Blog Tour: The Lady’s Command by Stephanie Laurens

Author: Stephanie Laurens
Publisher: Mira (Harlequin)
Date of oublication: December 2015

His to cherish

Declan Frobisher chose Lady Edwina Delbraith as his wife. Scion of a bold, seafaring dynasty, he’s accustomed to getting his way—Edwina would be the woman who graced his arm, warmed his bed and remained safely at home when he returned to sea. But once the knot is tied, Declan discovers Edwina is unconventional and strong-willed, and his marriage promises to be as tempestuous as the high seas.

Hers to command

Edwina’s fairy-princess beauty hides a spine of steel. Born into the aristocracy—born to rule—and with Declan’s ring gracing her finger, she expects to forge a marriage by his side. Then bare weeks into their honeymoon, Declan is recruited to sail on a secret mission. Edwina—naturally—declares she must accompany him.

Theirs to conquer

Facing unforeseen perils and unexpected enemies while battling to expose a dastardly scheme, Declan and Edwina discover that their unusual marriage demands something they both possess—bold and adventurous hearts.

JOIN THE ADVENTURERS—four couples whose passionate voyages will transport you. Start the journey here and follow the adventures, the mysteries and the romances to the cataclysmic end!

I have read a few of Ms. Lauren's books and have really enjoyed them, so I was looking forward to reading this The Lady's Command, the first book in a new series.   I have also seen a lot of good reviews.  Unfortunately for me, I just couldn't get into the book and gave up at about 30%. There were a couple of reasons why this book didn't end up working for me. 

You all know me, I am the romance reader of the the blog.  One of the things I love about romance is the build up to the firsts...the first meeting, the first kiss, the first fight, etc.  In this book, the couple is already married, so those firsts are have already happened. Because that build up was missing, I really felt disconnected from Declan and Edwina's relationship.  Both characters describe in great detail why the match was advantageous for them. In reading their inner thoughts, it all felt too logical and dull for me.  Even the first love scene felt remote and too flowery.  As I said, I have read other books by this author, but the writing in this one felt different and off.  

Just because I didn't love this book, doesn't mean it won't be right for you.  Make sure to check out what others are saying on the tour and then try it out for yourself.

About Stephanie Laurens

New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Laurens originally began writing as an escape from the dry world of professional science. Her hobby quickly became a career; she has been writing historical romance novels for more than 20 years. Currently living outside Melbourne, Australia with her husband and two cats, she spends most of her days writing new stories in her signature ‘Errol Flynn meets Jane Austen” style.

Connect with Stephanie

Website | Facebook

Stephanie Laurens’ TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Monday, January 4th: Romancing the Book

Tuesday, January 5th: Bewitched Bookworms

Wednesday, January 6th: The Sassy Bookster

Friday, January 8th: A Chick Who Reads

Monday, January 11th: The Romance Dish

Tuesday, January 12th: BookNAround

Wednesday, January 13th: From the TBR Pile

Thursday, January 14th: Worth Getting in Bed For

Friday, January 15th: Sharon’s Garden of Book Reviews

Monday, January 18th: Reading Reality

Tuesday, January 19th: The Maiden’s Court

Wednesday, January 20th: Black ‘n Gold Girl’s Book Spot

Thursday, January 21st: FictionZeal

Friday, January 22nd: View from the Birdhouse

Monday, January 25th: Bibliotica

Tuesday, January 26th: A Night’s Dream of Books

Tuesday, January 26th: Books a la Mode – excerpt and giveaway

Wednesday, January 27th: One Curvy Blogger

Thursday, January 28th: It’s a Mad Mad World

Friday, January 29th: Stranded in Chaos

TBD: Thoughts from an Evil Overlord

And Then She Fell by Stephanie Laurens

Author: Stephanie Laurens

Publisher: Avon

Date of Publication: March 2013

The only thing more troublesome than a Cynster man...is a Cynster lady who believes love is not her destiny. Famously known in London society as "The Matchbreaker," Henrietta Cynster's uncanny skill lies in preventing ill-fated nuptials - not in falling victim to Cupid's spell.

But then she disrupts one match too many and feels honor-bound to assist dashing James Glossup in finding a suitable bride for a marriage of convenience.

And Then She Fell is the latest in Cynster family series by Ms. Laurens.  It's only the fourth book that I have read in this series.  I read the three that proceed this one. At first, I was a bit thrown off because apparently, not all of the books follow each other on a linear timeline.  Once I figured that out, I was able to settle into the story.  There are definitely references to previous happenings, but they didn't take away from my enjoyment of James and Henrietta's love story.  If anything, it only made me want to go back to the beginning of the series.

I really enjoyed this romance. It was fun watching Henrietta and James fall for each other. Their love story was effortless.  It's refreshing to read about two people who aren't afraid to admit they are perfect for each other.  While there is no Love angst, there is a bit of a mystery.  Someone is trying to kill Henrietta.  In order for their life to begin, she and James must figure out who it is.  The villain wasn't easy to figure out.

The Cynster family is quite large and most of them make an appearance in this book. Mary, the last single of this generation of Cynsters, finds her hero in the next book, The Taming of Ryder Cavanaugh coming out in July 2013.  I look forward to reading it.  While I'm waiting  I think I'll go back to the beginning and start with Devil's Bride (Avon, 1998).

 About the author:

Stephanie Laurens was born in Sri Lanka, which was at the time the British colony of Ceylon. When

she was 5, her family moved to Melbourne, Australia, where she was raised. After continuing through school and earning a Ph.D. in Biochemistry in Australia, Laurens and her husband moved to Great Britain, taking one of the last true overland journeys from Katmandu to London.

Once in London, Laurens and her husband both began work as research scientists in Kent. They lived in an area surrounded by history. Their own cottage was built in the 16th century, while next door were the protected ruins of an early Roman villa, and nearby was a 14th century castle.

After four years in England, Laurens and her husband returned to Australia, where she continued to work in cancer research, eventually heading her own research laboratory. One evening Laurens realized that she did not have any more of her favorite romance novels to read. After years of thinking about writing her own novel, during nights and weekends for the next several months she began crafting her own story. That manuscript, Tangled Reins, was the first of her books to be published. After achieving a level of success with her novels, Laurens "retired" from scientific research and became a full-time novelist. Her novels are primarily historical romances set in the Regency time period.

Laurens and her husband live in Melbourne with their two daughters.

Website: http://www.stephanielaurens.com/

Review: The Lady Risks All by Stephanie Laurens

Author: Stephanie Laurens
Publisher: Avon
Date of Publication: September 2012

Neville Roscoe, notorious and enigmatic, lives resolutely outside society, bound only by his own code of honor - until challenged by his desire for the one woman he cannot have.

Miranda Clifford is a lady imprisoned by rigid respectability - until tempted by a passion beyond her power to deny.

Flung together in peril, through danger and intrigue, they discover a love impossible to ignore ... or keep.

The Lady Risks All is the first full length book that I have read by this author.  I know I have read a few novellas that have been published in anthologies, but never a full length book.  Overall, I enjoyed the story.   I really loved Neville and Miranda together. Miranda was a great character.  Even though she believes herself firmly "on the shelf", she isn't afraid to take chances and experience all life can offer her.  She may be innocent in the ways of love, but once she gets a taste, there is no stopping her.  I loved that she wasn't a wilting wallflower.  I don't think a woman like that would be a good match for Roscoe.  Their fall into love was very sweet and, at the same time, heart-wrenching since neither of them believed they could have a life together.  I loved the HEA ending.

What I didn't like about the book was the length.  I thought it was just way too long. Coming in at almost 500 pages, there were quite a few scenes that I thought could have been cut and it wouldn't have taken away from the story.  They really did nothing to advance the story at all.  Because of them, I found myself getting a bit bored in the middle.  The writing was a bit repetitive at times, especially during the love scenes.  I also got tired of being told that Miranda was 29 years old.  I think I got the point after the 6th time I was reminded.

Despite all of this, the story was good.  It's definitely worth reading.  Just be prepared for a long book.  I read that Roscoe shows up in  a couple of earlier books, so I'll be looking for some of them.  Maybe I'll feature one in a Throwback Thursday post.  Stay tuned!