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A Marriage of Convenience: Such is the agreement forged between Lady Jessica Stanton and Simon Warland, Earl of Northcote. Jessica needs a husband strong enough to protect her inheritance from her avaricious stepbrother. Simon needs money to restore the family legacy his father squandered. United by necessity, emotional attachment isn’t part of the deal.
When Jonah Armstrong, the Earl of Haywood, returns to London after a three year absence, his plan is simple: reenter society, find a wealthy bride, and save the Haywood name from ruin. He has no time for distractions. Yet when he encounters Lady Cecelia Randolph, Jonah can’t resist a flirtation. After all, his feud with her brother, the Duke of Hadleigh, necessitated Jonah’s recent exile; he’s entitled to his revenge. But within seconds Jonah realizes he’s underestimated Cecelia.
With her husband's dying words, "My marchioness has it," the Marchioness of Huntingdon is thrown into a nightmare of intrigue and danger. But even those who are holding her brother ransom can't force her to do the impossible - hand over a necklace she doesn't have. Major Samuel Bennett believes the newly widowed Lady Claire Huntingdon is a traitor. He intends to get the necklace he's convinced she has, before sending her to the gallows.
Adair Thorne has just watched his gaming-hell dream disappear into a blaze of fire and ash, and he’s certain that his competitors, the Killorans, are behind it. His fury and passion burn even hotter when he meets Cleopatra Killoran, a tart-mouthed vixen who mocks him at every turn. If she were anyone else but the enemy, she’d ignite a desire in him that would be impossible to control. No one can make Cleopatra do anything. That said, she’ll do whatever it takes to protect her siblings - even if that means being sponsored by their rivals for a season in order to land a noble husband.
Lord Robert Dennington, the Marquess of Westfield, has long reveled in the freedom afforded him as the ducal heir. He knows he must someday do right by the Somerset line, but he's in no hurry to give up his carefree existence.Helena Banbury is a bookkeeper in a gentleman's gambling club, adept at analyzing numbers and accounts but helpless for lack of influence.
Jackson Rafferty, second son of the 11th Earl of Devlin, held his dying brother in his arms and swore he'd avenge his murder. That pact made in blood led him to the back halls of Kingston Manor and the woman who would stand between him and pursuing the man Jack knew had killed his brother. Miss Jenevieve Kingston has a secret. Keeping it is the only thing keeping her father alive. When a rogue by the name of Jack Dawson comes dangerously close to spoiling everything, Jenna forces him from her home. But not before he has worked his way into her heart.
A Marriage of Convenience: Such is the agreement forged between Lady Jessica Stanton and Simon Warland, Earl of Northcote. Jessica needs a husband strong enough to protect her inheritance from her avaricious stepbrother. Simon needs money to restore the family legacy his father squandered. United by necessity, emotional attachment isn’t part of the deal.
When Jonah Armstrong, the Earl of Haywood, returns to London after a three year absence, his plan is simple: reenter society, find a wealthy bride, and save the Haywood name from ruin. He has no time for distractions. Yet when he encounters Lady Cecelia Randolph, Jonah can’t resist a flirtation. After all, his feud with her brother, the Duke of Hadleigh, necessitated Jonah’s recent exile; he’s entitled to his revenge. But within seconds Jonah realizes he’s underestimated Cecelia.
With her husband's dying words, "My marchioness has it," the Marchioness of Huntingdon is thrown into a nightmare of intrigue and danger. But even those who are holding her brother ransom can't force her to do the impossible - hand over a necklace she doesn't have. Major Samuel Bennett believes the newly widowed Lady Claire Huntingdon is a traitor. He intends to get the necklace he's convinced she has, before sending her to the gallows.
Adair Thorne has just watched his gaming-hell dream disappear into a blaze of fire and ash, and he’s certain that his competitors, the Killorans, are behind it. His fury and passion burn even hotter when he meets Cleopatra Killoran, a tart-mouthed vixen who mocks him at every turn. If she were anyone else but the enemy, she’d ignite a desire in him that would be impossible to control. No one can make Cleopatra do anything. That said, she’ll do whatever it takes to protect her siblings - even if that means being sponsored by their rivals for a season in order to land a noble husband.
Lord Robert Dennington, the Marquess of Westfield, has long reveled in the freedom afforded him as the ducal heir. He knows he must someday do right by the Somerset line, but he's in no hurry to give up his carefree existence.Helena Banbury is a bookkeeper in a gentleman's gambling club, adept at analyzing numbers and accounts but helpless for lack of influence.
Jackson Rafferty, second son of the 11th Earl of Devlin, held his dying brother in his arms and swore he'd avenge his murder. That pact made in blood led him to the back halls of Kingston Manor and the woman who would stand between him and pursuing the man Jack knew had killed his brother. Miss Jenevieve Kingston has a secret. Keeping it is the only thing keeping her father alive. When a rogue by the name of Jack Dawson comes dangerously close to spoiling everything, Jenna forces him from her home. But not before he has worked his way into her heart.
Defiant Highland beauty Fiona Sinclair is shocked by her brothers’ treachery. To seal a fragile truce, they have traded her hand in marriage to their sworn enemy, a man she has never met, a man she was raised to despise. With no choice but to wed, Fiona makes her own private vow: Though she may sacrifice her freedom, she will never surrender her heart. Commanded into marriage by the king, Myles Campbell is no more willing than his reluctant bride. Still, she is a rare beauty, passionate enough to warm even the coldest marriage bed.
The cold, precise Duke of Montford demands things his way: neatly ordered, in place, and adhering closely to the rules. So he is furious when he learns that the tenant of his ducal estate has been dead for a year, and a stranger has been running the Honeywell business - which, by contract, is now Montford's. When he arrives in Yorkshire to investigate, he discovers that the estate is being run by an unruly, tomboyish woman - and a bluestocking at that!
Miss Mary Whitsun is far too intelligent to fall for the rakish charms of a handsome aristocrat. But when the gentleman in question approaches her in a bookshop, mistaking her for his fiancée, Lady Johanna Albright, the flirtatious encounter only raises more questions. Could Mary, a servant raised in a St Giles orphanage, actually be Lady Joanna's long-lost twin sister? If so, Mary has been betrothed since birth - to the rakishly handsome aristocrat himself....
Gideon Waverley, heir to the Duke of Townsend, had everything a young man could need, a promising future, a title, charming good looks, great friends, and a family who adored him. Until his body turned him into a monster. He had no choice but to separate himself from the world, to hide his monstrous self from society, to cast away his future. But the brilliant and beautiful Eve Cornwell refused to believe he could not be saved, even as she refused to guard her heart.
Raised by a tyrannical father, Marion de Lacy yearns for the comfort of belonging to a loving family. So when her father announces her betrothal to an evil knight in exchange for his help to overthrow the king, she concocts a desperate scheme to avoid the marriage: feigning her own death and then fleeing England. But when her plan goes terribly awry and she's captured by the knight, not even her careful preparations could ready her for the Scottish barbarian who rescues her and then informs her that he's to marry her.
Since his return from war, the Duke of Ashbury's to-do list has been short and anything but sweet: brooding, glowering, menacing London ne'er-do-wells by night. Now there's a new item on the list. He needs an heir - which means he needs a wife. When Emma Gladstone, a vicar's daughter turned seamstress, appears in his library wearing a wedding gown, he decides on the spot that she'll do.
English knight Sir Adam Dayne is offered the ultimate prize by the earl who raised him: lordship of Langford castle. All he must do is accept a betrothal to the Scottish Marcher warden's beautiful daughter, a match made to keep peace at the tumultuous Anglo-Scottish border. Sir Adam relishes the prospect - until he meets the woman he is to wed. Lady Cora Maxwell hates everything English, including the self-assured new lord who has claimed her hand in marriage. When Adam proposes a unique challenge, Cora is forced to face her greatest fears.
With the war against Napoleon winding down, the Marquess of Rotherstone decides it's time to restore his family's tainted reputation. But as a member of the Inferno Club, he knows there is only one way to redeem himself in society's eyes: marry an impeccable young lady of beauty and breeding, whose behavior is well beyond reproach.
Turned out by his father after a tragic scandal, Lord Michael Knightly has grown into a powerful, but self-made man. With the whispers and stares that still follow him, he's been shut out of respectable society. He would rather be anywhere but London. Then he meets Lady Aldora, a young woman who mistakes him for his brother, the Marquess of St. James.
Reclusive designer Victoria Andrews hasn't gone outside in five years, though she yearns to escape the prison of her house. She designs sensual lingerie for the most exclusive dressmaker in London, although she has never known a man's touch.
Lord Alaric Wilde, son of the Duke of Lindow, is the most celebrated man in England, revered for his dangerous adventures and rakish good looks. Arriving home from years abroad, he has no idea of his own celebrity until his boat is met by mobs of screaming ladies. Alaric escapes to his father's castle, but just as he grasps that he's not only famous but notorious, he encounters the very private, very witty Miss Willa Fynche.
Like all the Bedwyn men, Aidan has a reputation for cool arrogance. But this proud nobleman also possesses a loyal, passionate heart - and it is this fierce loyalty that has brought Colonel Lord Aidan to Ringwood Manor to honor a dying soldier's request. Having promised to comfort and protect the man's sister, Aidan never expected to find a headstrong, fiercely independent woman who wants no part of his protection, nor did he expect the feelings this beguiling creature would ignite in his guarded heart.
Tormented by the deaths of his wife and child, Griffin Blackmoor spends his days drowning his grief in whiskey. But when a bullet that was meant for him kills his best friend, Griffin makes a promise to the dying man that will thrust him back into London Society - and into the path of the one woman who could make his life worth living again.
The daughter of a drunkard, Lady Anne Carmichael swore she would never love a man like Griffin Blackmoor. But when he rescues her during her darkest hour, Anne cannot ignore the effect Griffin's haunted eyes - or his soul-stirring kiss - have on her guarded heart. He is everything she never wanted. So why does his love feel like exactly what she needs?
This is a PG romance book. If you are looking for steamy love scenes...this is not the book for you. If you want a hero and heroine that want to deny their feelings until they can deny no more....then this IS the book for you.
The author tries to use alcoholism as a issue in the relationship...but she doesn't use it to make the book too serious where it brings you down. Which is obviously not the way alcoholism usually plays out in people's lives....but it's a fiction romance book.
I usually don't like male narrators but I really enjoyed this one. James Langton is the best male narrator I have heard yet.
This book is a good easy listen....It is a cheap book so it is worth the price. I wouldn't use a credit simply because it is cheap.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
I have only just discovered Laura Landon and, after enjoying Intimate Deception, I thought I'd give this a try. While I probably wouldn't use a credit on it, I was happy enough with what I got for the price of the kindle edition with added narration.
The story was compelling enough to keep me interested but I have to say the extended monologue by the cackling villian while the helpless heroine waits for the hero to make his move was just a little too clichèd for me. Also, unless the concept of smuggling is completely foreign to you ( and by foreign I mean you have NEVER heard the term 'smuggler' and you do not have even the most elementary understading of the topic) then the 'murder mystery' will become no more than a predictable sub plot within the first three chapters. Still, the story was interesting enough to carry the predictable mystery even if I did feel that the M.C's came across as pretty dim everytime they stood around wondering who was trying to kill them and tried to figure out what the deal was with the parcel of land Annie inherited.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Would you listen to A Risk Worth Taking again? Why?
I probably would not listen to A Risk Worth Taking again because I don't reread any books. But if I did it would be because of Langton's narration.
What did you like best about this story?
No heavy descriptions about the sex.
What about James Langton’s performance did you like?
This story was primarily told from the man's perspective and most of the characters were men. Langton also does wonderful accents.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
No.
Any additional comments?
I've read other books by Laura Landon and I have enjoyed them all.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
If you've never read any of her other books or if it's been a while ... Go for it. If not you'll start to see the reuse of scenes from her other books in this one ... Which is annoying. Some parts of this one didn't make much sense. The girls brother died and left her nothing but a piece of land ... Turns out the land was being used by the man who inherited the estate to smuggle opium. Why on earth would a brother put his sister in danger that way? And not warn her when he found out before he died. And he didn't tell his best friend who could have done something about it? The story line just seemed kind of forced. And the couple lacked something. Not completely horrible but I won't be listening to it again.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
It was good enough that I just managed to finish it, thus 3 stars, but I won't listen to it again.
The hero and heroine were both nice people you could care about, but the mystery solution was obvious way before our hero figured it out. His inability to Identity the villain contributed to his seeming TSTL (too stupid to live), along with his overwrought pining for his wife and child, whose death he blamed on himself.
The narrator had a good voice but he was overdramatic, and I didn't like his voice for the heroine.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
These two where too dumb to deal with... a woman too proud and definitely didn’t not understand the concept survival. She was very irrational for a 26 women down on her luck.
Griffin did not seem to understand the use of clues. Particularly one whom suppose worked as a spy in the war office.
Had to fastward to most of that angst ... lord help me from the impoverished overly privileged population
Loved the struggle to find love and peace. A tragedy to find forgiveness and love.
What did you love best about A Risk Worth Taking?
I enjoyed the inter-twining plot threads involving several minor characters as this made the ending more unpredictable.
If you’ve listened to books by Laura Landon before, how does this one compare?
To be honest, I thought at first that I'd already heard this book before as the storyline was so familiar at the beginning, but it did develop after a while and ended on a less predictable note than I'd feared.
Which character – as performed by James Langton – was your favorite?
The guilt-driven hero, Griffin Blackmore, aroused my sympathy.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
I enjoyed the tension of Anne's rescue from the cave.
Any additional comments?
James Langton is a wonderful narrator who can lift any story above the average. This man is a consummate professional and a delight to listen to. I do hope he is frequently employed on audiobooks.
2 of 4 people found this review helpful
Is there anything you would change about this book?
The storyline was predictable and not very well executed. The hero was too involved in having his own pity-party and the heroine was a stereotypical damsel in distress. The one thing in the book I thought was well done was the treatment of the hero's alcoholism and his recovery.
What was most disappointing about Laura Landon’s story?
Unfortunately, it was disappointing overall. I don't mind predictable or "been done before" provided the execution is good or there are other redeeming features, like compelling characters or good dialogue... both of which were sadly lacking here.
Which character – as performed by James Langton – was your favourite?
Thank goodness for James Langton - he's the sole reason I kept listening! Griff (the hero) became attractive in Mr Langton's hands (voice!) and all his character voices were appropriate and well-differentiated.
Do you think A Risk Worth Taking needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?
Sadly, I think the book itself needs a re-write, let alone a follow up!
Any additional comments?
Loved the narration - Mr Langton has a very attractive and soothing voice, and I'd happily listen to him anytime. Sadly, the story itself was lacklustre and not even the excellent narration could save it.