Welcome to Sugarbeat’s Books – The Home of the Romance Novel!
Welcome also to Series Sunday! We are continuing today with Elizabeth’s Boyle’s Bachelor Chronicles. This is the book that got me back into reading Ms. Boyle’s books after a long time. I picked up this book at a book signing quite some time ago and had the opportunity to have a nice chat about the advantages of puffy shirts on men…..
Lord Langley is Back in Town by Elizabeth Boyle
ISBN: 978-0-06-178351-7
Publisher: Avon Historicals
Release: 2011
Source: I purchased this book to read and review
Blurb: Lord Langley and MInerva, Lady Standon, began their faux engagement with three simple rules set down by the baron’s all-too-proper (and utterly unlikely) bride-to-be.
- No more kissing. The intoxicating kiss Langley stole from her lips still has Minerva aflutter.
- She will not share his bed. (For if his kiss is that tempting, Minerva doesn’t dare imagine what a night in Langley’s embrace will do to her already addled senses.)
- No scandals during the engagement. With the infamous Langley back in Town, there is no lack of trouble he can bring to Minerva’s unblemished reputation.
Oh, the wily Lord Langley will keep his word – but that doesn’t mean he won’t use every rakish trick he know to get Minerva to break her own proper rules, especially once he realizes that this convenient arrangement has led him to the only woman he’s ever loved….
Lord Langley is Back in Town is a book that I bought from the Book Fair at the RWA conference back in the fall. I not only bought the book, but I had it autographed by Ms. Boyle and had a delightful few minutes of discussion with her. We had the opportunity to discuss the cover of her book, and how we so often pick our next read by the cover. As you can see, this book is graced by a yummy young man – whom we are to assume is Lord Langley – with his chest mostly bare and the classic puffy shirt on. Hhhmmmm…well on to the story!
Lord Langley is Back In Town is a book that is in the middle of a series that Elizabeth Boyle is writing. For those of us joining the series mid-stream she provides a lovely family tree inside the front of the book. Although it is probably ideal to read the series from beginning to end, I didn’t have any trouble reading this book out of order. There is plenty of history provided so that it is possible to start mid-stream.
Lord Langley is thought to be dead. Killed by some unscrupulous men in the English goverment some years back. It seems that they didn’t do a very good job, however as he is most certainly alive and back in London to try to figure out who tried to kill him and bring that person or persons to justice. Although he’s been in London for several weeks, only a select few people are aware he is alive. This all changes when Langley confronts one of his suspects, Sir Basil Brownett, in his carriage and all but accuses him of the attempted murder. This, of course, will start the chain of events to bring the villains out of the dark and allow the pieces of the puzzle to be put together.
Langley has been hiding out in his former house, which has Minerva Sterling, Lady Stanton now living in it. She is a widow and determined to stay that way. She had a short but unpleasant marriage to the dissolute Marquess of Stanton and has no interest in finding herself married again. This, of course, is a problem when Langley bursts into her bedroom accidentally, and declares to witnesses that they are engaged to be married. She then needs to find a way out of this marriage, but with every passing day, her attraction to Langley grow and grows.
This is a thoroughly delightful book! It is filled with colorful characters, rollicking action and steamy love scenes. I haven’t read one of Ms Boyle’s books in a while, and had forgotten what a good time they were! The plot twists and turns, keeping the reader on their toes, and desperately reading into the wee hours trying to get to the end! The interaction of the various characters is wonderful. At times it has the reader laughing, at times, crying. The villains are truly villainous and the hero is truly a hero by the end of the story. There are many minor characters that deserve a note. Mrs Hutchinson is the housekeeper and cook. She spends a good portion of her time drinking and offering unwanted opinions. She and her opinions keeping popping in at interesting times! Aunt Bedelia is Minerva’s older aunt. She has buried 4 husbands and is deleriously happy with her fifth. She is determined to marry Minerva off and does whatever she can to further the idea of marriage, siding with which ever party will further her wishes!
We meet Aunt Bedelia in the first chapter when she comes for an unannounced visit. She speaks her mind and calls a spade a spade. No matter how humiliating her comments are to Minerva, she cuts close to the truth!
The nannies also deserve a mention. These are colourful ladies that all seem to have murky pasts. They appear at Lady Stanton’s house and move themselves in, determined that Lord Langley is alive and determined to find him. One is never certain if they are friend or foe, regardless, they are a colourful group that are constantly unpredictable.
I loved reading this book and being reminded of what a wonderful storyteller Elizabeth Boyle is! I am currently engrossed in Confessions of a Little Black Gown and I managed to snag a copy of Mad About the Duke during the Christmas Sales 🙂 It seems that Ms. Boyle has written a handful of books when my back was turned and I have a lot to catch up on!
Lord Langley is Back in Town is available at Amazon