By: Cerise DeLand
Publisher: W J Power
Published: November 6, 2014
Genre: Historical, Romance
Length: Novel
Heat Level: Spicy
Reviewer: Toni
Date: November 15, 2014
Jack, Adam, Wes and Mark Stanhope fear falling in love. No wonder. No Stanhope has enjoyed a happy marriage in centuries. What does it take to change the family curse? Courage? Devotion? Love?
LORD STANHOPE’S IMPROPER PROPOSAL
Adam Stanhope is a politician who needs a wife. When he marries for convenience, he overlooks the fact that he cares for his lovely childhood friend more than he should.
LADY FEATHERSTONE’S FERVENT AFFAIR
Wes Stanhope is a national hero, but he’s wounded physically and emotionally. When the woman he loves wants to help him, he learns that the woman he adores can be just as courageous in the bedroom as he was on the battlefield.
MISS DARLING’S INDECENT OFFER
Jack Stanhope leads a carefree existence but when he meets Emma Darling, he realizes that in saving this woman from dastardly men is his saving grace.
THE BASTARD’S PASSIONATE PRIZE
Illegitimate Mark Stanhope expects nothing from his family, but when they save him, he in turn saves a young noblewoman who has the valor to stand against others who would abuse her.
Lord Stanhope's Improper Proposal
Lord Adam the youngest of the brothers and the most gun shy. He has his reasons and proof of the validity of it. I enjoyed his battle, but I think I enjoyed Felice’s strength the most.
Felice is a young widow who has adored Adam since she was a child. While she may know the ways of being married, she knows that something was missing from her first marriage. She showed spunk and determination in a time when it is a rare commodity. I loved how she decided to own her marriage and be damned what her husband thinks he wants.
It doesn’t take long for Adam to come to his senses, but with a wonderfully headstrong woman as his wife, he didn’t stand a chance. Too bad Felice’s independent nature and self-reliance is going to cause problems for Adam and their marriage.
What a fun start to the boxset. The Stanhope men seem to be a little on the weak side when it comes to manning up and not being a big babies about falling in love. Adam was in a rather crappy first marriage and I can kinda see his point, but WOW I really hope all the other Stanhope men are not so superstitious and scared. Thank goodness Felice was on the scene and she more than made up for Adams’s insecurities. If I lived in that time period, I only hope that I would have a bit of this take charge woman in me.
Lord Stanhope’s Improper Proposal is a very promising start to the series. Ms. DeLand did not disappoint and wrote two perfectly suited characters that were easy to love and enjoy.
Lady Featherstone's Fervent Affair
What is better than a dashing military man? Well a determined woman who knows what she wants and knows how to get it. One that will take a self-imposed prisoner of war and love, hold and heal him until she has repaired all the heart breaking damage.
Colonel Wesley Stanhope is a broken man. He was once an unstoppable rouge and leader, but is now a shell of a man. With the future no longer in his grasp, he retreats and implodes upon himself.
Lady Lacy knew at first sight that the older, handsome Wesley was the man for her. Within hours of meeting him, she had him hooked and she thought she had secured a loving future with him. Now she has to dig deep and pull her love out of the hole he has dug for himself. She is willing and ready to capture the man that stole her heart.
LOVED LACY! Wow, what a fun, determined, young lady. She may seem impetuous at times, but she knew what she wanted and set out to get it. Not taking no for an answer, she is lovingly ingenious in her pursuit to heal Wesley.
Lady Lacy’s determination is sure to put a smile on your face. I enjoyed this story very much and I am looking very forward to Jack’s adventure in love.
Miss Darling's Indecent Offer
Jack is the oldest of the brothers and therefore the heir. He has no desire to fall to the family curse and will happily pass on the title and money to any of his younger brothers. With nothing to ever change his mind; he is living the life of a forever rouge.
What he didn’t expect was having Emma fall right into his lap or quite literally right into a rather large puddle in front of his carriage. Dripping wet and desperate he is torn between his freedom and the pull to help her. Because of Emma, he may finally be able to end a foe that has plagued him for a very long time. She makes him an offer that may be too sweet to pass up.
Emma is at her wits end. Desperate to save herself she makes an offer to a man she never expected. A man who can answer her prayers and finally answer some questions her body has been craving. With nothing to lose she does the unspeakable, she asks a Stanhope man to marry her.
I think this may be the most endearing of the stories for me. I enjoyed how the two of them approached their situation and how it changed them forever. With sexy sparring and tempting touches, these two never stood a chance. They were made for each other.
Miss Darling's Indecent Offer is wonderful. I loved how the final and most stubborn brother fell. But hummmm, what is it I see. There is a fourth brother, a bastard Stanhope! I am more than ready for him. Bring on Mark.
The Bastard's Passionate Prize
Mark is the newly discovered bastard son of the Stanhope clan. If you have read the series, you will be very surprised that he was the only one too (at least claimed). To add an extra twist, he’s American. Dang Daddy John got around!
Sirena is a woman who is stuck in the constraints of her time period. Her life is not her own and soon has to run away for her freedom. This is something unheard of in her time and I have to give her kudos for taking the initiative.
As you read the stories in this boxset you get a feeling of men that are unsure about their romantic futures and the strong women that shake them up, right down to their boots. The Bastard’s Passionate Prize will throw you overboard with how unique and different it is. Mark’s story is his own, because he is not hindered by the so called curse.
While the constraints of the English society are still present, Ms. DeLand removes that factor early in the story and takes us out to sea and then she ups the ante again and adds pirates…yes, pirates. Then adds……and then some public……, oh and don’t forget……
Yes, I’m a tease and can’t tell you because it would ruin all the wonderful surprises that make this story fun and fresh, but I will say, that this story was a very unexpected surprise and took me on a sexy voyage that made me hot and bothered. It makes me wish Lord John was even busier than he already was and that there were countless more bastards out there. He was a delicious horn dog that made even more tasty men that were insatiable in their sexual tastes and were not afraid to show the women they love all their magic tricks. There were never more mourned losses to the English ton then when these men got married and became off the market.
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Ms. DeLand wrote four great tales about men who were insecure about themselves in the romance department until they met their matches. Her heroines were very delightful and strong in their pursuit of their Stanhope men. I also enjoyed the side romances that sprung up along the way.
This is a great read if you want to experience regency romance that is filled with rich characters, descriptive in details and will get your blood pumping. Ms. DeLand knows how to write the period and also knows how to spice up the page. She is a favorite of mine and shouldn't be missed.
