'A Courtesan's Guide to Getting Your Man' by Celeste Bradley and Susan Donovan

From the BLURB:

Regency London’s most celebrated courtesan, The Blackbird, was a woman before her time—uninhibited, financially independent, and free to live by her own rules. Schooled in the sensual arts by the one man she loved the most, she recorded every wicked detail in her diaries…

When Boston museum curator Piper Chase-Pierpont unearths The Blackbird’s steamy memoirs, she’s aroused and challenged by what she finds. Could the courtesan’s diaries be used as a modern girl’s guide to finding love and empowerment? One curious curator—and one very lucky man—are about to find out…

In present-day Boston museum curator Piper Chase-Pierpont has made the discovery of her career. While organizing an exhibit for the life and times of infamous and beloved Boston abolitionist Ophelia Harrington, Piper stumbles across a hidden diary. . . written in the flourished hand of Ophelia herself, the diary is an extraordinary insight into the young activist’s very private life – her life before politics and family, when she was London’s notorious ‘Blackbird’ – a highly sought-after courtesan, once accused of murder.

For Piper, this museum exhibit is a last-ditch effort to keep her job. With the country in recession and last season’s disastrous exhibit still hanging over her head, the last thing Piper needs is a contentious diary labelling one of Boston’s most beloved historic figures as a scarlet woman. And then Mick Malloy swaggers into town . . . Mick, her old university teacher and first (and last) lustful crush. Until the night that Mick shattered Piper’s confidence – the repercussions of that ego-damaging turn-down carrying into Piper’s thirty-year-old spinsterhood still. Mick is now a big-wig archaeological superstar, in town to help the family business and organize a reality TV show.

Her job hanging on the line and her first love making a reappearance – Piper turns to Ophelia’s sumptuous diary entries for guidance. And as Piper decides to take hold of her life and reinvent herself, she reads Ophelia doing the same from 1813 as she learns the art of seduction under the tutelage of a masked-man known only as ‘Sir’ – a man who will hold Ophelia’s heart (and Piper’s fascination) for twelve long years.

‘A Courtesan’s Guide to Getting Your Man’ is the contemporary/historical romance combo from authors Celeste Bradley and Susan Donovan.

I have been dying to read this book ever since it came out in May. I read a fantastic review from reputable bookish source, Julie of ‘Outlandish Dreaming’ . . . not to mention Susan Donovan piquing my interest last year when I read her (incredible) contemporary romance ‘He Loves Lucy’. I was also curious of a romance written by two authors covering two romantic sub-genres – Donovan writing the contemporary, and Bradley the historical. So even before I cracked this book open I had an inkling this book was something special – and I was right.

I thought I was a pretty old-hat romantic reader at this point – but Donovan and Bradley have delivered an entirely new romantic enterprise with ‘Courtesan’s Guide’. I love contemporary romances, and I adore historical romances – but never have I read a book that combines the two so splendidly and seamlessly. The beginning of the book is told from present-day Boston, with Piper reading excerpts from Ophelia’s discovered diary. Piper’s spinster-predicament is covered, and her re-romance with Mick quickly established . . . and then as she becomes consumed with winning Mick over and taking her life by the horns, Celeste Bradley takes over the reins and the narrative switches to Ophelia back in 1813 as she begins her courtesan-quest. From there on in the two women’s tales are told simultaneously and alternating – their romances running concurrently.

Ophelia’s world is turned upside-down when her uncle and aunt auction her hand in marriage. Disgusted by the prospect of being bought and bartered, Ophelia seeks out one of the most infamous and exalted ladies of London – the Swan. She is a courtesan extraordinaire – coveted and carefree, gorgeous and graceful. Ophelia throws herself on the Swan’s mercy and tutelage, relieved when the lady agrees to help Ophelia and find her a protector. Thus, she is introduced to ‘Sir’ – the mysterious masked man who is her instructor in the carnal arts. For one week Sir teaches Ophelia all she will need to know about pleasing men and enamouring herself to society. The two share a luscious and precious bond – and though Ophelia spends the next few years as a highly sought-after courtesan, luxuriating in the finest men’s beds, she never forgets the man who taught her everything she knows . . . about love, lust and longing.

Meanwhile, in present-day Boston, homey and plain Piper is mortified when her ages-old crush waltzes into town. She has been hung-up on him since grad school, and while Mick has been off cavorting around the world she has been stuck under-paid, under-appreciated and under-sexed – pining for a man who never wanted her to begin with. But that’s all going to change thanks to Ophelia’s words of wicked wisdom.

I loved both Ophelia and Piper – two very different women with delicious stories to tell. Admittedly, Piper and Ophelia’s respective stories could have been books unto themselves . . . but things are so much more interesting and better balanced with Bradley and Donovan sharing the pen.

If we’d just had Ophelia’s story I’m not sure I would have been terribly patient with her boudoir-shenanigans and bed-hopping. The small slice of her life that we read is fiercely independent and forward-thinking – she was a woman who didn’t want to be tied down to a man, let alone bargained into marrying one. She saw a loophole in society – where men’s mistresses are free to live alone, make their own money and choose their partners – but who are still beloved by London society for their titillating behaviour and trend-setting. As it is, with the book split between two worlds, we only ever read about Ophelia’s explicit time with Sir – and her other paramours are brushed over and easily summarised.

I was a woman free to be extraordinarily unwise.
What a delightful notion.

Likewise, Piper’s story could have been fairly ho-hum – the story of a plain jane turned makeover miracle isn’t exactly original, and the tale would have been over in a matter of chapters. So, while both Ophelia and Piper’s stories could have carried their own book – each is strengthened by linking to the other in ‘Courtesan’s Guide’.

Both stories, combined, are titillatingly delicious. Piper and Mick’s romance is sweetly sensual, while Ophelia and Sir have a scorching romance. Both love stories are equally fervent and beautifully tender – we wonder if Piper and Mick will let work get in the way of their newfound love, while Sir and Ophelia battle each other’s wills and then the court of law.

And at the centre of the plot is Piper’s determination to tell Ophelia’s true X-rated story. Ophelia’s tale tells of the London marriage-mart and the few options for women of the times . . . her history also lends evidence to her future abolition activism, and Piper believes it is a tale worth telling (no matter how raunchy!).

“I’m going to lose my job, you know. Probably right there on the spot.” Her words were flat. “And there won’t be a lot of choices for me afterward. The museum world isn’t exactly clamouring for over-budget, renegade feminist curators these days.”
Mick slipped an arm around her shoulders. “But the world is always in need of women brave enough to fight the establishment.”
She looked up at him sideways, a small smile touching her lips.

I knew I would love Celeste Bradley and Susan Donovan’s ‘A Courtesan’s Guide to Getting Your Man’ – but I couldn’t predict how much. I absolutely, thoroughly and unabashedly adored this book, and it’s going on the 2011 favourite’s list for sure! I intend to read more books by both authors, and keep my fingers firmly crossed that they decide to write another romance-duet.

5/5

'Fallen' by Celeste Bradley

From the BLURB:

What happens when society's wallflower is found in bed with London's most outrageous bachelor?

To save his inheritance, Lord Julian Blackworth must propose to a woman he would just as soon forget. Izzy Temple, spinster housekeeper, wants nothing more than her freedom. Together, they strike a deal to pretend an engagement until the fuss dies down.

But when the lie becomes the truth, can Izzy and Julian set free the hearts they've been protecting for so long?

Isadora ‘Izzy’ Temple is sensuously awoken from a wonderful dream by a strange man in her bed. Scared and angered at this predicament, Izzy knocks the offending gentleman into unconsciousness with a candlestick before anything untoward can happen . . . which in turn brings half a household to her room and sets in motion her downfall in society.

Lord Julian Blackworth stumbled into spinster Temple’s bedroom by accident. Intending to have a tryst with an unhappily married woman in the room opposite, Julian was brained for his miscalculation and hitched to a wife in order to save face and gain his inheritance.

But truly, Izzy doesn’t want to be married. She is quite happy as a free spinster, and even has high hopes of venturing to America . . . ironically enough, her accidental fiancée has made her travel wishes come true. Now that Izzy is a ‘fallen’ woman she no longer needs an escort and can truly be by herself (since she is ‘ruined’ beyond repair). Now if she and Julian can keep up appearances and continue this farce of an engagement, Izzy can venture to America and start her life afresh . . . but first she needs to set a scandal in motion and break her engagement . . . if Julian will let her.

‘Fallen’ is an historical romance novel by Celeste Bradley which was released in 2001.

This novel has a rather interesting premise as Bradley explores the freedoms of forbidden romance. Izzy Temple is an over-the-hill spinster (at the age of twenty-six). She is resigned to living out her days in dull, dark gowns and acting as governess, maid and gardener to her spiteful cousin. But an unexpected rendezvous with London’s most notorious bachelor turns Izzy’s life around . . . Izzy knocks Julian into unconsciousness before anything can really occur. But the damage is done when a houseful of ton guests burst onto the scene and think Julian to be a debauched rapist. Izzy knows it was a simple (drunken) mistake, and cannot bear the thought of this strange man being cast out of society for such foolishness. So Izzy makes the spur-of-the-moment decision to claim that she and Julian are old lovers and the candlestick-braining was a lover’s quarrel.

The events that follow send London’s notorious ton society into a tail-spin. They lap up the gossip of the plain little spinster who managed to snag a Lord on the same night that she brained him. Izzy becomes unaccountably famous overnight, with Julian’s help and society’s thirst for gossip;

“You are the flaming temptress who lured me to her bed. You are the fiery lover who brained me in a passionate rage. You are the mysterious woman who has always been there, but no one remembers ever seeing. If you kicked off your slippers and performed a French cabaret dance on the tabletop, you could not be more scandalous or outrageous than you already are.”

Julian and Izzy (despite a rocky start) actually become wonderful friends. Izzy understands Julian’s late-night mistake and finds it quite funny. Izzy is also all too happy to help Julian retain his inheritance by carrying out a sham-engagement (with the firm understanding that she will be leaving for America when news of the break-up gets out). She and Julian share many tender, funny moments as they navigate a new friendship while keeping up the appearance of a couple in love. . . until the lines begin to blur.

The novel starts out interestingly enough, and I quite liked that Izzy and Julian established an easy repartee and friendship early on. But half-way through the novel things get complicated and convoluted.

It’s as though Bradley realized that Izzy and Julian had it too easy and so began writing obstacles for them to conquer. There’s Julian’s over-bearing, villainous father. Izzy’s hateful, inheritance-stealing cousin. A lot of ‘much ado about nothing’ style misunderstandings and half-heard conversations which lead Izzy to believe that Julian is cheating on her, and Julian to believe that Izzy is in love with his best friend. The second-half of the novel didn’t work as well for me because of all these layered storylines and complications. I thought Izzy and Julian had an interesting enough coupling to begin with, and didn’t think that Bradley needed to layer so many more obstacles before them.

‘Fallen’ was a wonderful historical romance with an interesting premise about a fallen spinster navigating her new popularity in ton society. Celeste Bradley lost me a little halfway through, when she starts piling complication on top of misunderstanding for the sake of a more spectacular ending . . . but otherwise I enjoyed this romance.

3.5/5