The Reluctant Countess
A Would-Be Wallflowers Novel
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3.9 • 23 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James returns to the Would-Be Wallflowers series with an enemies-to-lovers romance between a proper earl and an entirely improper lady—whom he can’t stop thinking about.
Giles Renwick, Earl of Lilford, has never made a fool of himself over a woman—until he meets Lady Yasmin Régnier. Yasmin is ineligible for his attentions in every way: not as a wife, certainly not as a mistress (she is a lady!), nor even as a friend, since they vehemently dislike each other. Her gowns are too low, and her skirts are dampened to cling to admittedly lovely thighs. She loves to gossip—and giggle.
She isn’t dignified, or polite, or even truly British, given that her father’s French ancestry clearly predominated. Not to mention the fact that her mother had been one of Napoleon’s mistresses, a fact she makes no effort to hide.
So what—in heaven’s name—possesses him to propose?
And what will he do if she says yes?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Scandalous family secrets aren't enough to animate the flimsy second Would-be Wallflowers Regency romance from bestseller James (after How to Be a Wallflower). French Lady Yasmin Régnier, 25, is often the subject of gossip: her mother was Napoleon's mistress and, at 16, she herself was duped into a fake marriage to a fortune hunter. Society cannot completely shun her, however, as her grandfather was a duke. Giles Renwick, British Earl of Lilford, is similarly whispered about, as his mother's promiscuity throws the paternity of Giles and his sister, Lydia, into question. Still, like his peers, Giles keeps Yasmin at a distance—but for him, it's more out of fear of his intense attraction to her than disdain for her checkered past. No longer able to resist, he proposes marriage, taking Yasmin, who's long believed him to hate her, quite by surprise. As Giles works to prove his love, impetuous Lydia works to sabotage the couple. Lydia's strenuous objections to the match feel entirely hypocritical—her own actions are just as likely to bring scandal as an association with Yasmin would—and her mean-spirited antics distract from the romance. The couple has chemistry to spare, making the weak obstacles to their happiness all the more frustrating. This misses the mark.
Customer Reviews
The Reluctant Countess
Thoroughly enjoyed the book. The interaction between the characters was very enjoyable. The plot was enchanting. It read very easily.