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Summary: A fitting beginning for the Malloren saga!
Review: Lady Chastity takes on the role of a highwayman and kidnaps a coach and its aristocratic occupant in order to rescue her widowed sister and baby nephew from their crazed father. But Cyn Malloren doesn't remain a captive for long. A soldier recovering from a life-threatening illness, Cyn impulsively offers to help the young "Charles" and his widowed sister escape their pursuers. When the handsome reward offered for their capture tightens the web around them, Cyn dons feminine apparel to throw off the scent. The scene where Cyn (dressed as a lady) avoids detection by engaging in a passionate liplock with Chastity (dressed as a man) is real jewel!The sexual tension between Chastity and Cyn is explosive, even though Chastity doesn't know that Cyn is not fooled by her male apparel. Cyn falls deeper and deeper in love as he tries to ferret out the truth of Chastity's reputation and family secrets. Chastity knows that her unsavory reputation makes her unsuitable to become the wife of a Malloren, so she clings all the more closely to her bitter secrets. Originally published in 1993, this book is the first of a series of five (so far) dealing with the Malloren family and its dictatorial head, Rothgar. Before reading the highly-acclaimed fifth book, "Devilish," I decided to acquire the first four and read them in order. (I do love books with recurring characters!) If the other four books turn out to be as engrossing as this one, I may not be able to get any sleep this week!
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Summary: Fun regency romance
Review: Lady Chastity Ware is desperate to help her recently widowed sister and her sister's baby escape from the clutches of her sister's brother in law who poses a danger to the baby. Chastity therefore dresses up as a highwayman and hijacks the first coach that comes along. Little does she know that she has hijacked a coach belonging to the devastatingly handsome Cyn Malloren. Cyn has been convalescing for the past few months and is looking for adventure. He immediately recognises Chastity as all female and goes along for the ride and promises to help Chastity and her sister. This was a fun regency romance to read but not exceptional. I felt that the father of Chasisty was rather cruel in his treatment of Chastity and didn't like this aspect of the story at all. Cyn was a very dashing and noble hero and chastity made a strong heroine. The chemistry wasn't electric but the love scenes were hot. Lealing
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Summary: First of the Mallorens - Cyn-fully wicked
Review: Lord Cynric Malloren, known as Cyn, is home from the war, injured and tired of being smothered by his over-protective brother, the Marquess of Rothgar. So when he is held up and kidnapped by a highwayman, he is diverted and amused rather than angry or afraid. He's even more amused when a closer look reveals his highwayman to be a *woman*! Lady Chastity Ware is on the run - mainly from her cruel and malicious father, the Earl of Walgrave, but also from members of the censorious Ton who have condemned her as a whore after her father set her up so that she was found naked in bed with the man Walgrave wanted her to marry. Because of what happened, she is now the Notorious Chastity Ware, unfit for polite society. She is trying to help her sister Verity, on the run from a man who, in collusion with Walgrave, threatens the life of Verity's son. Chastity intends to steal her prisoner's carriage in order to get Verity to her destination, but Cyn has other ideas. He insists on coming along and joining Chastity on her journey, but he fails to explain to her that he is well aware of her masquerade. This leads to a number of hilarious scenes in which Cyn takes advantage of Chastity's ignorance of what he knows - for instance, why should one man be shy of getting changed in front of another? Along the way, the relationship between Cyn and Chastity changes, such that Chastity comes to trust Cyn and actually looks to him for guidance instead of assuming that she is in charge. In particular, she needs his help when her father finally catches up with them. But even though they fall in love, she's still the Notorious Chastity Ware, branded a whore... how can they ever be together? As a stand-alone, this is an entertaining romp, albeit a little bawdy and tacky in places. As an introduction to the Malloren series, it's unmissable: the first glimpse of Rothgar as he strolls into an orgy and announces that "Your fate has arrived", for instance, is well worth the purchase price. We also meet Chastity's brother Fort, hero of Something Wicked - this book is essential to understand Fort's background. Highly recommended, even if it's not the best of the Malloren series!
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Summary: My Lady Notorious is an award-winning novel
Review: My Lady Notorious is the winner of the Romance Writers ofAmerica RITA award for best short historical, and theGolden Leaf Award for best historical. Set in 1760, it is the first in a series about the Malloren family, headed by the enigmatic Marquess of Rothgar. The subsequent novels are TEMPTING FORTUNE, and SOMETHING WICKED, which will be published by Topaz in July 1997
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Summary: Larger than life - and rivetting
Review: Pick up this new edition of the first book in the Malloren series and you'll realize that the series is good from the very beginning. Cyn Malloren is back from the wars, fed up with recuperating from a fever and so impatient to stay out of his family's solicitous hands that he plays along with a young highwayman rather than shoot him where he stands. He soon realizes that the young man is a woman but hides his realization for a good part of the book - finding it more enjoyable to tease her in various ways as the story goes on. Lady Chastity Ware is desperate to help her widowed sister and baby travel to a safe haven and irritated to put up with the advice of the aristocratic prisoner, soon turned conspirator and mastermind. But his advice and presence is so helpful, when they are fleeing not only Verity's brother-in-law (the man who destroyed Chastity's reputation) but also their own father, who has incomprehensible plans for Verity and whose attempt to force Chastity into marriage is slowly revealed to be more and more horrific. The sensual interaction between Cyn and Chastity starts of at a sparkling intensity, as Cyn plays games with the young woman pretending to be a man (though he wonders exactly how innocent Verity's sister might be) and breaks into raging fire when Cyn realizes that he is dealing with the Notorious Chastity Ware of disrepute and bawdy cartoon fame. The chapters covering their stay at a shocking party at Rood House practically melt off the page. But the story is not even half over. Beyond the problem of the attraction between Cyn and Chastity and their ultimate fate as a couple, we still have Chastity's ruined reputation, Cyn's overbearing brother the Marquess of Rothgar and the opinion of his family, Verity's wedding, Chastity's one-time suitor and Chastity's father and brother all remaining to be dealt with. The book comes to a huge finale involving scenes played out in front of royalty in a display of mania, arrogance, and manipulation beyond description. A truly fitting opening to the series. If you haven't read them, this is the place to start - and if you have, it's time to snatch up a replacement for your worn out copy and begin again.
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Summary: Gender Bending And Tawdry Fun!
Review: This 1st book in the Malloren Series by Jo Beverley includes gender bending, cross-dressing, seduction, and adventure. What a combination! Though the first quarter of the book is slow-moving if you are patient you will see it is only the beginning of a very multi-layered and enjoyable tale. We are first introduced to Cyn Malloren as his carriage is hijacked by Lady Chastity Ware dressed a highwayman. Desperate to help her widowed sister and baby escape the man intent on taking her child from her, she resorts to thievery in order to aid her sister's plight. However, Cyn is bored and wishing for adventure and is a willing victim. Immediately noting "Charlie" is not truly a man he is intrigued and willing to go along for the ride. We are introduced several times to the head of the Malloren Family, Rothgar, a charismatic man who is both bold and one we find dipping in the snuff quite a bit! What might be a major flaw in the story is the very overshadowing of the hero Cyn by his more intriguing brother. There is no fault in the character build up of Lady Chastity who proves to be both passionate and a victim of her father's cruelty, however Cyn comes across as a much lighter version of his brother. Rothgar had a previous tryst (although fairly innocent) with Lady Chastity and there seems to actually be a rather deep connection between the two of them. The much talked about LADY NOTORIOUS, the 1st book in Jo Beverley's Malloren Series, was not at all as I expected. Perhaps a book and series with such a reputation must perform immediate miracles or one is disappointed. Rest assured, this book picks-up
tempo quite swiftly mid-way and was indeed a joy to read. The sensual scenes becoming quite explicit, and due to the beginning being a rather slow and innocent tale, you can see that Ms. Beverley has merely played you into her talented hands. The story engulfs you in it's fun, depth, and layers. The 2nd book in the Malloren Series, TEMPTING FORTUNE, tells the story of Lord Arcenbryght Malloren and Portia St. Claire.
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Summary: Stick with it!
Review: This book started off very slowly for me. I got pretty tired of the gender bending deception - how could she be so stupid as to think he was stupid enough to believe his charade for that long in that close of company??? Once the air was cleared, the book picked up speed and ended quite well. I give the book 4 stars because it did cause me to shed a few tears at one point. All in all, a very enjoyable read. Past about the halfway point.
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Summary: Stick with it!
Review: This book started off very slowly for me. I got pretty tired of the gender bending deception - how could she be so stupid as to think he was stupid enough to believe his charade for that long in that close of company??? Once the air was cleared, the book picked up speed and ended quite well. I give the book 4 stars because it did cause me to shed a few tears at one point. All in all, a very enjoyable read. Past about the halfway point.
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Summary: Bawdy but convoluted romp
Review: This book started out very well, and certainly promised a lot of sizzle. Unfortunately it fails to deliver, for a number of very obvious reasons. The beginning is excellent, and the attraction between Cyn and Chastity is clearly depicted, except that he never lets on that he knows she is a woman. she comes off as a real withc at times. All of the inevitable jokes and lustiness as a result of her disguise and his silence is a man directed to a boy, for all intents and purposes, and all of his jokes about boys' schools and sodomy get to be really unromantic after a while. Then we have his attitude to her when he sleeps with her without admitting he knows who it is. He looks down his nose at her for being a tart without ever once asking her for the truth about what has been going on. Even his own brother, combing the orgy with various lewd women, is able to penetrate her disguise. But he judges her and is not very pleasant at all. Nowhere do I see any convincing falling in love, just sexual attraction. The rivalry with his elder brother Rothgar over the past and Chastity really weighs down the book as well, and is unworthy of both men. Once Rothgar gets involved, he has such convoluted machinations going on that the vein of romance running throughout the book virtually disappears. Especially when Cyn declares he will never make love to her again until they are married. Ruin the sizzle and suspense or what! The end is totally melodramatic, and despite all of the references to the history of England and Bonny Prince Charlie the reader is given very little context for all the events going on around which the escape of the two sisters has hinged all along. It is all a muddle of revelations and murder. The girls' father comes off as little better than a stage villain, and it is hard to believe that Chastity is able to keep escaping so repeatedly, let alone being rescued by Cyn so often. The brother Fort swings back and forth like a pendulum between defending his family and abandoning them. The ending gets completely tedious. Finally, the orgy. For deliberate shock value it is fine, rather silly, but none of the characters end up even remotely sympathetic as a result of all they do there. Too much of the plot relies upon coincidence for this to be a really successful novel, and I would have loved some real romantic scenes between the two without his dress and her man's suit getting in the way so often. Chastity is buffeted by the winds of chance and fortune, and would be a goner without Cyn. Which makes her weak and pathetic, and a rather dull character. The shift in the novel from his point of view to mainly hers really ruins it. Cyn deserves better for sure. A silly romp in an undefined 18th century England, with some hope for more in the series from the interesting Rothgar, and Cyn with a wife who really deserves him, one can only hope.
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Summary: Wonderful voice in Romantic Fiction! Auspicious Beginning!
Review: This first book is an auspicious start to the Malloren series!
Heroine Chastity Ware holds up a coach disguised as a highwayman to raise funds to help her sister escape her husband's family. Unfortunately for her, this is just the kind of adventure, the man in the coach, Cyn Malloren, is looking for. He coerces Chastity into taking him along on her & her sister's flight from their pursuers and, of course, all sorts of hilarious obstacles rise to meet them.
A wonderful and clever scene is when Cyn Malloren masquerades as a woman to outsmart the villains. Moreover, one of the great sources of humor in this story is that while Chastity continues to masquerade as a boy, Cyn deduced in their first dealings together that she is a girl. They continue for half the book with him knowing Chastity is a girl, unbeknownst to her, & playing tricks on her. This book is too clever not to get five stars!
This is the first Jo Beverley romance I have read; it was more erotic & darker than I expected. However, those elements only lend themselves to the strength and motivation of the storyline. Rothgar Malloren is a particularly well-conceived character as the intimidating, omnipresent figurehead of the Malloren family. He is one to watch in subsequent books on the Malloren family.
Check out Robin Schone and Susan Johnson for similar erotic and dark-toned romances.
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