*I received a free copy of What a Lady Demands from Loveswept via . This has in no way influenced my voluntary review, which is honest and unbiased *
Warning: This book includes mature content such as: sexual content, and/or drug and/or alcohol use, and/or violence.
What a Lady Demands by Ashlyn MacNamara Series: The Eton Boys Trilogy #1
Published by Loveswept on 4 November 2014
Genres: Adult, Historical Romance
Pages: 276
Format: eARC
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Viscount Lindenhurst cannot seem to find a governess who meets his impossible standards—until Cecelia Sanford becomes the first woman to interrupt the widower’s brooding in years. Lind had returned home from the Napoleonic wars, broken in body and soul and longing for his wife’s embrace, only to find her changed. Before they could reconcile, an accident struck their son and claimed her life. Now enter Cecelia, with her soft curves and sharp tongue—a tempting distraction, it is true, but not a welcome one.
Past the usual marrying age and haunted by a scandal of her own, Cecelia soon finds herself caring for both the child and the man. The viscount is brittle and even abrupt at times, yet she cannot deny the attraction that stirs her body in his presence. Moved by the deep sense of abandonment that tortures his soul, Cecelia aches to fully awaken Lind’s heart from its rancorous slumber—if she can just keep their pasts from destroying a second chance at love.
What a Lady Demands is an amazing Historical Romance story, because Cecelia Standford is such an unconventional heroine – and that makes everything that happens even better.
My What a Lady Demands review:
If you are familiar with my blog, you know that I love reading Historical Romances, but that I kind of loathe reading about virgins… Kind of like an oxymoron, right? Apart from the fact that What a Lady Demands fulfilled my desires – beautiful historical romance story, with a very strong heroine, who is scandalously not a virgin. She’s twenty-three years old, and she knows her way around a male body for sure. Of course, just the fact that the heroine isn’t a virgin isn’t enough for me to give out five stars, so let me tell you all the other reasons for my high rating.
The writing is really good, I was swiftly grabbed by the story and the main characters, even little Jeremy was a great part of what happened, and of the overall plot. Lind was a character I was curious about ever since I read What a Lady Craves, and he did not disappoint. Brooding, bordering on impolite, harsh and not wanting to see farther than his own problems, it took a little while for me to warm up to him. But Cecelia had been mesmerized by him ever since she was a young girl, so there had to be more to the widower than met the eye.
There is mystery, chemistry, humor, some very hot scenes where Cecelia shows her particular skills and the way the plot was moved forward was truly flawless! I really enjoyed that Jeremy, Lind’s son, was such a big part of the story, because it showed how important Cecelia’s patience and her willingness to try things that weren’t conventional were to his overall well-being. And the character development was great, too! Cecelia grew a lot, both because she wanted to show everybody that she was now a grown woman, and because it changed her to be responsible for Jeremy. Lind finally managed to open up his heart after he thought it was lost forever.
If you are looking for a hot and steamy historical romance novel, and you enjoy lots of plot to go with the hotness, you should pick up What a Lady Demands – it can be read as a stand-alone, but I loved the first book in the series,too, so I definitely recommend reading that as well.
Some of my favorite What a Lady Demands quotes:
“Why do you have two different letters when your first name and last name start with the same sound?” Goodness, and wasn’t that an astute observation If Jeremy hadn’t learned to read yet, the fault certainly did not lie in any lack of intelligence.
Cecelia poured herself another measure of brandy and raised her tumbler. “They get just as caught up. Only with masculine gossip, they claim it’s news.”
An impish grin tugged at the corners of her mouth. “Thank you,” she said with the air of someone who knew she’d won. And she had, damn her.
About Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms
Linda is an English as foreign language teacher and has a Master's degree in English Language and Literature. She's an avid reader, blogger, compulsive one-clicker and a genre omnivore. Ever since she learnt how to read she has been seen with a book or two in her hands everywhere she goes.
Wow!! This seems like a nice hot read Lexie! I think I would like to meet this Viscount… seems like he found his match 😉
Naomi @ Nomi’s Paranormal Palace
Very hot indeed, Naomi! And both of the main characters were really great to read about. Thanks for stopping by.
What a Lady Demands sounds fantastic, Lexxie! It has all the elements I love in a good HR, too. But then you knew that, right? And here you are AGAIN tempting me with HR. You know you are muddling my decision making abilities…I can’t decide which one to read first! 😉
Where did the week go? Work was slow due to the weather and my drive was insanely long. I don’t want to count the number of hours I spent in the car yesterday. Today, after dropping the kids off, I’m going to sit by the fire with a cup of coffee and read. 🙂 Hope your Thursday has been lovely! **BIG HUGS**
It does have all of the fantastic HR elements we both love. I wouldn’t know which book to read first either, if I were you;)
This week sure has gone by fast – which is good, I guess. But it also menas I need to start preparing for Christmas :O
*BIG HUGS*
I hate reading about virgins too, and I’d never really thought about how prevalent they must be in Historical Romances until you mentioned it in your review. I guess it’s a good thing that this genre doesn’t make regular appearances on my TBR. Props to Ashlyn MacNamara for making you go oh-lala!
Yeah, in most historical romances, the heroine is a virgin, unless she’s a widow 😀 Yeah, I definitely enjoyed reading this one – both because it was different, and because it was just steamy enough 😉
Thanks for stopping by, Carmel.
Twitter: talksupeblog
I’m so over Virgins too although it is believable to me in HR. Also that dudes butt is so perky! I think I can bounce a penny off it
Twitter: talksupeblog
I’m so over Virgins too although it is believable to me in HR. Also that dudes butt is so perky! I think I can bounce a penny off it.
It’s great that this has a different offering, i hope she scandaliZed the viscount a bit with her skills LOL
I agree, Braine, virgins are definitely more believable in HR. But it was so great to read one where that wasn’t the case 🙂
I agree, his butt is definitely perky, I want to pinch him 😀
Thanks for stopping by!
You know how to share your enthusiasm for a book 😉 Truth be told, I’d already noticed said novel, but mostly the cover – phew, what a back ! I’m glad to know there’s a very good story behind it !
Just spotted the cover of book #1, nice view, veeery nice view ^^
I was weak, I bought it…
LOL then my work is done here, Iza *snickers* I hope you’ll enjoy The Eton Boys as much as I have so far 😀
Wow, this sounds like it has some fantastic banter and chemistry between Cecelia and the Viscount. The last few HR that I’ve read have actually been where the heroine has had prior (usually with a blundering cad) experience – so maybe were onto a change here. Hmmm … not sure which books I should look at first. Lol – those covers are yummy and sounds like the writing in this one is just as great. Thanks for the heads-up on some great HR’s 🙂
I have also read other HR lately where the heroine wasn’t a virgin… but then, she usually had only one experience – Cecelia had been a little more active than that 😀
Yeah, good writing, and a real story around all the smexitimes is good. Thanks for stopping by, Kim.
I’ve read one book by this author and really enjoyed it. I need to read more of her books! This sounds like a really great read, and I’m really looking forward to reading it myself now. Great review!
Yeah, she writes really good stories, I’m glad I could point you in the direction of What a Lady Demands, Samantha 🙂 I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.
Thanks for stopping by.