How to Woo a Reluctant Lady Quotes

“I always say that love is like the meat in a pie,” Freddy put in. “The crust is what people see—the practical things that hold a couple together. But love is the important part—without it you’ve got a meatless pie, and what’s the point of that?”
“Why, Freddy,” Minerva said, “that was almost profound.”
― Sabrina Jeffries, How to Woo a Reluctant Lady

“I swear, Oliver, when did you become such a stick-in-the-mud?”
“I’ve always been a stick-in-the-mud.” Her brother cast her a thin smile. “I just hid it beneath all the debauchery.”
She sniffed. “I wish you’d hide it again. It’s quite annoying.”
― Sabrina Jeffries, How to Woo a Reluctant Lady

“If you never put your life in someone else's hands, then you can't really expect them to put theirs in yours. In the long run, never trusting anyone is a hard way to live.”
― Sabrina Jeffries, How to Woo a Reluctant Lady

“I love you, Minerva. I love that you believe in me no matter what. I love how you take whatever you see and distill it into your books. I love your clever mind and your generous heart and every inch of your beautiful body. I love you even when you give me heart failure, by risking your life before my very eyes." He smiled tenderly. "I only hope in time I can prove worthy of your love.”
― Sabrina Jeffries, How to Woo a Reluctant Lady

“I suppose if you were inclined to misbehave, you wouldn't exactly tell me the truth anyway."

"Darling, you have a brother fond of holding a gun on me, a sister who can shoot anything that moves, two other brothers who've repeatedly threatened to thrash me, and a grandmother who buys off constables. Do you really think I'm fool enough to antagonize them by committing adultery?"

It was hard not to smile at that. "An excellent point."

"I think so.”
― Sabrina Jeffries, How to Woo a Reluctant Lady

“Must you say things like that in public, for God's sake?"

"What do you mean?"

He lowered his voice to a hiss. "Remember yesterday at the inn? My 'pistol' is making an appearance, thanks to you."

She glanced down at his trousers, which only made them bulge more obviously. Then she lifted a mischievous gaze to his face. "Whatever will you do, now that you're in this...state?"

"Conjugate Latin," he said tersely. "Think of England. Think of anything but you and me doing--Bloody hell, there it goes again, and we're nearly to Rotten Row." He stopped short and stepped behind a bench with a high back that sat near the river.

She stood next to him, pretty as the proverbial picture, her eyes dropping to his trousers with virginal curiosity.

"Would you stop looking at me there? he growled. "You're not helping."

She laughed. "You're the one who started it by trying to seduce me with words. Serves you right if you have to suffer for it."

-Giles and Minerva”
― Sabrina Jeffries, How to Woo a Reluctant Lady

“Then she jerked back with a siren's smile that made his confidence falter. "Well." She tapped her chin. "That was a decent kiss, all things being equal." She pressed her hand to her chest. "My heart is, if not quite racing, then heading into a quick walk. But I need a thermometer to determine if and how high my body heated. I shall just go--"

"Don't you dare." He caught her by the arm as she was on the verge of fleeing. "You know bloody well that you responded to that kiss."

With a suspicious glee in her eyes, she tugged her arm from his grip. "I'm not saying I didn't respond-- just that I didn't respond to any overwhelming degree. But it was a good kiss, I suppose. Better than some, not as good as others."

"What the hell do you mean? How many chaps have you kissed in the last nine years, anyway?"

"No more than you've kissed women, I should imagine."

"My God."

"But don't worry-- I don't think the average woman would complain about your kissing. You're perfectly competent."

Competent? Bloody insolent chit. Even knowing she was trying to provoke him didn't ease his wounded pride. "Perhaps we should try again."

-Giles and Minerva”
― Sabrina Jeffries, How to Woo a Reluctant Lady

“How do you know it won't be duels at dawn when you tell him you've accepted my proposal of marriage?"
"Don't be ridiculous. He's not that hotheaded. Though I daresay he may try to...er...knock some sense into you. He and Jarret. And possibly Gabe."
"Our bargain is looking better and better all the time," he said drily. "I get to fight the Sharpe men while you stand around pretending to care." He came close enough to whisper, "I will definitely require a few kisses of you if that comes to pass, minx."
-Giles and Minerva”
― Sabrina Jeffries, How to Woo a Reluctant Lady

“You were just too young. And in the wrong place at the wrong time in my life."

"A likely excuse. I haven't been 'too young' for some time, and it's taken you nine years to even kiss me again. At this rate, you'll only advance to ravishing me when I'm forty."

He dearly hoped he'd be ravishing her at forty. And thirty-five and twenty-nine and the day after tomorrow.

Or today. That would certainly move his process along.”
― Sabrina Jeffries, How to Woo a Reluctant Lady

“I always say that love is like the meat in a pie," Freddy put in. "The crust is what people see - the practical things that hold a couple together. But love is the important part - without it you've got a meatless pie, and what's the point of that?"

"Why, Freddy," Minerva said, "that was almost profound."

"Freddy is always profound when it comes to pie," Maria remarked. Then she turned pensive as they drew up in front of an imposing building of gray stone. "But I think love is like the ocean. The surface may be stormy or ruffled by wind, rain may fall on it or lightning strike it, but if you sink down where the water is deep and steady, no matter what happens on the surface, you can always have a marvelous swim.”
― Sabrina Jeffries, How to Woo a Reluctant Lady

“Darling, you have a brother fond of holding a gun on me, a sister who can shoot anything that moves, two other brothers who've repeatedly threatened to thrash me, and a grandmother who buys off constables. Do you really think I'm fool enough to antagonize them by committing adultery?”
― Sabrina Jeffries, How to Woo a Reluctant Lady

“She swallowed. “You’re trying to seduce me with words.” “Is it working?” A couple passed near them, and she remained quiet until they were out of hearing. “I won’t let you seduce me, Giles. Put that right out of your mind.” “What a pity,” he said softly. “You badly need seducing, Minerva Sharpe.”
― Sabrina Jeffries, How to Woo a Reluctant Lady