One Dance With a Duke: Goddess of the Hunt Tessa Dare. Surrender of a Siren Tessa Dare. A Lady by Midnight Tessa Dare. A Night to Surrender Tessa Dare. A Lady of Persuasion Tessa Dare. One Dance with a Duke Tessa Dare. The Duchess Deal Tessa Dare. Say Yes to the Marquess Tessa Dare. Hello Stranger Lisa Kleypas. Romancing the Duke Tessa Dare. China Rich Girlfriend Kevin Kwan.
Big Little Lies Liane Moriarty. A Discovery of Witches Deborah Harkness. Three Wishes Liane Moriarty. Outlander Boxed Set Diana Gabaldon. The Ethical Slut Dossie Easton. Six of Crows Leigh Bardugo. Book of Life Deborah Harkness. Milk and Honey Rupi Kaur. The Fiery Cross Diana Gabaldon. The Love Letter Lucinda Riley. The Princess Bride William Goldman. Keep the Home Fires Burning S.
Me Before You Jojo Moyes. Enduring Love Ian McEwan. Great Expectations Charles Dickens. The Break Marian Keyes. Until the Sun Rises Winston Gieseke. The Great Alone Kristin Hannah. Like the previous book, there are a lot of things I want to know going forward. There's this whole rebuilding thing and how they'll deal with societal pressures. It seems these things stop just when they're getting really interesting and we don't get an epilogue. One good thing is that Bellamy became more human in this story and there was a nice excerpt from the next book.
There's also a mystery to be solved and I'm hoping all the couples can come together in some way so we can have that epilogue that we've needed so desperately in books 1 and 2.
And, happily, the next one is only a month away. View all 8 comments. Jul 01, Princess under cover rated it it was amazing Shelves: I give this book 4. I'm a big fan of Tessa Dare's historical romances. This is one of her earlier works, and I didn't read it before because I like her later works better.
Her recent works are more polished, more elegant, more witty and humorous. But this book was still a great read for the rawness of emotions and the intensity, esp. Rhys is a HERO in every sense of the word. He's been abused as a boy, but he never abused others, always sought to protect. His bravery saved many lives in the wars he's fought, but he's too humble to credit those victories to himself. He's a beautiful man with a big body and lots of power, just the way a man should be, but he doesn't even know it.
I can't tell you how much I love beautiful men who don't even know it. Somehow, that makes them even more attractive. He feels everything so strongly and intensely but keeps his emotions locked deep inside. It takes a special woman to unlock them. But it's worth every effort. Besides the somewhat unpolishedness of the writing I skipped over the subplots with side characters honestly , I'd also take some points off because of the heroine. She's a match for him, and she deserves him for having loved him so long, ever since she was a girl.
She's the only one who saw everything he was and everything he'd hidden inside. Sometimes she annoyed me. Like getting jealous when another man was starting to pay attention to another girl. She had a possessiveness about everything, including Rhys, that was grating at times. But I liked her independence, her passion, her drive, and her loyalty. I liked that she told him first. And kept telling him even when he balked.
Not a huge fan of the cover tho. But glad I gave this book a try. Yet another character with the name Rhys that I absolutely love: Maur very well at all in One Dance With A Duke , so in this book he seemed to me to be a totally new character. Meredith is, unfortunately for me, my least favorite type of historical romance heroine.
She was annoyingly independent and bossy. Maur, on the other hand, is my favorite kind of hero — scarred both physically and emotionally. Eleven years spend in the service of the Crown can really take its toll on a man and it surely did on Rhys. But he had no intention of allowing the less than warm welcome to dissuade him from what he knew he had to do. It was quite an interesting twist to watch Meredith and Rhys butt heads when it came to marriage — he wanted to marry her, she just wanted sex.
Smart man, Rhys — he held out for marriage! Well… he held out for a good long time, anyway! All too often authors fail their readers by writing characters whose brooding nature and sexual intensity are due to some horrific event or events in their past. I mean, these men are really, really messed up! I enjoyed this story very much and was truly surprised by the revelation that leads us into the third and final book, Three Nights with a Scoundrel.
View all comments. Oct 14, Rane rated it really liked it Shelves: Rhys, newly Lord Ashworth has finally come home, to a home he hated from the start, but to see the lands his title has brought him, he forces himself to see the place that driven him away so long ago, stopping at the local inn, he comes across a beautiful strong woman, whom knows her Tessa Dare continues the new Stud Club trilogy with Rhys St. Rhys, newly Lord Ashworth has finally come home, to a home he hated from the start, but to see the lands his title has brought him, he forces himself to see the place that driven him away so long ago, stopping at the local inn, he comes across a beautiful strong woman, whom knows her mind and knows how to take care of the rowdy local when they get out of hands.
A man that saved his life over 14 years ago in a stable fire, burning down the stable and the once looming hall, this is what prompted Rhys strange luck, of getting out of deadly situations no matter, even when he wanted to die. Rhys starts to see how the village has suffered since he and his father left, and wishes to set things right, thinking this was fate that brought him back to a place that holds so much pain, but also into the life of the woman that catches his eye and makes him feel truly alive after so many years Meredith married a man older then her on father in order to support the two, her father injured during the stable fire losing the power of one of his legs.
Meredith wants to make her inn the best it can be, in order to bring life back into the village. Many things rest on the shoulders of Meredith, but she feels she can pull her weight through hard work and time, but when Rhys appears again, all her emotions go for a spin. Meredith for as long as she can remember as a young girl has been in love with Rhys, seeing the pain he faced from his father, and following him through the newspaper as he went to war.
Meredith never forgot him. Rhys and Merry are two sides of the same coin, their very much alike, both work hard and want to protect others and even each other. Merry is the type of woman I really respect and like, she works hard plays later and has a huge heart. Rhys is another of those romance heroes added to my list of greats. He could sometimes be standoffish, have a quirky sense of humor in dire times, could be awkward when faced with just the normal romance of a lady and so sweet to bring flowers or just a single gift of a kiss.
Rhys was more then meets the eyes, thinking he be a bulky bully, but a true gentle giant. Rhys believed that everything was fated. That nothing was just. This and the words his father would say to him as he was beaten, rings in Rhys head and heart as he tried to die over and over again. Rhys learned that just the gift of living was an amazing gift, and sometimes by luck, chance or love are we gifted.
Rhys has a lot of scars not only on his body but on his heart, and that he when he comes face to face with love, it hurts him deeply, but he starts to see that the healing is just as painful as the breaking of bone or torn of flesh. That love stings like a healing balm, but slowly it heals the wounds of the heart and soul. Rhys and Merry were perfect for one another, and while at the same time, so madding!
The true flaw I felt in this story was the run away and chase between the two, the circling of one running away and one chasing after, the flipping a coin and reversing the roles. The play went on throughout the book, and while both had very good reasons on why the acted this was, the great urge to trip them both and toss them into a room so they could talk it out was strong. Both were very jaded and hurt by life and love and that was the true beauty of the book, how they were able to find love with someone whom understands and is willing to go that extra mile in order for you to be safe or to have a hand to hold- but the power of love and how it works on even the more jaded of us, how it takes of by surprise and makes us what to help like Merry and heals us like Rhys.
The mystery of whom killed Leo the founder of the Stud Club takes another turn in this book, making me still lingering on the fence if I like Julian Bellamy or not. But I was happy when Rhys kicked him in the ass no really, he kicked him the arse! This trilogy is turning out to be just Jul 19, valee rated it it was amazing Shelves: Well kids, today I will teach you all a lesson about books. It is very important that you listen carefully to each word, because after reading this review you'll discover something very important.
I have always read each and every single book in a series. Never in my life have I not follow the reading order, not even if the book had the worsts reviews. But I'm ashame to let you all know that in this case I was about to do just that. It was said that books 1 and 3 were actually the good ones, Well kids, today I will teach you all a lesson about books. It was said that books 1 and 3 were actually the good ones, and this one just a passage. But luckily for me my conscience did not let me do this. I was going through this over and over again And I am extremely happy about that.
This was a terrific read.
Out of options, Rhys returns to his ancestral home on the moors of Devonshire, expecting anything but a chance at redemption in the arms of a beautiful innkeeper who dares him to take on the demons of his past--and the sweet temptation of a woman's love. Goodreads is the world's largest site for readers with over 50 million reviews. But I liked her independence, her passion, her drive, and her loyalty. He's been abused as a boy, but he never abused others, always sought to protect. The hurt, the pain, the angst!!! However, anyone who enjoys the deeply somber, dramatic undertone of The Thorn Birds will appreciate the parallels in Twice Tempted by a Rogue.
I loved this book, even more than the first one. I don't know why many did not, but I know I would definitely read it again. I had a great time with this book and I just loved to get to meet Rhys better. He's such an amazing hero, a soul that needs someone to care about him.
Brutally abused as a child by his own family, the same people who should have taken care of him. Nevertheless, he became such a strong person with the strongest will to live that I have ever seen. I thought he would be boring, but he had so many layers, and I loved to discover them all.
Then there's Meredith Maddox, our lovely widow. I must admit I thought she would be a boring character as well, the typical widow, afraid of life and shy. Well those are definably not the words that describe this incredibly strong and hard working woman. She was just what he needed. And all those things made a very interesting read. So here goes the lesson: You know that little voice in your head that tells you: Look at those ratings, it is not worth it.
So many amazing books out there and you will loose your time with this one? Just leave it there and pick the next, nothing wrong is gonna happen, you wont even notice you didn't read it". Well guys, don't ever listen to it because it could make you loose some terrific books. Sometimes you just have to try it. Maybe if you don't like it afterwards you have started it that's just fine, but don't just skip it because you really could regret it.
Can't wait to read the next. Wow, that was long! View all 18 comments. Some of my thoughts in no particular order: It was pretty even footing. More involvement with the townspeople, mo Some of my thoughts in no particular order: More involvement with the townspeople, more plot in general, more focus. The plot ends up feeling a bit stagnant and boring at times because of how uneventful it seems. It is a solid read. It goes right in the middle in my rankings. Explicit details on sex. View all 4 comments. Jul 12, Catherine rated it really liked it Shelves: I seem to have a problem being engaged by this writer.
I can see the skill, and know that I would usually enjoy the characters, but something still holds me back. I like them, but it's a kind of distant liking. I never really feel invested in their characters. I was coasting along feeling rather disappointed, but then came Rhys's breaking point, and I was sucked in! Rhys was a very interesting character. In the beginning he didn't really match up with the personality I had imagined while reading I seem to have a problem being engaged by this writer.
In the beginning he didn't really match up with the personality I had imagined while reading One Dance with a Duke , the first book in the trilogy. He was a lot more in control of himself for one, and he was a lot sweeter and more bashful than I had supposed. I liked the sweetness, but it also made it really hard for me understand how suicidal he was. Rhys didn't want to kill himself, but he pushed for someone to do it for him. He stared death in the eye time and time again and dared it to take him. At times he even begged. So being told about that side of him, I found it very hard to align the two versions of him that I was presented with.
Which was the one that didn't make any sense? The old broken Rhys, or the new happy, well adjusted Rhys? I couldn't get involved with him because I couldn't see him. But all that changed when Rhys finally lost his hold on his past self. Finally I saw him and understood how much of himself he had suppressed, and why.
In that moment I saw the anguish and the rage at others, and himself. I saw his self loathing and shame, and it was heart breaking. That was the moment that the book truly made me feel what the characters felt. I loved Meredith, but she frustrated me too. I sympathized with her so much in the beginning of their relationship. When Rhys was stuck in his "fate" mindset I couldn't really get behind him.
I could get behind Meredith though. Her anger about his belief that they would have ended up in this moment, with this relationship, no matter what was very understandable. All her hard work and struggles didn't matter because fate would have made it work out for the best even if she hadn't tried? I loved how she tested his faith in his "fate" belief. That's one way to shock a man into your point of view. Meredith's view on sex was very refreshing.
She wasn't a virgin, and she liked pleasure. She had no qualms about spending an enjoyable evening with a man if it seemed right to both of them. I really liked the role reversal in Meredith and Rhys's relationship. She was the one trying to get into his pants, and he was the one trying to convince her to marry him. I cracked up when she snuck into his room to see if he had a war injury or not! At times Meredith's devotion to the village became tedious.
Especially because none of them seemed like very likable people. But when we heard her big secret I understood her position a little better. Speaking of her big secret, I really wish she had told Rhys right when he told her his. I really think he would have taken the whole thing better if she hadn't waited. I can understand that she was frightened, but I still couldn't help but empathize with Rhys more. Maybe it was because he finally seemed broken.
I liked getting to see Bellamy again and hearing a few more clues about him. He has been the one I've fixated on the most ever since the first book. I just want to understand who he is and why he plays these roles. He was his typical cranky self in this book, and he didn't make any more friends along the way, but he came through when he was needed. I hope I'm not disappointed in his book! One of the biggest problems I had with this book was the village's reaction to Rhys. I know his dad was a bad guy, but he wasn't that bad.
I really don't see where he inspired enough rage in the villagers that is, not Rhys to make the lower class threaten a lord's life. I would think that village would be afraid to bring the law into it. It's not the same as killing a peasant. The law cares more. So, where did the torch-bearing mob get the gumption to do that? The reveal at the very end surprised me. I can't figure out if I'm pleased, or feeling like it came out of nowhere. I really didn't expect it either way. View all 25 comments. Something is lacking for me. View all 6 comments. Jun 01, Amy rated it liked it Shelves: That's the first word that comes to mind when describing the hero and the overall feel of Twice Tempted by a Rouge.
I had high expectations for the second installment of Tessa Dare's Stud Club trilogy, but was disappointed and confused overall with the slow character development and less than intriguing, disjointed storyline. Maur, Lord Ashworth is an extremely broken man, both physically and emotionally. Riddled with guilt and low self worth from tragedies during his childho Disarray. Riddled with guilt and low self worth from tragedies during his childhood, Rhys has looked death in the face more times than he can count.
He attributes his ability to survive the impossible to fate, which he comes to trust and rely on solely. After 14 years of war and self-loathing, Rhys goes back to where the tragedy took place to make amends and try to ease some of his guilt. He returns to the ruins of his ancestral home with the notion to rebuild the estate, provide work for the villagers and fulfill his responsibilities to the people his family abandoned so many years ago.
Maddox is the owner and barmaid of The Three Hounds Inn. Strong, fierce, self-sufficient, she wed her late husband in order to provide for herself and her disabled father. Growing up on the Ashworth estate, Meredith has been infatuated with Rhys since she was a mere child. She knows many of his deep, dark secrets and she has never stopped yearning for Rhys despite his 14 year absence.
Upon arriving at the Inn, Rhys has an instant attraction to Meredith, no longer the child "Merry Lane" but the woman. He is determined to wed her, provide for her and her father, and rescue her from her labor as the innkeeper. Sadly, the overall tone of the story did not allow me emotionally invest in the characters. I have to say I didn't enjoy the development of Rhys and his obsession with making amends to Meredith, her father and the village. There was miscommunication on both parts throughout the entire story.
Rhys believed the most important thing in Meredith's life was the Inn. Meredith believed the most important thing in Rhys's life was rescuing her from a life she did not want rescuing from. I questioned throughout the entire story what was truly the foundation of their love because I couldn't see it. Also, I was shocked and disappointed that the author did not include Spencer and Amelia from One Dance with a Duke in this book, at all.
The heroes from all three books are part of "the club" and had regular interaction in the first book so it was a shock for Spencer to be absent in Rhys's story. I'm all for broken, anguished heroes in need of redemption but I'm not sold when an author drags it out until the end of the book and then "ah ha" the light bulb flicks on for a HEA.
I think in order to do a character, who is extremely broken by abuse, war, murder, etc. Dare is a pro at writing rich, sensual moments with her characters, the overall intensity and passion of Rhys and Meredith came up flat for me as a whole. However, anyone who enjoys the deeply somber, dramatic undertone of The Thorn Birds will appreciate the parallels in Twice Tempted by a Rogue. But when he kissed her, she went pliant in his arms. This mouth was good for something. Oct 16, Tammy Walton Grant rated it it was amazing Shelves: Loved it, loved it, loved it.
Loved the heroine, who had watched and wanted the hero from afar since she was a girl. Loved how she found him beautiful, how she lusted after him, how she tried and tried to wear him down. But most of all I loved Rhys. He is one of my favourite hero types -- strong, silent, tortured.
Twice Tempted by a Rogue has ratings and reviews. first book of The Stud Club: As long as they are not too inaccurate historically .. Shelves: historical, romance, series, secret-crush, angst, . That's the first word that comes to mind when describing the hero and the overall feel of Twice Tempted by a Rouge. Twice Tempted by a Rogue (The Stud Club Trilogy Book 2) and millions of other It was such a refreshing break from the usual historical romance tropes.
Reserved and quiet, but with wit and humour and depth that he shows only to the heroine. Determined, almost dogged in his pursuits - most of his life seeking dea 5 stars. Determined, almost dogged in his pursuits - most of his life seeking death, and more recently seeking the hand of Meredith. He won't settle for a simple toss, he wants it all.
Oh yes, and completely gorgeous. Tall, muscular, battle-scarred and wondrously handsome. Here is what Rhys says to Meredith as to why he won't sleep with her: When I make love to you for the first time, it is damn well going to mean something. To me, at least. I've been in the business of death for years now, and there's only been one thing I've never successfully managed to destroy. You're looking at it This body has survived blows, musket balls, bayonets, grenades and whatever else God and Napoleon could find to hurl at it.
I'm simply fated to live. There's no other explanation. And now that I've come to terms with that, I'm done tearing things apart. He reached for her hand. I mean to build something with you. Something that will last. Much as I want you, I don't want to rush and bollocks it up. We're meant to be together, and -" "Rhys I'll keep building - stone by stone, plank by plank, kiss by kiss - until you do. And yes, I'll wake up stiff and aching for you each morning.
But it's worth it. And I'm not going anywhere, Meredith. You're stuck with me now. She writes an engaging story with compelling characters. She doesn't do fussy physical descriptions of them, her historical details ring true and add to the atmosphere of her books, and her love scenes They are vividly written, full of chemistry and sexual tension, and you are right there for them if that makes any sense. This book is a bit darker and more angsty in tone than One Dance with a Duke , the first book in the trilogy. It suits the characters and their story - Rhys and Merry would not have been well-served with a light, frothy book.
The other thing I liked about this book was that it could have been a stand-alone; the Stud Club was only mentioned peripherally throughout and Leo's murder didn't really come into play until the end of the book. I mention that because the endless series that abound in romance fiction drive me crazy.
This book is the former. View all 27 comments. Nov 01, Shawna rated it really liked it Recommends it for: I really enjoy and appreciate her writing, especially the hot love scenes. View all 19 comments. I usually grade books based on gut instincts, which works well with GoodReads format: So here's everything I liked: But he was the human equivalent of a goddamned boulder. You know you have an unusual romance heroine when you come across a line like this: I went to bed with other men, wishing they were you.
They were each of them so accustomed to being the stronger in any given pair. They made him too stupid to hold his next thought. Dare does a really nice job of writing a fairly light historical, without a lot of complicated descriptions, that still has a good sense of time and place. Not that there's anything wrong with novels that use a lot of description, but they are more of a time and energy investment. There are several major action scenes, all well written.
As for what I didn't like? Nothing that stands out. Maybe just that somehow, amid all these things I liked, there wasn't the strong emotional punch that I crave from romance. Jan 29, Aoi rated it it was ok Shelves: Will the real Tessa Dare please get back to writing? Twice Tempted by a Rogue is in such a mess that it seems an imposter wrote it. I'm a big fan of the author's writing style- the charming characters, the effervescent wit, the feel of a fairytale within a historical setting. Maur, a scarred war hero goes home for the first time in fifteen years.
He has spent his life in service of the Crown, fighting battles around Europe and losing a part of his humanity each year. Now, he is set to r Will the real Tessa Dare please get back to writing? Now, he is set to return to Buckleigh-in-the-Moor in Devonshire, to face the ghosts of his past and to take up responsibilities to the very people he'd abandoned all these years. The townspeople are definitely not welcoming of their long lost lord. Without his support, they'd eked out a meager living on the harsh, unforgiving land. At the center of their enterprise is the The Three Hounds Inn.
Meredith Maddox has put her blood and sweat into the running of this inn ever since her late husband's death. She is take-charge, independent and fiercely protective of the townspeople. When Rhys sets his eyes on her, he wants to marry and protect her from hardship, and do right with town. Unfortunately for him, the last thing Meredith wants to do is cleave to his wishes, so that he can undo all their hard work when Rhys moves on at last. What we have here, is a bad case of insta-love insta responsibility? He simply demands that Meredith marry him, and when she refuses, has the banns read out in church nevertheless.
He believes marrying her is 'fated', and spends a goodly number of pages declaring it before all and the sundry. Meredith is someone who takes pride in the inn; but Rhys wants to cuddle her in cottonwool and decides for her that the inn is something that she would forget once she humps his magic dick marries him. No words would sufficient to describe my annoyance when he repeatedly undermines all the grit and hard work that she's put in for the past ten years.
And then when they've more or less arrived at a consensus, there are 'deep dark secrets' that each has been hiding from the other. This is the condensed version of the story, and none of it bears any semblance to logic. The central suspense plot also doesn't advance much, as the story takes place hundred of miles away from the crime scene and the hero is least concerned about investigating anything at all. I'd suggest readers give this one a skip. Jun 28, Laura the Highland Hussy rated it really liked it.
This book was great. I normally don't put a lot of quotes in my reviews, but I just can't help it here.