Ruined

By: Ann Barker

Narrated by: Julie Teal

Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

Jessie Warburton has been hopelessly in love with the rakish Earl of Ashbourne for years. Tired of being ignored, she accepts the proposal of the Reverend Henry Lusty, and goes to London to stay with her fiancé’s sister. Mrs Machin, a secret writer of sensational novels, is delighted to learn that her visitor is closely acquainted with a rake, and seeks to take advantage of the situation. To help her hostess, Jessie immerses herself in London life, and the earl experiences a change of role, as he finds himself having to keep a watchful eye over her. In London, Jessie blossoms, and Ashbourne becomes attracted to her, but he is not her only admirer. Will Jessie make the right choice?

©2009 Ann Barker (P)2010 Soundings

Annoyed by heroine

L really liked the first book but I was annoyed with heroine in this book almost to the point of not finishing it.

She is so judgmental. She continually making slut shaming comments about the women of ashbourne acquaintances. Yet she is annoyed by lusty’s judgmental. She also extremely rude to ashbourne at every turn . She thinks the worst of him listening to rumor instead of talking to him. I honestly can’t recall one serious conversation about anything of substance.. it was all her says no you’re a rake and home saying yes that’s true. I have no idea why he falls for her. Additionally, I alwys have a hard time cheering on cheater which she is emotionally and physically( as she kisses the hero). She obviously disposed her finacee yet agrees to marry him and then goes around lying to him about everything she is doing in London and then after marrying someone else, she doesn’t even have the decency to break off their engagement in person or let him know she already married someone else (I know he’s uptight, judgement and religious but he he not a truly bad person. I think if she had told him of her true opinions about the things she enjoys in life , he would have seen from the beginning they didn’t suit. Instead she lied and allowed him to think they were like minded and acted offended when he questioned her about she changed her mind).


I liked the hero and wished more if the book was from his prospective. I wasn’t sure how I would get past him having abondoned his children( 2 children), but I found I could understand the mistakes of his youth.

Of course the show was once again stolen by the side characters. I think mrs machin maybe one of my favorite regency romance characters. She bold and making a career for herself in a time when this was very difficult for women. I adore courage to do things women weren’t suppose to do. More than anything, I adore her open mindedness about the different types of lives people live. She is definitely
Naïve but I really want to struggle and be of the other characters when they made fun of her.