Cynthia reviewed An Affair with Mr. Kennedy (Gentlemen of Scotland Yard, Bk 1) on + 41 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I love this story - plain and simple. Mischief, mayhem, explosions, sex!
I adore the cover. Who is this guy - he is gorgeous! And where can I get one?
deep breath That being said. I wasn't sure I was going to like this book: New author, a storyline I wasn't sure about, a hero that was more beta than alpha, and I don't really care for artsy/fartsy characters. Boy was I wrong - I was caught hook, line and sinker in no time.
I especially enjoy when an author uses common language from the era. It creates a more interesting and believable story, and it makes me learn new words. One of my favorite passages:
The book isn't written entirely this way, but I thought it gave a good example of the street language. Something else I also enjoyed is the manner in which Ms. Stone wrote her sex scenes. Not "in-your-face" explicit, but very sexual and heated.
I adored Zeno and Cassie. Cassie is a young widow. She wasn't married very long, actually still a newlywed when widowed, and she strikes out on her own. The chemistry between these two ignites the pages within the delightful tale of an Irish revolution. The secondary characters of Yard Men, Rafe and Finn, Cassie's parents and Zeno's housekeeper (just to name a few) add additional color to the story. Being set near the end of the 19th century, inventions make their proper appearance - What great beginnings for the Special Unit. My Bond Girl is purring.
The second book in the series, A Dangerous Liaison with Detective Lewis is already waiting for me on the coffee table.
I adore the cover. Who is this guy - he is gorgeous! And where can I get one?
deep breath That being said. I wasn't sure I was going to like this book: New author, a storyline I wasn't sure about, a hero that was more beta than alpha, and I don't really care for artsy/fartsy characters. Boy was I wrong - I was caught hook, line and sinker in no time.
I especially enjoy when an author uses common language from the era. It creates a more interesting and believable story, and it makes me learn new words. One of my favorite passages:
Zeno forced a grin. "Wha' me? Nah, just coppin' a taste. I'd get the nobbler if the abbess ever caught my wanker in this gorgeous tosser."
The book isn't written entirely this way, but I thought it gave a good example of the street language. Something else I also enjoyed is the manner in which Ms. Stone wrote her sex scenes. Not "in-your-face" explicit, but very sexual and heated.
I adored Zeno and Cassie. Cassie is a young widow. She wasn't married very long, actually still a newlywed when widowed, and she strikes out on her own. The chemistry between these two ignites the pages within the delightful tale of an Irish revolution. The secondary characters of Yard Men, Rafe and Finn, Cassie's parents and Zeno's housekeeper (just to name a few) add additional color to the story. Being set near the end of the 19th century, inventions make their proper appearance - What great beginnings for the Special Unit. My Bond Girl is purring.
The second book in the series, A Dangerous Liaison with Detective Lewis is already waiting for me on the coffee table.
Pam B. (PamelaK) reviewed An Affair with Mr. Kennedy (Gentlemen of Scotland Yard, Bk 1) on + 1217 more book reviews
Oh, I did LOVE this book! No, it's not a world-shattering work of art, but it is interesting and compelling. Set in London in 1887, it embodies the immense changes in science and society that changed England so much. Our heroine is no simpering miss of Regency times, but a forward-thinking, independent free spirit. And our hero is a tough, but vunerable, intelligent agent from Scotland Yard. The attraction between them is undeniable, and there is a lot of sex, strictly vanilla, but well-written, and an integral part of the plot. The villain is truly nasty, and the secondary characters are all interesting. I can't wait for the next book in this series.
Karin A. (Jerseygirltoo) -
A quite fun and entertaining read by a new author, although not a keeper for me. This book is written in a light-hearted almost tongue-in-cheek style. Because it takes place in an era much closer to our own, there are modern touches, like bicycles and motorized "roadsters". The hero, Zeno "Zak" Kennedy, is a dedicated Scotland Yard detective, and gets to perform a couple of daring rescues, but the heroine is not exactly helpless herself. I liked that when a problem arose between them, she confronted him honestly and directly, so there were no dragged out misunderstandings. In the second half of the book, the pace picked up, with a chase after the bad guys from London to Paris. Two of Zeno's fellow "Yard men" are introduced in this book, who I think will be the heroes of future stories. The ending was very sweet and touching. I gave it 3 stars because of a couple of things in the plot that strained believability.
Mary R. (greatdanelover) reviewed An Affair with Mr. Kennedy (Gentlemen of Scotland Yard, Bk 1) on + 131 more book reviews
I thoroughly enjoyed the story - the writing, the hero (my favorite kind) and the heroine (very independent). Enough action and fairly nasty "bad guy" to keep the reader's interest. I recommend. I hope the next two stories are as interesting.
Karen H. (warbler43) -
This is the first book by Ms. Stone that I read and while I enjoyed the story, I felt the romance was lacking a bit. Certainly, there was sex...lots of it as a matter of fact. Maybe a bit too much. I found myself skipping over some of those scenes.
The heroine was a thoroughly modern woman with an attitude towards sex and relationships that were somewhat ahead of her times. The hero, on the other hand, seemed more in tune with the morals of his time. It's my opinion that he may have been a bit taken back by Cassie's forwardness. Of course, like any man, he won't refuse at what's being offered.
I liked Rob Erskine, Cassie's brother, and the part he played with his rockets and motor car. I see potential for his character. I wonder if the author is considering letting him grow up a bit more and find his own lady love.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and the characters and gave it a rating of 4 stars (actually 3.5...but I can't split hairs on this rating system). I'm looking forward to the other books in this series and I do recommend this author and her works to others who enjoy reading stories set in Victorian England.
The heroine was a thoroughly modern woman with an attitude towards sex and relationships that were somewhat ahead of her times. The hero, on the other hand, seemed more in tune with the morals of his time. It's my opinion that he may have been a bit taken back by Cassie's forwardness. Of course, like any man, he won't refuse at what's being offered.
I liked Rob Erskine, Cassie's brother, and the part he played with his rockets and motor car. I see potential for his character. I wonder if the author is considering letting him grow up a bit more and find his own lady love.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and the characters and gave it a rating of 4 stars (actually 3.5...but I can't split hairs on this rating system). I'm looking forward to the other books in this series and I do recommend this author and her works to others who enjoy reading stories set in Victorian England.
