Laura Lee Guhrke

Lord Denys Somerton is about to embark on one of the largest acquisitions of his life…he is about fulfil his duty and get married to some nice British women of nobility, just as it is expected of him. But that is until Lola Valentine, a women of his past comes back to London and claims half of the shipping company his father co-owns, that she just inherited, and stirs a hornets nest of trouble.

6 years ago, Denys sunk everything he had into Lola, an American wannabe actress and when she show more left him for "something better" and left him not only broken hearted but bankrupt too. After 6 years Denys has earned back his reputation and his fortune, but with Lola back, his life has become a whole lot more complicated. But when the truth comes out about why Lola truly left, Denys is shocked to the core, but where can they go from here?

I'm going to leave it there as I don't want to give away too much of the story. I have never read a book by Laura Lee Guhrke, which is quite shocking in itself, as I have been a fan of historical romances for at least 10 years, but yet I hadn't come across this author before. But some of the lovely ladies in the reading group I belong to have been raving about her new "An American Heiress in London" series, so I decided, what the hey! I have nothing to lose.

Now in total honestly, I'm not really into the many stories out there about American's in Regency London, as to me, it never quite gels…which is kind of amusing (and maybe hypocritical) as I'm an English women living in America; but regardless, I drove straight and I will admit, this book has changed my opinion about many things, let me explain.

Where normally authors will list every difference between American and the British, this author did not, now don't get me wrong, she made subtle comparisons, but really she wrote this book in a way that she didn't make the general assumptions that most authors make and I really appreciate that. I loved the way she wrote the way the characters had flaws, even the ones that seemed to have a stick shoved up their behind! Truly, the author wrote an amazing story, of love overcoming great feats and yet it managed to survive.

So to put it bluntly…the writing: magnificent, the story: divine, the characters: endearing and this reviewer is now a dedicated fan of Laura Lee Guhrke…and so, if you want me, I will be buying every single book she has ever written!!

I give No Mistress of Mine 5 Stars! show less

There may come a day when I look back on this whirlwind of a day and think, "Why did I rate this book five stars?"

BUT I DON'T CARE. I have been taken on a ROLLER COASTER of emotions. I'm at that point in my existence where I don't even understand how a fan of romance novels could possibly not love this book deep in the marrow of their bones?

A heroine that is a good girl, but not TOO good, who speaks her mind and isn't cowed and is just struggling to come to terms with who she is and who she show more wants to be vs. what everyone else wants her to be. A hero that is something of a "rake" or whatever, but doesn't spend LITERALLY THE ENTIRE BOOK engaging in something just shy of rape fantasies?

A book of beautiful consensual sex where the guy is respectful and instead of saying, "I KNOW YOU WANT THIS, I CAN FEEL IT, DON'T LIE TO ME WITH YOUR 'STOP'S AND 'NO's" and instead bothers to ask the heroine if she actually wants to keep going without making it seem like she doesn't ACTUALLY have a choice?

AND ON TOP OF THAT THEIR FIRST KISS IS IN A RARE BOOKSHOP? Are. you. serious.

I'm sorry. I'm just having a lot of feelings. I want to read this book 50 times. I want to always love this book as much as I love it at this very moment. show less

Don't let the (pretty awful) cover fool you. This was a great book, among the best romance novels I've read lately.

Set in the Victorian era, at the turn of the century, And Then He Kissed Her deals with issues that I've never seen before in a romance novel, and it is a refreshing breath of fresh air amongst the many many (tired) regencies out there.

I liked this novel not only because of the budding relationship between Emmaline and Marlowe, but mostly because of Emmaline's transformation show more from a prim and proper young lady content to follow society's strictures and rules and to uphold them most rigidly, to a woman who uncovers who she really is, stands up for herself and comes into her own.

Excellent. show less

What a delightful story. The heroine had been stuffed into a psychological corset, but she gradually decides to undo the laces. The hero has sworn never to marry again, until it's pointed out to him that he already is.

The banter between Harry and Emma is adorable. And it contains one of the sexiest love scenes I've ever read -- not in bed but with Harry whispering to Emma all of the things he'd like to do to her.

My only complaint is the abrupt ending -- an epilogue would have been nice.