How to Woo a Reluctant Lady

By: Sabrina Jeffries

Narrated by: Sarah Coomes

Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's Summary

Lady Minerva Sharpe has the perfect plan to thwart her grandmother’s demands: become engaged to a rogue! Surely Gran would rather release her inheritance than see her wed a scoundrel. And who better to play the part of Minerva’s would-be husband than wild barrister Giles Masters, the very inspiration for the handsome spy in the popular Gothic novels she writes?

The memory of his passionate kiss on her nineteenth birthday has lingered in Minerva’s imagination, though she has no intention of really falling for such a rakehell, much less marrying him. Little does she know, he really is a covert government operative. When they team up to investigate the mystery behind her parents’ deaths, their fake betrothal leads to red-hot desire. Then Minerva discovers Giles’s secret double life, and he must use all the cunning tricks of his trade to find his way back into her heart.

©2011 Sabrina Jeffries (P)2011 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Story was great, narrator was awful.

I find it a little irritating when a series uses a different narrator for each book in the series, thereby changing how the characters voices, and tones, are expressed. The narrator in the first book (The Truth About Lord Stoneville) was great; loved how he portrayed the voices. The narrator of the second book (A Hellion in Her Bed) was okay, but again, the tone he used for the characters was different. (For example, using a snide tone for a character that was portrayed as insolent, but laid back in the first book.) The narrator in this book was just awful. She couldn't hold the accent and in parts the characters sounded Irish, not English. And, again, the tone wasn't right, especially for Oliver's character.

Some consistency would be nice. Do the narrators ever do their research before recording a book to see how the previous characters have been portrayed (e.g. sarcastic intsead of angry)? That would be helpful.

Didn't like Narrator

The book is not bad. However, the narrator gets on your nerves. The book is set in London. The narrator is from Northern England (Yorkshire most likely.) It started grating on my nerves from the second sentence she spoke.

For an american comparison... It would be like having a story set in New York City and having someone from the South (with a heavy southern accent) narrating the story and thus turning all the characters in NYC into Southerners with Southern accents. Even if you can't distinguish between the different English accents, you'll be able to tell instantly that there's something 'off' about the narration that will bother the listener throughout the story.

All Accents have their place. But a professional voice over artist should be able to correctly speak in the tongue of the characters. I'm surprised that someone from England cannot mimick a London accent. Poor casting...

meh

I was just looking for a quick little romance novel... and I know and expect the 'romance' formula so that wasn't what bothered me. For starters, the characters were irritating, especially the female heroine... She just couldn't shut up about her 'books' - which became annoying after awhile, especially since it was promised to her that she could keep writing them.... For another, the first time they experience a little passion, it went too far too fast without any buildup...and then the next time it happened at the pond it lacked any kind of heat ... Next, they get married and she hires someone at her wedding to spy on her husband? Kind of ridiculous, she doesn't even give him a chance to be a husband before she's spying on him... The beginning had promise but it became more annoying as it went along. Not worth a credit in my opinion

Best of the series

This, so far, is my favorite of the Hellions of Halstead Hall series. This can be a standalone novel; the author does a fine job of including the relevant tie-ins from the first two books. I adore Minerva. She is strong, intelligent, feisty, and a perfect match in both wit and passion to Giles. I disagree with another reviewer who said the continuous mention of Minerva???s writing was annoying. Writing is how Minerva copes with the tragic death of her parents, the resulting scandal, and where she allows her true self to show. It???s a significant part of her character and can???t be glossed over. Without her novels, Minerva would be a completely different person. The adventures of Giles and Minerva are sometimes funny and always charming. I was completely committed to seeing Giles and Minerva get their HEA. I think the narrator is very good. Her voices for the different characters are easily discernable, and her reading voice is pleasant enough. Just so you know how my tastes in narrators go for historicals; my favorite is Rosalyn Landor and I absolutely cannot stand Ann Flosnik. If you are a fan of the series this is an excellent addition, if you are just looking for a good historical romance, I think this will fit the bill nicely.

I'm not necessarily a fan

Sabrina Jeffries is one of those authors that I find most uneven. I enjoy some of her books, others I find totally a waste of time. This book is mostly a good if predictable story, but the narrator is amazing. She is pitch perfect, accents and the differences in characters' voices is absolute, and she has good comedic timing for the humorous lines, and there are a few.
So if you're a fan of historical romance, I'd say buy this book and see what you think.

Disappointed

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

Not sure and god knows I'm not judging. I was just thoroughly disappointed with this audio because I really enjoyed the first two audiobooks and expected more of the same, if not better given that this is Minerva's story. The start was strong but as the story continued, it just fell apart. I really had a difficult time finishing this audio.

Has How to Woo a Reluctant Lady turned you off from other books in this genre?

No way. This "genre" is my guilty pleasure.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

All the characters ended up sounding the same. If the two main characters were held together by better writing then perhaps the narrator could have pulled this off. But this audio book was more or less, a train wreck. It had a good story and interesting characters as well as a good start. After that, I'm not sure what happened.

Any additional comments?

Don't waste your credit. Buy this on sale if you are also reading the series. Or skip it and move on to book 4.

I, too, am in love with Giles!

This is the third book in a series of five. If you have not read the first two, I suggest you do so first because it will give you more insight into each character and more information regarding the mystery that underlies each story.

Five siblings, who have been traumatized by the tragic marriage and deaths of their parents, are being forced to marry or be disinherited by their controlling grandmother. Because of their trauma, each has reasons why he or she is fearful of marrying. However, each one doesn't want to be the reason his or her siblings lose their inheritance, so, each one dutifully and very reluctantly, look for mates.

In this book we have Minerva and Giles. Minerva is an author in a time when female authors were rare and in a society where working was for those in the lower classes. Thus, she is considered a "hellion". Giles is also a hellion, so everyone believes. He is well known as a rogue, a gambler and heavy drinker, but is he really? Minerva has been in love with him since she was 9 years old; if only he would love her too, she would gladly wed. So the story goes. . .

Also, regarding their parents' tragic deaths; did their mother kill their father and then herself, as they had been told and had believed for 19 years, or did someone murder both parents? If their parents were murdered, who did it and why?

I reserve 5 stars for books with beautifully crafted writing, originality, and characters who will live on in my memory. This is not one of those books, but it is very enjoyable and I can wholeheartedly recommend it to you. Enjoy!

Spies & writers & love, oh my!

I always love a story where the hero is gone for the heroine even before the first page. Minerva wants to thwart her grandmother’s marriage decree by announcing an engagement with the most unsuitable man of her acquaintance (who she just happened to be in love with for years). Little does she know he has an ulterior motive for going along with her plan: he wants to marry her for real. He would also like to get her to stop writing about the villainous spy Rockwell, a thinly veiled version of himself, as it threatens to reveal his own work as as a spy for the state. Secrets, passion, and adventure ensue. Plus, there is a lovely short story included at the end of the audiobook along with an interview with the author.

Another fine read from the author

The grandmother is a real dragon but has their best interests at heart. He is a man of law but has many secrets, including an interest in his friend's sister. She is an overachiever and feminist who writes novels and won't even admit to herself that he has interested her for years. A good yarn!

Only average

This was okay, but I did not like any of the characters and could not care very much for them or their situations. The story was pretty trite and farfetched. The male lead. Giles, is a spy for England and uses being a rake as his disguise. The female lead, Minerva, is a writer who is being pressured to marry. Minerva loved Giles when she was very young but hates him now because he embarrassed him when they kissed when she was a teenager. As a matter of convenience, the two of them get together, which is of course most predictable.