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Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James #5
A Tempest of Desire
New York Timesbestselling author Lorraine Heath returns to the fan favorite series, The Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James, with the story of a viscount who has retreated to a small, secluded island only to have a mysterious and beautiful woman wash up on shore.
After surviving a horrific railway accident, Viscount Langdon retreats to his private island to recover and conquer the nightmarish memories that continue to haunt him. The very last thing he wants—or expects—is for London’s most infamous courtesan to wash up on his beach.
Marlowe is known for her bold flirtations, but her most daring exploits involve flying in her hot air balloon. When a storm blows her off course, she discovers herself alone with the isle’s only inhabitant. The gorgeous, seductive lord tempts her beyond reason, but giving into temptation would lead to her ruination because the all-consuming liaison would demand complete surrender. And she has secrets to protect.
Langdon finds the captivating beauty near impossible to resist, but he can’t risk her learning the true reason behind his isolation. However, a powerful tempest of desire is swirling wildly between them, urging them to give in to the perilous passion that could destroy them . . . or perhaps show them the way to love.
After surviving a horrific railway accident, Viscount Langdon retreats to his private island to recover and conquer the nightmarish memories that continue to haunt him. The very last thing he wants—or expects—is for London’s most infamous courtesan to wash up on his beach.
Marlowe is known for her bold flirtations, but her most daring exploits involve flying in her hot air balloon. When a storm blows her off course, she discovers herself alone with the isle’s only inhabitant. The gorgeous, seductive lord tempts her beyond reason, but giving into temptation would lead to her ruination because the all-consuming liaison would demand complete surrender. And she has secrets to protect.
Langdon finds the captivating beauty near impossible to resist, but he can’t risk her learning the true reason behind his isolation. However, a powerful tempest of desire is swirling wildly between them, urging them to give in to the perilous passion that could destroy them . . . or perhaps show them the way to love.
382 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 24, 2024
92 people are currently reading
769 people want to read
About the author
Lorraine Heath
84books4,302followersAlso writes Young Adult under Rachel Hawthorne, Jade Parker, and with her son as J.A. London.
Lorraine Heath has always had a soft spot for emotional love stories. No doubt because growing up, watching movies with her mom, she was taught that the best movies "won't half make you cry."
She is the daughter of a British beauty (her mom won second place in a beauty contest sponsored by Max Factor® during which she received a kiss from Caesar Romero, (the Joker on the original Batman TV series) and a Texan who was stationed at Bovingdon while serving in the air force. Lorraine was born in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, but soon after moved to Texas. Her "dual" nationality has given her a love for all things British and Texan, and she enjoys weaving both heritages through her stories.
When she received her BA degree in psychology from the University of Texas, she had no idea she had gained a foundation that would help her to create believable characters—characters that are often described as “real people.” She began her career writing training manuals and computer code for the IRS, but something was always missing. When she read a romance novel, she became not only hooked on the genre, but quickly realized what her writing lacked: rebels, scoundrels, and rogues. She's been writing about them ever since.
Her work has been recognized with numerous industry awards including RWA's RITA®. Her novels have appeared on bestseller lists, including USA TODAY and the New York Times.
The author of more than 60 novels, she writes historical and contemporary romance for adults and historical romance for teen readers.
Under the names Rachel Hawthorne and Jade Parker, she writes popular contemporary, historical, and paranormal romance for teens readers. She also writes young adult novels with her son under the name J. A. London.
Lorraine Heath has always had a soft spot for emotional love stories. No doubt because growing up, watching movies with her mom, she was taught that the best movies "won't half make you cry."
She is the daughter of a British beauty (her mom won second place in a beauty contest sponsored by Max Factor® during which she received a kiss from Caesar Romero, (the Joker on the original Batman TV series) and a Texan who was stationed at Bovingdon while serving in the air force. Lorraine was born in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, but soon after moved to Texas. Her "dual" nationality has given her a love for all things British and Texan, and she enjoys weaving both heritages through her stories.
When she received her BA degree in psychology from the University of Texas, she had no idea she had gained a foundation that would help her to create believable characters—characters that are often described as “real people.” She began her career writing training manuals and computer code for the IRS, but something was always missing. When she read a romance novel, she became not only hooked on the genre, but quickly realized what her writing lacked: rebels, scoundrels, and rogues. She's been writing about them ever since.
Her work has been recognized with numerous industry awards including RWA's RITA®. Her novels have appeared on bestseller lists, including USA TODAY and the New York Times.
The author of more than 60 novels, she writes historical and contemporary romance for adults and historical romance for teen readers.
Under the names Rachel Hawthorne and Jade Parker, she writes popular contemporary, historical, and paranormal romance for teens readers. She also writes young adult novels with her son under the name J. A. London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 163 reviews
December 31, 2024
I flew through the first five hours of the audiobook, but the last two felt rather endless because it was very repetitive. It was fine, maybe great for another author, but really just fine for a Lorraine Heath. It was so fun watching them fall in love on the deserted island, but the return to reality and persistent denial was tiresome by the end.
Also it was very slow burn and a lot of edging the reader more than anything, so I really expected the first sex scene to be KACHOW. But it and the rest of the scenes were quite short? The second one was a bit saucier but not much, especially for two experienced characters. Also Lorraine’s penchant for delicate toes persists (huzzah!). Overall it just felt really good to be reading a book written by a Writer.
The next book will also be in this series thankfully since it was lovely to see past characters again (even if the narrator slightly butchered my beloved Drake Darling)…
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 🌶️🌶️/5
I received an eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.
Also it was very slow burn and a lot of edging the reader more than anything, so I really expected the first sex scene to be KACHOW. But it and the rest of the scenes were quite short? The second one was a bit saucier but not much, especially for two experienced characters. Also Lorraine’s penchant for delicate toes persists (huzzah!). Overall it just felt really good to be reading a book written by a Writer.
The next book will also be in this series thankfully since it was lovely to see past characters again (even if the narrator slightly butchered my beloved Drake Darling)…
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 🌶️🌶️/5
I received an eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.
December 21, 2024
Ahhhh, this was a breath of fresh air. And another reason why Lorraine Heath is a Queen.
I wasn't sure what to expect with this one but I have been craving a really good HR. I have been a bit disappointed by recent releases in this sub-genre. Lorraine Heath never lets me down though. It felt so good to be back in a familiar world, with characters I've loved before.
I really connected with both Langdon and Marlowe. Both feel isolated in different ways and this small island escape is the perfect representation of that. Langdon has had a life-changing injury occur because of a train accident and he is struggling to hide it from his loved ones. So when Marlowe's Hot Air Balloon dumps her on his beach during a storm, they are forced to cohabitate for a short time.
They do know each other from society and there was even been some attraction in the past. But they were both wearing masks back then. This current situation strips them of all that and the way they bond was touching and beautiful.
When we entered the next phase of the story, I was very on edge. Courtesan and Mistress romances are hard for me to handle if not done properly. The angst of it twists me up. These two see each other so clearly and I just ached for them to get it right. Even knowing our HEA would come about.
I ended up enjoying the unique situations and struggles they faced and I was tearing up with joy by the end. Lorraine Heath really did well by this tale and I look forward to many more stories from her in the future.
5 stars
2.5 on the spice scale
CW: discrimination against a sex worker, injuries, neurological disorder caused by an accident
I wasn't sure what to expect with this one but I have been craving a really good HR. I have been a bit disappointed by recent releases in this sub-genre. Lorraine Heath never lets me down though. It felt so good to be back in a familiar world, with characters I've loved before.
I really connected with both Langdon and Marlowe. Both feel isolated in different ways and this small island escape is the perfect representation of that. Langdon has had a life-changing injury occur because of a train accident and he is struggling to hide it from his loved ones. So when Marlowe's Hot Air Balloon dumps her on his beach during a storm, they are forced to cohabitate for a short time.
They do know each other from society and there was even been some attraction in the past. But they were both wearing masks back then. This current situation strips them of all that and the way they bond was touching and beautiful.
When we entered the next phase of the story, I was very on edge. Courtesan and Mistress romances are hard for me to handle if not done properly. The angst of it twists me up. These two see each other so clearly and I just ached for them to get it right. Even knowing our HEA would come about.
I ended up enjoying the unique situations and struggles they faced and I was tearing up with joy by the end. Lorraine Heath really did well by this tale and I look forward to many more stories from her in the future.
5 stars
2.5 on the spice scale
CW: discrimination against a sex worker, injuries, neurological disorder caused by an accident
November 25, 2024
The Vibes:
—stranded on a remote island (and there’s only one bed)
—sex worker heroine
—the kind of emotional twist that is in theory not a big deal but in actuality absolutely! heartbreaking! I gasped!
—don’t call me kid/don’t call me baby etc etc, this is character work illicit affair stuff
Heat Index: 7/10
The Basics:
Viscount Langdon is hiding out on his family’s remote island, licking his wounds after a railway accident upended his life and identity. When a random woman washes ashore, he’s stunned. He’s more stunned when she turns out to be Marlowe, London’s most infamous courtesan—also, she arrived via hot air balloon crash. As they wait out the storm together, Langdon and Marlowe realize they have a lot more in common than they thought. But what kind of future can they possibly have together?
The Review:
I will, it must be said, read anything Lorraine Heath writes. As far as I’m concerned, the woman is a master of her craft, and I can’t imagine many authors who do historical romance better.
Here, she’s picking up her Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James series for the first time in a few years (I believe it was originally planned as a trilogy, but a while after book #3, a surprise fourth happened… and now we have a surprise fifth, and, as it appears, a surprise sixth on the way!). I absolutely love her interconnected world; the series that preceded Scandalous Gentlemen, The Scoundrels of St. James, is my favorite of hers. So while I’ve adored dipping into the Trewlove stories and the Stanwicks and the Chessmen (and wouldn’t mind returning to any of them, AT ALL, to be clear) there’s something so delightful about seeing the St. James crew again.
James Swindler is still solving crimes (and his son sounds hot, so maybe…. some of that… Lorraine…?)! Dr. Graves is still solving every medical ailment known to man! The Langdons have laughed off the whole “he is a murderer” thing! The Lovingdons are still super hot together! So happy to see them again.
Viscount Langdon always lurked in the background of the other books, and he seemed like a happy dude; I mean, to the point that I wondered if we’d never read his story. He seemed GOOD. And I mean… if a character is raised by a couple, you as a writer sort of have to rock their shit to make them interesting. Which is something I’ve complained about struggling with when reading some second gen series. I get why a lot of writers are hesitant to mess with the kids of their beloved leads, but… you have to. Lorraine actually discusses this in the author’s note. She truly Gets the work.
So yeah, Langdon is a little fucked up by everything that’s happened to him prior to book. He’s stalking his island drunk. He’s yelling at God to give him a woman because he’s sad and horny. In other words, he’s fabulous and hot and I loved him. He’s a perfect example of how you write a hero who’s genuinely a good guy, but is not a Nice Guy. He’s got his issues, he needs to do some work on himself, and some of his problems really aren’t his fault and he sort of needs to be ushered into love. I found him romantic and tender without being overly sweet. He was respectful without being too polite. In some ways, he reminded me of a favorite gentleman hero of mine, Joanna Shupe’s Duke of Lockwood.
Langdon gets his time and his trauma and his character development. However, I’d say this is a somewhat more heroine-forward novel. Which is great, because I loved Marlowe even more. I mean, how could I not love a famous courtesan who pilots her hot air balloons everywhere, whose tragic backstory also features a hot air balloon, and who tries her best to be pragmatic… when in reality, she really just wants and needs to be held? She’s not quite as sharp-edged as a lot of courtesan characters (she’s quite young for all that she’s taken on, which I found both sad and, well, real) but she tries very hard to be.
I just so wanted her to have everything she deserved in life. I loved that she wasn’t quite ashamed of her profession… but did struggle with where it put her in life. As someone who fully supports destigmatizing sex work, I also appreciate a story where it’s treated like a valid profession… and not one every sex worker wanted or wants to continue. It’s not a horror show, it’s just not what she wanted from her life.
As a sidebar—really loved how Lorraine handled Marlowe’s protector, Hollingsworth. Who of course stands as another wrench in the gears for Marlowe and Langdon, but also doesn’t function quite like he would in a lesser book. His relationship with Marlowe is both straightforward and complex. He’s flawed, but he’s not a villain.
Here’s the thing: not a lot of Plot Plot happens in this book. You get conflict, to be sure. But there isn’t some big villainous twist. You don’t have to worry about people possibly dying. This is truly a character piece. Over half the novel is spent on Langdon’s island, which I frankly found incredible. (The pseudo-gothic vibes are immaculate. This is a perfect rainy day book.) A lot of time is spent on Langdon and Marlowe just getting to know each other. Talking. Flirting. Doing Things, eventually. The sexual tension crackles off the page from the jump (this is… a very horny book) and you know they want each other so badly. But you also know that they genuinely like each other as people. There’s friendship as well as passion.
There’s a famous-ish historical romance I won’t name that I couldn’t help but compare to this novel in terms of the central conflict (Marlowe is a sex worker, and even aside from that she’s not of Langdon’s class; he is from the bluest of blood, and despite his family being built on love, he fears the societal repercussions of marrying her; she could be another man’s mistress, but her deep feelings for him make her hesitant to be HIS mistress). I found that this novel held Langdon so much more responsible for his inner turmoil and its hypocrisy, while at the same time accenting his personality with a humanity that makes you Get It. The story Gets It. But it also says “Now, Get Over It if you’re really in love”. I feel like it makes him seem like so much more of a grown up, and it also feels way more aware of the fact that like… we know this dude’s family isn’t gonna throw him out for being with the woman he wants to be with. There’s MORE to it. I felt less condescended to as a reader, less like I was just supposed to throw logic out the window. It’s just smarter all-around, and it ensured I was still rooting for Langdon to find happiness with Marlowe. Whereas with the book I was comparing it to, I just thought the woman deserved better.
There was a moment in this book that made me gasp. Few other authors do that. It wasn’t even that it was a plot shock, it was just one of those things that underscored how quietly awful Langdon’s struggle is. And right after that, another moment made me gasp, but mostly because it was super hot.
The Sex:
This is definitely one of Lorraine’s hotter books, I would say—a lot hotter in terms of content than In Want of a Viscount, a book I greatly enjoyed. It’s not that there are way more scenes than she usually writes (I think there are four total on the page, which is good). It’s that the way she writes them just feels… very much like these are two people who are fucking it OUT.
And I mean. That first scene? The one where it’s all about her? Easily one of the best sex scenes Lorraine’s ever written. Damn.
All in all, another standout release from a standout author. I’m really glad that her health is improving, and I send my sincere wishes that it continues to do so. Few people write emotion better than her, and this book is in fact, pure emotion. Go read it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
—stranded on a remote island (and there’s only one bed)
—sex worker heroine
—the kind of emotional twist that is in theory not a big deal but in actuality absolutely! heartbreaking! I gasped!
—don’t call me kid/don’t call me baby etc etc, this is character work illicit affair stuff
Heat Index: 7/10
The Basics:
Viscount Langdon is hiding out on his family’s remote island, licking his wounds after a railway accident upended his life and identity. When a random woman washes ashore, he’s stunned. He’s more stunned when she turns out to be Marlowe, London’s most infamous courtesan—also, she arrived via hot air balloon crash. As they wait out the storm together, Langdon and Marlowe realize they have a lot more in common than they thought. But what kind of future can they possibly have together?
The Review:
I will, it must be said, read anything Lorraine Heath writes. As far as I’m concerned, the woman is a master of her craft, and I can’t imagine many authors who do historical romance better.
Here, she’s picking up her Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James series for the first time in a few years (I believe it was originally planned as a trilogy, but a while after book #3, a surprise fourth happened… and now we have a surprise fifth, and, as it appears, a surprise sixth on the way!). I absolutely love her interconnected world; the series that preceded Scandalous Gentlemen, The Scoundrels of St. James, is my favorite of hers. So while I’ve adored dipping into the Trewlove stories and the Stanwicks and the Chessmen (and wouldn’t mind returning to any of them, AT ALL, to be clear) there’s something so delightful about seeing the St. James crew again.
James Swindler is still solving crimes (and his son sounds hot, so maybe…. some of that… Lorraine…?)! Dr. Graves is still solving every medical ailment known to man! The Langdons have laughed off the whole “he is a murderer” thing! The Lovingdons are still super hot together! So happy to see them again.
Viscount Langdon always lurked in the background of the other books, and he seemed like a happy dude; I mean, to the point that I wondered if we’d never read his story. He seemed GOOD. And I mean… if a character is raised by a couple, you as a writer sort of have to rock their shit to make them interesting. Which is something I’ve complained about struggling with when reading some second gen series. I get why a lot of writers are hesitant to mess with the kids of their beloved leads, but… you have to. Lorraine actually discusses this in the author’s note. She truly Gets the work.
So yeah, Langdon is a little fucked up by everything that’s happened to him prior to book. He’s stalking his island drunk. He’s yelling at God to give him a woman because he’s sad and horny. In other words, he’s fabulous and hot and I loved him. He’s a perfect example of how you write a hero who’s genuinely a good guy, but is not a Nice Guy. He’s got his issues, he needs to do some work on himself, and some of his problems really aren’t his fault and he sort of needs to be ushered into love. I found him romantic and tender without being overly sweet. He was respectful without being too polite. In some ways, he reminded me of a favorite gentleman hero of mine, Joanna Shupe’s Duke of Lockwood.
Langdon gets his time and his trauma and his character development. However, I’d say this is a somewhat more heroine-forward novel. Which is great, because I loved Marlowe even more. I mean, how could I not love a famous courtesan who pilots her hot air balloons everywhere, whose tragic backstory also features a hot air balloon, and who tries her best to be pragmatic… when in reality, she really just wants and needs to be held? She’s not quite as sharp-edged as a lot of courtesan characters (she’s quite young for all that she’s taken on, which I found both sad and, well, real) but she tries very hard to be.
I just so wanted her to have everything she deserved in life. I loved that she wasn’t quite ashamed of her profession… but did struggle with where it put her in life. As someone who fully supports destigmatizing sex work, I also appreciate a story where it’s treated like a valid profession… and not one every sex worker wanted or wants to continue. It’s not a horror show, it’s just not what she wanted from her life.
As a sidebar—really loved how Lorraine handled Marlowe’s protector, Hollingsworth. Who of course stands as another wrench in the gears for Marlowe and Langdon, but also doesn’t function quite like he would in a lesser book. His relationship with Marlowe is both straightforward and complex. He’s flawed, but he’s not a villain.
Here’s the thing: not a lot of Plot Plot happens in this book. You get conflict, to be sure. But there isn’t some big villainous twist. You don’t have to worry about people possibly dying. This is truly a character piece. Over half the novel is spent on Langdon’s island, which I frankly found incredible. (The pseudo-gothic vibes are immaculate. This is a perfect rainy day book.) A lot of time is spent on Langdon and Marlowe just getting to know each other. Talking. Flirting. Doing Things, eventually. The sexual tension crackles off the page from the jump (this is… a very horny book) and you know they want each other so badly. But you also know that they genuinely like each other as people. There’s friendship as well as passion.
There’s a famous-ish historical romance I won’t name that I couldn’t help but compare to this novel in terms of the central conflict (Marlowe is a sex worker, and even aside from that she’s not of Langdon’s class; he is from the bluest of blood, and despite his family being built on love, he fears the societal repercussions of marrying her; she could be another man’s mistress, but her deep feelings for him make her hesitant to be HIS mistress). I found that this novel held Langdon so much more responsible for his inner turmoil and its hypocrisy, while at the same time accenting his personality with a humanity that makes you Get It. The story Gets It. But it also says “Now, Get Over It if you’re really in love”. I feel like it makes him seem like so much more of a grown up, and it also feels way more aware of the fact that like… we know this dude’s family isn’t gonna throw him out for being with the woman he wants to be with. There’s MORE to it. I felt less condescended to as a reader, less like I was just supposed to throw logic out the window. It’s just smarter all-around, and it ensured I was still rooting for Langdon to find happiness with Marlowe. Whereas with the book I was comparing it to, I just thought the woman deserved better.
There was a moment in this book that made me gasp. Few other authors do that. It wasn’t even that it was a plot shock, it was just one of those things that underscored how quietly awful Langdon’s struggle is. And right after that, another moment made me gasp, but mostly because it was super hot.
The Sex:
This is definitely one of Lorraine’s hotter books, I would say—a lot hotter in terms of content than In Want of a Viscount, a book I greatly enjoyed. It’s not that there are way more scenes than she usually writes (I think there are four total on the page, which is good). It’s that the way she writes them just feels… very much like these are two people who are fucking it OUT.
And I mean. That first scene? The one where it’s all about her? Easily one of the best sex scenes Lorraine’s ever written. Damn.
All in all, another standout release from a standout author. I’m really glad that her health is improving, and I send my sincere wishes that it continues to do so. Few people write emotion better than her, and this book is in fact, pure emotion. Go read it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 9, 2025
I think "meh" is as polite as I can go.
Will be in my next vlog
Will be in my next vlog
January 15, 2025
CATHERINE AND LUCIAN'S CHILD!!!!!!! (they're my fav book and fav couple by the author so I've been hoping we'd get their children's books like we did with the other characters)
After I finished the book:
It felt like a case of insta attraction mistaken as instalove. They only talked to each other for two days before sharing private things they have not told anybody. And in London it is not like they had enough interactions to actually fall in love with each other. So yeah, the romance did not work for me.
I did like them as individuals, though. I wish we had Marlowe finding a job/what she wants and meanwhile still getting to know Oliver. I just feel I needed more time to be convinced. I do admire Marlowe for standing her ground and trying to do things on her terms.
And it's always lovely to go back to the Scoundrels of St.James and their children's books. Especially since Oliver's parents are my fav Lorraine Heath.
I also admire Lorraine Heath for finishing this book after all she had to go through, and I wish her the best.
After I finished the book:
It felt like a case of insta attraction mistaken as instalove. They only talked to each other for two days before sharing private things they have not told anybody. And in London it is not like they had enough interactions to actually fall in love with each other. So yeah, the romance did not work for me.
I did like them as individuals, though. I wish we had Marlowe finding a job/what she wants and meanwhile still getting to know Oliver. I just feel I needed more time to be convinced. I do admire Marlowe for standing her ground and trying to do things on her terms.
And it's always lovely to go back to the Scoundrels of St.James and their children's books. Especially since Oliver's parents are my fav Lorraine Heath.
I also admire Lorraine Heath for finishing this book after all she had to go through, and I wish her the best.
December 23, 2024
For some reason I thought this was a Beauty and the Beast trope and that the hero was stuck in this castle because he was hideous. Idk where I got all that from 😂 but this is not that. The hero Viscount Langdon is hiding out because he got conked in the nogging in a train accident and now has some issues he is trying hard to hide from his loving family. Langdon is the son of the Devil Earl from the first book on the Scoundrels of St James series. A woman literally drops out of the sky and he rescues her, they get stranded in the castle because of a bad storm and commence the forced proximity! Marlowe is a very notorious courtesan and Langdon is the hero to an earldom. So obviously it's tres scandalous.
I'm pretty torn on the book. On the one hand, it was a sweet slow burn but I felt the first 50% kind of dragged. They are in the castle the whole time and nothing much happens. I liked the tropes and I also adored seeing my faves from the St James series (Scoundrels and Gentlemen). I liked Langdon although he was kind of generic as a hero tortured because of his invisible disability but there wasn't much to him. Marlowe was the star of the book and I really wish her relationship with her protector wasn't such a huge part of the book. Her lover was a good man and did his best to prepare her for her life as a fallen woman. But while he's physically absent from the page until the last half, his name is mentioned in almost every chapter! I also disliked the fact that Marlowe was having sex (oral sex is sex) with Langston while still technically in a relationship with another man. Cheating is a hard pass for me and this felt like cheating because she was truly fond of him. That was another problem for me, I am a jealous reader and dislike my MCs being hung up on other people. She wasn't exactly hung up on him but she loved him. I also didn't love the scene where Marlowe is introduced to the future wife of her now ex by him. The poor woman had no idea she was meeting her fiance's notorious mistress. It felt yucky.
In the end, I never felt a romantic connection between Langdon and Marlow. There was a lot of lust and steamy scenes (including a delicious carriage tryst) but I never really saw them falling in love. Langdon's sudden willingness to marry her after only wanting to make her his mistress was not convincing for me. Overall, it seems like Heath is toning down her bonkers twisty plots and I'm kind of bummed about it.
I've received an ARC from Netgalley and the publisher and this is my honest opinion
⭐⭐⭐/5
🔥🔥/5
Tropes
One bed
Forced proximity
Courtesan
Forbidden relationship
I'm pretty torn on the book. On the one hand, it was a sweet slow burn but I felt the first 50% kind of dragged. They are in the castle the whole time and nothing much happens. I liked the tropes and I also adored seeing my faves from the St James series (Scoundrels and Gentlemen). I liked Langdon although he was kind of generic as a hero tortured because of his invisible disability but there wasn't much to him. Marlowe was the star of the book and I really wish her relationship with her protector wasn't such a huge part of the book. Her lover was a good man and did his best to prepare her for her life as a fallen woman. But while he's physically absent from the page until the last half, his name is mentioned in almost every chapter! I also disliked the fact that Marlowe was having sex (oral sex is sex) with Langston while still technically in a relationship with another man. Cheating is a hard pass for me and this felt like cheating because she was truly fond of him. That was another problem for me, I am a jealous reader and dislike my MCs being hung up on other people. She wasn't exactly hung up on him but she loved him. I also didn't love the scene where Marlowe is introduced to the future wife of her now ex by him. The poor woman had no idea she was meeting her fiance's notorious mistress. It felt yucky.
In the end, I never felt a romantic connection between Langdon and Marlow. There was a lot of lust and steamy scenes (including a delicious carriage tryst) but I never really saw them falling in love. Langdon's sudden willingness to marry her after only wanting to make her his mistress was not convincing for me. Overall, it seems like Heath is toning down her bonkers twisty plots and I'm kind of bummed about it.
I've received an ARC from Netgalley and the publisher and this is my honest opinion
⭐⭐⭐/5
🔥🔥/5
Tropes
One bed
Forced proximity
Courtesan
Forbidden relationship
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 23, 2024
5/5 stars
a lord howling at the wind for some company on his lonely island and the lord provided. who would have imagined!
a lord howling at the wind for some company on his lonely island and the lord provided. who would have imagined!
January 31, 2025
I wish I could have liked this more because I positively adore Lorraine Heath, but this one just never grabbed me. The plot of this book was entirely too slow burn. I did, however, like the characters very much, and the writing as usual was lovely.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
January 1, 2025
3.5
Slow-burn and character-driven. We spend a lot of time in their heads.
Tons of sexual attraction/tension in the first half.
Some passionate love scenes in the second half. Not as descriptive nor as long as I would have liked them to be. Oh, well.
Last book of 2024!
Slow-burn and character-driven. We spend a lot of time in their heads.
Tons of sexual attraction/tension in the first half.
Some passionate love scenes in the second half. Not as descriptive nor as long as I would have liked them to be. Oh, well.
Last book of 2024!
December 28, 2024
Utterly beautiful.
Lorraine Heath knows how to write a hell of a love story. I was so excited to read the story of the “Devil” Earl of Claybourne’s son, Viscount Oliver Langdon. Heath excels at writing somewhat tortured or flawed heroes, and when we first meet Langdon, he has isolated himself on an island in the middle of a storm, believing himself to have gone mad and praying to the heavens for a woman. When a woman literally washes up on his shore, it would rock any sane man’s world, especially if it is the most desired courtesan in all of London. And it’s in this moment that we discover the true nature of Langdon. He is gentlemanly even though he doesn’t want to be, he withholds his judgment, and is open to receive the gift of Marlowe that the winds have brought him.
While reading this I felt that I knew Langdon and Marlowe’s hearts and I desperately wanted them to be together. On the island, they’re in an isolated bubble that surely cannot exist once they return to London where instead of two souls who have so much in common, they are a titled gentleman and a notorious courtesan. In true Heath fashion, both hero and heroine are so desirous for each other, but it seems impossible that they will ever get their HEA. In fact I was at 96% wondering HOW they would possibly be together, but thank goodness romance rules ensures that love IS the outcome. This is a book I wanted to pace myself through because it was so tender, so heartbreakingly beautiful that it felt good just to sit in those moments. Nothing is better than reading words on a page that let you feel the love characters have for one another. And A Tempest of Desire is filled with SO. MUCH. LOVE. It was like revisiting old friends seeing Langdon’s family and friendly “relatives” such as James Swindler, and each cameo is exactly what I would’ve wanted. And like an old friend I know I will revisit this story and it’s connecting worlds again and again. I received an early copy from the publisher, but still preordered the book, because hello! it’s going to be a reread. All opinions are my own.
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Steam: 🪭🪭.5
Swoons and romantic gestures: 🎈🎈🎈🎈
Read it again: 💯
Lorraine Heath knows how to write a hell of a love story. I was so excited to read the story of the “Devil” Earl of Claybourne’s son, Viscount Oliver Langdon. Heath excels at writing somewhat tortured or flawed heroes, and when we first meet Langdon, he has isolated himself on an island in the middle of a storm, believing himself to have gone mad and praying to the heavens for a woman. When a woman literally washes up on his shore, it would rock any sane man’s world, especially if it is the most desired courtesan in all of London. And it’s in this moment that we discover the true nature of Langdon. He is gentlemanly even though he doesn’t want to be, he withholds his judgment, and is open to receive the gift of Marlowe that the winds have brought him.
While reading this I felt that I knew Langdon and Marlowe’s hearts and I desperately wanted them to be together. On the island, they’re in an isolated bubble that surely cannot exist once they return to London where instead of two souls who have so much in common, they are a titled gentleman and a notorious courtesan. In true Heath fashion, both hero and heroine are so desirous for each other, but it seems impossible that they will ever get their HEA. In fact I was at 96% wondering HOW they would possibly be together, but thank goodness romance rules ensures that love IS the outcome. This is a book I wanted to pace myself through because it was so tender, so heartbreakingly beautiful that it felt good just to sit in those moments. Nothing is better than reading words on a page that let you feel the love characters have for one another. And A Tempest of Desire is filled with SO. MUCH. LOVE. It was like revisiting old friends seeing Langdon’s family and friendly “relatives” such as James Swindler, and each cameo is exactly what I would’ve wanted. And like an old friend I know I will revisit this story and it’s connecting worlds again and again. I received an early copy from the publisher, but still preordered the book, because hello! it’s going to be a reread. All opinions are my own.
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Steam: 🪭🪭.5
Swoons and romantic gestures: 🎈🎈🎈🎈
Read it again: 💯
November 18, 2024
A delightful story! I enjoyed Langdon and Marlowe romance immensely😍😍 I loved how Marlowe was someone else’s mistress when they meet and the angst that bloomed from their longing for one another had my heart aching and pining all at once!
I also loved how Marlowe was an aeronaut and the way a hot air balloon was woven into the plot was really fun and different not to mention Langdon was dealing with his own trauma from a rail road accident and I thought their trauma bonding was quite sweet. This one dragged a little towards the end but had a very sweet ending that I enjoyed 🥰
Overall a very cute book! I really enjoy Lorraine heath’s writing!
*a huge thanks to the publisher for an advanced copy of this book all thoughts and opinions are my own*
I also loved how Marlowe was an aeronaut and the way a hot air balloon was woven into the plot was really fun and different not to mention Langdon was dealing with his own trauma from a rail road accident and I thought their trauma bonding was quite sweet. This one dragged a little towards the end but had a very sweet ending that I enjoyed 🥰
Overall a very cute book! I really enjoy Lorraine heath’s writing!
*a huge thanks to the publisher for an advanced copy of this book all thoughts and opinions are my own*
December 18, 2024
A Tempest of Desire is the 5th book in the Scandalous Gentleman of St. James series (which is a 2nd gen series following Scoundrels of St. James series). I’m a massive Lorraine Heath fan and love her books so much, any extra time we get with the families in these series just makes me so happy! So while this wasn’t a favorite for me, I just love LH’s writing so much and her characters.
Viscount Langdon (his parents are Catherine and Lucian-the couple of In Bed with the Devil) survived a horrific railway accident and is trying to come to terms with an invisible disability/condition after the accident. The story kicks off with him having retreated to his family’s private isle off the coast of Cornwall. Majority of the story takes place here (the first 55%) and we definitely get isolated vibes with him and Marlowe. Marlowe is London’s most infamous courtesan/mistress who washes up on the beach of the secluded isle Langdon is at. He ends up bringing her inside with him and realizes immediately who she is, once she wakes she knows who he is as well. She’s the mistress to another aristocrat that is in the same circle as him and they’ve crossed paths before and both have feelings towards one another.
I wanted a bit more with this book, I am massively obsessed with so many LH books so I had high hopes and expectations for this one. Like I mentioned the first 55% of the story we were just with Langdon and Marlowe at his isle cottage. And it was just so tediously slow. Sure they both have things they’re dealing with, his accident and her past with her parents. But I just didn’t feel a real connection between Landon and Marlowe. I didn’t get why they were so into one another and falling in love so easily, I needed more to have that feel believable. Also the whole mistress plot I feel like works for me rarely and only if handled very specifically. I did love overall the world and characters, but that’s just because I’ve read their books as well and love any time I can get with them. This is not a book I’d recommend starting with for LH historicals at all, if anything go read the Scoundrels of St. James series!
That said, I’ll always pick up her books and I am so glad we are finally getting more of this second gen for so many of these beloved families and characters. I’m already excited for his brother’s book next, maybe his sister’s eventually, not to mention his friends/cousins…! The options are endless.
I received an ARC from the publisher, all thoughts in this review are my own.
Heath-verse Appearances: Lucian & Catherine (his parents, In Bed with the Devil), Twin Dragons, James Swindler (Midnight Pleasures with a Scoundrel), Drake Darling (Once More, My Darling Rogue), Grace & Lovingdon (When the Duke was Wicked), Minerva & Ashebury (Falling into Bed with a Duke)
Viscount Langdon (his parents are Catherine and Lucian-the couple of In Bed with the Devil) survived a horrific railway accident and is trying to come to terms with an invisible disability/condition after the accident. The story kicks off with him having retreated to his family’s private isle off the coast of Cornwall. Majority of the story takes place here (the first 55%) and we definitely get isolated vibes with him and Marlowe. Marlowe is London’s most infamous courtesan/mistress who washes up on the beach of the secluded isle Langdon is at. He ends up bringing her inside with him and realizes immediately who she is, once she wakes she knows who he is as well. She’s the mistress to another aristocrat that is in the same circle as him and they’ve crossed paths before and both have feelings towards one another.
I wanted a bit more with this book, I am massively obsessed with so many LH books so I had high hopes and expectations for this one. Like I mentioned the first 55% of the story we were just with Langdon and Marlowe at his isle cottage. And it was just so tediously slow. Sure they both have things they’re dealing with, his accident and her past with her parents. But I just didn’t feel a real connection between Landon and Marlowe. I didn’t get why they were so into one another and falling in love so easily, I needed more to have that feel believable. Also the whole mistress plot I feel like works for me rarely and only if handled very specifically. I did love overall the world and characters, but that’s just because I’ve read their books as well and love any time I can get with them. This is not a book I’d recommend starting with for LH historicals at all, if anything go read the Scoundrels of St. James series!
That said, I’ll always pick up her books and I am so glad we are finally getting more of this second gen for so many of these beloved families and characters. I’m already excited for his brother’s book next, maybe his sister’s eventually, not to mention his friends/cousins…! The options are endless.
I received an ARC from the publisher, all thoughts in this review are my own.
Heath-verse Appearances: Lucian & Catherine (his parents, In Bed with the Devil), Twin Dragons, James Swindler (Midnight Pleasures with a Scoundrel), Drake Darling (Once More, My Darling Rogue), Grace & Lovingdon (When the Duke was Wicked), Minerva & Ashebury (Falling into Bed with a Duke)
February 3, 2025
This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review. Also my tags may have spoilers in them so be forewarned before checking out full review.
Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎
DZ:📔📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
ǾԱ:🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻č♀️🦸🏻č♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖
پDz:
Ի徱Բ:🧧🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨.5
First Impressions
A Temptest of Desire is a continuation of a previous series and it was so fun to get back to this family and world. This is a cozy historical romance, with tones of caretaking, class difference and slow building yearning. It also has some unique notes of a sex worker and seeing some emotional trauma being handled in this story. This is a pretty slow paced story though so it might not work for everyone and I would have wished for a bit more swoon and engaging quality to the story.
First Line
while the howling wind tore around him and the rain lashed at his upturned face, he staggered to the edge of the cliff, braced himself against nature's wrath, and hurled the empty whisky bottle into the blackened abyss that contained monstrous waves thrashing against the rocky, sandy shore.
The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Viscount Langdon
The Heroine:Marlowe
Summary
A Temptest of Desire begins with our hero, Viscount Langdon, on a private island that his family owns, trying to overcome some emotional trauma in his past when strolling the coast, he finds a young woman that has washed up on his beach, and its an infamous courtesan who once was a woman he wanted but was unable to have, but to him was a true queen. Marlowe in some bad circumstances had to make some difficult decisions, and created her own life as a infamous courtesan, who is bold and daring. She knows who she is and is determined to maintain what she has built until she is rescued by a Viscount who is forbidden fruit to her. Through their isolation, they are able to build a connection to each other, but when real life gets in the way, Marlowe will have to decide if she is willing to dare the Ton and society scandal to be with the man who holds her heart...
What I Loved
A Temptest of Desire was such a cozy relaxing read. Its a story you can sit in your favorite reading chair and just relax into. Its not going to be super thrilling or engaging, so keep that in mind. I do think you will enjoy this book more physically reading it over the audio version of it, but that is just my personal recommendation of it. I found this story be endearing in the small quiet moments that these two have together. Although my favorite moments is the second half of the story. I loved the elemtn of the air balloon as you don't see that too often in historicals. But I found the heroine so refreshing. I don't get a chance to read a mistress/courtesan heroine too often, but I also love it when it happens. I found the way that the conflict is resolved to be so fascinating and the interactions that she has with his family was solid. I loved what we get to the characters from the series and definitely had its intriguing tones of delight, cozy intimacy and romantic moments that is very Lorraine Heath style.
What I Struggled With
Look I love Lorraine Heath, but like many historical romance authors, her stories aren't the most exciting anymore. Its kinda boring. Now I think part of my problem is I read part of this book in audio and I think the audio just wasn't good. Most newer historicals I can struggle with in audio, and I think part of the reason this isn't a higher rating is the audio made it feel so slow and I just couldn't feel the connection between these two. And don't read this book when you are tired, you want to make sure you have energy to withstand the slower writing pace. I was kinda disappointed the hero's past wasn't more focused on to be honest. It didn't have the emotional impact that I was expecting from it.
Narration
It's alright. Its not bad or anything, you just have to bad able to focus on the story and have it at a slower speed or it will easily take you out of the story.
Overall View
A Temptest of Desire is a endearing romance that bring in small moments of poignant emotion, cozy intimacy with a fun coastal setting and will bring together some forbidden elements to bring the right conflict to this pair to overcome.
Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Historical Romance, Victorian Era
Character Types: Tortured Hero, Viscount, Courtesan/Sex Worker
Themes: Coastal, Pining Hero, Class Difference
Tropes: Forbidden Love, Sex Worker with a Heart of Gold
Book Perspective
3rd POV
Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
Plot Conflict
If you like these authors, I recommend This Book
Julie Ann Long
Julie London
Laura Lee Guhrke
Recommendation For Reading Order
You can read as a standalone, but for character connections, read series in order.
Steam/Spice Explanations
Simmering cup of tea---soft warm touches and light intimacy
Warmin' by the fire- a medium level of sexual tension, a balance of sexual and emotional intimacy, lighter on the details in the sexual moments.
Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes.
Blazing fire to the building-The prime focus is the sex scenes, scorching hot, and could burn one. Less focus on the emotional intimacy to the relationship.
Narrators:
Will Watt
January 6, 2025
I do love a good Lorraine Heath story and this one was so good.
I loved Marlowe and Langdon. They’re both lonely and good people and I really loved this take on a grumpy/sunshine of sorts. These two have loads of conversations and respect, not to mention chemistry. There’s a pretty big cast of characters here, but I think a lot of them were from the previous stories.
Plot wise, it’s a slow meandering and the main tension is the UST between Marlowe and Langdon. I loved getting a small bit of overlap in their thoughts, especially when it came to the night they first spoke. Reading how they both thought so differently about the other and then getting to read the actual confession was one of my favorite scenes.
Overall, this book had a lot of great characters who were easy to root for and it definitely has me wanting to go back and read the other books in this series.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
I loved Marlowe and Langdon. They’re both lonely and good people and I really loved this take on a grumpy/sunshine of sorts. These two have loads of conversations and respect, not to mention chemistry. There’s a pretty big cast of characters here, but I think a lot of them were from the previous stories.
Plot wise, it’s a slow meandering and the main tension is the UST between Marlowe and Langdon. I loved getting a small bit of overlap in their thoughts, especially when it came to the night they first spoke. Reading how they both thought so differently about the other and then getting to read the actual confession was one of my favorite scenes.
Overall, this book had a lot of great characters who were easy to root for and it definitely has me wanting to go back and read the other books in this series.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
January 7, 2025
I was delighted to see Lorraine Heath adding another book to this wonderful series after 7 years. What a treat for LH fans! A fantastic read - 5 stars!
December 24, 2024
4 stars. This rating could probably be increased on reread because when I read the first 40% of this book, I was not in the mood for anything new. I returned to the book after a break, and I devoured it in an evening.
A great silly Heath premise — a man alone on a deserted island during a storm shouts “my kingdom for a woman!” Then, lightning strikes and illuminates a woman washed up on his shore. It also has the signature Heath angst.
In the author’s note at the end, she talks about trying to make this series have complex characters who come from happily married parents, and I do think this series does a decent job of delivering on this.
Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the ARC!
A great silly Heath premise — a man alone on a deserted island during a storm shouts “my kingdom for a woman!” Then, lightning strikes and illuminates a woman washed up on his shore. It also has the signature Heath angst.
In the author’s note at the end, she talks about trying to make this series have complex characters who come from happily married parents, and I do think this series does a decent job of delivering on this.
Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the ARC!
Read
January 8, 2025I might come back to this later, but I am currently stuck at 30% so this is a soft DNF for now.
What's happened up until now in the book? This rich nobleman is all depressed, alone on his private island, because he can't understand numbers anymore. He's lonely and stuff so he makes a wish during a storm that a woman would wash up on shore ... and one appears! She's a famous courtesan! She was in a hot air balloon but was caught in the storm and she crash landed! And, most importantly of all, she is Not Like Other Girls.
She's soooo not like other girls, y'all. She:
1. Took off her restrictive, heavy clothes so she wouldn't drown to death (the MMC implies that other ladies would prefer death to immodesty).
2. She is interested in bugs (most other ladies would rather just ask the men in their lives to squish the bugs).
3. She loves unconventional gifts (PUH-LEASE, all the other courtesans like jewelry and stuff).
I've read rave reviews of this book, but I just can't motivate myself to read further. Does this get any better? Is Lorraine Heath not for me unless she's writing about Gorilla Twins??
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
What's happened up until now in the book? This rich nobleman is all depressed, alone on his private island, because he can't understand numbers anymore. He's lonely and stuff so he makes a wish during a storm that a woman would wash up on shore ... and one appears! She's a famous courtesan! She was in a hot air balloon but was caught in the storm and she crash landed! And, most importantly of all, she is Not Like Other Girls.
She's soooo not like other girls, y'all. She:
1. Took off her restrictive, heavy clothes so she wouldn't drown to death (the MMC implies that other ladies would prefer death to immodesty).
2. She is interested in bugs (most other ladies would rather just ask the men in their lives to squish the bugs).
3. She loves unconventional gifts (PUH-LEASE, all the other courtesans like jewelry and stuff).
I've read rave reviews of this book, but I just can't motivate myself to read further. Does this get any better? Is Lorraine Heath not for me unless she's writing about Gorilla Twins??
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
December 18, 2024
Heath can always be counted on to deliver a story that sweeps me away. There were so many things I loved about this one!
I love the portrayal of a strong FMC in Marlowe who isn’t ashamed of the choices she’s made. She’s depicted as principled, loyal and sensual. Her status as a courtesan is built on both myth and sacrifice.
I loved the incorporation of PTSD into Oliver’s character. It’s the obstacle needed to hone him in an otherwise charmed life.
And can we talk about the hero’s gestures- both grand and small - and how poignantly perfect they are?
I love the portrayal of a strong FMC in Marlowe who isn’t ashamed of the choices she’s made. She’s depicted as principled, loyal and sensual. Her status as a courtesan is built on both myth and sacrifice.
I loved the incorporation of PTSD into Oliver’s character. It’s the obstacle needed to hone him in an otherwise charmed life.
And can we talk about the hero’s gestures- both grand and small - and how poignantly perfect they are?
December 17, 2024
Rating: 4.5 stars
I really enjoyed this book. I just love Lorraine Heath's writing and how she creates and develops her characters. I liked that the FMC was a mistress, she had a life-and-death experience, and ended up on a remote island with the MMC. The MMC had to care for her, and honestly forced proximity is one of my favorite tropes. I enjoyed the plot of this one as well as Heath's writing. Definitely one I would recommend if you enjoyed Lorraine Heath and the Scandalous Sentiment of St. James series. Also, I love how this is a spin-off of a different series.
I received an eARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book. I just love Lorraine Heath's writing and how she creates and develops her characters. I liked that the FMC was a mistress, she had a life-and-death experience, and ended up on a remote island with the MMC. The MMC had to care for her, and honestly forced proximity is one of my favorite tropes. I enjoyed the plot of this one as well as Heath's writing. Definitely one I would recommend if you enjoyed Lorraine Heath and the Scandalous Sentiment of St. James series. Also, I love how this is a spin-off of a different series.
I received an eARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 29, 2025
We come to this place (historical romance) for magic (deranged plot lines and deep yearning/angst). As always, Lorraine delivers!!
December 25, 2024
Very slow slow burn romance
The first half of this novel involves only two characters marooned on an isolated island in the middle of a storm. Lord Langdon has been hiding as he recovers from a railway accident and Marlowe has crashed down in a hot air balloon. There's chemistry, forced proximity and a huge social divide - she's a courtesan and he's a Viscount - but there's very little action. It's obvious that both have secrets but each is holding their cards close to the vest. The pacing is extremely slow. Eventually the couple will return to London and society and will need to confront their differences. But not a whole lot happens in this book. While I did finish the book, I wasn't really compelled to find out what happened next.
The first half of this novel involves only two characters marooned on an isolated island in the middle of a storm. Lord Langdon has been hiding as he recovers from a railway accident and Marlowe has crashed down in a hot air balloon. There's chemistry, forced proximity and a huge social divide - she's a courtesan and he's a Viscount - but there's very little action. It's obvious that both have secrets but each is holding their cards close to the vest. The pacing is extremely slow. Eventually the couple will return to London and society and will need to confront their differences. But not a whole lot happens in this book. While I did finish the book, I wasn't really compelled to find out what happened next.
December 31, 2024
4🌟/ Thank you to @lorraineheathauthor and @avonbooks for this arc, for one thing can I say the cover is stunning??? Hiding away at his secret retreat off the Cornish coast, Langdon discovers a woman washed ashore on the rocks. Quick to act, he manages to save her and when she wakes, they find themselves at odds. 𝒮𝒽𝑒 is the woman he won in a bet he won but walk away from. He hasn’t been able to get her off his mind and now she’s stuck with him. There’s tension and chemistry right away! Marlowe is a unique woman with a tragic background and full independent personality, and has the interesting hobby flying hot air balloons. Langdon has a neurological disorder and ptsd from a horrific train accident which he’s trying to overcome. Both are facing their pasts and find comfort in each other as the storm rages outside. It was a bit slow paced but a cozy kind of read plus you get to revisit past characters from past books!
Tropes: close proximity, only one bed, MFC is a courtesan, class differences, gothic like setting in the Cornish coast, MMC has a neurological injury and ptsd from accident.
Tropes: close proximity, only one bed, MFC is a courtesan, class differences, gothic like setting in the Cornish coast, MMC has a neurological injury and ptsd from accident.
April 4, 2025
Crash landing in her hot air balloon, Marlowe washes up on the shore of an isolated island inhabited by Viscount Langdon. He rescues the most beautiful and well known courtesan in London. The lady he's desired for a long time. She desires Langdon, though she is the mistress of someone else. He carries a secret from a railroad accident. She keeps her own secret. Passion flares until it can't be denied. They're lovers, not a courtesan and her protector. Heath delivers a very sensual and compassionate romance.
Descriptive sex.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley.
Descriptive sex.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley.
January 4, 2025
3.75 rounded up to 4. Can’t wait for more characters’ stories.
January 28, 2025
I loved this story. We have a man who likes to seclude himself hiding out from society when a woman falls on the shore, literally. Marlowe is an aeronaut who gets caught in a storm and winds up on the beach of Langdon's private hideaway. She's got a bit of a reputation, but you never feel sorry for her. She's done all that she could to survive by becoming a mistress. I love that her passion is flying in a balloon. For something that was apparently quite popular at the time, I've never read about a heroine who enjoyed this particular activity, so the deviation from the norm was welcome. The story spends the first half full of longing and desire. Once passions let loose, it's quite the steamy tale. If you love the stranded together trope, as I do, this will be a great story for you to dive into. We also have a strong heroine and broody, troubled hero to love.
January 18, 2025
The first book in my Top 25 of 2025 list, this has all the elements I love in a historical romance novel — the signature Lorraine Heath angst and deft interwoven research; her awesome character-driven storytelling; the delicious slow burn of passion and love; the high stakes of the class difference between Marlowe, an infamous mistress, and Oliver, a viscount; and the defiant power of romance’s happily ever after.
Well spent hours of joyous reading.
Well spent hours of joyous reading.
January 20, 2025
It was okay. The FMC is what kept me reading. She was more interesting than the MMC. If you’ve read as many Lorraine books as I have, you will notice a lot of similarities to other books. The most unique element was the FMC being an aeronaut and crashing on the MMC island. As far as the romance goes, it felt like cobbled-together elements from other books. It wasn’t necessarily bad, but nothing new in that department.
November 17, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book
In true Lorraine Heath fashion, this book delivers historical romance in an engaging and unique way that only Heath can accomplish. I enjoyed Marlowe and Langdon and the circumstances in which they first met and how their relationship unfolded! This book is another great journey and I look forward to what she writes next!
In true Lorraine Heath fashion, this book delivers historical romance in an engaging and unique way that only Heath can accomplish. I enjoyed Marlowe and Langdon and the circumstances in which they first met and how their relationship unfolded! This book is another great journey and I look forward to what she writes next!
October 19, 2024
I was thrilled to see Lorraine Heath return to the *Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James* series after seven years. One of my all-time favorites is *In Bed with the Devil*, so I was excited that this new book focuses on the son of Lucian and Catherine. It was great to revisit those characters and see their story continued through their children.
That said, I found the book lacking. With the plot centered around a lord and a courtesan, the focus leaned heavily on their physical desire for each other, often at the expense of a deeper narrative. The first half primarily revolves around their attraction, which makes sense given her background, but it left the male lead feeling somewhat superficial. While he does have moments of depth, I ultimately wished for more substance in the story. The best parts for me were still those connections to Lucian and Catherine, but overall, I hoped for a richer experience.
October 16, 2024
I loved how different this book is from other historical romances coming out right now. Marlowe is a courtesan who washes up on shore of Langdon's private island retreat in a storm. He takes care of her and proximity has it's way with the story. They both have their own private struggles but the tension between them was great.
I felt like the connections and the romance were less than what I usually expect from Heath, but the torture and the angst was up to par. Also note that I am a HUGE fan of her early work and love the way she tortured her characters in those books. Many things fall flat in comparison. This was really good. It wasn't AMAZING like I wanted it to be.
I felt like the connections and the romance were less than what I usually expect from Heath, but the torture and the angst was up to par. Also note that I am a HUGE fan of her early work and love the way she tortured her characters in those books. Many things fall flat in comparison. This was really good. It wasn't AMAZING like I wanted it to be.
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