Notorious
A Thrilling Historical Regency Romance Saga
-
-
3.7 • 402 Ratings
-
-
- $9.99
-
- $9.99
Publisher Description
A PopSugar Best New Romance of November
A She Reads Fall Historical Romance Pick
A Bookclubz Recommended Read
“Unique characters and emotional depth...a winner. Spencer gives you all the feels!”
—Sabrina Jeffries
“Brilliantly crafted…an irresistible cocktail of smart characterization, sophisticated sensuality, and sharp wit.”
—Booklist STARRED REVIEW
“Sparkling…impossible not to love.”
—Popsugar
Fans of Evie Dunmore, Sarah MacLean, and Eloisa James will delight in this innovative, empowering, and sexy story from acclaimed author Minerva Spencer. Join the Rebels of the Ton as they subvert Regency norms and expectations…and manage to find true love along the way.
The cure for a willful wife . . .
Drusilla Clare is full of opinions about why a woman shouldn’t marry. But that doesn’t stop the rush of desire she feels each time her best friend’s brother, notorious rake Gabriel Marlington, crosses her path. So imagine her dismay when she finds herself in the clutches of a scoundrel, only to be rescued by Gabriel himself. And when Gabriel’s heartless—and heart-pounding—proposal comes, it’s enough to make Dru’s formidable resolve crumble . . .
. . . is a smitten husband.
She’s sharp-tongued, exasperating—and due to one careless moment—about to become his wife. Still, something about Drusilla has Gabriel intrigued. First there’s the delicious flush of her skin every time she delivers a barb—and then the surprisingly sensual feel of her in his arms. Gabriel even finds himself challenged by her unusual philosophies. And when he discovers a clandestine rival for Dru’s affection, his temperature flares even hotter. But the real threat to their happiness is one neither of the newlyweds sees coming. If they’re to save their future—and their very lives—they’ll need to trust in each other and their growing love.
“Packed full of fiery exchanges and passionate embraces, this is for those who prefer their Regencies on the scandalous side.”
—Library Journal
“Strong, complex, and believable.”
—Publishers Weekly
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The tangled Victorian romance that launches the Rebels of the Ton series from Spencer (the Academy of Love series) kicks off when the very wealthy Drusilla Clare is discovered in what appears to be a compromising position with her conversational sparring partner and secret crush, Gabriel Marlington. The two must marry to save their reputations, but guarded Drusilla, a "follower of Mary Wollstonecraft," finds no joy in the prospect of marriage and worries about what being married to man she loves unrequitedly will do to her psyche. Algerian-born Gabe has been the subject of gossip since his arrival in London and doesn't want his good name smeared. He doesn't understand why his new wife has always treated him with such vitriol, but he's determined to try to have a happy, monogamous marriage. The more Gabe seduces Drusilla with his intellect and patience, the more she lowers her guard and lets him see her true feelings but Gabe's made some powerful enemies by ruffling feathers among London's upper crust, and the budding romance may not survive the threats on their lives. Though Drusilla's defensive hostility toward Gabe grows tedious, both characters are strong, complex, and believable, and the cliffhanger offers a nice setup for the sequel. Readers who like thrills mixed in with their romance should check this out.
Customer Reviews
Lea
Loved the book. Well written story line was great. Thanks .
A New Favorite Series
Notorious by Minerva Spencer is exactly the type of book I am always looking for. Regency Historical Romance is one of my all time favorite genres and this book did not disappoint. Starting with a marriage of necessity between two people who do nothing but bicker, the set up of this novel already utilizes some of my favorite tropes of the genre. On top of the basic plot, there is a decent amount of drama and intrigue from the sub-plots and also addresses racism against the Middle East in this period of history.
The relationship between the two main characters is deep and rich. The story is told from each of their perspectives which gives you an idea of what is going on in both of their heads instead of being one-sided. You get a sense of what they both want and how each feels about the various arguments and obstacles to their relationship. I could not put this book down once I started and cannot wait for the next in the series!
More of Dru would’ve been nice
We get the chance to learn so much about Gabe, but the heroine, Dru, seems like a secondary character… her story is compelling initially and then just fades into Gabe’s past… a pity…