I received this book for free from Sourcebooks Casablanca in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Untouchable Earl by Amy SandasAlso in this series: Luck Is No Lady, Lord of Lies
Series: Fallen Ladies #2
Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca on November 1st 2016
Genres: Historical Romance, Regency Era
Pages: 416
Format: eARC
Source: Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN: 1492618756
"Are you afraid?""Yes," she replied in a soft voice. "But I love the way you frighten me."
Lily Chadwick has spent her life playing by society's rules. But when an unscrupulous moneylender snatches her off the street and puts her up for auction at a pleasure house, she finds herself in the possession of a man who makes her breathless with terror and impossible yearning...
Though the reclusive Earl of Harte claimed Lily with the highest bid, he hides a painful secret-one that has kept him from knowing the pleasure of a lover's touch. Even the barest brush of skin brings him physical pain, and he's spent his life keeping the world at arms' length. But there's something about Lily that maddens him, bewitches him, compels him...and drives him toward the one woman brave and kind enough to seek to heal his troubled heart.
Summary
Lily Chadwick has always played by the rules that society has set out for her and her sisters and all she has gotten in return is loneliness and a sense of missing out on something more that she wants to explore. Lily has always been intrigued by the idea of desire and pleasure but doesn’t know if she will ever have the chance to find it. But then one night, because of their late fathers gambling debts she is kidnapped and taken to a pleasure house to be auctioned off for money. She has one rescuer, The Earl Of Harte. Avenell, has always dreamed of finding a woman that he could touch. As a child he suffered from a disease that made physical touch painful but he feels the sparks of awareness every time he is near Lily Chadwick at a social function. But he knows he can never have her, until he sees the worst happen….seeing such a beautiful and kind soul of a woman being auctioned off to the highest bidder. He doesn’t even think about it, because he knows that this is his one chance. When Lily finds out the truth of her situation, and when Avenell offers her return back to her family, this is her opportunity to find out what passion is really like. She is aware that if the truth comes out, she will be ruined. But with Avenell, she could have a chance to explore a part of herself she has always wanted to and The Earl of Harte is her ticket, because she can’t deny the heat the travels between them with just one glance. So Avenell and Lily enter a arrangement, that Lily will be his mistress and they will explore together. Avenell soon learns that there is so much more to their relationship than just mere desire…its more consuming and threatens every protection he has built for himself over the years…Will the Earl of Harte accept what Lily offers or throw it away because of fear and a new experience?
Plot and Story Line
My oh my, was this romance so delightfully good!! I just couldn’t get enough of these two or what they share. Now this series is about three sisters who are orphans and trying to make their way through society with the help of a grand aunt. The first book, Luck Is No Lady was Emma’s book. Now its Lily’s chance. Now these two books do happen around the same time of each other, so I do recommend reading them in order, and you might get a bit confused on certain details. But if needed you can read this one on your own. Even though I quite enjoyed myself with Luck Is No Lady—–The Untouchable Earl stroke a chord with me in a way I haven’t felt in a long time, especially in a historical romance. The chemistry between Avenell and Lily is off the charts. WOWZERS!!! And I don’t mean lots of sex scenes…nope there were only a few. But the actual connection that these two is sexy and HOT, and I just couldn’t get enough of these two. This author did a wonder with this romance because it was so heartfelt and real and raw. The hero hasn’t been touched since he was a small boy since any sensation especially in his upper body causes him pain, and even though he has had the aid of a certain woman in charge of a pleasure house, he doesn’t know what a affectionate touch could be like until he meets Lily. At first he just wants to keep her at a distance he controls, but there is a part of him that wants more and feels more even when their eyes meet across a crowded ballroom. He doesn’t understand the depth of emotion he feels for her and in some ways it terrifies him. Lily is a true heroine though, she is patient and understanding and senses the changes in him and accommodates what he needs. I love how selfless she is, most especially in the bed. I love the way these two are with each other, and their love story is remarkable and touching in many different ways and gives you all the feels!!!
The truth was so clear. From the very beginning, she had belonged to him, but not as a mistress belonged to her protector. Lily was his as his was hers. She was a part of him He was a part of her. He could not exist without her.
I found almost nothing wrong with this book, I just loved every bit of it. I can’t recommend it enough to romance lovers!!
The Cover
SEXY as Sin!!!I love covers against the wall and Sourcebooks did a brilliant job with it. I love the way he is holding her, and her dress is so pretty—love the shade of purple.
Overall View
The Untouchable Earl is a heart felt romance that goes straight from your head to toes in emotion, passion and love—-a true piece of art!!!
I love what you said about their connection. What a poignant situation with him unable to be touched and her family issues.
It is a different situation than you normally see in a romance and is quite heartbreaking for both characters, but Sands handles the story so well.
I did get book 1, but I learned my lesson, I can’t read files by them :/
oh that sucks!!! I really love this publisher, and Sands is so great to read.
a selfless main character who is an orphan in a historical romance, oh yes please that sounds fantastic
I so can’t wait to read this one!! I’m hopefully going to get to it soon, but I’m already shipping these two. The chemistry and dynamic sound absolutely amazing and I know I’m going to love these two as characters. And what an interesting concept no? The hero feeling pain when he is touched is definitely unique and heartbreaking to think of. I’m very curious to see how Amy Sandas handled it.
Fabulous review!
oh thank you hun!!! You will love this one. I have never seen this situation in a romance, so it was a very unique experience and Sands handled it so very well. I can’t wait to see what you think of this one Nick.
I’m so excited that you loved this because I enjoyed Luck Is No Lady and have high expectations for The Untouchable Earl. I’m intrigued by Avenell’s issues with touch and how it is handled. Great review!
I will have to try this author out sometime – I like her spin on historical 🙂 Sounds really hot!!!!
You had me at ‘heartfelt and real and raw’. Yep…I’ll be checking this one out! Great review 🙂