Dls’s Comments (group member since Sep 14, 2010)

Dls’s comments from the Fans of Eloisa James & Julia Quinn group.

I agree!

A really excellent book in an excellent series.

Thanks. I have read at least one medieval by her—I will have to look this up.
Yes, it was different times, and it can be challenging for an author to translate those in ways we are comfortable with. I think Joan Wolf and Mary Balogh both wrote several books that deal with this, particularly where the men are adulterous. They end up faithful, but their behavior and path to fidelity are true to their times.

In this case it just seems saying what he wanted would get it faster but it’s probably also true to the times that she would panic and not hear what he said.

No idea. But I have to wonder why he didn’t just say “someone’s coming, we need to pretend we are having sex”.

Thanks. I do remember finding that disturbing. Did you see the update with a comment from Lisa?

I must be missing something-I don’t see the racial implications on Hello Stranger.

I have to admit that I found it slightly disappointing—Garrett didn’t come across as amazing as she would have had to be to succeed as she did. But I enjoyed it.

No idea

No idea

I have no idea. But I started out thinking it was Bourne’s Rogue Spy which also has a cat at an inopportune moment.

I liked brooklynaire a lot although I didn’t find it as compelling as some of her Ivy years books. Two authorial decisions I particularly liked were having them know each other before Nate was rich and grappling with the sexual harassment concerns of a boss/employee relationship.
And Nate was really sweet.

Nope. No idea

This is what Joanna Bourne says.

http://www.joannabourne.com/books.html

I’m amazed that only Janga recognized it. The rest of you have a huge treat in store. This is Beauty like the Night by Joanna Bourne. If you haven’t read her books I suggest reading them in either the order they were written or internal chronological order (which means starting with the Forbidden Rose.)

She has written 6 books and won 2 RITAs and been a finalist with another 2. And I think this one is eligible this year. So that should tell you something...

I think every heroine in this series is a career woman one way or another.

I really love this look at the heroine through the eyes of her father and what might be called her honorary uncle. Of course there is nothing this author has written that I don't love.

Father sat down, chewing. “What do we know about this hero?”

That was another reason he hadn’t stayed to eat breakfast. He wasn’t ready to talk with heroine about her choice of dancing partners.

“The French embassy vouches for him.” Uncle pulled at his lower lip. “It’s a genuine title. Old aristocracy and full of military honors. Find a doomed charge in the history of France and it was led by a [last name of hero]”. Some of the embassy people know him by sight.”

“Careless of him to let his wife get murdered, apart from losing a daughter. And his wife lived in England while he’s in France.” Father frowned.

“Heroine’s been jaunting around the city with him.”

“Problematic.”

“Ain’t it, though?” Father finished his tea in a single long swallow. Small teacup. Large man. “When I pointed that out, she said to keep my nose out of her business, but more politely.”

“That’s what a good upbringing does for you. Lets you tell somebody to go to hell politely. Why was he at the Carlingtons?”

“Good question.”

“Why the devil did heroine dance with a man who brings a knife to her bedroom? The world’s not overcrowded with men who do that.” Uncle put his cup in the saucer with a click. “Here’s our guest coming along.”

O’Grady’s approach grew louder. The shuffle and bump on the staircase held curses twisting through it like snakes. Some of the curses were in Gaelic, which Father understood and Uncle cold make an educated guess at.

“We’ll see how talkative he becomes. I will attempt to be terrifying.” Uncle went to look out the window where it was not noticeably more bright than it had been half an hour ago. He began collecting dirty cups and plates. “Hero does not appear to have served in any of the varieties of French Army. Perhaps he is a faint-hearted and cowardly civility.”

“He climbs stone walls, apparently.”

“So he does. I will point out that dealing with murderers and thieves was supposed to keep heroine out of trouble. I distinctly remember discussing this with all and sundry when she set up business.”

“It seemed a good idea at the time.” Father went to make himself another roll of ham and cheese and refill his teacup.

“ ‘Let her chase murderers’ you said. ‘It’ll cheer her up. It’ll give her an interest in life now that she can’t spy on the French.’”

“I did say something of the sort” Father admitted.

“’ A good steady profession’ you called it. ‘There will always be murderers,’ you said.”

“I was right about that last one.”

“It wasn’t enough.” Uncle balanced crockery across the room. Sometimes, on assignment, he’d played a waiter. He’d learned the work in the kitchen of British Service headquarters in Paris. “Murderers aren’t keeping her sufficiently busy. I watched her with hero. Tell me there’s nothing going on there. Tell me I’m wrong.”

“Can’t do that.”

“I’ve waited five years for her to be stupid with somebody the way she was stupid with that Frenchman who went and got himself killed.”

“I doubt he did it on purpose.”

“She meets ten thousand Englishmen—street sweepers to Royal Dukes—and she has to take up with another questionable Frenchman.”

“That sums it up.”

“You’d think she did it on purpose.” Uncle clattered cups into the dumbwaiter. ”At least she’s armed.”

“A cogent summation of the women of my family.”

I don’t know this one.

Oops. I see what you said. I guess I will try it.

Huh. I guess I didn’t like 1 much, loved this, and really disliked 3. What did you think of 4?

Oh yes I liked this book a lot. Unfortunately I thought the series went downhill after that into realms of improbability.

Thanks Phoenix. I may skip it.