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kathydavie's review
5.0
First in the Neville Family historical romance series. The couple focus is on Xanthia Neville and Lord Nash.
Might want to fix that one line: "...being backward gets one nowhere, does it?" "Doesn't it" would work so much better.
My Take
It's certainly an intriguing start to the romance, and not one that I've ever encountered before. I do love how perfectly suited Xanthia and the romantic Stefan are for each other, and Carlyle takes advantage to write a great story as she plays against the mores and expectations of the time.
A woman playing against the expected role of a post-Regency lady with the gentlemen who support her. It's an unexpected twist on an historical romance, and while Carlyle includes a few other departures from normal behavior for this time period, she incorporates enough to satisfy me and make me want to buy this series so I can read it again and again.
The animosity between Gareth and Xanthia is handled weirdly. She keeps saying one thing and thinking another, more like an immature teenager than the savvy, mature businesswoman she's supposed to be.
Clever bit, using Pamela's condition to force Xanthia into the ton. Carlyle is also setting up all sorts of future possibilities. All very nicely played.
Crack me up. Wait'll you read the scene where Kemble is decorating the counting house. Then there's Xanthia's first meeting with Lady Nash and Lady Phaedra. I want to read Never Deceive a Duke if only to read more about this interaction!
The Story
The prologue sets the evil background that threatens the Nash family.
It's at Lady Sharpe's ball that Xanthia encounters Nash, giving her an idea of his character---its highs and lows. So when she and Kieran are importuned by de Vendenheim regarding gunrunning as well as the Greek versus Turk issues, well, Xanthia has her own ideas.
The Characters
Miss Xanthia Neville is a very independent lady, who runs the family business, Neville Shipping. Much more preferable than balls, parties, and picnics. At almost thirty, she is considering an affaire as she doubts ever finding a husband. Baron Rothewell, Kieran, is her brother and completely disinterested in the business. In life for that matter. Gareth Lloyd is the company's business agent and a long-time friend of both siblings. He'd like to be much more. Trammel is the Neville butler. Olivia is their extremely self-centered aunt.
Stefan Mihailo Northampton, the Marquess of Nash, who considers himself a "gamester and professional sybarite" never expected to inherit the title or Brierwood. Gibbons is his valet. Swann is his man of affairs. Miss Lisette Lyle is his increasingly disinterested mistress. When his father married Edwina, Stefan got step-siblings: Tony Hayden-Worth is a politican married to Jenny ; Lady Phaedra is in her early twenties; and, Lady Phoebe is much like her mother, something of an idiot.
Lady Sharpe, Pamela, is the Nevilles' cousin, and she is in an interesting way. Lady Louisa is her daughter, who has just come out. Mrs. Christine Ambrose is her sister-in-law and "an amoral cat" with some very erotic connections. Lady Bledsoe is the Nevilles' aunt and Pamela's mother.
Lord de Vendenheim-Sélestat, Max, is a vicomte and is with Mr. Peel in the Home Office. Mr. Kemble is...hmm...how shall I say this, an expert opportunist. In this story, he is thrust into being Xanthia's bodyguard. And interior decorator, snicker.
Lady Henslow is the dowager Marchioness of Nash's sister, making her Nash's step-aunt. Mrs. Wescot is the wife of an idiot whom Nash takes pity on.
Comtesse de Montignac is a blackmailer riddled with syphilis...ick. Pierre is her tolerant husband, an attaché to the French embassy.
The Cover
The cover is a complement of blues and peach with the long-legged Xanthia in a gorgeous navy silk off-the-shoulder gown as she reclines against a cloud of pale blue.
The title is a bit confusing and would be better titled Never Lie to a Lord.
Might want to fix that one line: "...being backward gets one nowhere, does it?" "Doesn't it" would work so much better.
My Take
It's certainly an intriguing start to the romance, and not one that I've ever encountered before. I do love how perfectly suited Xanthia and the romantic Stefan are for each other, and Carlyle takes advantage to write a great story as she plays against the mores and expectations of the time.
A woman playing against the expected role of a post-Regency lady with the gentlemen who support her. It's an unexpected twist on an historical romance, and while Carlyle includes a few other departures from normal behavior for this time period, she incorporates enough to satisfy me and make me want to buy this series so I can read it again and again.
The animosity between Gareth and Xanthia is handled weirdly. She keeps saying one thing and thinking another, more like an immature teenager than the savvy, mature businesswoman she's supposed to be.
Clever bit, using Pamela's condition to force Xanthia into the ton. Carlyle is also setting up all sorts of future possibilities. All very nicely played.
Crack me up. Wait'll you read the scene where Kemble is decorating the counting house. Then there's Xanthia's first meeting with Lady Nash and Lady Phaedra. I want to read Never Deceive a Duke if only to read more about this interaction!
The Story
The prologue sets the evil background that threatens the Nash family.
It's at Lady Sharpe's ball that Xanthia encounters Nash, giving her an idea of his character---its highs and lows. So when she and Kieran are importuned by de Vendenheim regarding gunrunning as well as the Greek versus Turk issues, well, Xanthia has her own ideas.
The Characters
Miss Xanthia Neville is a very independent lady, who runs the family business, Neville Shipping. Much more preferable than balls, parties, and picnics. At almost thirty, she is considering an affaire as she doubts ever finding a husband. Baron Rothewell, Kieran, is her brother and completely disinterested in the business. In life for that matter. Gareth Lloyd is the company's business agent and a long-time friend of both siblings. He'd like to be much more. Trammel is the Neville butler. Olivia is their extremely self-centered aunt.
Stefan Mihailo Northampton, the Marquess of Nash, who considers himself a "gamester and professional sybarite" never expected to inherit the title or Brierwood. Gibbons is his valet. Swann is his man of affairs. Miss Lisette Lyle is his increasingly disinterested mistress. When his father married Edwina, Stefan got step-siblings: Tony Hayden-Worth is a politican married to Jenny ; Lady Phaedra is in her early twenties; and, Lady Phoebe is much like her mother, something of an idiot.
Lady Sharpe, Pamela, is the Nevilles' cousin, and she is in an interesting way. Lady Louisa is her daughter, who has just come out. Mrs. Christine Ambrose is her sister-in-law and "an amoral cat" with some very erotic connections. Lady Bledsoe is the Nevilles' aunt and Pamela's mother.
Lord de Vendenheim-Sélestat, Max, is a vicomte and is with Mr. Peel in the Home Office. Mr. Kemble is...hmm...how shall I say this, an expert opportunist. In this story, he is thrust into being Xanthia's bodyguard. And interior decorator, snicker.
Lady Henslow is the dowager Marchioness of Nash's sister, making her Nash's step-aunt. Mrs. Wescot is the wife of an idiot whom Nash takes pity on.
Comtesse de Montignac is a blackmailer riddled with syphilis...ick. Pierre is her tolerant husband, an attaché to the French embassy.
The Cover
The cover is a complement of blues and peach with the long-legged Xanthia in a gorgeous navy silk off-the-shoulder gown as she reclines against a cloud of pale blue.
The title is a bit confusing and would be better titled Never Lie to a Lord.
ssejig's review
4.0
Xanthia Neville has moved with her brother from Barbados to London in order to expand their shipping business. Her brother is a dissolute lush so Xanthia and their business manager pretty much run the business (even though she's a woman!).
The English government approaches them to see if they can help unravel a mystery that seems to point at the the Earl of Nashville being a spy. Oops, this is the same man with whom Xanthia had recently shared a heated embrace, the man who is deemed to be a rake but somehow steps up to ask Rothwell (the brother) if he can court Xanthia the night after he encounters her.
Xanthia decides to step up, not only to discover if a British nobleman truly could be so unpatriotic but also if she could truly be attracted to such a man.
Lots of steamy love scenes in this one.
The English government approaches them to see if they can help unravel a mystery that seems to point at the the Earl of Nashville being a spy. Oops, this is the same man with whom Xanthia had recently shared a heated embrace, the man who is deemed to be a rake but somehow steps up to ask Rothwell (the brother) if he can court Xanthia the night after he encounters her.
Xanthia decides to step up, not only to discover if a British nobleman truly could be so unpatriotic but also if she could truly be attracted to such a man.
Lots of steamy love scenes in this one.
prgchrqltma's review
4.0
Characters: shipping company manager, aristocrat
World Building: interiors, management
Plot: discovering a traitor
Sex: medium to warm-ish
Read another: Yes
I find myself thinking about Carlyle's characters when I'm not reading. The right amount of angst for me.
World Building: interiors, management
Plot: discovering a traitor
Sex: medium to warm-ish
Read another: Yes
I find myself thinking about Carlyle's characters when I'm not reading. The right amount of angst for me.
fleurette's review
3.0
I’ve enjoyed some of the books by Liz Carlyle, I find her characters different and the story engaging. But I struggled with this book.
First of all, I could not find a connection with the main characters - Zee and Nash. To me their personalities are inconsistent. It is more visible in Zee, the motives of her actions change from time to time and it is difficult to keep up. On the one hand, she is a strong business woman but on the other she has no hesitation in abandoning her life as soon as Nash proposes to her. She has no second thoughts. Nash is also not as strong hero as it may seem. His love for Zee is a bit immature, more reliable for a much younger man. I know that he's crazy about love for her, but it all looks somewhat weird.
I’m glad there is also a suspense part. But to be honest it is pretty obvious who is behind arms smuggling to Greece. I wasn’t surprised. And, frankly, this part is not really important to the whole story. The final confrontation does not even appear in the book, we only see the effects of Nash's actions after. It's a pity, because it could somehow add variety to the story. Lost opportunity.
I’m not really impressed by this book. There are some better ones from this author. But the secondary characters are likeable and I want to know their stories, so I will probably read another books in this series.
First of all, I could not find a connection with the main characters - Zee and Nash. To me their personalities are inconsistent. It is more visible in Zee, the motives of her actions change from time to time and it is difficult to keep up. On the one hand, she is a strong business woman but on the other she has no hesitation in abandoning her life as soon as Nash proposes to her. She has no second thoughts. Nash is also not as strong hero as it may seem. His love for Zee is a bit immature, more reliable for a much younger man. I know that he's crazy about love for her, but it all looks somewhat weird.
I’m glad there is also a suspense part. But to be honest it is pretty obvious who is behind arms smuggling to Greece. I wasn’t surprised. And, frankly, this part is not really important to the whole story. The final confrontation does not even appear in the book, we only see the effects of Nash's actions after. It's a pity, because it could somehow add variety to the story. Lost opportunity.
I’m not really impressed by this book. There are some better ones from this author. But the secondary characters are likeable and I want to know their stories, so I will probably read another books in this series.
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