No, this hasn't turned into a book-centric LJ, for those wondering - we have been traveling and thus no opportunity to watch anything (Cheonamdong Alice! I need you in my life!) but plenty of time for reading.
And the book I want to blab and recommend and gush about is Meredith Duran's At Your Pleasure. (Yes, I realize, it's a truly dreadful title). Duran is an odd duck for me - her books either elicit a 'wtf why did I waste my time?' or 'OMFG this is the best thing ever, I must tell everyone' reaction, with nothing in between. Luckily, AYP is very much the latter. I think it's going into my Top 10 romances pile.
Six years ago, Adrian Ferrers and Leonora Colville were young, innocent, and very much in love. To say that it ended badly would be an understatement of the century. They haven't spoken since, but that's about to change in a massive way. Because now Adrian, who is no longer a second son and a despised Catholic, but a powerful and publicly converted to Protestantism Earl of Rivenham, and Nora, now the widowed Countess of Towe, are about to meet again. The year is 1715, there are rumors of rebellion against the newly-installed George I by the Catholic James Stewart, and Rivenham and his troops have come to find Nora's brother, who has been accused of plotting treason - the overthrow of the new King. (Yes, the irony of sending a former Catholic to root out the good Protestant who is supporting a Catholic monarch, is not lost on anyone).
You guys, this is so so so so SO freaking good! I just want to roll in it, like a dog. First, a disclaimer - this is angst central, so if you want fluffy cuteness, you should probably look elsewhere. But if you like really damaged but really strong protagonists, angst that actually makes sense, and 'hero in love with heroine beyond reason, better judgement and possible beheading for treason,' this is for you. (Don't worry, heroine loves him back just as much). I especially loved that heroine's preoccupation for most of the book was honor and loyalty to her family, and that these are two very scarred, even bitter people with severely unhappy pasts and problematic family lives who don't magically become happy fluffy bunnies due to love, but do all sorts of complex, sometimes questionable things, and fight like the devil every step of the way (both each other and themselves), but they do ultimately make each other better and happier and heal each other and make each other whole. And you just know they'd brave hell for each other and I love that sort of utter, hard-won devotion.
Basically, argh, I am totally failing at conveying the awesomeness of this book, but you should read it anyway!
And the book I want to blab and recommend and gush about is Meredith Duran's At Your Pleasure. (Yes, I realize, it's a truly dreadful title). Duran is an odd duck for me - her books either elicit a 'wtf why did I waste my time?' or 'OMFG this is the best thing ever, I must tell everyone' reaction, with nothing in between. Luckily, AYP is very much the latter. I think it's going into my Top 10 romances pile.
Six years ago, Adrian Ferrers and Leonora Colville were young, innocent, and very much in love. To say that it ended badly would be an understatement of the century. They haven't spoken since, but that's about to change in a massive way. Because now Adrian, who is no longer a second son and a despised Catholic, but a powerful and publicly converted to Protestantism Earl of Rivenham, and Nora, now the widowed Countess of Towe, are about to meet again. The year is 1715, there are rumors of rebellion against the newly-installed George I by the Catholic James Stewart, and Rivenham and his troops have come to find Nora's brother, who has been accused of plotting treason - the overthrow of the new King. (Yes, the irony of sending a former Catholic to root out the good Protestant who is supporting a Catholic monarch, is not lost on anyone).
You guys, this is so so so so SO freaking good! I just want to roll in it, like a dog. First, a disclaimer - this is angst central, so if you want fluffy cuteness, you should probably look elsewhere. But if you like really damaged but really strong protagonists, angst that actually makes sense, and 'hero in love with heroine beyond reason, better judgement and possible beheading for treason,' this is for you. (Don't worry, heroine loves him back just as much). I especially loved that heroine's preoccupation for most of the book was honor and loyalty to her family, and that these are two very scarred, even bitter people with severely unhappy pasts and problematic family lives who don't magically become happy fluffy bunnies due to love, but do all sorts of complex, sometimes questionable things, and fight like the devil every step of the way (both each other and themselves), but they do ultimately make each other better and happier and heal each other and make each other whole. And you just know they'd brave hell for each other and I love that sort of utter, hard-won devotion.
Basically, argh, I am totally failing at conveying the awesomeness of this book, but you should read it anyway!