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#1 New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Laurens pulls back the curtain on a world that has been hidden from us . . . until now.
Montague has devoted his life to managing the wealth of London’s elite, but at a huge cost: a family of his own. Then the enticing Miss Violet Matcham seeks his help, and in the puzzle she presents him, he finds an intriguing new challenge professionally . . . and personally.
Violet, devoted lady-companion to the aging Lady Halstead, turns to Montague to reassure her ladyship that her affairs are in order. But the famous Montague is not at all what she’d expected—this man is compelling, decisive, supportive, and strong—everything Violet needs in a champion, a position to which Montague rapidly lays claim.
But then Lady Halstead is murdered and Violet and Montague, aided by Barnaby Adair, Inspector Stokes, Penelope, and Griselda, race to expose a cunning and cold-blooded killer who stalks closer and closer. Will Montague and Violet learn the shocking truth too late to seize their chance at enduring love?
New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Laurens began writing as an escape from the dry world of professional science, a hobby that quickly became a career. Her novels set in Regency England have captivated readers around the globe, making her one of the romance world's most beloved and popular authors. Loving Rose is her fifty-fourth book. All of her previous works remain in print and readily available.
Anonymous
Posted Tue Apr 29 00:00:00 EDT 2014
Montague is a financial genius who has realized that there is more to life than work, and that work is now getting a bit dull, but he hasn't figured out what to do about it until he meets Violet. Both are lonely, and instantly attracted to each other. Then, Violet's employer is murdered over some mysterious deposits in her accounts, and Montague calls in a favor to have the Adairs and Stokes couples work the case.
I have mixed emotions about the book. It definitely isn't Laurens' best. The murder plot is similar enough to many of her other murder plots, that I guessed the murderer within a chapter or two of it happening. Plus, there was too much focus on the Adairs and Stokes, and she put the Adairs in bed quite a bit. I loved being with those couples again, but it took away too much from Violet and Montague. Also, the writing really needed work in some spots because it was so sickeningly sweet and understanding whenever the couples came to any emotional revelation, that is wasn't believable and made me think "who the heck would talk like this?" several times. On the plus side, I did really like the characters of Montague and Violet. I have always liked Montague, so it was good to see the happy ending for him. I also like that, for once, both sides were on the same page. It was refreshing to read a story where they realized things around the same time and weren't that shy about starting to make plans together.
It's a good book for a rainy day, but I don't think it'll be one of the ones that gets read several times.
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Wed May 07 00:00:00 EDT 2014
Really wish I had read the reviews before wasting money on this book. It was very poorly written. As a newcomer to this the story of Adair and Stokes, I was supremely disappointed in how time the author choose to give to these characters, instead of developing the romance between Violet and Montague. Furthermore, the times that the characters do engage in any sort of sexual activity, the way author treats those scenes is highly disappointing. There is no sense of any grand passion. I for one will never understand how Violet and Montage fell in love with one another. HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED!!!!!
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Fri May 02 00:00:00 EDT 2014
Huge Stephanie Laurens fan, but agree with writer who said there was too much attention to the Adairs and not enough to Montague and Violet. I did not see the need for so many bedroom scenes with Barnaby and Penelope. Meanwhile, Montague and Violet had very little time together and, as another reviewer said, Montague is a marvelous character but we don't really get to know him very well here.
I do enjoy Laurens books, but this is definitely not her best. I am holding out hope for Loving Rose, since Malcolm Sinclair has skulked around several prior books and the sample chapter was intriguing. But we may have to wait for her to move into her Victorian Cynster stories before she hits her stride again.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Thu May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2014
I've read almost all of Stephanie Laurens' books and love the characters. But I was disappointed because Montague and Violet's relationship was not developed. The book could be titled, "The Adventures of Barnaby Adair and Friends" in which Montague is a support character. I think it was a disservice to Montague because he should have been something more...if he had to work with people like the Cynsters, he should be more of a character than a lonely man realizing that he was missing something in life. The mystery was ok because the twist in in the financials, but took away from the main story line. If the future Barnaby Adair case books are like this, I think I wait the series out until Ms. Laurens delivers another series.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Tue May 06 00:00:00 EDT 2014
I just kept wondering when these two were going to have some time together, and they never did. How they had time to fall in love I'll never know
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Thu May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2014
This book was twice as long as the story warrented. Also too much attention was given to the Adairs and Stokes. I ended up skimming through much of the book because it just didn't move forward fast enough. Over all a disappointment for a Stephanie Laurens book.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Sat May 31 00:00:00 EDT 2014
I am an absolute fan of Stephanie Laurens but she dropped the ball on this book. I was so looking forward to Montague's story but instead just another case for Adair & Stokes. Truthfully, I am not sure that I will read another Case of Barnaby Adair book. They just dont measure up to her other works.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Sat May 10 00:00:00 EDT 2014
I have always loved Montague who floated thru so many of Laurens' books, and I was looking forward to his romance. I do love Violet, and I think she is perfect for him. There's was a very sweet romance - two lonely people who had waited so long to find the right person. BUT I felt a bit cheated as their ONLY "love scene" was at the very end of the book, and we just had afterglow! In fact with 3 very different and exciting couples throughout the story - the only ones to repeatedly have full love scenes were the Adairs. I do, hope in the next book we see the other two couples have hot and sweaty sex! I think the premise of the 3 couples forming an alliance to hunt criminals is a very good one as they all bring something special to their investigations. I'm hoping we'll get to see more of the characters from the other novels - the Bastion Club members (including my favorite, Royce, the Duke of Wolverstone) and the Bar Cynster. I also want to mention, Ms. Laurens has one of the best vocabularies in her field, and with her descriptions I'm able to visualize parts of London, the history and classes. I did enjoy the book, but I want MORE of Montague and Violet.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Sun Sep 14 00:00:00 EDT 2014
Walked in with straight blond hair and 40DDsized boobs and a dripping vagina.
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Posted Sun Sep 14 00:00:00 EDT 2014
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Anonymous
Posted Sun Aug 10 00:00:00 EDT 2014
Super disappointed in this book. I've always liked Montague and I really liked Violet's character - their romance had a lot of untapped potential. I was surprised she gave so much time to the Adairs and the Stokes and so little time to developing the relationship between Montague and Violet. It felt like she was bored with this couple and that really came across in the writing. The "mystery" element and "detective/investigative" nature doesn't even come across for me because they are actually terrible investigators - they focused a lot on interrogating suspects without fully questioning the household staff and getting a background; Stokes/Barnaby make a horrible (and foolish) judgment call and it nearly gets someone killed; there are no precautions taken following the first two murders for other potential victims; they - incorrectly - assume the killer is someone else not once but twice on flimsy reasoning; the women repeatedly make foolish decisions and put themselves in danger and the men never call them on that. Additionally, the principle victim that kicks the mystery off is characterized as a wonderful, kind-hearted soul when in fact she's a horrible, borderline abusive due to neglect parent. I don't even know how many pages are wasted because the investigators get together to review all the facts that they know and each of these facts are repeated over and over. And as a previous poster said - the prose and the grand heart-felt speeches are ridiculous.
Honestly, at about mid-way through the book I began to seriously question whether SL wrote this or if she had a ghost writer, because this just isn't her version of story-telling. There's some repeated habits and habitual factors present that are hallmarks of SL, but overall I have a hard time believing the same author who wrote Captain Jack's Woman, Devil's Bride, A Rogue's Proposal, etc wrote this book.
Anonymous
Posted Thu Jun 12 00:00:00 EDT 2014
While revisiting known characters, SL could have focused more on Montague given more depth to his relationship with Violet..
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Sat May 31 00:00:00 EDT 2014
Enjoyed the way we caught up with previous people yet the new story had a surprise ending.
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Posted Fri May 30 00:00:00 EDT 2014
Im a hugh fan of SL but am very disappointed that she didnt allow the story of Montague to stand on its own. Shes been slowly introducing him to us in her other works over the years but did not allow for full character development. I hate that the Stokes and Adairs played such prominate roles in the story and that there were so many love scenses with them, when she should have been moving along Montagues story line.
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Posted Tue May 27 00:00:00 EDT 2014
Faithful readers of Stephanie Laurens will particularly enjoy the reappearance of characters in this series. The story works standalone too. As far as I know, I have read every story released by Stephanie Laurens and consider her one of my favorite authors.
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Posted Fri May 23 00:00:00 EDT 2014
We finally get to learn more about the financial wizard of the Cynster family. I had a hard time doing anything but read this book. Ms Laurens succeded again.
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Posted Sat May 17 00:00:00 EDT 2014
Boring. Characters are to bland. You really do not care who the murderer is. Love scenes are way to sweet and pure. You do not get to know any of the characters.
Anonymous
Posted Sat May 10 00:00:00 EDT 2014
Hits tylers a.ss really hard, bruising him, then tylers pe.nis is replaced with a pu.ssy.
0 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Sat May 10 00:00:00 EDT 2014
*Falls asleep.*
0 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Sat May 10 00:00:00 EDT 2014
She looks aroune
0 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Overview
#1 New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Laurens pulls back the curtain on a world that has been hidden from us . . . until now.
Montague has devoted his life to managing the wealth of London’s elite, but at a huge cost: a family of his own. Then the enticing Miss Violet Matcham seeks his help, and in the puzzle she presents him, he finds an intriguing new challenge professionally . . . and personally.
Violet, devoted lady-companion to ...