Thursday, March 12, 2015

Review: The Bedding Proposal

THE BEDDING PROPOSAL
The Rakes of Cavendish Square #1
Tracy Anne Warren
Historical Romance
352 pages
Signet
Available Now
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
From New York Times bestselling author Tracy Anne Warren, the first of a new trilogy about the most dashingly dangerous men in London. Pay a call to the most seductive address in London and meet the Rakes of Cavendish Square....

Lord Leo Byron is bored with the aristocratic company he keeps; he needs a distraction, preferably in the form of a beautiful new female companion. So when he sets eyes on fascinating and scandalous divorcée Lady Thalia Lennox, he’s determined to make her intimate acquaintance. But the spirited woman seems to have no intention of accepting his advances no matter how much he chases—or how hard he falls....

Once a darling of Society, Thalia Lennox now lives on its fringes. The cruel lies that gave her a notoriously wild reputation have also left her with a broken heart and led to a solemn vow to swear off men. Still, Leo Byron’s bold overtures are deliciously tempting, and, for the first time, she finds herself wondering whether it just might be worth the risk to let the attractive rake into her life—and her bed....


MY THOUGHTS
The Bedding Proposal is historical romance at its most delightful, a lead couple who excel at banter and good-natured antagonism paired with a very real and infuriating threat to their happily ever after to leave us satisfied on every level. The two of them lead one another on a merry dance in this tale, Leo’s initial desire to attain the surprisingly unattainable slowly shifting and changing into the much deeper desire to give Thalia the life that has been denied her in the most humiliating way possible. Thalia quickly shows Leo she is not the sort, regardless of salacious gossip that would suggest otherwise, to fall over in a dead faint at the first flex of his rapier wit and the flash of his charming smile. As a couple they are the perfect combination of sweet and sexy, ensuring we have trouble setting their story aside and returning to our real lives.

Thalia is an extraordinary woman, doing her best every day to let the cruel words of a notoriously judgmental society roll off her back, and dealing with those like Leo (initially at least) who seek her out simply to flirt with the danger she presents to their reputations or the challenge as a potential conquest. She doesn't stay silent in the face of their not-so subtle mockery nor does she absorb their blows as her due for the mistake she made in marrying the wrong man, instead she lets them feel the edge of her sharp tongue as she makes a classy exit. 


Leo, for his part, while amusingly dedicated to seducing Thalia despite her assurances that a romance between them will never come to pass, doesn't push her in a way that makes us want to come to her defense. He's patient (though single-minded for a good portion of the book), accepting quickly that he enjoys her as a person instead of simply a notch on his bedpost, and as things between them get more serious, he shows us time and again that he's more than worthy of her affection.

Sometimes with romances we're given a less-than valid reason as to why our hero and heroine can't be together long-term, typically a piece of emotional baggage on one or both of their parts that causes them to suddenly throw in the towel when they hit a bump in the road, but with The Bedding Proposal we find our couple stymied by a truly insurmountable obstacle. While a fortuitous event suddenly creates a door in the aforementioned obstacle that allows them safe passage through to their happily ever after, we can't help but appreciate the appalling nature of what blocked their way in the first place. Overall, The Bedding Proposal is a hugely successful first installment, and the next book featuring Leo's sister can't release soon enough.

Rating: 4/5


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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review
I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

26 comments:

  1. I must read a HR soon, I do adore them

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  2. MUST. HAVE. JENNY. :D I'm always looking for a new GOOD historomance.

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    1. I really think you'd like this one Amanda! Both Thalia and Leo are smart and witty, and I loved how things between them developed:)

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  3. This sounds great! I love historical romances but I don't read nearly enough of them. I'm very glad to hear Leo is persistent but not overbearing. I do love banter too, so I think this is going onto my TBR pile. Thanks for introducing me to it with your lovely review!

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    1. It'd been far too long since I'd read one, and this just reminded me what I love so much about the genre as a whole:)

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  4. Oooo I think I would like Thalia! Darn it, you aren't helping my TBR pile today Jenny. :P

    Great review!

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  5. I know Kim adored this book as well, so I'm really excited to get to it, Jenny. If only I wasn't as put off by that cover! That boy looks so young! Nothing like a rake!
    I love the sound of the banter and the antagonism. But the obstacle scares me!
    Great review, Jenny.

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  6. I don't read many romances but for some reason I really feel like getting this one! *adds to GR list* *checks Amazon*
    Fantastic review Jenny!

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    1. READ IT PILI!!! You won't be disappointed, I know it:)

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  7. I'm taking a break with some fun, feel good romances and I think this one fits that mood perfectly. I've never heard of this author before so thanks for putting it on my radar. I'll add to my tbr pile!

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    1. I hear you Rummanah! I've been in a huge slump lately, and this just brought a smile to my face:)

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  8. I like the cover. It is a nice change for a historical.
    Sounds like this one is worth the read and I am glad that you enjoyed the romance. I will have to give this a try.

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    1. He definitely looks young, but I think that fits because Leo is only 25 which is practically a baby for a historical romance leading man:) Loved him though!

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  9. It's great to have a good historical romance like that. I love to read one from time to time and this one sounds great! thank you for the discovery! I'm curious.

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    1. I hope you give it a try Melliane! I thoroughly enjoyed it:)

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  10. I've been reading many a complimentary review of this one. Gotta get to it myself :) A very thoughtful review - well done!

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    1. Woo hoo! Hope you love it as much as I did:)

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  11. I enjoyed this as well and yes that obstacle made me furious..but it was genuine.

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    1. Right? And I loved that they really and truly couldn't find away around it and were planning on doing something unexpected until a certain event happened:)

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  12. This sounds good, Jenny! I hope you are well. *hugs*

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  13. Grrr I'm so peeved I didn't grab this one. I usually skip over the HR section, but I saw this one and contemplated it. But noooo! I love this kind of dynamic in romance. A lot. -sigh-

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  14. I'm happy to hear that Thalia stood up to the snarky people around her, in a classy way of course. I do find obstacles that seem insurmountable sort of stressful while I read. I keep wondering how things can possibly work out. Lovely review, Jenny! So happy to hear you enjoyed this one. :)

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  15. This sounds like a historical couple that features a strong heroine and a swoony hero that isn't actually a jerk! Haha :) I love that Thalia is a sassy girl that isn't afraid to speak her mind, and that Leo is someone who wouldn't force himself upon the girl. I mean, a guy like that is ALMOST nonexistent nowadays (the good ones are already taken. oh god why world!)

    Faye at The Social Potato

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