Pleasure for Pleasure

Essex Sisters, Book 4

By: Eloisa James

Narrated by: Susan Duerden

Length: 12 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

Fueled by the knowledge that notoriety is better than failure, witty, unconventional Josie does what no proper young lady should - she challenges fate. She discards her corset and flirts outrageously. She attends the horse races and allows an arrogant rakehell to whisk her behind the stables for a surreptitious kiss....and is caught!

She doesn't want to marry the young hellion? but who's to help? Her chaperone keeps disappearing for mysterious appointments; her guardian is on his wedding trip; and his friend the Earl of Mayne is too busy staring into the eyes of his exquisite French fiancee.

Can a marriage forced by stuffy convention and unwilling desire become the match of the season?

©2006, 2011 Eloisa James (P)2011 HarperCollinsPublishers

One of my favorite historic romance novels! One of the best!

This book is wonderful and horrifying and magical and hilarious. I’ve listened to it twice and often stop other books to spend time thinking about the story. After the first three books of the series (which I did enjoy), I was starting to think of James’s plots as long and complicated and dramatic. This story was also long and complicated and dramatic, but PERFECTLY so. I’ve listened to the audio of over a hundred historical romance novels, and this one sticks with me. Well done Ms. James!

love the book

What can i say. I love the book. Love the series.
The storyline is fun and you are never bored.
The narrator is great. She makes the characters alive, and each their own.
Worth your time and money or Credit 😊

Such a wonderful series!

Love the novels - love the narrator - love the characters! This is my second time through, and I've no doubt I'll be listening again.

I enjoyed this sweet romance.

I enjoyed this! Was a bit difficult at beginning to keep up with who was who so many characters introduced so quickly but they were soon well developed. As always Susan does an excellent job of narration!

Too much going on at once

This is the first book I have read by this author and I am not impressed maybe I should have started with a different one. It is all over the place I constantly find myself asking who's story are we telling here.

Loved This Series, Loved this Book

Would you consider the audio edition of Pleasure for Pleasure to be better than the print version?

at least as good!

What other book might you compare Pleasure for Pleasure to and why?

Kiss at Midnight also by Eloisa James

What does Susan Duerden bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I just love her voice, I know some reviewers don't like it, but I love EVERYTHING she narrates. She has a great "guys" voice.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, I think I almost did!

Any additional comments?

This is one of the sweetest books. I loved Josie, she'd be a wicked chick to hang with!

Can’t listen to this narrator

It seems like so many like this narrator, but I’ve listened to other books she’s narrated and I’m so distracted the whole time. I find myself reading everything in my life in her same rhythm she uses for almost every sentence. She pauses in the same places and slows down and draws out the last syllable of every other sentence. I guess she’s trying to make her voice “lilting” but I don’t like it.

A strange mix of sweet and annoying

The sweet Josie wedges herself into a corset to make herself fit into the dresses that all the other girls wear. By doing this, she only makes herself look bigger. That is the beginning of this very sweet story. I enjoyed it MOSTLY, but there were a few things that I just could not quite stomach. I Loved the Hero. He is sweet and finds himself falling for a girl who needs his support. The problem is, he is engaged to be married and professes his love for his fiancée every other page. Then suddenly, he kisses Josie and starts to fall for her. Sounds like a lukewarm love affair. Not my idea of a steadfast hero, but it does explain itself in the book and gets all tied up with a bow. That is alright. The other problem I have is that the Heroine seems smart and charming, but then gets winey and petulant. I had a harder time warming up to her. That surprised me because she is a chubby heroine and I totally relate to that. I thought I would love her, but she is so weak and needy that I almost don't like her. She does find her wings and in the end there is a wonderful HEA but to be honest, the last 1/2 of the book is far far better than the first 1/2. If you choose this book (and it really is not a bad choice) just hang out because it does get quite good in the end. I recommend it.

Susan Duerden is a rock star!!

Nice ending to the Essex sisters books...highly enjoyed...highly recommend all the books in the series!!

Listened to over and over and over again!

This is my favorite book in the whole series. I like Susan’s voice I feel transported every time!