One Night with You Reviews

• One Night With You

  
  By A320TMDV6KCFU on 2008-01-03
  Lady Jane Guthrie's ill treatment at the hands of her in laws makes her long for escape. When given the opportunity to sneak out and attend a masquerade ball, Jane cannot resist. Discovery would prove ruinous. At the ball, Jane encounters the one man she would know even behind his mask, Seth Rutledge. Although Seth doesn't recognize Jane in her domino, Jane has never forgotten her youthful love for Seth and gives in to his seduction.
  
  One time isn't enough and Jane's desire for Seth drives her to seek him out again. Once again, Jane dons her domino so her identity isn't revealed. Seth cannot fight his desire for this mystery woman and that is proving to be a problem. Seth isn't free to follow his passions, because he must find a bride.
  
  Sophie Jordan writes some seriously hot historical romance. Growl! One Night With You is sensationally spicy. Seth will leave you panting and desperate for your own scandalous seduction. A Cinderella story with sex so hot you'll need flame resistant underwear, One Night With You is yum yum yummy! I adored One Night With You.
  
  
  Annmarie
  Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed
  
  

• not a keeper

  
  By AW24ODXPY9CMI on 2007-12-31
  I just finished Sophie Jordan's One Night With you and I have to say I am a little disappointed. I really enjoyed her first two books and was really anxious for this one, but after reading it, I have to say it didn't live up to the other two. I think the best way to describe it is to say it left me with a rather depressing feeling. I really didn't like the heroine Jane. I couldn't get a good handle on her. I don't know if it was her rather lackluster name or what, but she just seemed old to me. Her horrible first marriage was described over and over and after a while, it just was too much. She seemed like such a pathetic creature--her whole family was rotten and it just depressed me. Her life after she found Seth again wasn't a whole lot better. There were just so many unlikable characters in this book that there wasn't any relief from the bad feelings it evoked. I did like Julianne and Gregory's story, but it really didn't amount to a lot.
  A lot of readers like books because of their feelings and the way the book makes them feel. A recent book I read that left me with such a happy feeling was Once a Rake by Rona Sharon. Even though that book dealt with unpleasant issues as well, it didn't depress me like this one. I finished that book with an uplifting feeling. Not so with One Night With You. I felt sad reading Jane's story and was sort of glad it was over when I finished it. I'm sad to say this book will not be joining Sophie Jordan's other two books on my keeper shelf. I wouldn't want to revisit this sad story again. 2 stars for Jordan's writing skills.
  
  
  

• It was ok, not fantastic

  
  By AZLHKIXC2IINJ on 2008-01-03
  The plot of the book was interesting. Although some of it seemed borrowed from other novels; a couple scenes were very reminiscent of "The Raven Prince" by Elizabeth Hoyt. I think the book started off well because it was exciting and fast-paced. Then there was the tension between the heroine and hero...and then there was MORE tension. That lasted about the second half of the book where Seth struggles with lust for Jane and his resentment toward her and love. Then in the very end of the last chapter, he finally realizes his love...but out of no where. I think something dramatic should have happened for him to realize his true feelings for her. The tension was built up really high and then it just...fizzled.
  
  Also, Jane seemed kind of pathetic. She loved him all her life, even though he was infatuated with her sister, and then he treated her really badly when they first married. But she seemed to just give into him.
  
  Overall, the climax of the story was too abrupt and didn't feel heart-felt. It just didn't live up to all the excitement and tension of the story. It could have been so much better had the author put a little more effort into the ending. I felt really disappointed.
  
  

• 4.5 Klovers - Courtesy of CK2S Kwips & Kritiques

  
  By A23ZNGL704AW7O on 2008-03-17
  Widowed more than a year ago by a husband she never wanted, Lady Jane Guthrie now finds herself in the despicable position of having every facet of her life controlled by her lecherous brother-in-law and his wife. Using her as everything from errand-girl to governess for their children is bad enough, but the lewd looks her late husband's brother gives her makes it clear he wants even more.
  
  Determined to assert her independence and enjoy herself on one rare occasion, Jane sneaks off one evening to attend a most decadent masked ball thrown by one of the town's most notorious Courtesans. She never expected to find her childhood best friend there, the man she never stopped loving - Seth Rutledge.
  
  She is even less prepared for his surprisingly amorous reaction to her now. It must be the mask, of course. If he knew who she really was, he would never touch her, not in a million years. Would he?
  
  As a fan of historical romance, I found Sophie Jordan's ONE NIGHT WITH YOU very enjoyable. This delightful romance was wonderfully three-dimensional, fraught with sexual heat, intrigue, and tortured lovers. Ms. Jordan weaves a story that the reader can picture almost as if they were standing on the sidelines watching it all in real time.
  
  From the moment we meet the main characters, I felt as if I knew them. Indeed, I wanted to know them - an element most important for both the story's hero and heroine. While extremely likable, both bear pain from their past that causes each to doubt whether or not the other can truly love them, even as they crave that very emotion from each other. A shared history makes it even more difficult for this pair to come together without the benefit of anonymity they enjoy in the beginning of the story.
  
  But when circumstances demand the mask come off and Jane finally reveal herself to the man she adores as the mysterious woman who has so enthralled him, the story really heats up! The fireworks really let loose as Seth and Jane are forced to deal with each other and face their feelings and their past.
  
  What disappointed me about ONE NIGHT WITH YOU was that I felt there were still too many loose ends when the last page was turned. While we learn about the underhanded deeds perpetrated on Jane by the book's villains, they never really get their come-uppance, leaving the reader without some closure there. In addition, we are left wondering what will happen to Jane's stepson, who as a minor is still in the clutches of his evil uncle. Perhaps these are items intended for a future sequel, but there was no sense that there would be a sequel when the story finished.
  
  Regardless of those disappointments, ONE NIGHT WITH YOU is still a marvelously entertaining read. I am very glad to have met both Seth and Jane and have the chance to enjoy their romance with them.
  
  

• Another Gem from Sophie Jordan

  
  By AVU25VD2SD95H on 2007-12-27
  Once upon a time, Jane Spencer fell in love. And shortly after that, life intervened. Sean Rutledge, the man of her dreams, fell for her sister, was rejected, and shipped off for a life at sea. Herself married off into a life of loneliness, Jane never imagined things would grow worse with widowhood.
  
  Oppressive relations usurp her freedom, pressing her into service as governess for their three vulgar daughters. Jane yearns for a bit of adventure, an escape from her abysmal life, and on her friends' advice, attends a daringly inappropriate masquerade ball. And there her Prince Charming waltzes back into her life.
  
  Battle-scarred and heart-hardened, Sean is in London searching for a bride--his only criterion that she not recoil at the sight of him--but instead finds himself trysting with a mysterious beauty who triggers forgotten memories of the painful long-ago. Jane thrills at the seductive exhilaration of her dangerous game, but how long can she keep her secrets? And does she truly wish to?
  
  In ONE NIGHT WITH YOU, Sophie Jordan has crafted a luxurious, redemptive tale of love lost and found again. A captivating read, highly recommended.
  
  
  
  
• Oh What a Night!!
  By A2I9S6HS3NARW3 on 2007-12-28
  One Night With You is a story about two lonely souls who come together to forget their past. Lady Jane is a widow who has lived her life according to her family who treats her like a servant. She feels no love in her life and wants someone to love her, hold her, and make her feel that her life has meaning. She visits a well known bordello, and dresses herself so that she is hidden behind a mask. Then fate arrives in a man who was her childhood love: Seth.
  Seth Rutledge is a man who is scarred, bitter, feels nothing for anyone. He has built a shell around his heart to never trust or love. He just wants to find a bride so he can sire a heir and find someone to assist his sister who is blind. But one night he finds lust instead at a bordello that he is visiting. The woman he meets will change his life forever!
  Ms Jordan writes beautifully and keeps the reader entertained throughout the book. She is a jewel of an author and writes so passionately.
  Bravo for another hit! Keep it coming!
  
  
  
• Another Confused and Pathetic Heroine
  By A1J6XWQX8HSDOG on 2008-03-04
  I would not say I am a feminist but I would prefer heroines to have some self-worth and some respect for themselves. Jane is a complete doormat who is uninteresting and sad. She tries to masquerade as "aurora" to have secret romps with Seth because her husband cheated on her. Honestly, she did not strike me as an interesting woman or vamp. She seems mousy and dull without a spine. I love sophie jordan's writing and her first two books were great, too wicked to tame was excellent. Anyway, I could not help myself as this book drove me nuts and so frustrated. Seth really had nothing to recommend him nor Jane either. I would not be interested in either of them from a romantic perspective. I won't give up on Sophie yet only because TWTT was so good but you can pass on this one unless you are desperate for some frustration. Julia Quinn has a good book about girlhood infatuation where the hero was very charming, its called the Secret Diaries of Ms. Miranda Cheever, similar story way better.
  
  
• Where was the ending?
  By A26NR9HGFTTB9X on 2008-01-21
  Sophie Jordan's "One Night with You" had the potential to be a heartfelt love story. Instead, I found myself wishing that she would get past the heronie Jane's first marriage and delve more into the emotions of the main characters. Throughout the book, the author writes about the wall safeguarding Seth's heart, but we never really get a peak behind that wall to understand when his feelings change. His realizations seem to come out of nowhere, although Jordan does take the time to explain Jane's motivations and emotions.
  
  I felt that this book started out well, explaining their past relationship and current situations. But the ending seemed rushed and undescriptive, with no "ah ha" moment or a chance to enjoy the happy ending. So although the beginning was promising, the book never really lived up to its potential.
  
  
• The first book I've read by Sophie Jordan, but not the last
  By A22TZUXUKA11SQ on 2008-01-22
  Lady Jane Guthrie is used to being treated like a second class citizen in her own home. After her husband's death, his brother moved in and took over her home, using Jane as a nursemaid to his children and stubbornly refusing to let her retire to her country home. Though her husband has been dead more than a year, Jane's brother-in-law refuses to let her come out of mourning and instead keeps her as a virtual prisoner. Jane has had enough of being anyone's servant and wants only a little bit of happiness for herself. With that in mind, she sneaks out one night with her friends to attend a masquerade ball. She has no expectations, only that she will have one night of freedom, one night of happiness, one night without worrying about taking care of everyone but herself. What she doesn't realize is that this one night out will come at a high cost... perhaps the price of the freedom that she so covets.
  
  Seth Rutledge returned home from his post as a sailor fighting to free slaves to find that his older brother had died, leaving Seth with an earldom and their younger sister under the domain of a distant relative. Injured in a childhood accident, Seth's sister is blind and he sees her disability as a total handicap and thinks her an invalid. With her future so uncertain, Seth decides that he must marry and his only requirement in a bride is that she take care of his sister should something happen to him. Seth is at the masquerade ball his first night in town with the hopes of vanquishing his manly urges so that he can get down to the business of finding a wife. What he doesn't expect is that he will be enraptured by a masked beauty, a woman he must have, whether she's suitable for marriage or not...
  
  One Night With You is one of those romantic stories where the couple have known each other all their lives, but have both been unable to acknowledge their feelings for one another. Though Jane loved Seth as a girl, when she sees him as a woman she begins to wonder if those childhood feelings might just have been a crush. Seth remembers his childhood friend Jane, but he cannot associate the rambunctious tomboy who frolicked in the woods with him with the stern widow and lady of the ton he now sees. They both find it difficult to erase the scars of the past and look forward to their own future. Only in the shadow of the masquerade, with faces covered and voices disguised can these two give free rein to their feelings for one another. And it is this one night of passion that draws them together.
  
  This is the first book I've read by Sophie Jordan, but I have to say I enjoyed it immensely. In the beginning, I thought it might be another one of those books with an annoying heroine who refuses to stand up to the men in her life who insist on bullying and controlling her. And that's how Jane started off. But her character evolved into a woman who was willing to stand up for herself, someone who refused to let herself be controlled, and someone who finally took her destiny into her own hands. Likewise, Seth was a hero just like I like them--broken. Due to the scars of war and a childhood heartbreak, he believes himself neither capable or deserving of love. He is content with just ensuring his sister's safety and letting that be enough. When he and Jane come together, watching them break down each other's walls was a great journey. Like I said, One Night With You is the first book I've read by Sophie Jordan. But it won't be the last.
  
  
• terrific historical romance
  By AFVQZQ8PW0L on 2007-12-29
  Since her husband died, his family led by her brother-in-law treats Lady Jane Guthrie at best like a poor relative but for the most part as a servant. Jane chaperones her fickle nieces and puts up with the outrageous abuse of her mean spirited sister-in-law.
  
  Jane sneaks out to attend a courtesan masked ball although she knows her behavior is scandalous as she does not belong there. To her misfortune, her in-law catches her, but to her good fortune, Lord Seth Rutledge intercedes. When they were younger she loved Seth, but he chose her sister, who rejected him as he was title-less with no prospects. , Seth has returned from the war angry at society that now finds him acceptable. Only his beloved blind sister can reach him until he meets the masked siren, who vanishes on him. When he next encounters his disguised minx, she seduces him although she fears his reaction if ever finds out that his childhood friend is his secret paramour.
  
  This terrific historical romance star two walking wounded as Jane has not recovered from being a lord's wife to a second class citizen and Seth suffers from post traumatic stress disorder caused by his combat experience. The story line is fast-paced while also containing neat unexpected but plausible spins. Fans will enjoy Sophie Jordan's charming nineteenth century romance.
  
  Harriet Klausner
  
  
  
• Fast Paced & Exciting
  By A3695UDQBYYGZL on 2008-01-01
  Trapped in a hopeless situation forced upon her by her relatives after the death of her husband, Lady Jane Guthrie is craving excitement in her life. Sneaking out with her good friends, she attends a masque hosted by Madame Fleur. Fleeing the attentions of one man she rushes head first into another man, Seth Rutledge, Lord St. Clair. Years ago they were childhood friends, always in love with him her heart was shattered when he preferred her own sister instead of her. After many years her heart explodes upon seeing him and cannot resist stealing a kiss before she flees into the night. While she knows it is Seth, he has no clue that the woman that has stirred his most intense emotions is the sister of the woman who destroyed his heart.
  
  Seth Rutledge is in need of a wife, having returned from many years away from England, he learns his brother is dead and his cousin is trying to have him declared dead. Not to mention the fact he tried to throw his sister Rebecca into an insane asylum. Out at a Masque he encounters a woman, that stirs his blood, having stolen a kiss from her, he vows he will find his Aurora again and make her his. As much as Aurora intrigues him, there is also another woman on his mind...Jane.
  
  When Jane sees Seth and his sister she tries to flee, but Seth will have none of that and abruptly brings her carriage to a stop. After brief re-introductions, Rebecca and Jane make arrangements for tea. When Jane hears that Seth is attending Vauxhall Gardens that evening, she borrows her friend's dress again and goes there...searching for Seth, who happens to be looking for his "Aurora." Giving into their passion they have sex and part ways. For Jane it was an encounter to fulfill her hearts desire, she had no intention of ever revealing herself to Seth. But she is suddenly forced to come clean, it appears Jane is about to have her heart's desire, but is she ready to pay the heavy price for her deceit and treachery?
  
  In a fast paced and exciting novel, Sophie Jordan brought two characters together in a passionate manner forcing old wounds to heal and move forward. Seth had no desire ever to get married, his heart was broken years ago and he vowed he wouldn't succumb to love again. Jane had always harbored a love for Seth for years and is devastated when he treats her no better than her in-laws did. With her tough resolve to make things right and not let Seth's cold and ignorant manner destroy her, she makes due and forges ahead right to the very last page. ONE NIGHT WITH YOU is a novel that grabs you from the beginning and does not let you go. The characters are appealing, smart and portrayed in a light that you relate to the pain that each is going through. Being my first novel from Sophie Jordan it certainly will not be my last and I eagerly look forward to what she publishes next.
  
  
• Another Great Read by Jordan
  By AEG21WHBTBV37 on 2008-01-08
  First of all, I loved the premise of this book. Childhood friends that have been separated by time and the troubles of life reunite. Sounds good, right?
  
  The heroine, Jane, has loved Seth since they were children and was crushed to realize that he had fallen in love with her sister. Life didn't turn out like she would have hoped. A bad marriage has left her a widow and lonely in the cruel household of her brother-in-law. However, life hasn't been kind to Seth either, now the Earl of St. Claire, no longer merely the second-son and who is distant memory from Jane's childhood best friend.
  
  They meet at a masquerade where Jane's identity is kept secret for two rather steamy interludes. In the mean time they reunite formally and Jane find herself trying to battle hints of her childhood love. Seth is torn between this mysterious woman and the new realization that his old friendship is proving to be on his mind more then he would like.
  
  When Jane is forced to admit that she is his mysterious lover, sparks begin to fly and not always in a good way. Seth is resistant to love and the vulnerabilities that it comes with. Jane has been badly wounded by her previous marriage and still believes Seth is in love with her sister. Their relationship and subsequent marriage seems destined to be unhappy and unfulfilling. A late breaking change of heart ensures a happy ending for the childhood friends.
  
  What didn't work for me was the harshness of Seth towards Jane all in the name of protecting his heart and to build up walls to prevent himself pain. I am fonder of heroes who are genuinely concerned with the feelings of their wife/lover or at least guilty when they hurt them. Seth was a little too callous for a little too long for me. His change of heart, after much mixed signals and cruel rejections, came too late in my opinion. Jane was a sweet woman, one who deserved a more compassionate, caring lover. If only she would have been more honest about her previous marriage and her feelings for him when they were children, things could have resolved sooner.
  
  Still, the story-line was good, the characters believable, and the pace was well done. I love happily-ever-after's especially Sophie Jordan's, she never disappoints! Enjoy and happy reading!
  
  
  
• Romantic page-turner with great chemistry
  By A14GEA3EZCYCRK on 2008-02-01
  Lady Jane Guthrie endured six numbing years of a loveless marriage to an unfaithful spouse. Now a widow, she lives with her late husband's family who treat her as little more than a servant. Frustrated by the confines of her life, Jane sneaks out one night for a taste of freedom. Garbed in a blatantly provocative gown, her face hidden by a mask, she attends a scandalous courtesan's costume ball. She is stunned to encounter Seth Rutledge, Lord St. Claire, whom she has not seen in many, many years. Jane once loved Seth with all her young heart, but he was blind to her feelings and instead fell for her beautiful spoiled sister...who then cruelly tossed him aside. Chastened in love, Seth now keeps his emotions firmly in check. That is, until he meets Jane. He is surprised by how much he wants this woman - as if she is meant for him body and soul - and before long they are in each other's arms. But Seth does not realize it is Jane, and she escapes the ball before he learns her identity.
  
  The next day, Seth and his sister run into their old childhood friend Jane at the park and soon start to spend time with her. Seth is very drawn to Jane, despite her dowdy widow's clothes and cool demeanor. But he refuses to do anything about it. The emotions she stirs scare him, and he has no interest in pursuing the sister of the woman who rejected him. Moreover, he cannot stop thinking about his passionate masked companion. He has not truly desired any woman since Jane's sister, and suddenly there are two very different women who consume his thoughts. Or are they really so different?
  
  I like this book. I am a fan of the "secret masked lover" storyline, and this one really holds my interest. Jane is immensely likable right from the start, and it is easy to relate to her unrequited love for Seth. Seth is sweetly stubborn as he denies his feelings for Jane - his loving actions clearly speaking louder than his words. There is good sexual tension and a palpable attraction between the leads, as well as affecting dialogue and some fine emotional moments. I truly enjoyed all of their scenes together! The story is a bit light on background details and Seth's facial scar seems oddly forgotten later in the book, but these are minor points. Overall, this is a very good read that has great chemistry and is hard to put down. It is the third book written by Ms. Jordan, and she gets better each time.
  
  
  
• One of the better ones out this year..
  By AJ9AE2BVND0GS on 2008-01-02
  I really liked this book because it was such a nice love story with lots of emotion. As I got into the book, I actually physically ached for the characters and their turmoil...love it when a book can do that to me. Didn't love the ending so much but overall worth buying and reading...very well written. Fast read...couldn't put it down.
  
  
• Loved this book!
  By A1GV0VDD7A6TVH on 2008-01-10
  Lady Jane Guthrie doesn't mind being a widow, but she loathes being treated like a servant in her own home. Sneaking out to a masquerade ball seems a daring adventure until she encounters Seth Rutledge, the man she's always secretly loved, and the man her sister bewitched and humiliated. Her mask makes her bold and he clearly desires her. She promises herself if he makes love to her as the mysterious masked golden lady just once, she'll be content with her lot for the rest of her life.
  
  Seth, the new Earl of Sinclair, needs a wife. Unfortunately he wants the golden temptress he made passionate love to and who now haunts his thoughts. If only he could forget her and find a suitable young woman to marry, someone to be a companion, friend and protector to his blind sister. When his sister insists on renewing her childhood friendship with Jane, the irritating, proper widow arouses the most improper fantasies. Can he really desire two such different women--the passionate golden goddess and the prickly Jane?
  
  Life has damaged Jane and Seth. Once they were best friends but Seth became infatuated with the wrong sister and Jane was given to a man who used her badly. Now years later can they overcome the cruelty and hurt that has scarred their lives and allow themselves to trust each other again?
  
  Once again Sophie Jordan brings together a rich, colorful cast of characters in a sexy, original love story. Jane and Seth are both fairly mature by historical romance standards and disillusioned with life. They must contend with personal tragedies and their own mistakes as well as the harsh restrictions of the social conventions of the time. Even so, they have a natural optimism, brought to life by the attraction they feel for each other. I love Ms. Jordan's secondary characters for their individuality and depth, especially Seth's blind sister who's determined to defy a world where her blindness condemns her to spinsterhood and dependence.
  
  One Night with You is a wonderful story I couldn't put down until the happily ever after. Don't miss this one!
  
  
  
  
• The first book I've read by Sophie Jordan, but not the last
  By A22TZUXUKA11SQ on 2008-01-18
  Lady Jane Guthrie is used to being treated like a second class citizen in her own home. After her husband's death, his brother moved in and took over her home, using Jane as a nursemaid to his children and stubbornly refusing to let her retire to her country home. Though her husband has been dead more than a year, Jane's brother-in-law refuses to let her come out of mourning and instead keeps her as a virtual prisoner. Jane has had enough of being anyone's servant and wants only a little bit of happiness for herself. With that in mind, she sneaks out one night with her friends to attend a masquerade ball. She has no expectations, only that she will have one night of freedom, one night of happiness, one night without worrying about taking care of everyone but herself. What she doesn't realize is that this one night out will come at a high cost... perhaps the price of the freedom that she so covets.
  
  Seth Rutledge returned home from his post as a sailor fighting to free slaves to find that his older brother had died, leaving Seth with an earldom and their younger sister under the domain of a distant relative. Injured in a childhood accident, Seth's sister is blind and he sees her disability as a total handicap and thinks her an invalid. With her future so uncertain, Seth decides that he must marry and his only requirement in a bride is that she take care of his sister should something happen to him. Seth is at the masquerade ball his first night in town with the hopes of vanquishing his manly urges so that he can get down to the business of finding a wife. What he doesn't expect is that he will be enraptured by a masked beauty, a woman he must have, whether she's suitable for marriage or not...
  
  One Night With You is one of those romantic stories where the couple have known each other all their lives, but have both been unable to acknowledge their feelings for one another. Though Jane loved Seth as a girl, when she sees him as a woman she begins to wonder if those childhood feelings might just have been a crush. Seth remembers his childhood friend Jane, but he cannot associate the rambunctious tomboy who frolicked in the woods with him with the stern widow and lady of the ton he now sees. They both find it difficult to erase the scars of the past and look forward to their own future. Only in the shadow of the masquerade, with faces covered and voices disguised can these two give free rein to their feelings for one another. And it is this one night of passion that draws them together.
  
  This is the first book I've read by Sophie Jordan, but I have to say I enjoyed it immensely. In the beginning, I thought it might be another one of those books with an annoying heroine who refuses to stand up to the men in her life who insist on bullying and controlling her. And that's how Jane started off. But her character evolved into a woman who was willing to stand up for herself, someone who refused to let herself be controlled, and someone who finally took her destiny into her own hands. Likewise, Seth was a hero just like I like them--broken. Due to the scars of war and a childhood heartbreak, he believes himself neither capable or deserving of love. He is content with just ensuring his sister's safety and letting that be enough. When he and Jane come together, watching them break down each other's walls was a great journey. Like I said, One Night With You is the first book I've read by Sophie Jordan. But it won't be the last.
  
  
• Ok up to the ending....
  By A3UJA3ZAK011RY on 2008-03-20
  I will not rehash the entire plot as it has already been done. What I will say is that the book was well written and interesting all the way up to the last few chapters; at which point it became rushed. It almosted seemed like the authour was running out of pages and just needed to wrap it up. With maybe just 15 or 20 more pages the book could have been so much more developed.
  
  
• could not put down
  By A16IUI4KQ513P3 on 2008-09-01
  Her stories follow a similar line, but she keeps the main 2 characters together consistently, which keeps the story and the romance moving. I did not find this heroine's past relationship depressing like other reviewers. This book is wonderful, and I have now bought all of her books.
  
  
• Good one!
  By AKMEY1BSHSDG7 on 2008-02-14
  This was a very enjoyable Cinderella story -- with a Cinderella who ultimately takes control of her fate.
  
  Lady Jane Gutherie is a widow, and since the death of her husband she has been subjected to the harsh treatment in the home of her late husband's brother. Little more than a servant, she faces the cruelty of her sister-in-law, and wastes her time keeping tabs on her not-too-endearing daughters.
  
  The heroine, understandably, always has getting away on her mind. Lady Jane jumps at the opportunity to attend a masked ball, where she runs into her childhood friend. This is not the end, but the beginning of an exciting story that will hold readers enthralled to the very end.
  
  This was a fun read, and I'd certainly be interested in reading more by Sophie Jordan.
  
  
• Sweet and simple
  By A1CTXKA2C7BSC8 on 2008-02-14
  This is a short but enjoyable book which explores what can happen when a childhood romance is rekindled. Jane Spencer, now the widow Lady Guthrie, is virtually imprisoned by her brother-in-law whilst in mourning for her husband but after fifteen months decides to try to sneak out of the house to at least have some enjoyment in her life. Her two friends take her to a masque ball where she bumps into her childhood playmate, Seth Rutledge, now Earl of St Claire. Because of her mask Seth doesn't recognise her but he is instantly attracted to Jane, and Jane to him, although her identity remains hidden. Seth is looking for a wife who can help protect his blind sister from their cousin if anything happens to Seth but his attention is taken from that hunt by his mystery lady, whom he names Aurora. When Jane goes to Vauxhall dressed as Aurora to see Seth they take themselves into a secluded area and have one night together.
  
  Seth has also discovered that Jane Spencer is in town for the season and his sister, Julianne, has reconnected with her. Seth has some strange feelings of yearning towards Jane but feels bad about them because of his obsession with Aurora. When Jane gives him some shocking news Seth has to learn whether he can trust her, love her and whether he can allow Julianne to grow up and make her own decisions.
  
  This was an easy read and, with a large font size and more than average leading, was much quicker to read than the page count of 350 would suggest. However it was a sweet enough story, about two childhood friends rediscovering each other as adults, finding their friendship again despite the things that have happened to them both in the years that they were separate. Seth's behaviour doesn't always bear close scrutiny, not only in his tumbling a gently bred woman the second time he meets her but also in treating a wife with coldness and reservation, but the overall plot worked, if feeling a little familiar in places. The misunderstanding between the main characters didn't drag on too long, which was a relief, but I found some of the side characters rather cardboard in nature and pantomime-villain in behaviour. It was a reasonable enough read for those who like Regency romances and aren't too worried about historical accuracy.
  
  Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2008
  
  

• The Wicked Ways of a Duke
• Too Wicked to Tame
• To Pleasure a Lady (Courtship Wars, Book 1)
• To Bed a Beauty (Courtship Wars, Book 2)
• Three Nights of Sin