'Revealed' by Kate NOBLE

From the BLURB:

Phillippa Benning is the unrivaled beauty of the Season. But when another lady challenges her for a marquis's attentions, Phillippa entices him to a secret rendezvous - only to stumble upon The Blue Raven, England's most famous spy, lurking at the site of her planned tryst.

The Blue Raven has uncovered an enemy plot directed at upcoming society functions, but he's unable to infiltrate London society. Phillippa makes an offer: in exchange for entrée among the ton, he agrees to have his true identity revealed at the Benning Ball - guaranteeing her unrivaled notoriety. As the danger draws closer, the mysterious spy and Phillippa give in to mutual desire. But when the game turns deadly, betrayal waits around the corner, and Phillippa must decide once and for all - is it the myth that captured her heart, or the man?

This is Kate Noble’s second novel.

I read and adored her debut novel ‘Compromised’. And I was not in the least bit disappointed by her second novel…

I loved this book, mostly because it flies in the face of most romance conventions.

To begin with, the leading lady is a bit hard to like. Phillipa Benning is a Ton darling – she became widowed five days after her marriage, and spent subsequent years enjoying the added freedom widowhood granted her. She preens for the society pages, bats her eyes at handsome young bucks and has London society wrapped around her little finger. Phillipa is quite opposite to any other female romance protagonist I have ever read. She comes across as quite self-involved, egotistical and snobbish. She has a biting wit that is mostly aimed at badly dressed young ladies floundering in their first season. And in her first few scenes, readers are witness to an ongoing rivalry between Ms. Phillipa Benning and one Lady Jane Cummings – the cattiness is not attractive, and furthers colors Phillipa’s prickly demeanor.

But throughout the book Noble peels back Phillipa’s many layers. She is in fact a very intelligent and empowered young woman, whose charmed life is not as dazzling as the society pages suggest. It’s a very satisfying and intriguing character development – especially because in the romance genre it is normally the male lead that readers (and the stories’ heroine) have to investigate and delve beyond initial facades.

In ‘Revealed’ the male protagonist is in fact quite a straightforward, and ‘open book’ of a character. Marcus Worth is nothing special. He is tall and lanky (‘string-bean’, Phillipa initially sneers) with passable looks, and is the third-son to a nothing Lord. Phillipa ignores him initially – until an unexpected encounter in a Sarcophagus forces them together.

It’s all switched up in this historical romance. The leading man is a plain and sweet gentlemen (albeit with a whopping big secret) and it’s the heroine who undergoes the big transformation and unveiling of character. Phillipa, not Marcus, is the one who flits and flirts and has her eye set on a Marquis conquest. Noble devastates convention by making the heroine the character that needs ‘taming’.

The romance is spectacular – it is a case of opposites attracting, and the differences between Phillipa and Marcus make their relationship combustible and delicious.

She replaced it carefully, and leaned over even farther, reaching for ‘Birds’, volume R. Reaching, reaching… almost there… her finger was just on the spine—

“Why is it I always find you skulking about other people’s libraries?”

Phillipa nearly jumped out of her skin, and turned. Unfortunately, being so precariously balanced on a ladder while out-of-skin jumping has the most predictable of Newtonian effects.

She fell.

Right into the waiting arms of Marcus Worth.

“Hello” he said cheerfully, his mouth twisted into a wry smile. “Just me.”

Cradled in his embrace, staring into his eyes, Phillipa knew one thing.

It was going to be the challenge of her life to talk her way out of this one.

One thing I love about Kate Noble is her masterful writing. She imbues her characters with dry wit, her scenes with dazzling extravagance and her plot is a twisted affair. The romance is wonderful, but there’s also a ‘whodunnit’ in this book that really adds flavour and makes for a fulfilling read.

I love this author – she is now an automatic-buy for me. Her third book (about Lady Jane Cummings) is ‘The Summer of You’ and is out now.

5/5

'Compromised' by Kate NOBLE

From the BLURB:

Miss Gail Alton is not having a good day. Or a good year. First, her new stepmother strong-arms her into attending the Season as a foil to her beautiful sister Evangeline. Then, while riding her mare in the park, she gets toppled by a stuffy, self-important, too-handsome-by-half "gentleman" who has the audacity to blame her for their fall into the chilly lake! Little does she know that the very same man will soon be found in a compromising position with Gail's sister.

Forced into asking for Evangeline's hand in marriage, Maximillian, Viscount Fontaine, can't take his mind off the irksome girl who threw him from his horse and who can match wits with him at every turn. He's determined to follow through with his best intentions, yet he can't deny that every encounter with Gail makes him want to cast propriety aside-and whisk away the sister of his soon-to-be bride.

It’s not very often that I find myself on the edge of my seat while reading a regency romance. More often than not the storyline is predictable and a happy ending is never far away. That’s quite all right – in fact it’s the whole reason I read regency romances. But I was pleasantly surprised by Kate Noble’s debut novel and how she managed to make ‘regency romance’ synonymous with ‘nail biter’.

Noble gets her hero and heroine so utterly twisted up in a thoroughly compromising position that even though I knew (deep, deep down) that things would work out romantically in the end, it was still a roller coaster of a journey to see how the characters got there.

Max and Gail meet when the two are unceremoniously dumped into a lake by their respective horses. Heated words ensue and the next time they meet, Gail is drunk as a skunk at a Ton party and vomiting on Max’s shoes. At the same Ton party Max bumps into Gail’s elder sister, the lovely Evangeline, and is instantly infatuated and even a little relieved when they are discovered in a compromising (though innocent) position that forces him to propose to her. Max can only see one drawback to marrying the ethereal Evangeline, and that is having Gail ‘the brat’ as his sister-in-law.

What follows is a slowly romantic and totally unintentional courtship between Max and Gail as Max learns the fleeting affections of lust are no match for the timelessness of true love. It’s incredibly sweet to watch Gail and Max go from being at logger-heads to reluctant affection to utter devotion. And all while navigating Ton gossip and the promises each of them have made.

Gail is a wonderful regency heroine. As is the case with most beloved leading ladies of the 1800’s – Gail is no dimwitted debutante. She is a wallflower who shies away from social events and conversations with men – but only because she fears her wicked wit and quick tongue will get her in trouble. She has high-minded opinions about England’s need to colonize other countries and the Crown’s rape of other cultures. She is utterly charming and a little bit clumsy. My kind of girl!

Max is a wonderful leading man for the headstrong Gail. He doesn’t back down from her arguments and actively encourages her debates and disagreements with him. He is enamored of her fiery personality and encourages her to let it out more often.

Gail hemmed. “I just worry too much about making a mess of things.”

Max squeezed her hand. “I am suddenly overwhelmed by this feeling that you will be just fine.”

“Why is that?” she questioned.

He laced his fingers through hers. “Because when no one’s watching,” he whispered, “you’re fearless”.

Max and Gail are smokin’ hot too. Their romance is aided by pent-up frustrations caused by propriety and an inconvenient engagement to the wrong sister – so when they do finally act on their feelings, it’s sexy as all get out!

The best thing about ‘Compromised’ is Noble’s ability to keep the reader guessing. Even though you know a happy resolution is in store, Noble has created such a twisty-turny plot and gotten her characters into such hot water it’s entertaining to see how they get themselves out of their predicaments.

I will definitely be reading more of Ms. Noble’s work – I even think she will join the ranks of Lisa Kleyas, Julia Quinn and Tessa Dare as being one my favorite historical romance authors.

5/5