Notorious Pleasures

Maiden Lane, Book 2

By: Elizabeth Hoyt

Narrated by: Ashford McNab

Length: 11 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

Their lives were perfect...

Lady Hero Batten, the beautiful sister of the Duke of Wakefield, has everything a woman could want, including the perfect fiancé. True, the Marquis of Mandeville is a trifle dull and has no sense of humor, but that doesn't bother Hero... until she meets his notorious brother.

Until they met each other...

Griffin Remmington, Lord Reading, is far from perfect - and he likes it that way. How he spends his days is a mystery, but all of London knows he engages in the worst sorts of drunken revelry at night. Hero takes an instant dislike to him, and Griffin thinks that Hero, with her charities and faultless manners, is much too impeccable for society, let alone his brother. Yet their near-constant battle of wits soon sparks desire - desire that causes their carefully constructed worlds to come tumbling down. As Hero's wedding nears, and Griffin's enemies lay plans to end their dreams forever, can two imperfect people find perfect true love?

Pay another visit to Maiden Lane.

©2011 Elizabeth Hoyt (P)2011 Hachette

Critic reviews

RT Book Reviews, Best Historical Romance, Nominated, 2015

bland narrator

story line had potential but narrator had no flavour; Narrator while not the worst was just passable, she told the story in a bland manner. Had to make an effort to keep interest in order to finish the audio book.

Truly Unexpected

Best in this series so far! Although Lady Hero can be a bit overly stubborn, Griffin is depicted as a true "man", speaking his mind while doing and taking what he wants. As you listen you will want to yell at Hero to "just tell him already", but given Griffin's way of persuasion you can see why she holds out. Of course there is another glimpse of the famous, "Ghosts of St. Giles", and a much welcomed surprise and Hoyt hints to his identity.

Love This Series

Such a great series. Well written and beautifully performed. Looking forward to next in series. Worth a credit for those interested in an original story with some tasteful intimate scenes.

Why did I read this book last? It was AMAZING!!!

This is one of those books that I misjudged before reading, and thankfully I was mistaken.

Notorious Pleasures is about two unlikely lovers coming together despite all odds against them. I originally shunned the idea of reading a book centered on the love development between notorious rake Griffin Remmington (Lord Reading) and Lady Hero Batten (sister of Duke Wakefield), solely because Lady Hero was engaged to none other than the Marquis of Mandeville (Thomas), who is Griffin's brother!!!

I actually started the series with book #3, followed by #4, and #5, then went down to #1 and finally #2.

The reason I put this book off was because, first of all, how can you sympathize with such blatant cheaters?--Well, that was my original thought. Yet, Elizabeth Hoyt unravels a story that is not cut out of the same cookie-cutter. And, after understanding the characters you just have to throw away any previous misconceptions you formed, at least that was my experience. I found myself quickly rooting for the love between Griffin and Hero.

There are many issues with Thomas's character. He is one of those political figures who overrides the desires and wants of his own heart to pursue what he believes will be better suited for his political and social life. That might sound self-sacrificing and noble, but when he couldn't keep his eyes off of his previous mistress Lady Tate (who he is still in love with), especially in the company of Lady Hero (his fiancé), I was like, "OH NO YOU DIDN'T!!" lol. Worse yet, Thomas planned on continuing a relationship with Lady Tate once settled in his marriage. Thomas is a man who insists on imposing a world with a set of rules that only benefit him. And, I say that because even Lady Tate, an older widow, had the decency to reject Thomas's offer to be his kept woman after his marriage to Lady Hero. I thought that depicted Lady Tate in a positive light, despite the circumstances. Ultimately, it works out for Thomas and Lady Tate and he finally comes to his senses about his love match--social norms be dammed.

I wanted to mention that there is a lot of exposure of the Duke of Wakefield, Lady Hero's brother who is the hero in Book #6. That man is wound up too tightly!!! He is such a stiff-neck & I'm glad he is going to get humbled & melted in his book. It's inevitable for such a staunch & hard character. (Secretly, I hope he suffers a bit in love because he just needs some breaking...& then healing... :-)

Another character I found really appealing was Griffin and Thomas's mother. She is such a perceptive, warm and caring woman. That was a nice change from some of the aristocratic mothers of her era.

As for the love between Griffin and Hero, it's the best kind. There is repulsion before there is conflict, followed by anger, tender moments, and then the realization of love. I don't think you can have true passion without some anger, and the angst between these characters is suitable to their situations.

Griffin is a great hero because underneath the facade of indifference, he is a hard-worker who sacrificed the completion of this education in order to resolve his family's financial predicament. His father's death left the family in dire, financial straights. So while Thomas maintains the appearance of the responsible man of his family, Griffin actually is the person who is good with finances and takes his family out of their economic crisis.

Now about the heroine, Lady Hero, her name is suited for her character. In the 1st book, Wicked Intentions, Temperance had the burden of finding a sponsor or donor to maintain the orphanage (the name is too long). In this book, Lady Hero takes on that burden and makes sure that the displaced children in St. Giles have a home to live in and are taken care of. I felt compassion for Lady Hero because initially she was a victim of her time period. The Duke of Wakefield set up her marriage to Thomas and pushed Lady Hero until the very end to marry him (even after Thomas hit Lady Hero). Lady Hero is no dummy though, she was aware of the issues with Thomas (his eyeing Lady Tate & lack of interest in her, and empty incessant flattery etc.) and I'm so glad her independent spirit pushed through to put her own desires before that of her brother and society.

Just as in every Elizabeth Hoyt novel, there are many conflicts and dilemmas that require strong solutions. The proportion of the dilemmas correlate to the strong and almost traumatic resolutions. When you fall in love with your brother's fiancé, there is bound to be an explosive breaking away....and, that is just one of the problems among many that needed to be addressed in order for a blissful happiness to come to pass for the couple. E.H. very cunningly and entertainingly tied up all lose ends as is her craft. Great book!!!!

P.S. -- Narrator is fabulous as always!

This is a great series!

I thought the first book in this series, Wicked Intentions, was great! This book does not disappoint! It's, ah, very naughty, but I didn't think as erotic as Wicked Intentions, but still, whoa! I like the the reader. I think her voice is perfect for this genre, sort of soft and husky. I'm excited for the next book to come out in Nov. I will buy that the day it comes out! Totally worth the credit.

Like it!

This series is my first experience with Elizabeth Hoyt, and I am really enjoying it. I suggest starting with the first book in this series (Wicked Intentions) just to get an idea of all the characters, otherwise you really don't get the full flavor. Really looking forward to book 3!

The duke's daughter and the gin runner

Second in the Maiden Lane series, this one takes secondary character from the first and adds three more who are important to the tale and places the earlier players in secondary status. Except for a Makepiece sister whose story meanders in and out of this one. And we have come to note that there is a few paragraphs of a morality tale at the beginning of each chapter. We also learn more about gin distilling and the economic problems of the time than we thought we wanted to know. Well crafted.
Ashford McNab does well enough as narrator.

A+ sequel by Hoyt. Don't pass up.

This 2nd book in the maiden lane series is very different than first with some similar concepts, but no wild tying episodes... :)

Very good, sexy, with well written, well rounded characters. Elizabeth Hoyt is an author with incredIble talent. Highly recommend. So far, I like this as much or more than the first.

And Ashford Mcnab has gotten her voice! She is wonderful.

Looking forward to reading more by this author and narrator.

Great 2nd Book or Stand Alone

This was a great story as a standalone book or as the next in the series. I really enjoy Elizabeth Hoyt's ability to create sexual tension - it's so deliciously drawn out and then spoon fed throughout the story. I also enjoy the weaving in of subsequent story lines. I know some people find them annoying but I enjoy a robust cast of developed characters. That is real life after all. Ashford MacNab does a wonderful job with her voices and her delivery. I wasn't crazy about one of her male voices - she made the hero's brother sound like a sniffling bore when he was really just a normal guy with all the flaws we love about all our romance novel men. Overall though, a very good story with very good narration.

Ashford MacNab is brilliant!

What did you love best about Notorious Pleasures?

The connecting stories, the narrator... all of it. Thoroughly enjoyed this book just as much as the last.

Who was your favorite character and why?

At first at thought Griffin was a pig but I completely fell in love with him.

Have you listened to any of Ashford MacNab’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes. She is spectacular! I don't understand why she isn't the narrator for Maiden Lane Series books 5 and 6. Bring her back!!