| Title | : | Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1402210132 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781402210136 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 391 |
| Publication | : | First published September 1, 2007 |
Josephine Drummond is a professional paranormal researcher (aka, a ghostbuster) hired to prove that the ghost of Lord Deverell Thornton, the very handsome Earl and a notorious rake in his time, haunts the crumbling Waite Castle. But the ghost drags Josephine back to the Regency period to help him try to prevent the swindle that impoverished the Earl and threatens to turn his castle into a most undignified modern-day tourist attraction.
Josephine has to contend with being a modern career woman trying to navigate the complex social scene of the Regency period, make sure no one discovers her real identity and unmask a charlatan. But all of these are easier than resisting her undeniable attraction to the Earl, who is clearly determined to sweep her off her feet.
Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake Reviews
-
Josie is a ghostbuster, er...paranormal investigator. She's wrapping up her latest investigation and must now, sadly, tell this nice little old lady that she doesn't have a ghost and therefore won't be able to save her country estate by opening her bed and breakfast with a 'ghost' drawing card. As if that's not bad enough, when she arrives for tea with the nice old lady, they have an unexpected guest...the ghost of Deverell Thornton, 9th Earl of Waite...and oh boy, is he a hunk!!
Dev didn't particularly want to appear to this chit. However, in order to save the family estate, he's come up with a different plan. He and this 'investigator' will go back in time and solve the money problems before they occured. Now, if only he could stop having these 'thoughts' about her...and damn it, why won't she stay away from his corporeal past self? If he can't touch her, it's not fair that his past self can, right?
Cute story. Good writing. Hot regency rake meets modern horny woman! Little confusing on the ending but there is a HEA. -
I am not a fan of time-travel romances. In fact, I have avoided them because I am never satisfied with how the H/H end up together. Yet, after realizing that this was about a modern woman transported by a ghost into the Regency, I felt that it could hold some promise.
The heroine, Josie, is a ghostbuster who happens to meet Deverell Thornton, the ghost of the 9th Earl of Waite, during a job. She agrees to be transported to his lifetime to uncover a charlaton who supposedly robs his family of their wealth. The two already have chemistry, but when Josie meets the Dev in the flesh and during the Regency, things get a little confusing and a little out of control. Now Josie likes the man and his ghost, who are supposed to be the same person, but things just get screwy. Deverell the ghost becomes jealous of Dev, or his live self.
The the paradox was enough to make my brain fizzle, but I moved on. Josie and Dev eventually get it on, but there are complications, like where does she belong and which 9th Earl of Waite is she in love with. The end was pretty kooky when it never explicitly says who she decides on. I had to reread it a few times before that part made sense, which only started a new set of paradoxical questions.
I think my favorite part in the book was Josie being able to defend herself. That was a treat, because Dev just happens to watch the action instead of playing the 'man', like other romances would have done. I also liked Josie's sexual aggressiveness, compared the 'Rakish' Lord Waite. Lots of equality, without becoming crazy feminist, women's rights obsessive. The scenes were original and humor was added everywhere, with at least a small nod to speech differences. There was one mistake that pulled me to no ends. The Brits don't say 'merry christmas'.
Overall, one of my favorite reads. I want to buy it. It was not a perfect book. I wish there was better editing is differentiating the POV changes (all 3rd person, but the perspective changes without warning sometimes). I liked the ending, I thought it was highly appropriate, but I wish it was more clearly stated. -
leído en Julio 2010
Para cuando lo leí me parecio interesante y entretenido -
3:31pm
The author thanked her editor for choosing her manuscript because it isn't the "same old, same old romance." It's bad form to knock other books. And this is different but not in a good way…
It was a surprise that Josie was investigating Castle Waite because she's a paranormal researcher. She sounded no-nonsense from the summary and "modern career woman" definitely didn't lead me to believe she studies ghosts.
The staff thinks Amelia is crazy because every week she entertains the ghost of Deverell Thornton.
I was disgusted that Lord Waite was known for his wicked parties and his "lavish generosity" to his mistresses. Ew. He died age 37 in a duel from his debauched living.
Her mom said her clock was ticking and Josie didn't need any reminders because she's 30. Are you kidding me? What are we, in the 1800s?
Amelia is a descendant of Deverell's and she's planning to open her family home to the public to earn enough money to work on the place. The castle has been in her family since 1273.
Deverell came to appear first as an orb of light and then as a column of blue electricity and rainbow light. That was out-there and it felt like the author made up the most outlandish and fantastical thing she could think of. It was so dramatic.
He said the reason for the lack of money was because his mom had hired a gypsy seer to find a lost family item, but was tricked into hosting expensive seances. When he announced that he was going to take Josie into the past and expose the charlatan, I was rolling my eyes at the absurdity. It lost its potential for magic and romanticism and went straight to ridiculous.
He had chosen her for her intellect and had planned training for manners, decorum, and dress that would last a week. He would claim she was the great-niece of a Duke Landemere, who she's actually related to! What are the chances?!
It was an unwelcome surprise to learn that Josie had a fear of hats. They make her claustrophobic and panicky, and I have claustrophobia from small spaces and being restrained, and from being trapped in clothes and sheets and not being able to get them off, I know what she's talking about. But she'd had a riding accident and it resulted in her having to have her head in headgear for a year. I was like please, not another weird, random thing to contend with. Nothing screams forbidden romance like a heroine with headgear trauma!
His death had taken place because a husband challenged him to a duel to defend his wife's honor, but at least Deverell hadn't touched her. He surprisingly didn't sleep with other men's wives.
She has a blush that instantly broadcasts what she's thinking. It lets Deverell learn all kinds of things without even having to ask, like when Josie wants to know if he can go to the bathroom and if Regency women had a need for pockets. It was so annoying and convenient!
It ticked me off when Josie brought up syphilis and mistresses because I knew where it was going. And sure enough, Deverell said all you had to do was visit Covent Garden or walk down a certain street to see that baser needs could be satisfied outside of the home. And suddenly I was being beat over the head with what having a rake for a hero entailed. As always, thanks!
They kept nodding at each other during their game of wits and it was so annoying and boring.
Switched POVs from one to the other with no warning, just changed from one paragraph to the other. It was so jarring.
Ex. of how extremely boring and dry their dialogues were:
“That was the problem with elaborate rituals of manners. Were sincere feelings expressed, or was it simply obeisance by rote? If someone felt required to send flowers, did the flowers still convey any meaning? For Amelia’s sake, she wanted to believe his actions were motivated by true contrition.
Since he seemed to be feeling magnanimous, now was certainly a good time to continue her interrogation. “You mentioned earlier that you are aware of modern times…”
“Only in a general sense as pertains to the world at large.”
They were putting me to sleep. A dull battle of wills and match of wits. Ugh. I was only reading to get through it, not because of any interest or enjoyment.
The castle always has one guardian and each has to perform a task before they can leave. Sir Robert had to count every stone, and he ordered Deverell to read every book in the library, knowing it couldn’t be done, so the castle would always have a guardian.
If he expends too much energy there's a black period that can last for years. Once, it happened and he came to 45 years later! That sucked.
Deverell suddenly decided he couldn't wait any more, so he chose a time when Amelia was busy and manipulated Josie into going on a carriage ride for him where he made it leave without the driver, and suddenly they had gone back to 1815. He found her a chaperone, a woman so absentminded that she would believe that she had picked up a stranger at the docks in America. Convenient. And I hate convenient.
He found that he couldn't be in the same room as his real, living body. Which meant he couldn't go back and relive the past as he thought he could. And if he took them back now he would have to stay away for up to 20 years. If they didn't succeed then the estate would pass to a relative who would probably tear the damaged south wing down and that was where Deverell resides, so he'd be out of an existence.
I was shocked that the author wrote that Josie had met handsome men before, those who turned her on in bed. Thank you for allowing the heroine to have a good time in bed too!
I can't stand first kisses where the man seems to blame the woman for the attraction he's feeling and says that he needs to get away from her or have her and get rid of the desire. So of course the kiss isn't gentle; it's hard and demanding and when the heroine tries to stop he won't let her! NO, you didn't.
The first night she's there, mere hours after arriving, Mrs. Binns had the ploy to get Dev and Josie in a room together. She pried Dev from the plotting Estelle and had him show them a painting in his study, where Mrs. Binns promptly fell asleep. There went that convenience again. So of course he kissed her but what was surprising was that Josie was ready for more right then. It took Dev to point out that this wasn't the time or place. Hello, stupid, you can't have sex with him when there's a woman sleeping right there in the room. I was turned off that they would kiss so soon and that she was willing to sleep with him so fast. But I did like that she wasn't a "simpering Regency miss" and she took charge of the touching and kissing.
I did like that at dinner Dev raised his voice and announced that he recently discovered a fascination with artwork, and we knew it was because he'd just kissed Josie after looking at a painting. He said he found it stimulating but his talents lay in other activities.
I had been wondering about it, but since I learned Dev couldn't retake his place, I realized it was like they were two different people. Dev the real man in his real time and the ghost who could only look on. So when she kissed him, Deverell the ghost couldn't feel it or anything and it was like she had kissed another person altogether. That's what are it so crappy that she had kissed him so soon. And Deverell warned her about him, said he'd only break her heart. He found himself being jealous of himself. How weird!
I hate when authors try to spin crap into gold and call it romance. The story was that a man had bought the emeralds for a woman he loved to convince her to marry him, but the spurned mistress stole the jewels. The woman was so moved by the gesture, even though the jewel wasn't found, that she married him. A mistress in the picture and you're calling it romance? I don't think so.
She busted out the clumsy moments where the heroine trips, almost falls, etc. and the hero had to catch her.
There was a signed original copy of Pride and Prejudice, and he had danced with Jane and her sister, and Lady Honoria, his mom, had wanted Dev to marry Jane Austen. The appearance of Jane Austen was just over-the-top. Just because you know she lived in that time doesn’t mean you need to have your characters interacting with her. It just takes it into a cheesy place.
Deverell got her to convince Dev to have his mom throw the seance that night, saying his mom had to threaten Madame X into thinking she was going to hire another medium and Madame X wouldn't be paid. But all Josie said to Dev was that she wanted to go to a seance to contact her dead dad; she didn't say 1 word about threatening Madame X. Somehow Dev came to that conclusion on his own. He told his mom he'll only go if it’s held tonight and to tell Madame X if she doesn't do it they'll find someone else who will and she'll lose the $. How convenient that careless Dev came to that conclusion on his own.
It was amusing that Josie and Dev were skeptical of the seance and it was a moment when the spirit guide announced that Josie didn't belong there and she should go back where she came from or she'd suffer the consequences.
It was nice that Dev ordered that Josie wouldn't have to share her room like the others and that her maid not be too busy to take care of her. His stipulation for having his mom hold the seance for her was that she meet him in the garden. He had the servants prepare a meal and pillows.
Josie stupidly marched outside, ignoring her maid's protests that she needed certain clothing items to go out, and refusing to wait for the maid. I was beyond fed up as Mr. Hargrave kidnapped her. It was unwelcome and tired.
Mr. Hargrave was in bad debt and had pounced on her for her fortune. He kidnapped her in broad daylight, right out front at the estate, in front of the maid, and then fell asleep in the carriage...I didn't know what the heck I was reading.
At least she got herself out of the situation, by asking to go to the bathroom, and then kicking him in the crotch and tying him up. Which begged the question of why she had to be stolen in the first place if she was going to so quickly get out of it.
Lady Wingate had asked to meet him, except since Josie was abducted and he had to rescue her, Dev missed the meeting. So it prevented his death since Wingate wasn't defending his wife's honor.
There's a private entrance from the folly in the garden to his room, and Josie stupidly kept pressing the issue of him using it to bring women back, not accepting that he used it when he got back late playing cards. So there he was, telling her that he's used it a couple times for that. Thank you for sharing.
"If he was shocked before, what would he say if she told him she wanted to see his real stuff? Was he ready to get down and boogie?"
Ew. I couldn't believe I read that. His "real stuff?" "Get down and boogie?" I can't think of a lamer way to refer to sex.
Hargrave showed up the next morning, offering to save her reputation by marrying her. A man bold enough to kidnap a lady right in her front yard and then turn up at the house the next day to try it again. He got down and tried to kiss her feet and wouldn't let go of her, all in front of Dev. Because that happened.
It was so annoying waiting for Josie to catch up. We had known about the duel between Hargrove and Dev since Dev grabbed the man away from Josie after his marriage proposal outside of the library. But it took until the ball and Estelle dropping it for Josie to learn about it. So it looked like Dev would be dying after all.
She kept getting mad at him about things. For setting up the folly for them. For making her agree to go on a walk with him in return for him asking his mom to hold another seance, even though he knew his mom was already holding it and hadn't had to ask her at all. It was really repetitive and annoying.
Dev came in the room and took out a piece of paper and said "In fact, I have a question regarding a deal I recently made. I want to know if the party involved will hold up the other end of the bargain." When he seated her at the table he gave her the note and it said the door at the end of the gallery opened onto the garden path.
It bothered me when he learned she wasn't a virgin and looked on her in a different light. What does that mean? Do the heroines ever look on the hero in a new light because of his past? He told her that whatever came before for both of them didn't matter because this was their first gem because it was their first time together. So Josie said "Good Sir, it is my first time. Please forgive my mistakes." Wtf. Did you just have the heroine pretending she's a virgin and apologizing for it?? The author had to ruin it. Josie said there weren't many men and they were all unremarkable. Can't even have a good past. Oh but not Dev. Him she wouldn't forget. How fair.
At some point I didn't care how it ended as long as I was done with it.
By the time Madame X, who was really a man, and Estelle, kidnapped Josie and locked her in the dungeons, I was fed up with her being abducted and didn't really care what happened to her. While down there, Deverell instructed her on where to go and they found a skeleton wearing the emerald jewelry. So the man had found his mistress where she had fled and broken her leg and died downstairs, wearing the jewelry, except he didn't want to produce his mistress's body while he was married, and he couldn't take the jewelry or else everyone would know he had come across his mistress, so he left her and the jewelry there and put up a wall to hide her. Josie thought it was romantic. Shut up.
When the author had Deverell's strength tied to Dev's feelings for Josie I wanted to vomit. So the more Dev cared about her, the weaker Deverell became.
Once Josie gave him the jewels and told him to give them to his mom, the author actually had Dev suspicious of her and accusing her of looking for the jewels for herself. It was remedied an instant later as Josie told him what happened and they were back to kissing. Why even bother with it this close to the end if you're going to resolve it a few lines later? He looked like a stupid jerk for even suspecting her in the first place.
The chair had a secret panel that the guy stood up on. It was so random, so weird. I found myself struggling to stay afloat in an unexpected architecture and construction lecture on panels and latches and this crazy contraption she called an apparatus with a mask that had hooks on it and all this other stuff on how he entered the room and then a cape with arms dangling down, and that chair with the panel on the back. I had no idea what she was talking about and didn’t care a wit about this elaborate scheme.
They were all gathered in the library to expose Madame X (really Xavier) and Estelle, when suddenly the tables turned and Estelle pulled out a gun and ordered Xavier to tie them up. He managed to tie Dev to a chair, and hit Mrs. Binns and she pretended to be knocked out, and Honoria tried to knee Xavier like Josie had showed except he moved, and she really fainted, and then Deverell had the door open and the staff came and Dev freed himself and whatever. It was all so much. One cheesy, ridiculous occurrence after another.
Dev took Honoria to her room and for some reason latched onto the details of how Josie had done it, so I had to sit through Dev reiterating the whole tale like I hadn't just read it happening myself, and they wondered how Josie found the jewels since it was so dark down there (that's the author overthinking things. No one would have really thought of how the jewels could be found in the dark) and his mom said light must have come through a crack in the wall and Dev was glad of that explanation, like we even needed one! Absurd!
It was a moment when Deverell came to collect her because it time to go, and she asked how his heart felt and he didn't tell her a broken heart hurt worse than the bullet or about the agony Dev would be in at losing her.
I could not believe that last chapter. She ended up marrying Dev and they had a long marriage before they died. They ended up as ghosts surveying the tourists at their castle, and Amelia was about to die and become the guardian. I was so confused at the mention of a journal Josie had written about her life, before she forgot about her old life, and her only reminder was the journal, which seemed fantastical to them. I was left extremely confused about who knew what. Did Dev know during his life that his future ghost had helped her and brought her back to the past? I don’t even know how to untangle that in my head.
I was pulling books that had been out too long on the shelves at my library's bookstore and came across this. I couldn't believe what I had found. I thought I had chanced upon one of the greats, something truly romantic and out of this world. I resent that the cover is so good. It's a breathtaking cover. I resent that little blurb about his touch pulling her irresistibly across time, because that’s not what happened at all. I resent the packaging that this story came in. I hate when a book has a hot cover, when the book itself is not hot. It's so misleading and so incompatible to the actual story that I feel like I've been bamboozled. The cover in no way represents the feel of the book.
There was one surprising blow job that resulted in the hero losing it on the heroine's stomach. And a creative use of an old-timey shower...and a mention of sex toys, though not called that. But I didn't really get into it because the whole time I just felt bad for Deverell, and it was over too quickly with not even details for my tastes.
I didn't buy that Josie wanted to stay in that time period, because she hadn't been liking anything about it the entire time. The etiquette, the constant chaperoning, the sexism. If the author had taken time to have Josie admire her surroundings and really enjoy that way of life, I would have bought it more. But the whole time I was like no way would she give up her modern life and choose to stay here.
Josie insisted on doing improper things. Insisting on having breakfast even though the maid told her ladies didn't eat a big breakfast, only the men did, and outdoors when no one ate outside. They had to bring a table specifically for her to eat on.
She almost told Mrs. Binns that she wasn't a virgin, and she told her she knows what happens between a man and woman. Shut up!
At one point she pulled paper and a pencil out and started writing, in front of Mrs. Binns!
She insisted on using Dev's shower, in his room, in front of his valet and her maid. At one point they were kissing in the shower and the staff walked in on them. A lady would have NEVER demanded that the staff let her in a gentleman’s room so she could bathe. Come on.
There were some interesting historical details that I enjoyed learning:
The order of entering the room was really confusing, and was the seating arrangement. But when the hostess spoke to the man on her left all of the women at the table spoke to the man on her left. Then when the hostess "turned the table" and spoke to the man on her right, the women also spoke to the men on their right. It was rude to spell across the "board," (the table). A man might offer the woman seated next to him a bit of food, but it was a sign of preference.
They invited those of similar rank when they're in the vicinity, even if they're not a desirable character.
There wasn't someone to announce the arrival of guests at country balls because people usually knew everyone else.
Dev had obligatory dances with honored guests and the highest-ranking women first.
It had some nice moments and some funny happenings and lines, but it failed to live up to my expectations.
9:59 pm -
DNF. The idea was really good, help a ghost, travel back in time after learning how to live in the regency period. I really wanted to enjoy this book but for some reason i just couldn't get into the story. not sure why but really dissapointed. recommended for those who love regency romance novels mixed with the paranormal and some mystery.
1 1/2 stars -
ahahahahahaha No. I read this because Jen knows how much I adore cheesy time-travel romance novels, but this was just beyond bad. I feel really horrible giving one-star reviews, because I know how hard it is to write and get your thoughts onto paper, but...No. Between the practically non-existent plot and the poor characterization, I just can't rate this any higher.
-
Una historia con una prota femenina de lo más divertida y un final sorprendente. Me ha encantado.
-
Protagonistas: Jocie & Deverel
Profesiones: Científica & Conde
Pais: Londres -
¿Qué hace una mujer cazafantasmas del siglo XXI haciéndose pasar por una joven casadera en el siglo XIX?
Pues ayudar a un fantasma.
Josephine Drummond es una investigadora profesional de sucesos paranormales que se ha trasladado a un castillo de la campiña inglesa para investigar las apariciones de un fantasma, el noveno conde de Waite, Deverell Thornton. Tres semanas después aún no ha conseguido pruebas de que exista. Cuando está a punto de regresar a América, el huidizo fantasma aparece ante sus ojos y le ofrece un trato: él le contestará a todas las preguntas que Josie le haga sobre su experiencia como fantasma, y ella, a cambio, deberá viajar en el tiempo para poder desenmascarar a la estafadora que engañó a su madre y que provocó su muerte.
A pesar de no creer en absoluto en que Deverell pueda enviarla al pasado, acepta la propuesta, con lo que el conde y Amelia, la encantadora tatara-tatara-sobrina del fantasma y cuidadora del castillo, la ayudarán a conocer las costumbres de la sociedad de principios de siglo XIX para poder hacerse pasar por una joven heredera en busca de marido. Las lecciones duran poco, pues Deverell está impaciente por terminar con ese asunto rápidamente y volver a su época.
Josephine tiene treinta años y se dedica a investigar apariciones paranormales. No tiene prisa en tener una relación después de una vida amorosa intrascendente, pero el problema comienza cuando el fantasma de Deverell empieza a embelesarla. ¿Cómo es posible sentir este magnetismo por un espíritu?
Durante las lecciones, Josie tiene la oportunidad, además de estudiar con la máxima atención los usos de la Regencia (elegantes cenas, majestuosos bailes, aburridos bordados...), de conocer la vida del fantasma y las razones del encantamiento del castillo, y de enzarzarse en innumerables discusiones con el galante espectro a la vez que descubre más sobre su vida pasada.
¿Pero qué ocurre una vez está en el pasado?
Josie se halla en una situación difícil al conocer al “Dev” del pasado, vivito y coleando, pues se da cuenta que el hombre es diferente al fantasma. Mientras que el primero es apasionado y un granuja, el segundo está cansado y triste. Son la misma persona, pero sus personalidades no concuerdan.
Deverell, además, no puede ayudarla como querría en su investigación, porque no puede estar en la misma habitación que “Dev”, y cuanto más tiempo están en el pasado, sus poderes se van debilitando.
El conde de Waite, Dev, ha regresado a casa de su madre por unos días, y coincide allí con la señorita Drummond, una americana soltera por quien ha empezado a sentir unas emociones completamente desconocidas. Él sabe de lujuria y tiene experiencia en las artes del sexo, pero nunca ha sentido amor por una mujer, a pesar de que su madre le insista en que se case para darle nietos. Se verá tratando de poner todo su esfuerzo en evitar acercarse a ella y en vencer su ardiente deseo.
Entre pasiones irresistibles y extrañas sesiones de espiritismo, entre celos y engaños, los protagonistas se unen para desenmascarar a Madame X, la pitonisa que se está lucrando a costa de Lady Honoria, la madre de Dev.
Los personajes secundarios más destacados de la novela son: Mrs. Binns, la dama de compañía de Josie, quien la cuida y la guía durante su estancia en el castillo; Estelle, la joven viuda que tiene sus propios planes para Dev; Dora, la fiel criada de Josie, y Carson, el impresionable valet de Dev. Todos ellos brillan en algunas de sus escenas, muchas de las cuales son hilarantes, y son parte importante en el desarrollo de la trama.
Debo puntuar este libro con una nota más baja de la que me gustaría, pues a medida que vas avanzando en su lectura, intuyes lo que va a pasar a continuación. No ha habido sorpresas ni sobresaltos, lo cual es una pena. Ni tampoco me ha gustado la elección de la autora al cerrar una de las subtramas, que me ha parecido simple y abrupta. -
Yes, I'm admitting I read a romance novel, but I liked this one and I want to remember what i read so I don't read it again unless i want to.
This book was more likeable that most in it's genre. I liked the modern woman going back in time, i liked that she was torn between the man himself and his ghost from the future. I liked that everyone ended up happy (but was there a doubt?).
I liked the sense of urgency with Josie and the ghost needing to solve the mystery of the gypsy and get back to their own time. Most of these books seem to build the drama based on a lie or misconception that one character is afraid the other will find out, but this plot was a little more original and entertaining.
I thought there were some silly plot points, of course, did Josie really need to get kidnapped twice? Also, I liked the last chapter where Josie and Dev are ghosts in modern time, but they left out a lot about the modern characters that I would've liked to learn. I found it odd that Josie didn't even try to change her language to fit in, but just assumed that people would attribute it to her being an eccentric American.
Anyway, it was enjoyable and i did like the characters and the plot, even if it wasn't all that well-written. -
One of my favorite ghosts is "Dev" from a paranormal romance with an unusual twist: "Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake" by Laurie Brown. A modern career woman is thrust back in time into the glittering Regency period and the arms of an unscrupulous rake. Josephine Drummond is a professional paranormal researcher (aka, a ghostbuster) hired to prove that the ghost of Lord Deverell Thornton, the very handsome Earl and a notorious rake in his time, haunts the crumbling Waite Castle. But the ghost drags Josephine back to the Regency period to help him try to prevent the swindle that impoverished the Earl and threatens to turn his castle into a most undignified modern-day tourist attraction. Josephine has to contend with being a modern career woman trying to navigate the complex social scene of the Regency period, make sure no one discovers her real identity and unmask a charlatan. But all of these are easier than resisting her undeniable attraction to the Earl, who is clearly determined to sweep her off her feet. Very good read!
-
This was a ghost story with a slight difference to earlier stories I have read that are similar ie: Ghost stuck in their ancestral home for centuries when a woman turns up who could change their lives.
Deverell Thornton, the ninth Earl of Waite has been the Guardian of his ancestral home for centuries. Now it needs extensive repairs but there is no money, so he concocts an idea to hire Josie Drummond, an American expert on ghosts, to help him. He brings her there through the current owner of the home Amelia, for her to discover the ghost of the castle. What he really wants to do is take her back in time to find a family heirloom – a set of emeralds that should fetch enough money to repair the castle. With a little persuasion Josie accepts the challenge and gets more than she bargained for when she meets the Dev before his death. It does not take long for them to fall in love then she is left with the dilemma does she stay with the real Dev or travel back to her time with his ghost?
I really enjoyed this story, it was fun. -
Entertaining summer read! I had just finished "What Would Jane Austen Do?" and I'm pretty sure the authors used some of the same source materials (-:. But, the story tootles along quite merrily with just a few clunks and hitches (sometimes the infodumps -- and I mean that in a good sense -- are a fascinating insight into the Regency culture, and sometimes they are just dumps. Which is not entirely the author's fault -- she can't know which readers have some Regency background and which don't. Well researched, but sometimes a modernism creeps in. Also, the emotions are sometimes a wee bit exaggerated and I don't really feel the motivation: I'm just told it's there, but the actions don't necessarily support it).
All in all, solid entertainment. If Jane Austen is a five, and Georgette Heyer is a four, there's no shame in a good three. -
This was a cute, quick summer read...nothing deep and awe-inspiring, but fun nonetheless. Ghost hunter Josie goes back in time to debunk the charlatan who has been stealing money from Lord Deverell's family estate. Josie first meets Deverell as a ghost in modern times while working a job. He hires her to go back in time to help save his family fortune. Of course adventure and romance ensue. Deverell the ghost and Deverell in the flesh are both present in the past, which makes for a confusing time for Josie and her emotions. I love the heroine Josie because she is not a weak, overly emotional female...she can definitely take care of herself. Deverell is just what you expect for a studly hero, without being too over-the-top. There is a HEA albeit a bit confusing at first. Overall a fun read!
-
I really enjoyed this but it was so similar to What Would Jane Austen Do that sometimes I was a bit upset as it felt like the author cheated. Obviously this whole going back in time to the regency period and falling in love with someone who is Darcy-esque is a great plot, it was just that some of the wording seemed to lifted almost word for word in the explanations of regency period customs. Perhaps that is just because I read it the day after I read What Would Jane Austen Do, but still it bothered me a bit. Still loved the book. Who doesn't love a good romance with a Mr. Darcy type character?
-
Josie Drummond is a paranormal investigator who by request of Amelia Thorton was trying to certify whether or not a ghost was in residence at her castle. Just when she was ready to give up, Deverell Thorton makes an appearance...
For the entire review please go to the Best Paranormal & Urban Fantasy Review site on the web,
Bitten By Books for the review of
Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake in it's entirety. You won't be sorry. -
This book introduced me to fan language, and at the same time, historical romances. I have always been fascinated about mystery/paranormal and romance novels and this book is an all-in-one. It has a good story built up although I have figured out who was the villain earlier, but I guess it’s just my detective instincts that kicked in. I loved the conclusion at the ending and enjoyed the whole experience very much.
-
A cute, lighthearted story—enjoyable, but pretty forgettable. I couldn't help feeling like Josie's investigations of the charlatan were dragged out since she really didn't do much to solve the mystery, and when she did, the whole scene gave me Scooby Doo flashbacks. Still, this was a quick, pleasant read.
-
A light, joyful read. I'm not much of a fan of time-travel, but Josie's character was fun. You just knew her faux pas during the Regency period were going to cause a problem. The rattlings of her chaperone, Mrs. Binns, were priceless. All in all, Deverell, the real one and the ghost, kinda boring. The title is misleading.
-
This was a really fun book in which a modern woman is brought back in time by a ghost to help his family and while she is in the past she meets the live him. This book is full of interesting characters and a well written plot that is full of surprises and will keep you captivated until the very end.
-
Awesome book...I love reading Regency
novels and though this does incorporate
time travel, it works...Josie attempts to
go back in time w/Lord Waite to amend
circumstances affecting the present. I
was fascinated to learn much more about
the social scene of the time and amazed
to find out a formal dinner lasted for hours! In my opinion a must read! -
Good story line with romance, time travel and a little bit of mystery. I got a bit confused on the ending, even though it was a happy one at that. This book is going to be book I still think over because I feel no satisfaction at the conclusion. No answers to my many questions. Quite bummed overall.
-
Una historia de regencia contada de una manera divertida y diferente ... la rivalidad y los celos entre Dev y Deverell por la atención y afecto de Joy así como los dialogos directos entre los personajes con puyas y bromas hicieron d esta una historia entretenida y facil de leer... Buena lectura para un día relajado.. :P
-
Loved reading the interaction between the alive Dev and Josie, however most of this book dragged on, and I'm still unsure exactly what the ghost Dev needed Josie to do as they went back in time.
Good book, but slightly confusing. -
Romantic comedy. A twenty-first century lady "ghostbuster" meets a ghost trying to help his descendant. She travels back in time to meet him when he was alive and falls head over heels. Delightful! Engaging! You can't put it down until the end!
-
This was a brain candy book. It was a quick read, but was nothing special. Good for travel reading (I read it on the train), or when you just need something that doesn't require a lot of brain energy.
-
Hmmm...not your typical historical romance. I actually found this under the paranormal section in the used book store. It was very different but very good. Although I kinda wished it had ended a little differently but overall I would recommend it.
