Also in this series: Reckless, Breathless
Series: The House of Rohan #1
Published by Mira on July 20th 2010
Genres: Historical Romance, Georgian Era
Narrator: Susan Erickson
Length: 11 Hours and 49 Mins
Pages: 409
Format: Audiobook
ISBN: 0778328481
Few outsiders will ever witness the dark misdeeds of the Heavenly Host. And among this secret society, where exiled Georgian aristocrats gather to indulge their carnal desires, fewer still can match the insatiable appetite of their chief provocateur, the mysterious Viscount Rohan.
Pursuit of physical pleasure is both his preferred pastime and his most pressing urge, until he encounters the fascination of a woman who won't be swayed. And while his dark seduction appalls the pure and impoverished Elinor Harriman, she finds herself intrigued...and secretly drawn to the man behind the desire.
Ruthless is a story that I have been meaning to read for YEARS and I don’t know why it took me so long to read this book since its definitely a setting that I love reading. And honestly, I can’t get enough of seeing this author’s incredible talent of penning a anti-hero that you become enamored with yourself.
Ruthless takes place in France, about twenty years before the French Revolution. Our heroine is responsible for her family. Elinor Harriman. When her father divorced their mother and didn’t want his two daughters from the marriage, their mother became a mistress to a rich man who brought them to France. But then when their mother lost his “favor” through a series of bad luck, they find themselves in some of the worst parts of Paris. They are barely surviving with a mother who is slowly going mad and losing all of their coin that is for food. When Elinor discovers that her mother has disappeared and gone off to an infamous gathering “Heavenly Hosts” where there are gambling, drinking and lots of sexual orgies, she knows that she has no choice. Elinor might not be a virgin, but she is innocent and the last thing she wants to go is to go looking for their mother, but they can’t risk her gambling away all their savings. But then she runs into the prince of sin….Viscount Rohan.
Rohan suffered incredibly when he was younger, losing all of his family and he isn’t as heartless as he appears. But he is hard around the edges and is sexually driven in many of his appetites and then a stranger appears at his infamous party demanding he helps her find her mother, a mother than Rohan hates himself. But he finds himself intrigued by Elinor, he has become bored with his life, but her fiery spirit challenges him so he goes again his own reservations and dictates and helps her find her mother. And even though he doesn’t want to admit that he has a growing attraction for Elinor, he just can’t seem to stay away from her.
But there is a villain unseen, unsuspecting that puts Elinor in danger, but will Rohan be able to figure it out in time to save the only woman who has ever made his feel in years….
What a story and I am so GLAD that I decided to pick this up from Audible’s Romance Package….I swear the more I listen to this selection the more I am convinced that this package is perfect for me. I have found so many treasures and Ruthless is at the top of this list of loves. This is a story that at first, I wondered, this is going to be a tough sell especially when some aspects are full on against my own Christian beliefs but honestly for some reason it didn’t effect me like I expected it to….didn’t bother me much to be honest. Probably because its not a primary focus or anything and the way that Anne Stuart writes this book is phenomenal….like seriously if you are a fan of Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas, I highly recommend this to you, because Ruthless may be a bit edgier but it delivers a hero that is so unlikeable and unreachable and you see him become human capable of feeling and being honorable and good at times. When you hear about what he suffered when he was younger though, your heart just breaks for him and you begin to understand why he is so dark at times.
The heroine is simply lovely at times, I truly enjoyed her character immensely. She is a leader and courageous but a bit prideful. She doesn’t view herself as important at all. Her sister, however, she will protect at all costs. Elinor sees that her sister is beautiful while Elinor knows that she is plain and she doesn’t understand Rohan’s fixation on her. At first, she believes its just to get to her sister, but she realizes that he only views her sister as if she was his own sister. I love how she stands on her own principles and even though she is quite stubborn and prideful, I liked that she has some flaws. She is hardworking and has sacrificed quite a bit for her family. She has her own horrors in her past and she finds herself drawn to Rohan because she can understand him in ways no one else can.
The romance is simply pure delight and one of the best I have read in quite some time especially in a historical setting. I found it to be so refreshing and on board with what I was in the mood for. I do love a good bad boy…and Rohan fits this so well. He is definitely a bad boy for sure, rich and makes no apologies. He finds Elinor exciting, she loathes him especially in the beginning and instead of being offended….he is delighted by her treatment of him and it was so hilarious!! I loved their chemistry, it just sizzles off the pages without being too detailed either. I like that this author created such a vibrant connection between the two.
I have to say that I definitely will be reading more of this author…but boy her selection is vast with over 100 novels…where to start….hmm, I think I will finish this series first. Because….oh my!! 🙂
I don’t think I could share my love enough for this story…its tough, sensual, gritty and sweet. It can make you laugh, tense at the edge of your seat and bring a sweet tear to your eye with the poignant emotion that is displayed….MAJESTICALLY WRITTEN!!
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