Seven Minutes in Heaven

I have to admit that I've not read many books from this author. I liked her Pleasures series and I also read couple of books from her Fairy Tales series, and loved one more than the other. So, after reading this story and loving every minute of it, I've decided to plow through EJ's backlist, working my way down from this book. My local used bookstore was very happy with my purchase this past weekend :)

In the first book of the Desperate Duchesses series we meet a bastard son of the hero of that book, Teddy. He was given to the hero to raise and his father actually does something unthinkable for that time. He choses to acknowledge him and raise him in his own household, under the same roof he'd be bringing his own legitimate children. show more Fast forward two or so decades, and we now meet once more Little Teddy, known to all now as "Ward" and who's inherited two half siblings that are in a dire need of a governess, and Ward himself is in a dire need of making a good match because keeping those children depends on it.

There's so much to love about this story, from our hero who is as unconventional as our heroine, but for some reason, the two kids in this story have stolen my heart. They were precautious, smart and utterly adorable.

As for the heroine, Eugenia, I was very impressed with her strength and wit. As Regency heroines go, she was one of the best I've read in a long time. I loved the fact that her feelings for her dead husband were complex even though he's been dead for seven years. I literally had tears in my eyes as she finally lets go of Andrew.

And then there was Ward. This man was such an intriguing and interesting character. He had inner strength and exuded confidence from the moment he showed up on the page. I fell in love with him immediately! The love he had for his brother and sister was palpable. Yes, he had some faults. But he wasn't stubborn and that was the key, because as soon as he figured out his mistakes, he was ready to admit to them and ask for forgiveness.

Seriously, this book rocks! You can't miss it.

Melanie for b2b

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher show less

James has created another gem of historical romance laced with humor. Duerden's smoky English accent pairs perfectly with the aristocratic Regency setting, with pitch changes distinguishing Eugenia Snowe, Ward Reeve, and his two wards. Ward seeks a Snowe’s Registry governess to aid in retaining custody of his orphaned half-siblings. Meanwhile, Eugenia emerges from widowhood and succumbs to her own and Ward’s sensuality. Duerden not only animates James’ signature witty dialogue, but Duerden’s deadpan delivery of the children’s most outrageous activities and ludicrous antics adds an extra dollop of whimsy. Her erotically lush delivery of the by-play between Eugenia and Ward involving cakes makes this a wonderful selection for show more foodies. The conflicts arising from surviving loss as well as the social status bias add just enough seriousness to superbly spice this confection. Although the third volume in the series, this novel makes a hot, entertaining, and thoughtful standalone.

The improved review was published in Booklist Online May 31, 2017 issue. show less

If you want me to swoon, include witty banter in your book. It doesn't matter what kind of book it is, just include the banter. Of course, it certainly helps romances in particular when there's an intelligent, strong heroine but sometimes creating such a woman can be hard while still staying true to historical realities. But Eloisa James always manages to create worthwhile heroines in her Regency set historical romances like Seven Minutes in Heaven, the latest in the Desperate Duchesses series.

Eugenia Snowe is a widow. Although she is the daughter of a marquis, after the death of her beloved young husband Andrew 7 years prior, she turned to work to keep herself busy. Eugenia runs the exclusive and discreet Snowe's Registry Office for show more Select Governesses and her governesses are highly sought after in all the best homes. She herself is businesslike and circumspect and she has a real knack for business, pairing each family on her books with the perfect governess. Somehow she has not managed to land on the right governess for Edward Reeve's half sister and brother though. Ward is trying to keep guardianship of his young half siblings away from his tyrannical, unpleasant grandmother and having the proper governess working with the children would certainly go some way to taking one of her arguments away from her. When the latest Snowe-provided governess quits, Ward determines that Eugenia herself would be the perfect governess and "kidnaps" her (she goes most willingly so it's hardly a kidnapping). Ward, a rich inventor, is the illegitimate son of an earl and is cognizant of what society will expect of his half-siblings so although he is incredibly attracted to Eugenia, he guards against a real attachment, believing her to not be a member of the nobility. Meanwhile, Eugenia is falling in love with Lizzie and Otis, the children in question, and she is feeling a sexual attraction for the first time in 7 years even as she finds it hard to accept this sign that she is moving on from the grief and loneliness that has colored her world for so long.

Eugenia and Ward sizzle when they are together. They flirt and spar almost from the first moment they meet and their quick intelligence is great fun. The misunderstanding that keeps them apart, ie Ward's belief that Eugenia is not noble, is a bit far fetched given that everyone else and their grandmother knows her whole history but without the misunderstanding, there's no reason for them to ever be apart. While Ward was illegitimate, both of his parents were noble themselves so he would have had a similar understanding of who was noble as his contemporaries do and would surely have known of Eugenia's family. If he didn't hear of her husband's drowning at the time, he would have heard of it once he looked to Snowe's Registry for the children. The children, with their odd quirks and strange interests, Lizzie wearing mourning and dissecting rabbits and Otis with his quick mathematical mind and his pet rat Jarvis, are delightful and much more entertaining than children in novels generally are and it is easy to see how Eugenia warms to them and wants them to have love and stability in their lives. Although Ward, with his occasional bouts of condescension and priggishness, is not nearly as likable as Eugenia, they are still a well-matched couple and James once again delivers for her readers. show less

It is complicated to review.

Before Seven Minutes in Heaven, I had never read a book by Eloisa James, so I was not sure what to expect. I have a very particular idea about what a regency should be like, and while there are many paths that Regency romances can follow, I only want to take a few of those paths.

Reading a 'new' author can be like a spinning the wheel of crazysauce, especially with the Regencies. Will it be tragic? Will it be gritty? Full of delightful banter? Mysterious? Loaded with historical inaccuracies and modern language? Have a reference to central air conditioning? Where would Eloisa James fall on the scale that ranges (imo) of absolute crap to Georgette Heyer?

I missed getting an eARC from Netgalley, but SBTB had a show more good review, and it was on sale, so I went ahead and purchased Seven Minutes in Heaven. And read it. And was very confused about how to review the dang book.

Historically accurate? Hmm, well there were no dates or event references that screamed out with anachronistic furor. But the wording and characters’ actions were not strictly correct for regency times.

But but but the characters! And the banter! And the humor! I could not stop reading, for all the things present that I would never have forgiven in other books. There is something about the way Eloisa James wrote that just captured me, made me fall in love with the heroine and the children. The hero, well he was not perfect, but I did not hate him.

So, I can forgive the public conversations about sexy times, the hiring/stealing of Eugenia’s maid by Edward without even discussing the matter, the public rudeness exhibited by supposed ‘ladies of quality’, the mixed-sex swimming lessons, the ‘fifty shades of grey’ comment, and all the food porn because this was such a fun book to read. I am still thinking about it, even though I have read several other books since finishing it!

I loved
- that while several characters were in mourning, there was not a lot of angst.
- Eugenia’s love of sweets.
- that the children, were not written merely to further the plot, but as believable and lovable people.
- that there were neither Duchesses or Desperates in this ‘Desperate Duchesses by the Numbers’ series.

Overall, hilarious and a fun read. show less

Very good book. Eugenia is the daughter of a marquis, a widow who lost her husband, the son of a viscount, in a boating accident seven years earlier. They had been very much in love, and in her grief, Eugenia needed something to give her life purpose. She started an agency which provides governesses to society members, though some look down on her for going into "trade". She has a reputation for providing the best, until she runs into Edward "Ward" Reeve.

Ward is the illegitimate son of an earl who has recently been given guardianship of two younger half-siblings. The children have had an unusual upbringing so far and he needs to prepare them for their new life in society. When a Snowe governess quits without notice, he confronts Eugenia show more with his demands.

There are sparks between Ward and Eugenia from the beginning. Their relationship starts via some rather amusing letters as she attempts to help him with his siblings. Their correspondence makes Eugenia feel alive in a way she hasn't for a long time. Ward is intrigued by the woman he believes is a former governess, by her wit and intelligence, and by her beauty. Besides wanting the very best in care for his siblings, he wants Eugenia.

I mostly liked Ward. He was smart, had a great sense of humor, and obviously loved his younger brother and sister. As soon as he found out about them, he upended his entire life to make a home for them. I loved his patience and understanding about their grief. There are some terrific scenes with him and the children that are really sweet and heartwarming. However, I was a bit frustrated with Ward throughout the book because of his attitude about Eugenia. For a man who spent his life being looked down on because of his illegitimacy, he turns around and does the same thing to her. Because he thinks she is not a "lady", he can only sleep with her, not consider marrying her. He is rather oblivious to all the indications that he is wrong. I kept waiting for him to discover his mistake and feel like the idiot he was.

I loved Eugenia. She is smart and warmhearted and has an amazing inner strength. In spite of some of the attitudes of the society women, she continues living her life the way that makes her happy. She has mourned her husband for seven years and is finally beginning to come out of her self-imposed seclusion. Her attraction to Ward Is a further wake-up call for her, as she realizes that she is finally ready to move on a little bit. I liked the way that she makes her decision to indulge in an affair with him, doing what feels right for her.

I enjoyed the development of their relationship. There was friendship, coming from their mutual desire to do what was best for the children. There was also the burning attraction between them, which occasionally overpowered their common sense. Ward's desperation for both help with the children and for Eugenia herself, led him to practically kidnap her and take her to Oxford with him. Once they were there, I loved seeing them work together with the children. There are some great scenes showing how the kids bring them closer together. At the same time, the heat between them is explosive, and their alone time is incredible. It doesn't take long for Eugenia to realize that what she feels for Ward is more than physical. She can't help dreaming of making a life with him and the children. Ward's feelings are also changing, but he resists with all his ability. After all, if he is going to give the children the entry into society they need, he is going to have to marry "up", and a former governess just won't do. Things come to a head after a misunderstanding, and Ward says some really hurtful things out of ignorance and pride. I ached for Eugenia and the devastation she felt. I was truly impressed with the way she handled it. Ward's realization of his idiocy is compounded when he discovers the truth about her background. His reception when he goes after her is everything he deserves, and I liked that things don't go the way he wanted. I loved that he actually had to work to gain her forgiveness, and his "grand gesture" at the end was excellent.

The children in this story are truly unique. From Lizzie's veil and dramatic recitations to Otis's pet rat, they are a real challenge to Ward and Eugenia. They are an interesting combination of innocence and experience, and they quickly work their ways into Ward's and Eugenia's hearts. Running through the story is the reason behind Ward's desperation to "tame" the children. Their grandmother is suing for custody and he has to do everything he can to make it clear that he is the best person to raise them. The grandmother is a really unpleasant person through most of the book. I loved seeing how both Ward's and Eugenia's families use their influence to help him, but it is Ward's own words that are the most effective. I loved seeing so many characters from previous books come together in this one to bring it to a happy conclusion. show less

If you are looking for a historical love story that doesn't feature a virginal miss that needs extreme coaxing, wooing and gentle kisses to drop her proverbial drawers -then you will love this book.

I loved the story line -it reminded a bit of one of Amanda Quick's books - A widow (who is actually a peeress) owns a Governess agency -a wrong side of the blanket gentleman with a step-brother and sister to raise, needs a governess - hilarity (well at least amusement) ensues, several governesses take to the road, heat builds between Ms Snowe (owner) and Mr. Reeve (Gentleman of dubious lineage) and let me tell you the heat is intense when you hit the 50% mark and I loved the allusion's to Fifty Shades of Grey.

Mistakes are made, feeling hurt show more but of course, all will be well in the end.

I forgot how much I loved most of Ms James writing and after reading this I think I will be re-reading her earlier works and buying some of later books to add to my library!

*ARC supplied by publisher. show less

I am happy to report that there are a number of entertaining and interesting conversations in this book. I am saddened to report that almost none of them occur between our hero and heroine.