Sweet Enemy

Veiled Seduction Series, Volume 1

By: Heather Snow

Narrated by: Kate Marcin

Length: 11 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

Beakers and ball gowns don’t mix. So when lady chemist and avowed spinster Miss Liliana Claremont receives a coveted invitation to the earl of Stratford’s house party, no one expects her to accept. After all, it’s well known Lord Geoffrey Wentworth, a rising political star, is in need of a suitable bride, and it’s assumed he will choose one from the select group of attendees.

Yet Liliana has no desire to lure the rich and powerful earl into marriage. She’s come to Somerton Park for one reason - to uncover what the Wentworths had to do with the murder of her father. She intends to find justice, even if she has to ruin Stratford to do it.

To get the evidence she needs, Liliana intends to keep her enemy close, though romance is not part of her formula. But it only takes one kiss to start a reaction she can’t control....

Winner of the Golden Quill for best published Regency romance.

Sweet Enemy is the first full-length novel in the critically acclaimed historical romance series from national best-selling author Heather Snow. Those who love Courtney Milan, Lisa Kleypas, Jennifer Ashley, Meredith Duran, Sabrina Jeffries, and Grace Burrowes should enjoy this audiobook.

©2012 Heather Snow (P)2018 Heather Snow

Critic reviews

“Historical intrigue and heart-pounding passion make Sweet Enemy a great read. Romance fans will love it.” (Number-one NYT best-selling author Julie Garwood)

“Heather Snow combines sizzling tension, witty dialogue, and achingly raw emotions for a passionate love story you’ll remember long after the last page.” (Kathryn Smith, USA Today best-selling author)

An Exquisite Adventure Where You Will Fall in Love

Absolutely breathtaking! A female chemist ahead of her times, a murder mystery, a Lord who wants to be anywhere else but being hunted by marriage-minded ladies, and a missing treasure... this novel will take you on a delightful adventure into romance, royalty, and treason.
Heather Snow delights with characters that are enchanting, funny, and have depth. Many times romance novels can sort of blend together, but Sweet Enemy truly stands out. The heroine is clever, determined, and unlike ladies of her time. The Earl of Stratford is powerful, progressive, and heart throbbingly portrayed. The chemistry between the two sizzles to the point of a brilliant explosion. The underlying plot is well thought out and leaves the reader wondering as to the conclusion throughout the novel. It's a fun, emotionally powerful read that is impossible to put down.
The audiobook, narrated by Kate Marcin, is expertly portrayed. Her voice is soothing and her tone and pace add depth that pulls the reader into her every word. Absolutely a must listen-to novel for anyone who loves a good romance!

Sexy Earl Falls For Smart Bookish Bluestocking!

Sweet Enemy is a fantastic historical romance by Heather Snow set in 1817 Shropshire, England. This is the first book in the Veiled Seduction series where all the heroines are smart educated women who are proud to be called bluestockings.

Sweet Enemy features Liliana Claremont who is disappointed yet again that she was denied admittance into the Royal Society after she wrote a paper on the isolation of chemicals from plants for medicinal purposes. When her cottage is ransacked, she discovers a stack of letters that includes a letter that sheds light on her father’s death 10 years before. She avows to investigate her father’s death and she starts with the Earl of Stratford who sent the last letter to her father indicating a betrayal. Liliana soon maneuvers an invitation to a two-week house party hosted at Stratford’s estate for the sole reason to investigate for clues about her father’s murder.

The current Earl is Geoffrey Wentworth is a recently returned war hero who is focused on improving the lives of former soldiers, such as ensuring the Poor Employment Act is passed through Parliament. He is extremely frustrated with his mother for scheduling the house party and he intends on making an appearance only without giving in to her machinations (she used his seal to send the invitations without his knowledge or consent in an attempt to find him a wife). However, it doesn't take long to see that Geoffrey and Liliana are destined for each other. He quickly figures out that Lilian is nothing like other ladies of the Ton. He admires her tenacity, her mind, and strong convictions. In other words, she challenges him and makes him a better man.

What I love most about Sweet Enemy is the character development. Geoffrey is an exemplary hero who is strong like every hero should be, yet he is filled with understanding and compassion. He is also extremely kindhearted and patient when it comes to caring for his fellow former soldiers - no matter what their class in life. Liliana's character is strong, determined, and at times feisty, and every inch Geoffrey's equal.

I listened to the Audible version of this book narrated by the highly talented Kate Marcin. She was simply outstanding, providing different voices for all the characters. Kate also has a rhythm to her reading that is simply melodic and enchanting. I highly recommended this audiobook!

Sweet Enemy

I was thrilled to have the opportunity to review the audiobook of Sweet Enemy. I loved listening to the narrator reading and "acting" the story. Liliana and Geoffrey are quite a pair. They had wonderful chemistry. I cannot wait to find out what happens in the Veiled Seduction series. Good stuff.
5 plus stars.

Good story, strange vowels but fluent performance overall

Had already read this book, and admit that ‘classic’ regency from Georgette Heyer and others is more historically plausible, but I am just getting into historical romances on audible so I thought I would try it. I normally listen to detective stories, philosophy and political books. I found it disconcerting to listen to the intimate passages; somehow it is easier to read them! The other odd thing for me was the way the narrator pronounced some words with a short ‘a’ like ‘brash’, ‘mass’ or ‘battle’ with a long ‘ah’ like ‘calm’ or ‘papa’. It was weird. The ‘o’ was also strange at times, Wondered if she was an American doing an English accent? Anyway - otherwise a lovely voice, fluent performance and lots of variation between characters.

Lilianna will not give up.

After she interrupts an intruder, Liliana finds some old letters that gave her a clue to her father's death. In order to find out who murdered him, she has to go to a house party at Lord Wentworth's home. She suspects that Lord Wentworth, or someone in his home, killed her father. What she discovers is, love. She realizes that Geoffrey did not murder her father and that his father was murdered also. Geoffrey thinks that Lilianna may be just like his mother, conniving. He doesn't find out about her snooping until after he has fallen in love with her. Well, he will marry her, but he just won't give her his heart. Easier said than done. Will they uncover the mystery of their father's deaths?

This was phenomenal!

Heather Snow has done some fabulous research for this book. It was a lovely, heart-pounding romance, but the best part was the in-depth look at the treatment a female chemist would have received during this time period. A very enjoyable, well-researched read. And the narrator was FAB! I’ll be on the watch for more books from both of them!

Nicely done!

Liliana Claremont has an analytical mind, a scientific mind, but unlike most girls her age, she is not looking for the most advantageous match. Her father taught her well, and when she learns the mysterious facts linked to his death several years earlier, she is determined to find out who is responsible and why. She suspects the father of Geoffrey Wentworth was involved, and wonders if his son was involved as well. Geoffrey has been tricked by his mother into choosing a wife from a party of marriage prospects. Liliana is one of those women, but she is not there to attract Geoffrey. She’s there to find her father’s killer. As she spends more time around the handsome Geoffrey and a budding relationship and growing trust develops, her guilt increases at her duplicity. Her dishonesty can’t be helped, but will it ruin everything?
It’s common in romance novels for the heroine to be strong and independent, but delightfully, this one is intelligent, too. A great story, nice character development, and you won’t guess the ending until it’s revealed. Love this reader, too.

Delightfully full of twists and turns!

Sweet Enemy is delightfully full of unexpected twists and turns. This was the first book by Heather Snow that I’ve read and she’s certainly made a fan out of me!

Terribly slow and boring

I am not sure why this book was so terrible. It should have been great and suspenseful, but it just dragged. The scientific explanations did not help. The h/h were just a little too perfect. Two people without flaws should have no problem getting together.
I am beginning to hate heroines that keep saying they will never marry, but slip out of their clothes as soon as possible. The phrase I don't want to marry you, but can we have sex is just too modern a concept for this time, and seems out of place. There was also a little too much intimacy ( I can't believe I am saying this) for an h/h that doesn't want to marry. Also the heroine is smart, but then does dumb things. If the two of them had just had an open conversation about the "mystery" all would have been resolved. Don't bother talking, but let's have sex is also a modern problem...
The narrator was not good enough to save the book. At times I thought the English accent was faked. Unfortunately I have relatives visiting from England so the comparison makes her accent seem false.
This is my first Heather Snow novel, and probably the last. I just can't understand the plot, characters or why barriers keep coming up for no reason. I thought this was a wasted credit.

Prefer writing that doesn't "tell" me the story

I dislike this kind of writing most of all. Show me, don't tell me, what the character is thinking/doing through their actions, interactions with other characters and their environment, the actions and interactions of other characters, etc. I like a book that makes me feel like I'm watching a movie or play, where I don't know what's going on in the characters' heads - more like life itself.

I dislike this author's style of writing, and it's too irritating to get past the first chapter. I much prefer the style of Dorothy Dunnett and her like. This author's style of writing is too irritating for me to get past the first chapter.