows that Tremaine knows. And Ruth doesn’t take up for him because she’s scared he will know she loves him? So, when she first decides she will roll with the bad guy, it’s to pretext Garrick. But then after Garrick knows the cats outta the bag, she’s just too selfish to take up for him? Her holding onto that didn’t make any sense to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2012
2.5*
Grade C
While I did get pulled into the story and felt compelled to know what happens to everyone, overall I didn't think this books was especially well-written. It feels very old school to me, being overly dramatic and over-wrought.
This book was recommended on the Amazon romance forum years ago in the category of "older woman/younger man." That aspect of the story was fine, until the end when the author uses a rather silly device to try and make Ruth feel better about their age difference. I did appreciate the fact that Ruth was a courtesan. I've read a few books with a courtesan as heroine, and I felt the author handled that aspect of the book quite well. No apologies for doing what had to be done to survive.
It's probably just coincidence, but it seems every second historical book I've read lately features an orphan or an orphanage. That's fine, but I'm ready to have another plot device used to show the goodness of the main character(s) or the badness of the villains.
Grade C
While I did get pulled into the story and felt compelled to know what happens to everyone, overall I didn't think this books was especially well-written. It feels very old school to me, being overly dramatic and over-wrought.
This book was recommended on the Amazon romance forum years ago in the category of "older woman/younger man." That aspect of the story was fine, until the end when the author uses a rather silly device to try and make Ruth feel better about their age difference. I did appreciate the fact that Ruth was a courtesan. I've read a few books with a courtesan as heroine, and I felt the author handled that aspect of the book quite well. No apologies for doing what had to be done to survive.
It's probably just coincidence, but it seems every second historical book I've read lately features an orphan or an orphanage. That's fine, but I'm ready to have another plot device used to show the goodness of the main character(s) or the badness of the villains.
August 10, 2019
Complicationso
One of my favorite tropes. An older courtesan, lack of funds, a younger Baron with a deformity who is inexperienced in sex. Throw in blackmail and murder you have a totally engaging story with a lot of pain, insecurity, distrust and the struggle to accept love. I think that covers the gist of the book. Keep a box of tissues close by.
One of my favorite tropes. An older courtesan, lack of funds, a younger Baron with a deformity who is inexperienced in sex. Throw in blackmail and murder you have a totally engaging story with a lot of pain, insecurity, distrust and the struggle to accept love. I think that covers the gist of the book. Keep a box of tissues close by.
March 12, 2015
3,5. Entretenida, aunque se repite en muchos aspectos, entorpeciendo el ritmo, y quizá le sobren unas cuantas páginas para darle un poquito de agilidad.
September 4, 2025
Love this book.
June 1, 2021
Unfortunately, not a very good read. The MCs were simply too shallow and vain (the heroine with her looks and the hero with his ahem..private parts). I basically just skim read this one.
February 11, 2015
*Reseña basada en la lectura del libro en inglés*
Ruth y Garrick se conocieron en un baile, después de que él la salvara de los insultos de una cortesana más joven. La atracción entre ambos es inmediata y cada vez que se encuentran en las semanas siguientes, ese deseo entre ellos va en aumento.
Desafortunadamente ambos han tenido una vida difícil. Ruth se vio forzada a ser cortesana y cuando su edad empieza a ser el motivo de poner en riesgo su futuro, ella sólo puede refugiarse en el orfanato que dirige. Garrick por otro lado, soportó los malos tratos que su tío le propinó, por ello tiene un trauma profundo que le impide intimar con Ruth.
Pero pensemos en una mujer que a sus 41 años se siente vieja -y recordemos que para los estándares de la época ya lo era-; y ve a Garrick -más joven, guapo y rico, un hombre que puede tener a la mujer que desee-, un momento animándola, dejándole ver que su diferencia de edades no importa, haciéndole sentir joven y al otro, alejándose de ella y poniendo tontas escusas. ¿Qué pensarían? Pues tal y como Ruth lo veía, Garrick podía sentir cosas por ella pero al saberla vieja, perdía el interés. El pobre Stratfield se las veía a palitos tratando de no herirla, queriendo estar con ella y a la vez alejandose por su impedimento físico.
La lucha entre los deseos, la normas sociales, sus propios miedos y prejuicios, etc., es realmente palpable, se siente esa conexión con ellos. Lo mismo que la pasión que hay entre ellos, pero hay también algunas actitudes que de pronto parecen no encajar, sobre todo en lo que se refiere a Garrick.
Me gustó la novela lo suficiente como para ponerle 3 estrellas, aunque por la mitad del libro o así, hubieron un par de capítulos que se me hicieron muy pesados, eso le restó puntos. También el hecho de haber visto que la
novela cae en muchos clichés, creo que para otro lector que no tiene problemas con las historias que tienden a llevar una línea ya trabajada por otros autores, situaciones que las vuelven predecibles, pueden encontrar Compláceme, de su agrado. Fue un acierto que en la edición en español, no mantuvieran la idea de que ella accede a estar con Garrick por la necesidad que tiene de dinero, sí es cierto que ella necesita fondos, pero sucede más bien del modo contrario. Y la cuestión del asesinato no es un tema central en la trama, se desarrolla a lo largo de todo el libro con detalles al azar, pero cuando las cosas se tuercen, no hay emoción; y terminan resolviéndose unas páginas adelante. Lo que parece más bien algo de relleno y lo vi innecesario. Ya el problema de Garrick y la lucha de Ruth con su edad era suficiente. El final predecible y de nuevo, innecesario y cayendo en los mismos tópicos que mencioné antes.
El problema de Garrick no es algo que haya visto antes en una novela y me gustó que se abordara. Creo que ningún chico debe sentirse apenado o creer que nadie lo va a desear, sólo por "ese" detalle. Lo cual no lo hace menos hombre, y si alguna mujer lo piensa es que tiene serios problemas. No sólo se hace el amor con el cuerpo sino también con el cerebro y si ahí se está bien, lo demás es lo de menos. En resumen, Compláceme de Monica Burns, fue una linda historia que pudo estar mejor.
May 16, 2011
I really didn't enjoy this book as much as I thought would. I found the heroine kind of annoying. She was so hung up on the fact that she was getting older that she came across as shrewish and matronly. I guess because this was a story about a courtesan the author decided to throw in a bleeding heart angle to it with the whole opening up an orphanage part. I think the author would have done a better job fleshing out the relationship between the hero and the heroine instead of the side stories that seem to at times come out of nowhere. I also thought the dialogue between the hero and heroine boring and found myself skipping pages. As far as the hero's disfigurement, he could have married a woman who have never realized that something was missing or he could have kept a mistress and had sex in the dark so she wouldn't see. Also, according to the blurb on the back of the book, the hero is suppose to have made the heroine some offer that she accepts because she needs money. Very misleading. There was no offer for the heroine to accept. For about 55% of the book she fought the hero tooth and nails. This books was just really boring and far from sensual or erotic.
March 29, 2011
Sorry but I had a hard time finishing the story. Much was passed over (eg.Ruth & father) and centered for the most part on the subject of age and the hero's 'uniqueness'. I admit it was these plot points that made me want to read this book only it was the constant focus on those very issues that grated on me.
The author offered much in the way of internal dialogue. Telling us how they felt -- basically telling us how we should feel. I felt like I was in the shallow end of a pool when I wanted to be in deep end.
The author had a chance to take this to another level but missed it by a mile. I hate panning a book but I was excited by the storyline and my disappointment was Great.
[Unique story idea, poor execution. 2 stars]
The author offered much in the way of internal dialogue. Telling us how they felt -- basically telling us how we should feel. I felt like I was in the shallow end of a pool when I wanted to be in deep end.
The author had a chance to take this to another level but missed it by a mile. I hate panning a book but I was excited by the storyline and my disappointment was Great.
[Unique story idea, poor execution. 2 stars]
June 18, 2011
Pleasure Me is a hot book with some very enticing scenarios within the pages. I really like how Ruth seems to know exactly what Garrick needs when it comes time for his lessons. The chemistry between the two main characters seems to crackle with energy and a vibrancy that you do not always see within a novel. The obstacles that Ruth and Garrick have to overcome are many and while it really helped the plot out, I was a little deterred by the trust issue which was not really solved until the last few pages. Overall, Ms. Burns has written a novel that is full of passion, danger, and two people who have overcome unbelievable hardships.
Danielle
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More
Full Review: http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/Book...
Danielle
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More
Full Review: http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/Book...
January 9, 2013
DNF! Sorry!! Maybe I'll give it another try later.
gave it another go...finished it. It sucked! lol Seriously? that was his issue? and her age? and if I have to hear the name Bertha one more time....UGH!! just...ugh...
gave it another go...finished it. It sucked! lol Seriously? that was his issue? and her age? and if I have to hear the name Bertha one more time....UGH!! just...ugh...
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