Format Read: ARC provided by the publisher
Number of pages: 310 pages
Release Date: September 6th 2011
Formats available: Paperback, eBook
Publisher: Signet (Penguin)
Purchasing Info: Goodreads, Amazon
, Book Depository (US), Book Depository (UK), Author’s website
Book Blurb:
Sebastian Madinger, the Earl of Wriothesly, thought he’d married the perfect woman-until a fatal accident revealed her betrayal with his best friend. After their deaths, Sebastian is determined to avoid a scandal for the sake of his son. But his best friend’s widow is just as determined to cast her mourning veil aside by hosting a party that will surely destroy both their reputations and expose all of his carefully kept secrets…
Leah George has carried the painful knowledge of her husband’s affair for almost a year. All she wants now is to enjoy her independence and make a new life for herself-even if that means being ostracized by the Society whose rules she was raised to obey. Now that the rumors are flying, there’s only one thing left for Sebastian to do: silence the scandal by enticing the improper widow into becoming a proper wife. But when it comes to matters of the heart, neither Sebastian nor Leah is prepared for the passion they discover in each other’s arms….
My Thoughts:
Romancing the Countess was a highly anticipated book for me, I’ve been waiting for this book for months. For long it was only a blurb and a title but when the cover was finally revealed…Wow… for me this cover is absolutely stunning. Okay, so maybe I did wonder whether women at that time would wear something like that, but still what a gorgeous dress. I also love her jewels. Anyway, to sum it up the cover is one of the many delights of this book!
This is the first book I read from this author and I will definitely read her next novel. I’m always a bit reluctant to try new Historical romance authors (*hides*) because I know I can be very picky when it comes to this genre. Ashley March has a definite style that sets her out from the rest. She made me accept situations and character behavior I would probably have scoffed at in other historical romances.
Leah, like many women of her time, had to live with the knowledge that her husband was cheating on her. Like most women of that time she had to accept it and keep the pretenses. But when her husband tragically dies she can’t mourn him like society would want her to. I really love that this book showed us the reality of being a widow back then. Leah wasn’t freed by her husband’s death, on the contrary she was expected to go into full mourning, wearing uncomfortable and ugly black dresses, wearing a veil or a widow’s cap. She wasn’t to entertain guest or go to parties for a full year. She was to be lonely and miserable when in reality she didn’t want to mourn him. Of course like most things at that time, men weren’t held up to the same standards and rules. I know all that but still, each time it makes me angry.
Sebastian’s wife died in the same accident that killed Leah’s husband….and for a good reason…they were eloping together. Contrary to Leah, Sebastian didn’t know of the affair and it was a shock to him. The love of his life died, living him with a toddler and the last thing he wants is for people to gossip about his dead wife and his best friend. I could understand Sebastian’s motive, he didn’t want his son to suffer from a scandal. I still wanted to kick him where it matters a few times. My first impression of him was of a stuffy lord.
Things got interesting as Leah really came into her own. She slowly realized she could get her independence and freedom. This was really interesting, I liked how she started rebelling in small ways. Then she started doing bolder things, rash and provocative things that were borderline on plausible (in my humble opinion). Well I guess they could happen but I sometimes thought Leah didn’t really realize what the consequences would be….I’m not sure if many women would have dared act this way. I guess it’s what set her apart from your usual 18th century lady. See, that’s the wonder of this book, even if I wasn’t 100% convinced by some of the behaviors/events, the story still won me over. Or better said, Sebastian won me over. *g* As much as I disliked him at first he grew on me. Sebastian is a wonderful father, the scenes with his son were just too cute.
Leah is scarred from her relationship with her late husband. She has been burned and she never wants to live through this again. Sebastian’s first goal was to convince Leah to keep quiet about the affair and act the widow Society wanted her to be. Then his goal changed and soon he had to find a way to win her over. It’s hard to talk about the story without telling too much but let’s just say I was left completely satisfied and happy. The characters slowly fell for each other, sometimes against their better judgment. I loved that nothing was rushed, Leah’s reluctance wasn’t solved in 2 pages. It’s really a book about how Sebastian slowly seduced her. And much like Leah was seduced by Sebastian, I was slowly seduced by Ashley March’s talent. I might have been reluctant but by the end of the book I was completely sold.
Seducing the Countess has enough originality to set it apart from your usual historical romance. It’s bold but not enough to have me throw the book at the wall (aka the hissy fit). My advice to you…let yourself be tempted you won’t regret it! It’s a really good historical and I will be awaiting Ashley March’s next book.
I give Romancing the Countess 4 Stars
***FTC Disclaimer: Most books reviewed on this site have been provided free of charge by the publisher, author or publicist. Some books we have purchased with our own money and will be noted as such. Any links to places to purchase books are provided as a convenience, and do not serve as an endorsement by this blog. All reviews are the true and honest opinion of the blogger reviewing the book. The method of acquiring the book does not have a bearing on the content of the review.
About Caro The HEA Lover
Caroline is a HEA loving, yarn addicted French who's desperately hoping to get a HEA of her own. If she's not reading then she can be found knitting while listening to Audiobooks or watching Tv shows. Her secret addiction is reading websites that make fun at other people's expense (DYAC, Failbook)! Caroline also blogs at the Secret HEA Society with Susi.
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Great review, as always! Thanks for sharing.
Caro–Thanks for the review. This sounds like a good one. It's been on my TBR list for a while. (Darned huge TBR list!)
I am very tempted, especially since I have been hearing good things about this one and now this too
@Natalija Thank you =) It was a real pleasure to read this book.
@LSUReader I know I know…I'm sorry. I also have a freaking huge TBR list and I still keep on adding books to my list. *sigh* We're true addicts. *g* This book was a good surprise for me. *g* I hope you'll read and enjoy it too!
@Blodeuedd I hadn't read any reviews of it before so it was a very good surprise when I read it. I didn't know what to expect. I really like that it's challenging my (i admit) narrow view of what is acceptable in a historical, and succeeding completely.
Great review! Maybe I can go to the bookstore sooner. 🙂
@Sheree *g* I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did !!