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Splendor
She played a dangerous game. Carolyn Browne was a poor bookseller's daughter and an enlightened thinker, delighting London with her scathingly witty columns, written under the name Charles Copperville. Penetrating the town's gilded salons in male disguise, Carolyn soon throws her barbs at the wrong man-- the enigmatic Russian prince, Nicholas Sverayov.
He was a dangerous target. His notoriety, extravagances, and indulgent disregard for social convention fuel Carolyn's outrage. Nicholas has moved through the balls and soirees of high society effortlessly, a natural target of gossip, envy, and desire. But Nicholas is furious to find himself lampooned by Copperville, and quickly discovers Carolyn's dearly held secret. Now, as the two spar, a new game begins-- a game of deception and pride, of longing and chance.
And they played for the ultimate prize... As Nicholas sweeps Carolyn from the teeming streets and gala balls of Regency London to the splendor and majesty of St. Petersburg, against all odds the unlikely lovers embark upon a whirlwind of passion and peril until there is no turning back-- for the stakes have changed, demanding no less of them than the unwavering courage to claim the love of a lifetime.
He was a dangerous target. His notoriety, extravagances, and indulgent disregard for social convention fuel Carolyn's outrage. Nicholas has moved through the balls and soirees of high society effortlessly, a natural target of gossip, envy, and desire. But Nicholas is furious to find himself lampooned by Copperville, and quickly discovers Carolyn's dearly held secret. Now, as the two spar, a new game begins-- a game of deception and pride, of longing and chance.
And they played for the ultimate prize... As Nicholas sweeps Carolyn from the teeming streets and gala balls of Regency London to the splendor and majesty of St. Petersburg, against all odds the unlikely lovers embark upon a whirlwind of passion and peril until there is no turning back-- for the stakes have changed, demanding no less of them than the unwavering courage to claim the love of a lifetime.
486 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 15, 1997
31 people are currently reading
711 people want to read
About the author
Brenda Joyce
106 books1,298 followersBrenda Joyce is the bestselling author of forty-one novels and five novellas. She has won many awards, and her debut novel, Innocent Fire, won a Best Western Romance award. She has also won the highly coveted Best Historical Romance award for Splendor and Two Lifetime Achievement Awards from Romantic Times BOOKreviews. There are over 14 million copies of her novels in print and she is published in over a dozen foreign countries.
A native New Yorker, she now lives in southern Arizona with her son, dogs, and her Arabian and half-Arabian reining horses. Brenda divides her time between her twin passions—writing powerful love stories and competing with her horses at regional and national levels. For more information about Brenda and her upcoming novels, please visit her Web sites: www.brendajoyce.com, www.thedewarennedynasty.com and http://mastersoftimebooks.com.
A native New Yorker, she now lives in southern Arizona with her son, dogs, and her Arabian and half-Arabian reining horses. Brenda divides her time between her twin passions—writing powerful love stories and competing with her horses at regional and national levels. For more information about Brenda and her upcoming novels, please visit her Web sites: www.brendajoyce.com, www.thedewarennedynasty.com and http://mastersoftimebooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
December 10, 2015
The story was great, I thoroughly enjoyed, but I do have to put a disclaimer re: the audio. When the audio is superbly done (as Marian Hussey tends to do) I'm often in a conundrum as to whether a star to 1/2 star is actually due to their performance. I've never been able to perform an objective test though. However, this is at the least a 4 star read by my standards.
This is a book I don't really want to spoil. I think it's one of those things where you have to go through all the stages in order to truly appreciate it. Basically it is a story about the often-painful process of growing up wrapped in an adult, messy version of Cinderella. I will tell a few things that show up in the very beginning and set the stage.
The heroine, Caroline, is only 18. She was raised the daughter of a struggling bookseller. Her mother was an aristocrat who chose to run away with her poor tutor. The grandmother was furious and insulted by this. She refused to acknowledge or financially aid the family unless her daughter came home and left the heroine's father. Her mother refused to do so and died when Caroline was only six.
Caroline's father tutored her and gave her free reign to learn about anything she was interested in. In fact he gave her VERY free reign in general. Historical purists may cringe at Caroline's free unchaperoned life, but I think it was in her father's character to allow it.
Caroline considers herself an "enlightened thinker", something she continually and proudly reminds everyone of. She is a liberal with a huge bone to pick with society, particularly the peerage. Largely due to her grandmother's treatment of the family, in my opinion. She may come off as a bit of a Mary Sue at first, but I saw an intelligent girl with lots to offer. I say 'girl' because that's very much what she was. She wasn't horribly immature in a foot stomping way, but she did lead a fairly sheltered existence outside her books and held a very black/white view of the world. I sympathized with her and saw my younger self in some ways.
We meet the Russian prince, Nicholas Sverayov, as he's having a recurring nightmare of losing his daughter. We discover that his six-year-old daughter is likely not biologically his, something he in no way holds against the child. The child is the most important thing in his life, in fact. He does, however, harbor a huge resentment toward his wife who was apparently dallying with a groomsman very early in their marriage. The marriage was arranged by the Tsar and never a love match, but Nicholas expected his wife to remain faithful at least until he had his heirs. After her betrayal is revealed, he pays the groomsman hush money and then refuses to touch his wife again. As the book opens, the two have been leading separate lives for five years, each having their own dalliances.
Sverayov is in London trying to negotiate an alliance with England when he meets the heroine. Their paths only cross because he becomes a target of her alter-ego, the newspaper satirist Charles Copperville. The fabulously wealthy, handsome, seemingly heartless philanderer is too big of a target for Caroline to resist. She skewers him quite thoroughly and mostly unfairly in the press.
This is where I decided I loved Nicholas. He was a refreshing hero. He was angry and very annoyed with being written about and spied upon by a "boy" (h in disguise) but he also has a sense of perspective about it. He's a royal. He is used to being the subject of gossip and having his personal life speculated on and sometimes grossly misinterpreted. He doesn't fly off the handle in quite the way I expected. In fact, once he figures out that the 'boy' is actually a pretty young girl he has a quite a bit of fun toying with her and not in a malicious way. This is definitely the most lighthearted portion of the novel. It's funny to see Caroline parade in her ridiculous disguises with mustaches that often go askew while actually believing she must be fooling the prince. Given romance novelists' tendency to create heroes who are completely bitter with the world and women, in particular, Nicholas was a breath of fresh air.
This isn't insta-love. There is definitely attraction on both sides, but it is not immediately acted upon. Nicholas is not perfect and he does have affairs (as does his wife) but he sees a young virgin as off limits. Caroline, on the other hand, is struggling with the disturbing notion that she, 'an enlightened thinker' with strict morals, would find a married man so irresistible.
There is no sex until quite far along in the novel and the scenes aren't overly descriptive by current standards.
I don't want to give much more of the plot away. I just want to say that I thought Joyce did a good job creating characters readers could relate to and even debate the merits of. No one was perfect. You may be shocked/disappointed by the actions of characters you liked and surprised by the depths of characters who weren't written to be especially likable. I also thought she handled questions of morality and human failings in a very sympathetic way. In Romancelandia we often get characters who are simply archetypes of the alpha male, virtuous heroine, and eeevil villian. The good are good and the bad are bad. Aside from the hero's textbook narcissistic of a wife, I think many of the characters had surprising depths and/or failings.
That inconvenient wife is always a problem in a historical though. I admit this one lingered on my tbr pile for quite a while because I'm not a fan of reading about adultery or of waiting around for someone to die so my couple can have a HEA. The very ugliness of that was addressed as well though.
Mostly I was very surprised by what I got here. My other experience with Joyce was The Conqueror where the medieval hero was pretty much just what the title suggests. It's controversial, wrecky, and loaded with offensive material, but I will admit that I enjoyed it (ducks flying objects). After that experience, I did go into this expecting another over-the-top bodice ripper and, despite my enjoyment of that genre, I was pleasantly surprised by what I ended up with.
This is a book I don't really want to spoil. I think it's one of those things where you have to go through all the stages in order to truly appreciate it. Basically it is a story about the often-painful process of growing up wrapped in an adult, messy version of Cinderella. I will tell a few things that show up in the very beginning and set the stage.
The heroine, Caroline, is only 18. She was raised the daughter of a struggling bookseller. Her mother was an aristocrat who chose to run away with her poor tutor. The grandmother was furious and insulted by this. She refused to acknowledge or financially aid the family unless her daughter came home and left the heroine's father. Her mother refused to do so and died when Caroline was only six.
Caroline's father tutored her and gave her free reign to learn about anything she was interested in. In fact he gave her VERY free reign in general. Historical purists may cringe at Caroline's free unchaperoned life, but I think it was in her father's character to allow it.
Caroline considers herself an "enlightened thinker", something she continually and proudly reminds everyone of. She is a liberal with a huge bone to pick with society, particularly the peerage. Largely due to her grandmother's treatment of the family, in my opinion. She may come off as a bit of a Mary Sue at first, but I saw an intelligent girl with lots to offer. I say 'girl' because that's very much what she was. She wasn't horribly immature in a foot stomping way, but she did lead a fairly sheltered existence outside her books and held a very black/white view of the world. I sympathized with her and saw my younger self in some ways.
We meet the Russian prince, Nicholas Sverayov, as he's having a recurring nightmare of losing his daughter. We discover that his six-year-old daughter is likely not biologically his, something he in no way holds against the child. The child is the most important thing in his life, in fact. He does, however, harbor a huge resentment toward his wife who was apparently dallying with a groomsman very early in their marriage. The marriage was arranged by the Tsar and never a love match, but Nicholas expected his wife to remain faithful at least until he had his heirs. After her betrayal is revealed, he pays the groomsman hush money and then refuses to touch his wife again. As the book opens, the two have been leading separate lives for five years, each having their own dalliances.
Sverayov is in London trying to negotiate an alliance with England when he meets the heroine. Their paths only cross because he becomes a target of her alter-ego, the newspaper satirist Charles Copperville. The fabulously wealthy, handsome, seemingly heartless philanderer is too big of a target for Caroline to resist. She skewers him quite thoroughly and mostly unfairly in the press.
This is where I decided I loved Nicholas. He was a refreshing hero. He was angry and very annoyed with being written about and spied upon by a "boy" (h in disguise) but he also has a sense of perspective about it. He's a royal. He is used to being the subject of gossip and having his personal life speculated on and sometimes grossly misinterpreted. He doesn't fly off the handle in quite the way I expected. In fact, once he figures out that the 'boy' is actually a pretty young girl he has a quite a bit of fun toying with her and not in a malicious way. This is definitely the most lighthearted portion of the novel. It's funny to see Caroline parade in her ridiculous disguises with mustaches that often go askew while actually believing she must be fooling the prince. Given romance novelists' tendency to create heroes who are completely bitter with the world and women, in particular, Nicholas was a breath of fresh air.
This isn't insta-love. There is definitely attraction on both sides, but it is not immediately acted upon. Nicholas is not perfect and he does have affairs (as does his wife) but he sees a young virgin as off limits. Caroline, on the other hand, is struggling with the disturbing notion that she, 'an enlightened thinker' with strict morals, would find a married man so irresistible.
There is no sex until quite far along in the novel and the scenes aren't overly descriptive by current standards.
I don't want to give much more of the plot away. I just want to say that I thought Joyce did a good job creating characters readers could relate to and even debate the merits of. No one was perfect. You may be shocked/disappointed by the actions of characters you liked and surprised by the depths of characters who weren't written to be especially likable. I also thought she handled questions of morality and human failings in a very sympathetic way. In Romancelandia we often get characters who are simply archetypes of the alpha male, virtuous heroine, and eeevil villian. The good are good and the bad are bad. Aside from the hero's textbook narcissistic of a wife, I think many of the characters had surprising depths and/or failings.
That inconvenient wife is always a problem in a historical though. I admit this one lingered on my tbr pile for quite a while because I'm not a fan of reading about adultery or of waiting around for someone to die so my couple can have a HEA. The very ugliness of that was addressed as well though.
Mostly I was very surprised by what I got here. My other experience with Joyce was The Conqueror where the medieval hero was pretty much just what the title suggests. It's controversial, wrecky, and loaded with offensive material, but I will admit that I enjoyed it (ducks flying objects). After that experience, I did go into this expecting another over-the-top bodice ripper and, despite my enjoyment of that genre, I was pleasantly surprised by what I ended up with.
August 24, 2024
Review from 2014
B+ for narration / B for content.
Originally published in 2004, Splendor is a richly detailed and captivating story which moves from London to St. Petersburg over the course of a few months in the fateful year of 1812. With Napoleon’s army sweeping across Europe, Russia is under threat of invasion and Tsar Alexander has sent his cousin, Prince Nicholas Sverayov, to England in order to make peace with their former enemy and negotiate an alliance against Bonaparte.
The prince is highly intelligent, liberal in his views, well-read and honourable, with a dry wit he doesn’t display often to those who don’t know him well. He’s also very handsome and charming, and is certainly not averse to living up to his reputation as a ladies’ man, despite the fact that he’s married to one of the most beautiful women in Europe.
[If you’re someone for whom the hero falling for and sleeping with the heroine while he’s married to someone else is a dealbreaker regardless of the circumstances, then this is probably not the book for you. I’m not a fan of adultery plotlines in general, but there are some stories where I can forgive it, and this is one of them. The marriage was an arranged political alliance and his wife Is a self-obsessed beyotch who cuckolded him almost immediately and who will sleep with anything in trousers. It would be highly unrealistic for the author to have written Nicholas as living the life of a monk while his wife behaves like a trollop, IMO.]
Carolyn Browne is the daughter of a London bookseller who works in her father’s shop and earns a little extra money by penning a satirical column for The Morning Chronicle under the pseudonym of Charles Copperville. She disguises herself as a servant in order to gain access to the grand events where she picks up the juiciest gossip and makes her observations as to the depravity and self-absorption of the upper classes. When her pen turns to berating the morals of a certain Russian prince, Nicholas is furious and determines to try to discover the true identity of the mysterious Mr Copperville and put a stop to his persistent barbs. When fate throws the young Mr Charles Brighton into his path, Nicholas is fairly sure that not only has he found his satirist – but that the young man is not a man at all, and he decides to play “him” at his own game.
Nicholas eventually comes clean and lets Carolyn know he’s been wise to her all along. There is a very strong pull of attraction between them, and Carolyn, who has never been particularly interested in learning what all the fuss is about with what goes on between the sexes, suddenly finds herself more than curious. She’s already well aware that she’s dangerously attracted to Nicholas, and knowing he’s married, realises that anything more than a friendship between them would be wrong. It’s a tribute to Ms Joyce’s writing and to the fact that both protagonists are likeable and strongly characterised that the listener quickly starts rooting for them in spite of Nicholas’ marital situation.
The romance between Nicholas and Carolyn develops out of the friendship forged by two like-minded people and the connection between them feels deeply wrought and genuine. Carolyn’s uncertainties and reactions to Nicholas and the situation in which they find themselves feel very real and her conflicting emotions are very well written and explained. Nicholas is just as deeply in love, but divorce for a man in his position is impossible, and he knows Carolyn could never be happy as his mistress.
When Nicholas offers her a post as companion to his six-year-old daughter, Carolyn is naturally apprehensive, but seeing that the child needs her, she accepts, making it clear that that she will not be travelling to St. Petersburg with the family when they return. It’s the right thing to do, she knows… yet she can’t help wishing things could be different.
Splendor is quite a long book when compared to the majority of the newer historical romances released, but it’s well paced and I never found myself wishing things would “get a move on”. There are the usual obtrusive Americanisms (“sidewalk”, mostly) and some more modern turns of phrase, but the story overall is gripping, especially in the final stages which take place as our heroes are fleeing the advancing French army.
My principal complaint about the book – which I otherwise enjoyed very much – is that the ending is both drawn-out and rushed. Given everything Nicholas and Carolyn go through, it would have made sense to have ended it following the tense and tightly-written climactic scenes I’ve mentioned above. But instead, Ms Joyce veers off in another direction, stretching my credulity by inserting a couple of really implausible plot points, resurrecting a plot thread she’d left hanging half a book ago (and which, quite frankly, wouldn’t have affected the overall story if it had been omitted) and then dealing with it very quickly by having Nicholas make some strategically placed threats: everyone is saved, yippee, The End. That’s not to say the book was completely ruined, because it’s still a great story. I just wish the author had quit while she was ahead.
Marian Hussey is a narrator I’ve been aware of for a while, but this is only the second of her narrations I’ve listened to. She’s certainly a very accomplished performer and I’m going to be seeking out more of her work, as I enjoyed her performance in Splendor very much indeed. She has an attractive, youthful-sounding speaking voice which lends itself well to the role of Carolyn, but there’s also an undercurrent of maturity and conviction in her performance which come through as the story progresses and Carolyn has to delve deep to find the courage she needs to face a number of difficult situations. Ms Hussey performs the male roles well by adopting different pitches and timbres, and the accent she uses for both Nicholas and his brother is appropriate and consistent. There are a number of secondary characters in the book who appear throughout, such as Carolyn’s father, Princess Maria-Elena and little Katya, all of whom are instantly recognisable, as well as numerous minor characters such as servants, nobles, soldiers etc. who are all swiftly and clearly depicted through the use of a wide variety of tone and accent.
Ms Hussey delivers the narrative portions of the book very expressively and at a good pace. Her enunciation is clear and although I noticed one or two mispronunciations, they were not jarring enough to have taken me out of the story. All in all, Splendor proved to be an entertaining and enjoyable listening experience, and one I’d certainly recommend to anyone wanting something a little bit different in an historical romance.
B+ for narration / B for content.
Originally published in 2004, Splendor is a richly detailed and captivating story which moves from London to St. Petersburg over the course of a few months in the fateful year of 1812. With Napoleon’s army sweeping across Europe, Russia is under threat of invasion and Tsar Alexander has sent his cousin, Prince Nicholas Sverayov, to England in order to make peace with their former enemy and negotiate an alliance against Bonaparte.
The prince is highly intelligent, liberal in his views, well-read and honourable, with a dry wit he doesn’t display often to those who don’t know him well. He’s also very handsome and charming, and is certainly not averse to living up to his reputation as a ladies’ man, despite the fact that he’s married to one of the most beautiful women in Europe.
[If you’re someone for whom the hero falling for and sleeping with the heroine while he’s married to someone else is a dealbreaker regardless of the circumstances, then this is probably not the book for you. I’m not a fan of adultery plotlines in general, but there are some stories where I can forgive it, and this is one of them. The marriage was an arranged political alliance and his wife Is a self-obsessed beyotch who cuckolded him almost immediately and who will sleep with anything in trousers. It would be highly unrealistic for the author to have written Nicholas as living the life of a monk while his wife behaves like a trollop, IMO.]
Carolyn Browne is the daughter of a London bookseller who works in her father’s shop and earns a little extra money by penning a satirical column for The Morning Chronicle under the pseudonym of Charles Copperville. She disguises herself as a servant in order to gain access to the grand events where she picks up the juiciest gossip and makes her observations as to the depravity and self-absorption of the upper classes. When her pen turns to berating the morals of a certain Russian prince, Nicholas is furious and determines to try to discover the true identity of the mysterious Mr Copperville and put a stop to his persistent barbs. When fate throws the young Mr Charles Brighton into his path, Nicholas is fairly sure that not only has he found his satirist – but that the young man is not a man at all, and he decides to play “him” at his own game.
Nicholas eventually comes clean and lets Carolyn know he’s been wise to her all along. There is a very strong pull of attraction between them, and Carolyn, who has never been particularly interested in learning what all the fuss is about with what goes on between the sexes, suddenly finds herself more than curious. She’s already well aware that she’s dangerously attracted to Nicholas, and knowing he’s married, realises that anything more than a friendship between them would be wrong. It’s a tribute to Ms Joyce’s writing and to the fact that both protagonists are likeable and strongly characterised that the listener quickly starts rooting for them in spite of Nicholas’ marital situation.
The romance between Nicholas and Carolyn develops out of the friendship forged by two like-minded people and the connection between them feels deeply wrought and genuine. Carolyn’s uncertainties and reactions to Nicholas and the situation in which they find themselves feel very real and her conflicting emotions are very well written and explained. Nicholas is just as deeply in love, but divorce for a man in his position is impossible, and he knows Carolyn could never be happy as his mistress.
When Nicholas offers her a post as companion to his six-year-old daughter, Carolyn is naturally apprehensive, but seeing that the child needs her, she accepts, making it clear that that she will not be travelling to St. Petersburg with the family when they return. It’s the right thing to do, she knows… yet she can’t help wishing things could be different.
Splendor is quite a long book when compared to the majority of the newer historical romances released, but it’s well paced and I never found myself wishing things would “get a move on”. There are the usual obtrusive Americanisms (“sidewalk”, mostly) and some more modern turns of phrase, but the story overall is gripping, especially in the final stages which take place as our heroes are fleeing the advancing French army.
My principal complaint about the book – which I otherwise enjoyed very much – is that the ending is both drawn-out and rushed. Given everything Nicholas and Carolyn go through, it would have made sense to have ended it following the tense and tightly-written climactic scenes I’ve mentioned above. But instead, Ms Joyce veers off in another direction, stretching my credulity by inserting a couple of really implausible plot points, resurrecting a plot thread she’d left hanging half a book ago (and which, quite frankly, wouldn’t have affected the overall story if it had been omitted) and then dealing with it very quickly by having Nicholas make some strategically placed threats: everyone is saved, yippee, The End. That’s not to say the book was completely ruined, because it’s still a great story. I just wish the author had quit while she was ahead.
Marian Hussey is a narrator I’ve been aware of for a while, but this is only the second of her narrations I’ve listened to. She’s certainly a very accomplished performer and I’m going to be seeking out more of her work, as I enjoyed her performance in Splendor very much indeed. She has an attractive, youthful-sounding speaking voice which lends itself well to the role of Carolyn, but there’s also an undercurrent of maturity and conviction in her performance which come through as the story progresses and Carolyn has to delve deep to find the courage she needs to face a number of difficult situations. Ms Hussey performs the male roles well by adopting different pitches and timbres, and the accent she uses for both Nicholas and his brother is appropriate and consistent. There are a number of secondary characters in the book who appear throughout, such as Carolyn’s father, Princess Maria-Elena and little Katya, all of whom are instantly recognisable, as well as numerous minor characters such as servants, nobles, soldiers etc. who are all swiftly and clearly depicted through the use of a wide variety of tone and accent.
Ms Hussey delivers the narrative portions of the book very expressively and at a good pace. Her enunciation is clear and although I noticed one or two mispronunciations, they were not jarring enough to have taken me out of the story. All in all, Splendor proved to be an entertaining and enjoyable listening experience, and one I’d certainly recommend to anyone wanting something a little bit different in an historical romance.
December 14, 2015
3.5 stars. This was a very solid read despite my quibbles over the lack of class barriers between our heroine (bookseller's daughter!) and the hoity toity upper class, and her freedom to come and go as she pleased (and on dates! with a single male and no chaperon! to fancy balls where no one batted an eye that a booksellers daughter was there!). That said, the hero was deliciously yummy, I'd like to keep him, and the episodes in Moscow as it burned were unputdownable.
Things did kind of fall off at the end, and for those reasons I'm chopping off 1\2 star.
Kindle copy obtained via library loans, and I must say the conversation errors are a bit too heavy for the asking price on the Amazon page.
Things did kind of fall off at the end, and for those reasons I'm chopping off 1\2 star.
Kindle copy obtained via library loans, and I must say the conversation errors are a bit too heavy for the asking price on the Amazon page.
February 10, 2021
Overall, eh? There are some really good parts to it (Marie-Elena!) but one of my romance dealbreakers is when the hero is only with the heroine in the end because his wife or betrothed kicks the bucket. Another dealbreaker is when the heroine becomes very disempowered in her act of sacrificing her pride to be with the hero. I don't like that power imbalance, and I don't like how she becomes a doormat.
It seems like Brenda Joyce was putting two romance tropes together in Carolyn Browne: the female cartoonist lampooning the hero in her satirical society sketches, and the governess installed in a unhappy household by the hero in a bad marriage.
I admire Joyce's ambitious tale in putting a bunch of shit together, but there is a sense that things are being lost in the shuffle. I particularly wished Carolyn's career as a cartoonist was much more fleshed out than the plot device it was for her to cross paths with Nicholas.
Carolyn feels strongly about the rich because she felt they were not using their power for good yet there is a suggestion that she is only doing it because she doesn't have a life. In fact, once Carolyn ends up getting swept up in her romance with Nicholas, she stops doing the cartoons, and when they are separated, she never picks them back up again. Instead, she starts a novel about a couple who don't end up together.
I wish that Carolyn's work was not dumped or forgotten about. She had a fire about it so when she lets it go, it seems as though she never really cared about the cartoons but were doing them out of the wrong intentions (resentment, boredom). At the very least, I wish there was more analysis by Carolyn about her changing relationship to work because it's ok if she doesn't want to do them and wants to do something else, but it would have been nice to have more conversation about Carolyn choosing to detach from that aspect of her life.
Didn't really vibe with Russian prince Nicholas. His wife, Marie-Elena was a good villain, who makes one of the most remarkable entrances towards the end of the novel!
It seems like Brenda Joyce was putting two romance tropes together in Carolyn Browne: the female cartoonist lampooning the hero in her satirical society sketches, and the governess installed in a unhappy household by the hero in a bad marriage.
I admire Joyce's ambitious tale in putting a bunch of shit together, but there is a sense that things are being lost in the shuffle. I particularly wished Carolyn's career as a cartoonist was much more fleshed out than the plot device it was for her to cross paths with Nicholas.
Carolyn feels strongly about the rich because she felt they were not using their power for good yet there is a suggestion that she is only doing it because she doesn't have a life. In fact, once Carolyn ends up getting swept up in her romance with Nicholas, she stops doing the cartoons, and when they are separated, she never picks them back up again. Instead, she starts a novel about a couple who don't end up together.
I wish that Carolyn's work was not dumped or forgotten about. She had a fire about it so when she lets it go, it seems as though she never really cared about the cartoons but were doing them out of the wrong intentions (resentment, boredom). At the very least, I wish there was more analysis by Carolyn about her changing relationship to work because it's ok if she doesn't want to do them and wants to do something else, but it would have been nice to have more conversation about Carolyn choosing to detach from that aspect of her life.
Didn't really vibe with Russian prince Nicholas. His wife, Marie-Elena was a good villain, who makes one of the most remarkable entrances towards the end of the novel!
February 2, 2020
Oh my gosh! How I love this book. It reminds somewhat of Gone With The Wind except all the drama was happening in London and Russia. Nicholas and Carolyn were well written. I bow down to one of the wonderful women writers out there, Brenda Joyce. This book took my heart away. The drama was on point people. My emotions where in a world wind. The love and romance... I was saying yes, yes. Nicholas was the handsome prince that most women are looking for.
Carolyn was the strong heroine in this book. She was brave and strong. But I have to critique Carolyn in one seen from the book. Princess or no princess, I would knocked the heck out of that child if she slapped me. I would have made sure that she went flying and tumbling down those stairs.
And we all know how far down Victorian stairs can go. In my mind I pictured the stairs without a curve or corner. Nicholas brother Alexi wasn’t bad himself. I hope to read his story in the next book if there is one. Anyway fellow readers, this book caught my attention, my imagination and my desperate cry of not reading a crummy book.
And this book was far from crummy. It was outstanding. I give it, two snaps, a twist, with two thumbs up on the side. Happy reading people.
Carolyn was the strong heroine in this book. She was brave and strong. But I have to critique Carolyn in one seen from the book. Princess or no princess, I would knocked the heck out of that child if she slapped me. I would have made sure that she went flying and tumbling down those stairs.
And we all know how far down Victorian stairs can go. In my mind I pictured the stairs without a curve or corner. Nicholas brother Alexi wasn’t bad himself. I hope to read his story in the next book if there is one. Anyway fellow readers, this book caught my attention, my imagination and my desperate cry of not reading a crummy book.
And this book was far from crummy. It was outstanding. I give it, two snaps, a twist, with two thumbs up on the side. Happy reading people.
May 20, 2022
3.75
Frankly, this was not what I was expecting, and not in a good way.
I thought this book was going to be more comical based on the blurb, but it was far from that. Disappointed that it could have been an entertaining read, but it turned into a gloomy and unhappy book. It started off amusing and I could see very clearly all the potential witty interactions these two MC could have. But then it got serious with infidelity, war, death, greed etc.
It also became disjointed with smaller plots popping up. For example, the grandmother seemed unnecessary. I kept thinking her presence would make more sense and help push the narrative forward, but really, she was just sorta there. I still don’t necessarily see the need of her story.
Other than the two MCs and daughter finding each other, there wasn’t much happiness in the book. Even those relationships would be scarred for a long time, and I can’t really see blissful happiness in any of their futures.
I also have a problem with the heroines transformation. She was a little too perfect and OHH SOOO enlightened, but she was pretty stupid for the majority of the book. That stupidity kept popping up and had me questioning just how "enlightened" and "intelligent" she really was. She started off a free thinking, semi-independent, liberal minded shop girl, but ended the book by being a mistress (temporarily) who gave up her life and career for a man. Hmm...I wasn't buying it. I honestly have more respect for the villainous wife, that hoe would not die!
Brenda Joyce is an amazing author though- who writes smart and gives me all feels I need in a romance, this one just wasn't my favorite.
Frankly, this was not what I was expecting, and not in a good way.
I thought this book was going to be more comical based on the blurb, but it was far from that. Disappointed that it could have been an entertaining read, but it turned into a gloomy and unhappy book. It started off amusing and I could see very clearly all the potential witty interactions these two MC could have. But then it got serious with infidelity, war, death, greed etc.
It also became disjointed with smaller plots popping up. For example, the grandmother seemed unnecessary. I kept thinking her presence would make more sense and help push the narrative forward, but really, she was just sorta there. I still don’t necessarily see the need of her story.
Other than the two MCs and daughter finding each other, there wasn’t much happiness in the book. Even those relationships would be scarred for a long time, and I can’t really see blissful happiness in any of their futures.
I also have a problem with the heroines transformation. She was a little too perfect and OHH SOOO enlightened, but she was pretty stupid for the majority of the book. That stupidity kept popping up and had me questioning just how "enlightened" and "intelligent" she really was. She started off a free thinking, semi-independent, liberal minded shop girl, but ended the book by being a mistress (temporarily) who gave up her life and career for a man. Hmm...I wasn't buying it. I honestly have more respect for the villainous wife, that hoe would not die!
Brenda Joyce is an amazing author though- who writes smart and gives me all feels I need in a romance, this one just wasn't my favorite.
August 18, 2024
Read: 8/4/24
An interesting story!
Definitely RTC
An interesting story!
Definitely RTC
June 4, 2020
WHAT A SPLENDING,CHARMING,FUNNY,EXCITING and EPIC tale about fiery desire,duty,honor,war,secrets...and a powerful,undenyable,impossible love
...that changed my life forever.
and it did.
Oh,Brenda Joyce.How i love you!I have read more than ten books by her by now,and she never disapoints me.On the contrary she only surprises me,and to that,all books i have til now read by her have earned a five-star!
The lovestory between the handsome and honorable russian prince Nicholas Sverayov and the enlighting and clever (but not really TOO clever) book-seller Carolyn Browne starts so hilarious and more charming when Carolyn tries to fool Nicholas with her costume as a man..
and Nicholas in his mind agrees to play along with her game...and oh how funny it just keeps getting going.There are many scenes where i laughed on the first part.
Carolyn truly were naive..but i like it how they both slowly fall in love with each other despite the deceptions between them.
In the meantime many twists soon happen,and i just adored the relationship between Carolyn and Nicholas daughter.Nicholas wife was a totally selfish and unloving brat who only loved herself.I felt sorry for every man who got fooled by her.
Nicholas were a uniqe kind of historical hero of Joyce.Many of her heroes are so dynamic,intense and savage-hearted.
He is a charming ladies-man who are cold to everything,but his beloved daughter whom he doesn`t know how to love.He has an honor and a duty to his country and family-name he never will betray.But inside him are a warrior and he loves very passionately as any other hero.
Nicholas and Carolyn doesn`t really fight their feelings towards each other.The thing that makes their romance so special is that there aren`t any love-battle between them as in other of Joyces books.I have read four deWarenne books and three of the Bragg Saga,and in all of them (except "A Lady at Last" fight each other like light and thunder,the heroines and heros either fight each other,and their love.That is what made their love-stories so angsty-filled and intense.
In this one there only are emotional angst as we saw at the near end,when Carolyn screams at Nicholas that she never asked to love him,she asks with a sarcasm that she will leave him,and he screams back "Like hell you will" and he kisses her with a force that fast turns to a passionate embrace.
(How i actually wondered how they will get their HEA before that)
So this story were a very refreshing one,and i find myself easily swept away by the balls,glamour,pain-filled scenes,chocking twists,the war,the humor...and the deep,sweet and undestroyable romance between these two wonderful characters.They are both beautiful souls,and they deserved their HEA.
...that changed my life forever.
and it did.
Oh,Brenda Joyce.How i love you!I have read more than ten books by her by now,and she never disapoints me.On the contrary she only surprises me,and to that,all books i have til now read by her have earned a five-star!
The lovestory between the handsome and honorable russian prince Nicholas Sverayov and the enlighting and clever (but not really TOO clever) book-seller Carolyn Browne starts so hilarious and more charming when Carolyn tries to fool Nicholas with her costume as a man..
and Nicholas in his mind agrees to play along with her game...and oh how funny it just keeps getting going.There are many scenes where i laughed on the first part.
Carolyn truly were naive..but i like it how they both slowly fall in love with each other despite the deceptions between them.
In the meantime many twists soon happen,and i just adored the relationship between Carolyn and Nicholas daughter.Nicholas wife was a totally selfish and unloving brat who only loved herself.I felt sorry for every man who got fooled by her.
Nicholas were a uniqe kind of historical hero of Joyce.Many of her heroes are so dynamic,intense and savage-hearted.
He is a charming ladies-man who are cold to everything,but his beloved daughter whom he doesn`t know how to love.He has an honor and a duty to his country and family-name he never will betray.But inside him are a warrior and he loves very passionately as any other hero.
Nicholas and Carolyn doesn`t really fight their feelings towards each other.The thing that makes their romance so special is that there aren`t any love-battle between them as in other of Joyces books.I have read four deWarenne books and three of the Bragg Saga,and in all of them (except "A Lady at Last" fight each other like light and thunder,the heroines and heros either fight each other,and their love.That is what made their love-stories so angsty-filled and intense.
In this one there only are emotional angst as we saw at the near end,when Carolyn screams at Nicholas that she never asked to love him,she asks with a sarcasm that she will leave him,and he screams back "Like hell you will" and he kisses her with a force that fast turns to a passionate embrace.
(How i actually wondered how they will get their HEA before that)
So this story were a very refreshing one,and i find myself easily swept away by the balls,glamour,pain-filled scenes,chocking twists,the war,the humor...and the deep,sweet and undestroyable romance between these two wonderful characters.They are both beautiful souls,and they deserved their HEA.
February 24, 2012
Unique Romance Between a Russian Prince and an English Girl
Another well-written story from Joyce but with a few ingredients that make it unique, including a trip to Russia!
Set in London and Russia in 1812, this is the story of a British commoner and a Russian prince. Carolyn Browne’s father is just a common bookseller but her mother left a noble heritage for love. Years later, her mother dead, Carolyn lives above the bookshop with her father. To make money and have her laughs on London society, she writes a gossip column under a man’s pen name, exposing the hypocrisy of the upper crust. But then she meets Prince Nicholas Sverayov, a colonel in the Russian army and friend of the tsar. He has come to London forge an alliance between his country and England. He is married to a beautiful princess he has never loved and who he has not slept with for 5 years because she cheated on him. Each has gone their separate ways in the bedroom. They have a young 7-year-old daughter, who Nickolas is not sure is even his.
The hero started to look rather unheroic when, as an older, experienced married man, he seduces the 18 year old virgin—(our heroine)—a woman he has no intention of marrying (not that he could). The heroine came across as a bit naïve, though she is an intellectual. Disguised as a young man (to sneak into society’s galas and gather her gossip, she fails to wonder why a much older, worldly Russian prince, known for his conquests with women, would spend an evening with someone who appears to be an 18 year old boy. Then, when as a female, that same Russian prince turns his attention on her, she thinks she can outsmart the rake. She desires true love but has no desire for passion (at least initially), and has no clue as to what attracts men and women. Then, despite her talk of morality, she sleeps with the married man. Adultery, she acknowledges, is wrong, but she still does it.
Several things were unrealistic. First, a young maiden of 18 would not be allowed to go alone anywhere with a man not a relative, not in 1812. Second, to take a ride in the park with a known, married rake would have condemned her in society’s eyes. (Unless he wanted to ruin her (which he eventually did anyway), he would have met her more discreetly. So there were some unbelievable parts.
However, having said all that, this is an exciting story, especially as the action moves from London to Russia. And the heroine seemed to grow a bit more realistic. She really gets lucky in the end. If you can handle that, this is a worthy read and you won’t want to put it down, I promise.
Another well-written story from Joyce but with a few ingredients that make it unique, including a trip to Russia!
Set in London and Russia in 1812, this is the story of a British commoner and a Russian prince. Carolyn Browne’s father is just a common bookseller but her mother left a noble heritage for love. Years later, her mother dead, Carolyn lives above the bookshop with her father. To make money and have her laughs on London society, she writes a gossip column under a man’s pen name, exposing the hypocrisy of the upper crust. But then she meets Prince Nicholas Sverayov, a colonel in the Russian army and friend of the tsar. He has come to London forge an alliance between his country and England. He is married to a beautiful princess he has never loved and who he has not slept with for 5 years because she cheated on him. Each has gone their separate ways in the bedroom. They have a young 7-year-old daughter, who Nickolas is not sure is even his.
The hero started to look rather unheroic when, as an older, experienced married man, he seduces the 18 year old virgin—(our heroine)—a woman he has no intention of marrying (not that he could). The heroine came across as a bit naïve, though she is an intellectual. Disguised as a young man (to sneak into society’s galas and gather her gossip, she fails to wonder why a much older, worldly Russian prince, known for his conquests with women, would spend an evening with someone who appears to be an 18 year old boy. Then, when as a female, that same Russian prince turns his attention on her, she thinks she can outsmart the rake. She desires true love but has no desire for passion (at least initially), and has no clue as to what attracts men and women. Then, despite her talk of morality, she sleeps with the married man. Adultery, she acknowledges, is wrong, but she still does it.
Several things were unrealistic. First, a young maiden of 18 would not be allowed to go alone anywhere with a man not a relative, not in 1812. Second, to take a ride in the park with a known, married rake would have condemned her in society’s eyes. (Unless he wanted to ruin her (which he eventually did anyway), he would have met her more discreetly. So there were some unbelievable parts.
However, having said all that, this is an exciting story, especially as the action moves from London to Russia. And the heroine seemed to grow a bit more realistic. She really gets lucky in the end. If you can handle that, this is a worthy read and you won’t want to put it down, I promise.
May 21, 2016
Not as good as The Game but still very enjoyable. The last 30% was the best part.
December 16, 2013
I decided to buy this book because of Caroline's recommendation and I was so impressed with the book. I could easily relate to being 18 years of age with emotions running rampant. Where you want a love that seems impossible, and that you want a fairy tale romance, and you realize there is fairy tales and then there is reality. This one gives you a nice little mix of both.
I love that this book dangles on the reality edge with things not always appearing as they seem. With Nicholas being married and having a child, you know you wouuld think that would send a young girl, especially an enlightened thinker such as Ms. Brown running towards the hills. You would also think that being such an opinionated female, that she would be just fine with a husband like the man who was courting her, Anthony, one that she could talk to about her opinions and have him not say much of anything. BUT! in the end, you realize that her being safe and accepting Anthony would not have been good at all.
Carolyn masquerading as a man is not only hilarious but also a break in the same old love story... and plus it puts more of the time era into perspective. Plus it gives reader a chance to take a break into the mind of a woman who realizes that she is a woman but just wants to be equals.
Her verbal sparring with Prince Nicolas is wonderful. It shows that she is yes, in fact 19 and young, while he being a man of the world, shows it, but yet does not overpower her. Ms. Brown can fully hold her own.
I really enjoy the way Brenda Joyce takes you inside of the mind of both characters. Sometimes, with a lot of novels, and especially romance novels, most of the writing seems so one sided, just from one point of view. And that does not serve for a love story at all. She gives insight from all of the characters, included the estranged ex-wife and Nicolas' brother Alexi. (I love the use of nicknames in this book, it made it so much more personal, like you could get to know the characters one on one).
I also appreciate that the Prince Nicholas character is not so dramatically brooding, he does smile and likes nicknames. The fact that he does smile and has a funny bone is a good thing and a good break in humor in such an emotional read.
Marian Hussey was wonderful in her delivery of the story.
I love that this book dangles on the reality edge with things not always appearing as they seem. With Nicholas being married and having a child, you know you wouuld think that would send a young girl, especially an enlightened thinker such as Ms. Brown running towards the hills. You would also think that being such an opinionated female, that she would be just fine with a husband like the man who was courting her, Anthony, one that she could talk to about her opinions and have him not say much of anything. BUT! in the end, you realize that her being safe and accepting Anthony would not have been good at all.
Carolyn masquerading as a man is not only hilarious but also a break in the same old love story... and plus it puts more of the time era into perspective. Plus it gives reader a chance to take a break into the mind of a woman who realizes that she is a woman but just wants to be equals.
Her verbal sparring with Prince Nicolas is wonderful. It shows that she is yes, in fact 19 and young, while he being a man of the world, shows it, but yet does not overpower her. Ms. Brown can fully hold her own.
I really enjoy the way Brenda Joyce takes you inside of the mind of both characters. Sometimes, with a lot of novels, and especially romance novels, most of the writing seems so one sided, just from one point of view. And that does not serve for a love story at all. She gives insight from all of the characters, included the estranged ex-wife and Nicolas' brother Alexi. (I love the use of nicknames in this book, it made it so much more personal, like you could get to know the characters one on one).
I also appreciate that the Prince Nicholas character is not so dramatically brooding, he does smile and likes nicknames. The fact that he does smile and has a funny bone is a good thing and a good break in humor in such an emotional read.
Marian Hussey was wonderful in her delivery of the story.
September 16, 2010
if I could give this book 8 starts I would it def deserved more than 5 starts..
if I was to describe this book in aunt shell it would be the Sound of Music meets the Bronze Horseman LOL .. it had such similarities ..
this book is such a classic love story it is so painful and heart wrenching at times and so suspenseful and mysterious at others..
As my fav genre is historical erotica i took a while to embrace this book but you just cant help falling in love with the characters.. they are so very well developed that you feel like you no them first hand.. the heroine was your perfect innocent yet she was smart witty and feisty... The hero was Strong honourable and amazingly gorgeous in my mind ..
these two had such chemistry that i found my self begging for a love seen ....
**********SPOILER*******
I have to say the love scene was disappointing it was far to short and not even a page length .. it was twilight over again .. I don’t no why these authors build up such amazing chemistry between there characters and not deliver a descent love scene .. its just a pure tease !!!!
however ..the story was so intense at times that i was still able to give this book an 8 star rating .. because it was so well written the characters were so well developed ..the last 100 pages where so unpredictable and the ending was so HEA
big thanks to Cheryl for this reco i truly loved it xo
if I was to describe this book in aunt shell it would be the Sound of Music meets the Bronze Horseman LOL .. it had such similarities ..
this book is such a classic love story it is so painful and heart wrenching at times and so suspenseful and mysterious at others..
As my fav genre is historical erotica i took a while to embrace this book but you just cant help falling in love with the characters.. they are so very well developed that you feel like you no them first hand.. the heroine was your perfect innocent yet she was smart witty and feisty... The hero was Strong honourable and amazingly gorgeous in my mind ..
these two had such chemistry that i found my self begging for a love seen ....
**********SPOILER*******
I have to say the love scene was disappointing it was far to short and not even a page length .. it was twilight over again .. I don’t no why these authors build up such amazing chemistry between there characters and not deliver a descent love scene .. its just a pure tease !!!!
however ..the story was so intense at times that i was still able to give this book an 8 star rating .. because it was so well written the characters were so well developed ..the last 100 pages where so unpredictable and the ending was so HEA
big thanks to Cheryl for this reco i truly loved it xo
October 24, 2009
WOW!!! Words cannot even describe how I feel about this book! It was amazing and so much more than a romance novel. It contained just about everything you could ask for in a story... romance, suspense, humor, heartache and more! I really do not see how this book has not been made into a movie. It was wonderful and I thoroughly enjoyed it!! I have added it to my all-time-favorites reading list. I recommend it to everyone, excellent!!!
August 14, 2009
5 Stars!!!!!!
If you have not read this book...DO IT!
I am not going to say a word regarding the story. I don't want to take the chance of ruining it for anyone.
I LOVE LOVE LOVED IT!
I could have read it in a day, however, I kept forcing myself to put it down to make it last longer.
One of the best books I have.
If you have not read this book...DO IT!
I am not going to say a word regarding the story. I don't want to take the chance of ruining it for anyone.
I LOVE LOVE LOVED IT!
I could have read it in a day, however, I kept forcing myself to put it down to make it last longer.
One of the best books I have.
April 16, 2016
This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance
Summary
Carolyne Brown was the daughter of a poor bookseller. She had a fierce love of books, but when she found a way to add to their income, she grabbed at it. Carolyne is an enlightened thinker, and she writes witty columns about scandal and deceit of the workings of the Ton and high society. She disguises herself to get more information, but there is one man that she is intrigued by. Prince Nicholas Sverayov. He is famous, notorious for his lady loves and his disregard for rules of morality. Prince Nicholas Sverayov, has come to England for a specific reason. He is to try to get a treaty with the British, to aid in their help against Napolean's forces. But when he spies a stranger sneaking around his home, he is outraged until he learns that the He is a woman. He goes on a charade all the while knowing of her true identity. Nicholas is intrigued by this slip of a woman who is so different from any other woman he has ever wanted. She is intelligent, book smart, and crafty and very passionate at times. He knows that he is no good for Carolyne, but wants her anyway. But will their love affair turn out to be disastrous or the best miracle they could conceive of?
The Hero
Prince Nicholas Sverayov, did the duty to his country. He is a military man, and serves his leader and cousin with honor and distinction. He married a woman he was duty bound to, but despite her beauty lies a deceitful snake inside. He is grateful for the little girl he claims as his own, even though he suspects she isn't his real daughter but he loves her just as much as if he had help in her creation. Nicholas and his wife have been estranged for over five years. They lead seperate lives. Until he arrives in England, and she follows him there. Because she is lonely and needs some entertainment and brings their daughter. Nicholas is a hero I admired. He is loyal and strong and dedicated to protecting his country and those he loves at all cost. He isn't perfect though, he enjoys women just as much as any man. But he has never known true love, never though it would be possible. We see how Nicholas changes through the course of the story. He becomes selfless and only wants the best for Carolyne even if it means to lose the only woman he could ever love.
The Heroine
Carolyne Browne lost her mother when she was but a child, and was raised by her father who was poor but did his best to raise her to be self aware and intelligent and look for true love. She knew her parents loved each other and she dreamed of finding the same. Carolyne is smart, sassy and pretty. She paves her own path, and does what is necessary. She does have high morals, but the moment she meets Nicholas, she starts to realize that life isn't so black and white, that there are shades of grey. As she becomes more consumed by her feelings of this mysterious Russian prince, she does she begin to doubt herself and where the future leads. Carolyne was a bit different but I really liked her. She stands her own ground, a bit of a feminist at times, but she also dreams of love and is waiting for it. We see how she handles different situations that stumble her way. She could be a bit naive at times, but when you look at her background, it makes sense. I quite enjoyed seeing the changes in her through the story.
Plot and Story Line
Splendor has been a story I have been wanting to read for the LONGEST time. So when I saw it on sale at Audible, I grabbed it right up!! I had no idea it was on audio and I started listening right away. A Russian prince and a bookish heroine?? YES I am going to pick that one right up. The only one detail about the story I was a bit unsure about was that the hero is married, albeit estranged for years. But as the story gets going, I fell in love with the writing and the plot that I just couldn't put it down despite the fact that Nicholas is married. But I did feel that Brenda Joyce handles this aspect of the story very well, much better than I expected. Nicholas Wife is quite a viper in my opinion especially in how she treats her own daughter....like she is pretty trinket to bring out when it suits her. The daughter, adds a special element to the story. I loved how Nicholas is with her and is very quiet and shy until she is around Carolyne, and she brightens up and becomes such a happy child. Thus we see Carolyne agree to become her companion, because even though Nicholas needs her around even if nothing can happen between them, he knows how good she would be for his daughter. My heart just ached for this pair, because they love each other and can do nothing about it. I did like how it's not an insta lust type of story. Where they have sex right away...nope it is toward the last part of the story before that happens. Which was wise of the author to do and is pretty light in comparison to more modern romances now. This story takes us from the streets of London to the exotic lands of St. Petersberg and the war that wages there. This couple really goes through the ringer, but I really liked how it resolved in the end. This story was quite different, is a bit longer than most romances are now but what a blast I had with this story. I just couldn't put it down, I felt so intrigued by this forbidden romance but no worries these two eventually find their HEA.
The Narration
In this narrator I found so much greatness here!! I had never heard of this one before, but I liked her from the beginning. She handled the historical details so well and her transferrations of the different characters was very well done!! I am curious to listen to more of her.
The Cover
With a simple yet pretty cover. I love the Tiara with the pink backdrop.
Overall View
Splendor is a tale of forbidden love, unexpected thrills and a slow building romance that will have you cheering this pair on!!! FANTASTIC.
Summary
Carolyne Brown was the daughter of a poor bookseller. She had a fierce love of books, but when she found a way to add to their income, she grabbed at it. Carolyne is an enlightened thinker, and she writes witty columns about scandal and deceit of the workings of the Ton and high society. She disguises herself to get more information, but there is one man that she is intrigued by. Prince Nicholas Sverayov. He is famous, notorious for his lady loves and his disregard for rules of morality. Prince Nicholas Sverayov, has come to England for a specific reason. He is to try to get a treaty with the British, to aid in their help against Napolean's forces. But when he spies a stranger sneaking around his home, he is outraged until he learns that the He is a woman. He goes on a charade all the while knowing of her true identity. Nicholas is intrigued by this slip of a woman who is so different from any other woman he has ever wanted. She is intelligent, book smart, and crafty and very passionate at times. He knows that he is no good for Carolyne, but wants her anyway. But will their love affair turn out to be disastrous or the best miracle they could conceive of?
The Hero
Prince Nicholas Sverayov, did the duty to his country. He is a military man, and serves his leader and cousin with honor and distinction. He married a woman he was duty bound to, but despite her beauty lies a deceitful snake inside. He is grateful for the little girl he claims as his own, even though he suspects she isn't his real daughter but he loves her just as much as if he had help in her creation. Nicholas and his wife have been estranged for over five years. They lead seperate lives. Until he arrives in England, and she follows him there. Because she is lonely and needs some entertainment and brings their daughter. Nicholas is a hero I admired. He is loyal and strong and dedicated to protecting his country and those he loves at all cost. He isn't perfect though, he enjoys women just as much as any man. But he has never known true love, never though it would be possible. We see how Nicholas changes through the course of the story. He becomes selfless and only wants the best for Carolyne even if it means to lose the only woman he could ever love.
The Heroine
Carolyne Browne lost her mother when she was but a child, and was raised by her father who was poor but did his best to raise her to be self aware and intelligent and look for true love. She knew her parents loved each other and she dreamed of finding the same. Carolyne is smart, sassy and pretty. She paves her own path, and does what is necessary. She does have high morals, but the moment she meets Nicholas, she starts to realize that life isn't so black and white, that there are shades of grey. As she becomes more consumed by her feelings of this mysterious Russian prince, she does she begin to doubt herself and where the future leads. Carolyne was a bit different but I really liked her. She stands her own ground, a bit of a feminist at times, but she also dreams of love and is waiting for it. We see how she handles different situations that stumble her way. She could be a bit naive at times, but when you look at her background, it makes sense. I quite enjoyed seeing the changes in her through the story.
Plot and Story Line
Splendor has been a story I have been wanting to read for the LONGEST time. So when I saw it on sale at Audible, I grabbed it right up!! I had no idea it was on audio and I started listening right away. A Russian prince and a bookish heroine?? YES I am going to pick that one right up. The only one detail about the story I was a bit unsure about was that the hero is married, albeit estranged for years. But as the story gets going, I fell in love with the writing and the plot that I just couldn't put it down despite the fact that Nicholas is married. But I did feel that Brenda Joyce handles this aspect of the story very well, much better than I expected. Nicholas Wife is quite a viper in my opinion especially in how she treats her own daughter....like she is pretty trinket to bring out when it suits her. The daughter, adds a special element to the story. I loved how Nicholas is with her and is very quiet and shy until she is around Carolyne, and she brightens up and becomes such a happy child. Thus we see Carolyne agree to become her companion, because even though Nicholas needs her around even if nothing can happen between them, he knows how good she would be for his daughter. My heart just ached for this pair, because they love each other and can do nothing about it. I did like how it's not an insta lust type of story. Where they have sex right away...nope it is toward the last part of the story before that happens. Which was wise of the author to do and is pretty light in comparison to more modern romances now. This story takes us from the streets of London to the exotic lands of St. Petersberg and the war that wages there. This couple really goes through the ringer, but I really liked how it resolved in the end. This story was quite different, is a bit longer than most romances are now but what a blast I had with this story. I just couldn't put it down, I felt so intrigued by this forbidden romance but no worries these two eventually find their HEA.
The Narration
In this narrator I found so much greatness here!! I had never heard of this one before, but I liked her from the beginning. She handled the historical details so well and her transferrations of the different characters was very well done!! I am curious to listen to more of her.
The Cover
With a simple yet pretty cover. I love the Tiara with the pink backdrop.
Overall View
Splendor is a tale of forbidden love, unexpected thrills and a slow building romance that will have you cheering this pair on!!! FANTASTIC.
January 28, 2019
At one point, I read all of Brenda Joyce's books. This was back in the day when her books were published only in paperback, and I assume that she had a slightly harder time selling her books. It seems to me that her earlier works far outweigh her later works in terms of its narrative and plot, and I own pretty much all of these earlier works. This book might have been towards the end of this group before she started churning out the Lady Francesca mysteries, which were ABYSMAL, as were most mysteries by these romance-turned-romantic-mystery authors. (As a rule though, I think all of these romantic mystery series are failures and they fail on the basis of a truly terrible romance that should not even be in the series to begin with.)
First, Brenda Joyce used to do an excellent job in research. She wrote about the colonial west, the 1900s with a foray into the South African diamond rush, Montmartre in the 1920s, the post-Regency era, the Norman conquering of the British Isles, Tripoli in 1812, among many others. She did an exemplary job in setting the scene, complete with people of all classes running around, the smells, etc. I never failed to get lost in the feel of her books. Reading one was always like being transported in time and space and so I would check out her back list and await her next published book with impatience. For all that some writers like Johanna Lindsey and Danielle Steel and Sandra Brown were prolific and incredibly popular, I felt that Brenda Joyce did a far better job with setting. Even though I read these books over a decade ago, I can distinctly tell you just where each book takes place, and that is a miracle in and of itself.
Next, Brenda Joyce tended to provide readers with a fairly decent hero. By that, I meant that the heroes were generally always swoonworthy characters. They are no Quasimodos or dimwitted idiots, nor are they impotent in any sense of the word. On the other hand, she fails in the ultimate test of romance writing, which is making the heroes fall completely for the heroines. Somehow, her heroes were always slightly too conflicted by things happening in their lives, far past the moments where the readers would have been convinced by an outright declaration of eternal devotion. It was as though she dragged the relationship development too far, until one figured that the heroine should just move on with the times instead of stopping for a chat with the hero.
Finally, the reason I stopped reading her books was how the narrative started to be dragged down by too much minutiae. Remember when I said she was absolutely detailed in her settings? Well, it started to be too much with the staring and the gasping and the blinking. It's really something that a good editor should have caught. It just seemed to be the same interactions lifted straight out of one book and pasted onto her next book. One conversation would be dragged out for an eternity of pages because of the gasping and the staring. I honestly think it was her "thing" in order to create sexual tension. There is such a thing as too much sexual tension, for one thing, and that is sexual tension that far outweighs the reasons why the characters should be attracted to one another and not find a way to resolve their damned problems in one way or another.
This book was one of the last of her standalone books in the time period just after the Napoleonic Wars when the Russian Delegation descends on London in time for our heroine to meet the hero. I think all of the three things I mentioned above applies to this book. In general, the book does not disappoint in showing us the setting of the time period. It should be savored for this reason on its own.
The hero is, as always, extremely virile and masculine. Only, I could have accepted a less hormonal man and someone who was a little more devoted in general. So, yes, it is not mentioned in the blurb, but there is substantial cheating in this book, because he is MARRIED for the majority of the book. But it doesn't even fail on those grounds, but because, like most of Brenda Joyce's heroes, this man is a massive, throbbing hulk of a manwhore. He does an excellent job of making Caroline fall for him and then... I would have told her to cut her losses. There was no good reason for them not to be together except...after all the things they both did to be together, he weirdly--incongruently--doesn't feel that way about her? Yes, there's a question mark in there because it was just that odd.
There is also one of those tacked on endings, in which it feels like the ending could have been finished five chapters earlier, satisfactorily, if some things had been edited. And the groundwork for Nicholas's final declaration to Caroline could have been laid far earlier for a more convincing avowal of love. Instead of which, for a book this size, I was left with quite a skeptical frown on my face.
Anyway, there you have it. The reason why I stopped reading this author, but also the reason why you should revisit her books for an immediate submersal in a foreign country.
First, Brenda Joyce used to do an excellent job in research. She wrote about the colonial west, the 1900s with a foray into the South African diamond rush, Montmartre in the 1920s, the post-Regency era, the Norman conquering of the British Isles, Tripoli in 1812, among many others. She did an exemplary job in setting the scene, complete with people of all classes running around, the smells, etc. I never failed to get lost in the feel of her books. Reading one was always like being transported in time and space and so I would check out her back list and await her next published book with impatience. For all that some writers like Johanna Lindsey and Danielle Steel and Sandra Brown were prolific and incredibly popular, I felt that Brenda Joyce did a far better job with setting. Even though I read these books over a decade ago, I can distinctly tell you just where each book takes place, and that is a miracle in and of itself.
Next, Brenda Joyce tended to provide readers with a fairly decent hero. By that, I meant that the heroes were generally always swoonworthy characters. They are no Quasimodos or dimwitted idiots, nor are they impotent in any sense of the word. On the other hand, she fails in the ultimate test of romance writing, which is making the heroes fall completely for the heroines. Somehow, her heroes were always slightly too conflicted by things happening in their lives, far past the moments where the readers would have been convinced by an outright declaration of eternal devotion. It was as though she dragged the relationship development too far, until one figured that the heroine should just move on with the times instead of stopping for a chat with the hero.
Finally, the reason I stopped reading her books was how the narrative started to be dragged down by too much minutiae. Remember when I said she was absolutely detailed in her settings? Well, it started to be too much with the staring and the gasping and the blinking. It's really something that a good editor should have caught. It just seemed to be the same interactions lifted straight out of one book and pasted onto her next book. One conversation would be dragged out for an eternity of pages because of the gasping and the staring. I honestly think it was her "thing" in order to create sexual tension. There is such a thing as too much sexual tension, for one thing, and that is sexual tension that far outweighs the reasons why the characters should be attracted to one another and not find a way to resolve their damned problems in one way or another.
This book was one of the last of her standalone books in the time period just after the Napoleonic Wars when the Russian Delegation descends on London in time for our heroine to meet the hero. I think all of the three things I mentioned above applies to this book. In general, the book does not disappoint in showing us the setting of the time period. It should be savored for this reason on its own.
The hero is, as always, extremely virile and masculine. Only, I could have accepted a less hormonal man and someone who was a little more devoted in general. So, yes, it is not mentioned in the blurb, but there is substantial cheating in this book, because he is MARRIED for the majority of the book. But it doesn't even fail on those grounds, but because, like most of Brenda Joyce's heroes, this man is a massive, throbbing hulk of a manwhore. He does an excellent job of making Caroline fall for him and then... I would have told her to cut her losses. There was no good reason for them not to be together except...after all the things they both did to be together, he weirdly--incongruently--doesn't feel that way about her? Yes, there's a question mark in there because it was just that odd.
There is also one of those tacked on endings, in which it feels like the ending could have been finished five chapters earlier, satisfactorily, if some things had been edited. And the groundwork for Nicholas's final declaration to Caroline could have been laid far earlier for a more convincing avowal of love. Instead of which, for a book this size, I was left with quite a skeptical frown on my face.
Anyway, there you have it. The reason why I stopped reading this author, but also the reason why you should revisit her books for an immediate submersal in a foreign country.
February 24, 2018
Love's mysteries 4 stars
January 2, 2016
I was afraid there will be inequality between Caro and Niki, not just because of the sosial status, wealth and experience but also how young Caro was, although it's not an unusual thing to find in a book. Knowledge is something you can read in a book but wisdom you have to learn by experience. But Caro really pull her weight in this book, she's a very curious young woman who's not afraid to make a mistake. I imagined her as a cat who would gladly sacrifice one of her lives to know what inside that box. And I like the way Niki interact with her. He's cynical and had his SMH moments when facing with Caro's idealism, but he's never condescending towards her. He respected her opinions and giving her good arguments.
That's one of the things that made Niki a cool hero. Beyond his golden hotness, there's depth and cleverness. And despite the rake reputation he got, he could be honourable when it counts. There's one scene involving Charles Brighton, brothel and voyeurism which if it was continued I swear I'll throw this book into the fire (figuratively speaking of course since it's an ebook and I love my phone too much). But Niki stopped it just in time and he never meant to go through with it at the first place.
Maybe for some readers, the way he treated his marriage and his affair with Caro could be considered cheating and put some people off, but if we could forgive Rochester for whoring around across Europe then came home to marry his innocent governess, why can't we forgive Niki for falling in love with another woman when his wife was a selfish cold hearted bitch?
My only complain is there's too many things going on in part three, in my opinion. While part one and two was nicely paced, the speed of stuff happening in part three were kind of giving me whiplash. Maybe it was the author good faith to tie loose ends within limited pages left.
All in all it was a splendid read.
That's one of the things that made Niki a cool hero. Beyond his golden hotness, there's depth and cleverness. And despite the rake reputation he got, he could be honourable when it counts. There's one scene involving Charles Brighton, brothel and voyeurism which if it was continued I swear I'll throw this book into the fire (figuratively speaking of course since it's an ebook and I love my phone too much). But Niki stopped it just in time and he never meant to go through with it at the first place.
Maybe for some readers, the way he treated his marriage and his affair with Caro could be considered cheating and put some people off, but if we could forgive Rochester for whoring around across Europe then came home to marry his innocent governess, why can't we forgive Niki for falling in love with another woman when his wife was a selfish cold hearted bitch?
My only complain is there's too many things going on in part three, in my opinion. While part one and two was nicely paced, the speed of stuff happening in part three were kind of giving me whiplash. Maybe it was the author good faith to tie loose ends within limited pages left.
All in all it was a splendid read.
August 9, 2019
The romance between Carolyn and Nicholas is rather lackluster imo. I really don't understand their appeal for each other.
I didn't like Carolyn as a character. She spends her time skulking around in disguise so she can unearth what she deems to be immoral in others but, other than a couple of crying jags and arguments with her father, has little problems with sleeping with a married man.
At least Marie-Elena (whose brushes with death and eventual demise is like something out of a soap opera. I lol'd when she reappeared right after th H and h got married) called her out on it even if it was the pot calling the kettle black.
I didn't like Carolyn as a character. She spends her time skulking around in disguise so she can unearth what she deems to be immoral in others but, other than a couple of crying jags and arguments with her father, has little problems with sleeping with a married man.
At least Marie-Elena (whose brushes with death and eventual demise is like something out of a soap opera. I lol'd when she reappeared right after th H and h got married) called her out on it even if it was the pot calling the kettle black.
Read
November 22, 2015Carolyn was five when she overheard her parents arguing. Her mother, Margaret, wanted to ask her own mother for financial assistance so they wouldn't lose their home. Her father told Margaret that her grandmother wouldn't help because she had married a commoner and had disowned her. Margaret took Carolyn to see her grandmother anyway and was turned away. They both returned home and her mother died shortly afterwards after catching pneumonia while taking the trip.
Carolyn was now eighteen and had become an author using a pseudonym of Charles Copperville. She lived above a bookstore with her father. She wrote a political column for London's Morning Chronicle. Her current target was Prince Sverayov of Russia. He was in London working on a treaty with Lord Castlereagh. Russia and England were at war. Czar Alexander had traded places with Sverayov leading the fight against the British and he was losing ground. Sverayov had instructed his wife to remain at home but she followed him to London with her current lover. She was obviously pregnant by someone other than her husband as they hadn't slept together since their daughter, Katya, was born. Katya was five and Sverayov was fairly certain that she was not his but he loved her regardless. She looked like her mother with pale skin, green eyes, and long black hair. Sverayov was worried about Katya because Maire-Elana was thought to be dying after miscarrying the child. Katya didn't express any emotion and she didn't play and laugh like Sveryov thought children should.
Sveryov's brother came to London to see him. Sverayov told Alexi that he was worried about Katya and that it appeared that his wife would survive the miscarriage. Alexi did not like Marie-Elena.
Carolyn was spying at the house where the Russian's were staying and she was observed by Sveryov. She overheard pieces of a conversation as the Dr. was leaving and decided to try and get closer to the house to find out what had happened to his wife. Sverayov saw her through the window and was determined to catch her. He followed her to the bookstore and discovered her name when he went into the bookstore to purchase a book.
There was a ball coming up and Carolyn snuck in dressed as a boy. Sverayov saw her as she was sneaking around the back of the house to get under the library window as she was trying to overhear any conversation. She acted like she was waiting for a woman and Sverayov told her to meet him at midnight and he would take her to a brothel so that she would get over the fact that the woman never showed up to meet him. They met and he took her to the brothel while she was still dressed as a man. He had introduced her to Alexi at the ball and told him that he knew that she was really a girl. Sverayov wondered just how long she would keep up the pretense. They went to the brothel and Sverayov told her that she could just watch him through a window and Carolyn never gave away that she was a woman so he caved and took her home, leaving the prostitute. He showed up at the bookstore the next morning to check on Carolyn and asked her to go riding in the park the next afternoon. He noticed that her father appeared nervous.
Sverayov had read the column in that morning's paper and figured out that Carolyn was Copperville. He picked up Carolyn to take her riding and they talked and he told her that he didn't believe in love. She told him that she thought he had a low opinion of women and he agreed. She was very attracted to him and decided to ask him to kiss her so that she would know what it was like. He was surprised at his feeling toward her and a little angry that he seemed unable to control himself around her.
The next morning's column mentioned the Russian prince being seen riding with a blonde haired girl that didn't appear to be a member of the ton. Carolyn didn't write the column and suspected that Sverayov had. She went to his residence on the pretense of bring a book for his sister to see if she could discover if he had written the column. She met his brother, as herself this time. She also met his daughter. She couldn't tell if he had written the column or not but she went to the paper and told the editor to not print anything in her name unless she delivered it personally.
She went to the opera that evening with an admirer, Anthony Davison, whose father she had seen in the brothel. Stuart had come to the opera with one of his illegitimate sons. Situations like this disturbed Carolyn. He didn't seem to approve of her. She also ran into Marie-Elena at the opera and Marie-Elena made a rude comment about her being the daughter of a bookseller.
Carolyn didn't hear from Sverayov for a couple of days so she sent an invitation to meet him at the horse races as Charles Briton. They met and he gave her a couple of drinks. When she was tipsy, she slipped out of her pretense and Sverayov told her that he knew who she was all along. Carolyn had tea with him the next day and he asked her to come work for him as a companion to Katya. Carolyn accepted. Sverayov came by to pick her up before asking her to come work for him and overheard her father in a conversation with Stuart Davison discussing carrying information against their country. Sverayov used this knowledge and the threat of telling Carolyn to get her father to pass the same information to his countrymen.
Andrew invited Carolyn to a ball and her grandmother, whom she hadn't seen since she was a child, sought her out and talked to her. She left the ball early and Sverayov came looking for her at the bookstore. They kissed again and Carolyn returned to his house the next morning. He wanted her to come to Russia with him because the treaty was signed. They made love that night and Carolyn told him that she wouldn't go to Russia.
A month later, Alexi came to deliver a letter from Katya to Carolyn. The letter told how unhappy she was with her father back in command of his soldiers and Marie-Elena in Tver. Alexi left and came back the next morning. Carolyn made the decision to travel to Russia with Alexi.
She arrived in Russia and Niki had a meeting with the tsar and came to the house. He did not know that she was there. He went to his meeting and when he come home, he took Carolyn to his bed with him for the night. He left the next morning to return to the war. Soon Marie-Elena came to the house and so did Alexi and Niki's cousin, Sasha. Carolyn overheard he and Marie-Elena talking and discovered that the child she had lost in London had been Sasha's. She also overheard that there was to be a major battle soon, just outside of Moscow. Sasha soon left and Marie-Elena ordered the household to pack up because they were going to Moscow. She protested leaving but did not want to abandon Katya. They almost made it to Moscow when they were stopped by soldiers telling them that Moscow had been ordered to be evacuated. If they were to continue to Moscow, they would have to choose a different route. They continued to Moscow and Marie-Elana left to meet with Sasha. The rest of the staff had decided they couldn't stay and packed up to leave. When Katya heard that they were leaving without waiting for her mother to return, she ran away. They spend the day looking for her. Marie-Elena showed up with Sasha and her and the servants all left without Katya having been found. Sasha hated Marie-Elena at that moment. Nicholas received a note from Carolyn telling him that they were headed to Moscow and he arrived and found Sasha. Now there were Katya's teacher, Carolyn, Sasha, and Niki looking for Katya. Looters and French soldiers had were setting fire to the homes and buildings in Moscow so the women went back to see if Katya had returned home and found her there. As they were getting ready to leave, the looters arrived to set fire to their house. Taichili, the teacher, was killed. Nicholas and Sasha were being chased by French soldiers and were wounded. They arrived home and they were pushed and pulled into a carriage and Carolyn drove them to an army hospital. They both survived their injuries.
Another of Katya's teachers arrived at the army hospital and told Niki that Tver had been attacked and he pretended to be dead. Marie-Elena had been raped and killed. Niki fired the teacher immediately because he had deserted his daughter to escape to Tver. Niki then married Carolyn.
Three weeks later, they arrived at the palace in St. Petersburg. Carolyn felt like something was wrong, a premonition. Marie-Elena then walked in. She was cut up, her clothes were torn, her hair was cut short, but she was alive. Carolyn went back home to London.
Three months passed before Nicholas returned to London. Carolyn did not know it yet but Marie-Elena had lost her mind after her attack. After returning to St. Petersburg, she refused to see anyone. Two months later, she wandered out into the snow and it took four days to recover her body. This time she was really dead.
Andrew had returned to his pursuit of Carolyn. Much had to do with his finding out who her grandmother was. Carolyn continued to refuse to see him. Carolyn's grandmother also continued to pursue a relationship with her and had invited her to visit her home a few times. She finally came to see Carolyn and noticed immediately that something was wrong, more than just missing Sverayov. She went to see Nicholas and told him that she was concerned about Carolyn and felt that her father had involved her in something bad.
Andrew's father, Stuart, had come to see Carolyn and asked her to retrieve some information from him in order to save her father from hanging. Carolyn was very upset and especially because she felt like betraying Nicholas would end their relationship but she couldn't let her father die.
Nicholas came to see her and invited her to supper with Katya and himself. Carolyn went and found out that Marie-Elena was dead. Nicholas asked her to be his wife. Carolyn went to bed with him and when she thought he was asleep, she snuck into his library. She found notes but they were all written in Russian. Nicholas came in and caught her. Nicholas turned his back on her and walked out of the library.
Carolyn went back home to the bookstore to see her father. Nicholas went to see Stuart Davison and told him that he had been followed for some time now by his people. He would not let Carolyn's father be punished without his own deeds being brought to light. Stuart promised to leave George alone. He then went to see Carolyn and tell both her and her father. He arrived to find Carolyn's grandmother with them also. Nicholas told both Carolyn and her father that he would be safe. George would be sent to St. Petersburg where he would be safe and the deeds of Stuart would be made public so he would be punished as a traitor to England for France. Lady Stafford told Carolyn that all her money would be given to her and Nicholas upon her death if they would be married at her estate, Midlands. Carolyn agreed and began to address Lady Stafford as Grandmother.
Carolyn was now eighteen and had become an author using a pseudonym of Charles Copperville. She lived above a bookstore with her father. She wrote a political column for London's Morning Chronicle. Her current target was Prince Sverayov of Russia. He was in London working on a treaty with Lord Castlereagh. Russia and England were at war. Czar Alexander had traded places with Sverayov leading the fight against the British and he was losing ground. Sverayov had instructed his wife to remain at home but she followed him to London with her current lover. She was obviously pregnant by someone other than her husband as they hadn't slept together since their daughter, Katya, was born. Katya was five and Sverayov was fairly certain that she was not his but he loved her regardless. She looked like her mother with pale skin, green eyes, and long black hair. Sverayov was worried about Katya because Maire-Elana was thought to be dying after miscarrying the child. Katya didn't express any emotion and she didn't play and laugh like Sveryov thought children should.
Sveryov's brother came to London to see him. Sverayov told Alexi that he was worried about Katya and that it appeared that his wife would survive the miscarriage. Alexi did not like Marie-Elena.
Carolyn was spying at the house where the Russian's were staying and she was observed by Sveryov. She overheard pieces of a conversation as the Dr. was leaving and decided to try and get closer to the house to find out what had happened to his wife. Sverayov saw her through the window and was determined to catch her. He followed her to the bookstore and discovered her name when he went into the bookstore to purchase a book.
There was a ball coming up and Carolyn snuck in dressed as a boy. Sverayov saw her as she was sneaking around the back of the house to get under the library window as she was trying to overhear any conversation. She acted like she was waiting for a woman and Sverayov told her to meet him at midnight and he would take her to a brothel so that she would get over the fact that the woman never showed up to meet him. They met and he took her to the brothel while she was still dressed as a man. He had introduced her to Alexi at the ball and told him that he knew that she was really a girl. Sverayov wondered just how long she would keep up the pretense. They went to the brothel and Sverayov told her that she could just watch him through a window and Carolyn never gave away that she was a woman so he caved and took her home, leaving the prostitute. He showed up at the bookstore the next morning to check on Carolyn and asked her to go riding in the park the next afternoon. He noticed that her father appeared nervous.
Sverayov had read the column in that morning's paper and figured out that Carolyn was Copperville. He picked up Carolyn to take her riding and they talked and he told her that he didn't believe in love. She told him that she thought he had a low opinion of women and he agreed. She was very attracted to him and decided to ask him to kiss her so that she would know what it was like. He was surprised at his feeling toward her and a little angry that he seemed unable to control himself around her.
The next morning's column mentioned the Russian prince being seen riding with a blonde haired girl that didn't appear to be a member of the ton. Carolyn didn't write the column and suspected that Sverayov had. She went to his residence on the pretense of bring a book for his sister to see if she could discover if he had written the column. She met his brother, as herself this time. She also met his daughter. She couldn't tell if he had written the column or not but she went to the paper and told the editor to not print anything in her name unless she delivered it personally.
She went to the opera that evening with an admirer, Anthony Davison, whose father she had seen in the brothel. Stuart had come to the opera with one of his illegitimate sons. Situations like this disturbed Carolyn. He didn't seem to approve of her. She also ran into Marie-Elena at the opera and Marie-Elena made a rude comment about her being the daughter of a bookseller.
Carolyn didn't hear from Sverayov for a couple of days so she sent an invitation to meet him at the horse races as Charles Briton. They met and he gave her a couple of drinks. When she was tipsy, she slipped out of her pretense and Sverayov told her that he knew who she was all along. Carolyn had tea with him the next day and he asked her to come work for him as a companion to Katya. Carolyn accepted. Sverayov came by to pick her up before asking her to come work for him and overheard her father in a conversation with Stuart Davison discussing carrying information against their country. Sverayov used this knowledge and the threat of telling Carolyn to get her father to pass the same information to his countrymen.
Andrew invited Carolyn to a ball and her grandmother, whom she hadn't seen since she was a child, sought her out and talked to her. She left the ball early and Sverayov came looking for her at the bookstore. They kissed again and Carolyn returned to his house the next morning. He wanted her to come to Russia with him because the treaty was signed. They made love that night and Carolyn told him that she wouldn't go to Russia.
A month later, Alexi came to deliver a letter from Katya to Carolyn. The letter told how unhappy she was with her father back in command of his soldiers and Marie-Elena in Tver. Alexi left and came back the next morning. Carolyn made the decision to travel to Russia with Alexi.
She arrived in Russia and Niki had a meeting with the tsar and came to the house. He did not know that she was there. He went to his meeting and when he come home, he took Carolyn to his bed with him for the night. He left the next morning to return to the war. Soon Marie-Elena came to the house and so did Alexi and Niki's cousin, Sasha. Carolyn overheard he and Marie-Elena talking and discovered that the child she had lost in London had been Sasha's. She also overheard that there was to be a major battle soon, just outside of Moscow. Sasha soon left and Marie-Elena ordered the household to pack up because they were going to Moscow. She protested leaving but did not want to abandon Katya. They almost made it to Moscow when they were stopped by soldiers telling them that Moscow had been ordered to be evacuated. If they were to continue to Moscow, they would have to choose a different route. They continued to Moscow and Marie-Elana left to meet with Sasha. The rest of the staff had decided they couldn't stay and packed up to leave. When Katya heard that they were leaving without waiting for her mother to return, she ran away. They spend the day looking for her. Marie-Elena showed up with Sasha and her and the servants all left without Katya having been found. Sasha hated Marie-Elena at that moment. Nicholas received a note from Carolyn telling him that they were headed to Moscow and he arrived and found Sasha. Now there were Katya's teacher, Carolyn, Sasha, and Niki looking for Katya. Looters and French soldiers had were setting fire to the homes and buildings in Moscow so the women went back to see if Katya had returned home and found her there. As they were getting ready to leave, the looters arrived to set fire to their house. Taichili, the teacher, was killed. Nicholas and Sasha were being chased by French soldiers and were wounded. They arrived home and they were pushed and pulled into a carriage and Carolyn drove them to an army hospital. They both survived their injuries.
Another of Katya's teachers arrived at the army hospital and told Niki that Tver had been attacked and he pretended to be dead. Marie-Elena had been raped and killed. Niki fired the teacher immediately because he had deserted his daughter to escape to Tver. Niki then married Carolyn.
Three weeks later, they arrived at the palace in St. Petersburg. Carolyn felt like something was wrong, a premonition. Marie-Elena then walked in. She was cut up, her clothes were torn, her hair was cut short, but she was alive. Carolyn went back home to London.
Three months passed before Nicholas returned to London. Carolyn did not know it yet but Marie-Elena had lost her mind after her attack. After returning to St. Petersburg, she refused to see anyone. Two months later, she wandered out into the snow and it took four days to recover her body. This time she was really dead.
Andrew had returned to his pursuit of Carolyn. Much had to do with his finding out who her grandmother was. Carolyn continued to refuse to see him. Carolyn's grandmother also continued to pursue a relationship with her and had invited her to visit her home a few times. She finally came to see Carolyn and noticed immediately that something was wrong, more than just missing Sverayov. She went to see Nicholas and told him that she was concerned about Carolyn and felt that her father had involved her in something bad.
Andrew's father, Stuart, had come to see Carolyn and asked her to retrieve some information from him in order to save her father from hanging. Carolyn was very upset and especially because she felt like betraying Nicholas would end their relationship but she couldn't let her father die.
Nicholas came to see her and invited her to supper with Katya and himself. Carolyn went and found out that Marie-Elena was dead. Nicholas asked her to be his wife. Carolyn went to bed with him and when she thought he was asleep, she snuck into his library. She found notes but they were all written in Russian. Nicholas came in and caught her. Nicholas turned his back on her and walked out of the library.
Carolyn went back home to the bookstore to see her father. Nicholas went to see Stuart Davison and told him that he had been followed for some time now by his people. He would not let Carolyn's father be punished without his own deeds being brought to light. Stuart promised to leave George alone. He then went to see Carolyn and tell both her and her father. He arrived to find Carolyn's grandmother with them also. Nicholas told both Carolyn and her father that he would be safe. George would be sent to St. Petersburg where he would be safe and the deeds of Stuart would be made public so he would be punished as a traitor to England for France. Lady Stafford told Carolyn that all her money would be given to her and Nicholas upon her death if they would be married at her estate, Midlands. Carolyn agreed and began to address Lady Stafford as Grandmother.
July 31, 2024
#marriedhero #taboorelationship
THIS NEEDED AN EPILOGUE!! Such a heart crushing romance! Poignant, melodramatic and oh-so-bittersweet! I'll be honest, I haven't exactly finished the entire book but I made it midway and then skipped to the final few chapters because it's a weekday, and I couldn't miss out on sleep for work the next day - I HAD TO KNOW THE ENDING!!
Needless to say, I've read enough historical romance to get the gist of it, and I was too heartbroken to see Carolyn falling helplessly in love with a married man, knowing their love was impossible and she still went and got her heart shattered to pieces anyway. I'm a masochist for the angst!
I was VERY SKEPTICAL on reading this when I realized Nicholas was married from Chapter One. Even if he married a detestable wife who obviously cuckolded him, I also felt sorry that he had to wed a woman who was as beautiful as she was empty, vain and cruel. Having never known love, Nicholas would be your typical affluent, influential and slightly womanizing male of his time.
I'm curious, is it such a big deal to bed so many women and feel proud of it? I do so wonder.
This isn't my favourite novel by Brenda Joyce, but I do appreciate it as a classic by an author as old as time. You have to admit, HR authors these days write with the gusto of a 21st century brain, but classic authors like Brenda Joyce has a way of captivating us with her words that ring true to the previous century.
The characters were flawed, and yet so wonderful and relevant. And it's exotic! You won't like or agree with their choices or decisions - Carolyn - being one of them for me. For a bluestocking who insisted not to be one of those women who pined after Nicholas, she damned well did it without a hint of resistance. Shameless, and how embarrassing! I wanted her to be different for novelty's sake, but nope, she lusted after the man from the get-go. That's the UNORIGINAL part of the story.
Somehow, I felt as if Carolyn was always the one reaching out with her love or doing the silly things while Nicholas was more often composed than not. It wasn't fair. It would be nice to see him go all out caveman on her, because then it would mean he truly cared - NOT - that he didn't. I really liked Nicholas's character - my favourite type - cold, aloof and sometimes cruel. I also wanted him to break a little more, or grovel.
OVERALL this had a bucket of angst, and more to spare. If you don't enjoy reading about "cheating" in general or you feel uncomfortable by how Nicholas openly cheats on his wife (whom we all hate on, but still....semantics and honour) with other women....well, this might not be your cuppa tea. Otherwise, I guess it was realistic in the sense that men of their time (heck, even today) do keep mistresses and have affairs outside of their marriages.
THIS NEEDED AN EPILOGUE!! Such a heart crushing romance! Poignant, melodramatic and oh-so-bittersweet! I'll be honest, I haven't exactly finished the entire book but I made it midway and then skipped to the final few chapters because it's a weekday, and I couldn't miss out on sleep for work the next day - I HAD TO KNOW THE ENDING!!
Needless to say, I've read enough historical romance to get the gist of it, and I was too heartbroken to see Carolyn falling helplessly in love with a married man, knowing their love was impossible and she still went and got her heart shattered to pieces anyway. I'm a masochist for the angst!
I was VERY SKEPTICAL on reading this when I realized Nicholas was married from Chapter One. Even if he married a detestable wife who obviously cuckolded him, I also felt sorry that he had to wed a woman who was as beautiful as she was empty, vain and cruel. Having never known love, Nicholas would be your typical affluent, influential and slightly womanizing male of his time.
I'm curious, is it such a big deal to bed so many women and feel proud of it? I do so wonder.
This isn't my favourite novel by Brenda Joyce, but I do appreciate it as a classic by an author as old as time. You have to admit, HR authors these days write with the gusto of a 21st century brain, but classic authors like Brenda Joyce has a way of captivating us with her words that ring true to the previous century.
The characters were flawed, and yet so wonderful and relevant. And it's exotic! You won't like or agree with their choices or decisions - Carolyn - being one of them for me. For a bluestocking who insisted not to be one of those women who pined after Nicholas, she damned well did it without a hint of resistance. Shameless, and how embarrassing! I wanted her to be different for novelty's sake, but nope, she lusted after the man from the get-go. That's the UNORIGINAL part of the story.
Somehow, I felt as if Carolyn was always the one reaching out with her love or doing the silly things while Nicholas was more often composed than not. It wasn't fair. It would be nice to see him go all out caveman on her, because then it would mean he truly cared - NOT - that he didn't. I really liked Nicholas's character - my favourite type - cold, aloof and sometimes cruel. I also wanted him to break a little more, or grovel.
OVERALL this had a bucket of angst, and more to spare. If you don't enjoy reading about "cheating" in general or you feel uncomfortable by how Nicholas openly cheats on his wife (whom we all hate on, but still....semantics and honour) with other women....well, this might not be your cuppa tea. Otherwise, I guess it was realistic in the sense that men of their time (heck, even today) do keep mistresses and have affairs outside of their marriages.
September 30, 2022
I LOVED THIS! I needed a break from several 'series' books that I've been reading and came across this one. It had really mixed reviews, both on the Audible audiobook page and on Amazon for the physical book reviews. I decided to go for it, knowing that Audibles guarantee makes it worth the risk. It seems, based on the reviews, that people either loved it, or hated it. I happen to be one of the ones that loved it.
It took me a minute, as it always does, to get used to the new story and the narrator. This is actually my first time listening to Marion Hussey and I really loved the voice variations. She does a fantastic job performing, and managing, the various characters. It was super easy to follow who was who just based on the voices. I felt that Caroline's voice was too "whiney" for her character and at times it was really annoying, but it wasn't a huge deal and definitely not a deal breaker.
I especially appreciated the lightheartedness of the story. The main characters weren't overly dramatic when they learned the secrets the others had. Nicolas found Caroline's "deception" humorous and I was so happy not to have to deal with his anger and her regret. There wasn't a tremendous amount of sex, however the sexual tension was palpable.
I had a hard time putting this book down, and found myself looking for things to do just to buy myself some extra time listening. At the same time I was trying to take my time so it wouldn't be over too fast.
I would recommend you get it and try it. Audible has that fan-freaking-tastic guarantee so if you decide you hate it you can get a refund. Whats to lose?
It took me a minute, as it always does, to get used to the new story and the narrator. This is actually my first time listening to Marion Hussey and I really loved the voice variations. She does a fantastic job performing, and managing, the various characters. It was super easy to follow who was who just based on the voices. I felt that Caroline's voice was too "whiney" for her character and at times it was really annoying, but it wasn't a huge deal and definitely not a deal breaker.
I especially appreciated the lightheartedness of the story. The main characters weren't overly dramatic when they learned the secrets the others had. Nicolas found Caroline's "deception" humorous and I was so happy not to have to deal with his anger and her regret. There wasn't a tremendous amount of sex, however the sexual tension was palpable.
I had a hard time putting this book down, and found myself looking for things to do just to buy myself some extra time listening. At the same time I was trying to take my time so it wouldn't be over too fast.
I would recommend you get it and try it. Audible has that fan-freaking-tastic guarantee so if you decide you hate it you can get a refund. Whats to lose?
Read
January 27, 2024DNF 35%
I
was excited, a Brenda Joyce I haven’t read. He’s a Russian prince and she an enlightened book seller’s daughter …sounds interesting.
The story’s moving along, her tragic early life and the state of his marriage, but I see no end in sight and the chance of a romance. I start skipping because I want to get to the point where their relationship and romance will blossom into the HR Cinderella trope. The story is getting worse, wife, child, miscarriage, near death but a compelling attraction between a naive, sheltered 18 year old who thinks she knows more than she really does and married, immoral rake , and I see no way this romance can be appealing.
I start skipping even more, it’s Brenda Joyce, a star of this genre, she knows the formula right? I didn’t really go through the reviews because it’s Joyce, I don’t need a second opinion. But now I have to, it’s 35%. One reviewer whose opinions often mirror my own, said it was a good read if you can handle the married guy thing. I can’t, he can be a widow, still longing for the dead wife etc., but living wife and family, nope not for me, so DNF at 35%. Sorely disappointed.
To my future self, do not try to give it a second chance, no good will come of it. Yes, the hero does sound yummy but you will be very annoyed by the heroine and her fall for the married guy with the living wife.
I
was excited, a Brenda Joyce I haven’t read. He’s a Russian prince and she an enlightened book seller’s daughter …sounds interesting.
The story’s moving along, her tragic early life and the state of his marriage, but I see no end in sight and the chance of a romance. I start skipping because I want to get to the point where their relationship and romance will blossom into the HR Cinderella trope. The story is getting worse, wife, child, miscarriage, near death but a compelling attraction between a naive, sheltered 18 year old who thinks she knows more than she really does and married, immoral rake , and I see no way this romance can be appealing.
I start skipping even more, it’s Brenda Joyce, a star of this genre, she knows the formula right? I didn’t really go through the reviews because it’s Joyce, I don’t need a second opinion. But now I have to, it’s 35%. One reviewer whose opinions often mirror my own, said it was a good read if you can handle the married guy thing. I can’t, he can be a widow, still longing for the dead wife etc., but living wife and family, nope not for me, so DNF at 35%. Sorely disappointed.
To my future self, do not try to give it a second chance, no good will come of it. Yes, the hero does sound yummy but you will be very annoyed by the heroine and her fall for the married guy with the living wife.
December 27, 2023
Even though I was entertained by our heroine's bluestocking ways, I still consider her tstl. She jumped headfirst in all the worst situations one could think of. Why you ask? Because it's her life and no one can tell her no. My stomach was in knots from the moment we learn the hero is married and has a child. Good god. She chose to become the other woman and insert herself in an already complicated situation. I couldn't even blame him because by the time he took advantage, our heroine was repeatedly throwing herself at him. By the grace of god/luck, the wife eventually dies by the end or she would be relegated to a mistress's life. It was entirely the heroine's fault, the hero didn't even try to get a divorce and I don't think he would have remained celibate if the ending hadn't turned out in his favor. I was thoroughly annoyed with everyone involved but my ire is mostly directed at Carolyn because despite her outsider's position in the society, she had options. Good ones but she chose ludicrous ones at every turn.
July 13, 2025
Such splendor!
The book was very rich and splendid!
The abundance of characters, drama, and ongoings...
Marie-Elena, George's secrets, the family's estrangement with the grandmother and road to reconciliation, the disguise, the satirical Copperville column, the political occurings between Russia and France, the little girl Katya, Katya's governess Taichili....
If there was one thing I wasn't quite keen on was the heroine's constant "I am an enlightened woman" chattering. She's a slightly better heroine than Ariella DeWarrene of A Dangerous Love. Her father had an unrealistic passive role as a father; Carolyn is way too free to do as she pleases and unchaperoned. I found that unreasonable. Other than that, Carolyn is kind-natured and Katya's missing mother figure.
Nicki... I loved! An honorable prince in Russian shining armor.
The book was very rich and splendid!
The abundance of characters, drama, and ongoings...
Marie-Elena, George's secrets, the family's estrangement with the grandmother and road to reconciliation, the disguise, the satirical Copperville column, the political occurings between Russia and France, the little girl Katya, Katya's governess Taichili....
If there was one thing I wasn't quite keen on was the heroine's constant "I am an enlightened woman" chattering. She's a slightly better heroine than Ariella DeWarrene of A Dangerous Love. Her father had an unrealistic passive role as a father; Carolyn is way too free to do as she pleases and unchaperoned. I found that unreasonable. Other than that, Carolyn is kind-natured and Katya's missing mother figure.
Nicki... I loved! An honorable prince in Russian shining armor.
August 2, 2020
The first part was an engaging and enjoyable fantasy story, but then the book got bogged down in its own nonsense. The principal problem is Marie-Elena, the wife and romantic obstacle, who is outrageously overdrawn. Her narrative punishment is inevitable, but, like everything else about her, way over the top. In general, there are too many plots in this book and I almost DNFed to help the part of it I liked stand out more in my memory.
March 7, 2021
Rating 4 out 5
This was the first book I read by Brenda Joyce and it did not disappoint. I was either in shock or laughing throughout the entire story.
The story follows the connection between Carolyn, a young lady living with her father, a bookseller, and Nicholas, a Russian Prince. Carolyn helps her father in the bookstore but she also enjoys writing a gossip column under the disguise of Charles Cooperville. Charles Cooperville, aka Carolyn, takes an interest in Nicholas and starts looking into him. Nicholas is aware that there is someone spying on him and secretly follows Carolyn back to her fathers bookshop. This is just the beginning of the story and it is as eventful and exciting as the middle and end.
The characters were so well developed and the tension and banter was exactly what I was looking for in a romance. Brenda Joyce also included deep and complex moments making it the perfect book to spend a Sunday evening with.
This was the first book I read by Brenda Joyce and it did not disappoint. I was either in shock or laughing throughout the entire story.
The story follows the connection between Carolyn, a young lady living with her father, a bookseller, and Nicholas, a Russian Prince. Carolyn helps her father in the bookstore but she also enjoys writing a gossip column under the disguise of Charles Cooperville. Charles Cooperville, aka Carolyn, takes an interest in Nicholas and starts looking into him. Nicholas is aware that there is someone spying on him and secretly follows Carolyn back to her fathers bookshop. This is just the beginning of the story and it is as eventful and exciting as the middle and end.
The characters were so well developed and the tension and banter was exactly what I was looking for in a romance. Brenda Joyce also included deep and complex moments making it the perfect book to spend a Sunday evening with.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2020
Wonderfully romantic and although some of the relationship dynamics between the characters didn't make sense to me, all in all the story was well written and I enjoyed it a lot.
I really do love historical romance and this one involved Russian royalty so that was a bit different. In a good way.
I really do love historical romance and this one involved Russian royalty so that was a bit different. In a good way.
June 20, 2023
I feel like if you want to read this book the you're better off reading Secret Fire by Johanna Lindsey to get the some vibe. Hot Russian royal whole also has an English title? Yup. Only thing is, the execution and writing in this one is really sloppy, considering it's some of Joyce's earlier works.
If you don't want to ruin your image of her then you're better off staying away lmao
If you don't want to ruin your image of her then you're better off staying away lmao
January 14, 2019
First half of the book is good. Later half becomes dragging.
There were also couple of technical errors such as time is not starting from the point on but going back when switching to different people and settings.
There were also couple of technical errors such as time is not starting from the point on but going back when switching to different people and settings.
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