Finished Reading June 22, 2013

3.75 Stars

Ohhhh, I really liked this story.
Super Hot & Sexy. Very Erotic.
This is the book that got me following Jess Michaels.

Sometimes her books are a big hit for me & sometimes they are a miss for me.
But they are Always STEAMY AF!

Prch Amz June 15, 2013 ( )

There was something beautiful about this book. Lysandra is out of options and she decides to become a courtesan. An intermediary asks Viscount Andrew Calls to train her in the ways of being a courtesan. It's an intriguing variation on the Regency novel. ( )

3.5 stars rounded up. I was entertained. Considering whether to round up or down I ultimately decided that if I were to read this again sometime, I think I would be entertained then as well. The characters are sometimes a bit foolish, but I could forgive them, and they were generally likable. By the nature of this trope the characters have a complicated relationship, and there's high steam of a great many varieties. I think it was handled well.

I don't usually do content warnings, but there are multiple circumstances mentioned (mostly from before the book picks up) that could bother readers. Loss of spouse, loss of baby, suicide attempt, turning to prostitution out of desperation, men trying to coerce a vulnerable woman into having sex with them, other man. Despite all of that, it didn't really feel like that dark of a book, and like I said, most of it is off page. ( )

Can I have an Andrew please? it would be preferable if he's the long lost twin brother of Henry Cavill, because that's exactly how I pictured him.

*drool* I know it's the wrong era but can you blame me for drooling?...

This is my very first historical romance, putting aside Pride and Prejudices of course. It may sound shocking I know, being new to the genre, I should have begun with something famous that I'm sure would have loved like [a:Kathleen E. Woodiwiss|88445|Kathleen E. Woodiwiss|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1237691529p2/88445.jpg] or [a:Lisa Kleypas|27847|Lisa Kleypas|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1288899037p2/27847.jpg] who wrote the prime of historical fiction but instead I chose "An Introduction to Pleasure". Mainly because I couldn't wait to get my hands on it since the first time I read the synopsis and right away chose to pre-order it (my first pre-order! YAY!).

For someone as foreign to this genre (to its settings and vocabulary) as me I was totally surprised when I found myself falling in love with the book, the more I read the more it was difficult to put it down (well except for extreme necessity) and I finished it in merly hours. The story was well crafted, the romance felt genuine and very heart-warming, the chemistry was sizzling between Lysandra (what a beautiful name) and Andrew (swoon) and while they found their happy ending I felt kind of sad to be parted from them.
Now, I'm quite sure that the second book will be about the Marquis Weatherfield "Miles" or so I hope, he was very appealing and his story will be one very tempting to read. ( )

An Introduction to Pleasure
3 Stars

On the verge of destitution, Lysandra Keates approaches infamous courtesan, Vivien Manning to arrange for a suitable and wealthy protector. Unfortunately, Lysandra innocence is a detriment and Vivien convinces the once rakish but now monastic and reclusive Andrew Callis to instruct her in the art of being a mistress. As Andrew and Lysandra begin their lessons, the unthinkable occurs and their physical passion leads to an even stronger emotional attachment. But can Andrew come to terms with his past in order to have a future with the one woman who has made him come alive again?

A charming love story with some suitably sexy scenes. Nevertheless, there are several unrealistic moments that detract from the overall effect of the story and there is one moment that had me almost through my poor iPad against the wall (thankfully the moment and the urge passed quickly).

Lysandra is a very sympathetic heroine and one cannot help but feel sorry for her circumstances and even admire her backbone in taking control of her life and her future. That said, her behavior with regard to Andrew is not consistent with her stated acknowledgement of her situation - She is well aware of the temporary nature of their arrangement and is fully cognizant of the fact that she will have to find another protector - so why does she insist on deepening their emotional attachment and why is she angry at his finding her a replacement protector?

Andrew is gentle, kind and often times charming. Nevertheless, he also comes across as self-indulgent and hypocritical. Yes, he has suffered as a result of his wife’s death but he takes his angst and guilt to the extreme. Moreover, his anger and jealousy at Lysandra moving on to another protector is ridiculous. He is the one who arranged it for goodness sake!

In sum, a relatively good story despite the anachronisms in social custom and behavior. As the mistress trope is not one that appeals to me, it is unlikely that I will continue with the series. ( )