LauraD’s review of After the Kiss: The Notorious Gentlemen by Suzanne Enoch
Historical Romance published by Avon 24 Jun 08
I have a conflicted relationship with Suzanne Enoch; I have been unable to get into her contemporary series starring cat burglar-cum-sleuth Samantha Jellicoe, but I love me some historical Enoch. I actually read the first chapter of After the Kiss while sitting in the parking lot of the Big Box store, and since it’s several thousand degrees right now in Texas that says a lot. Sullivan Waring is the bastard son of a nobleman. He has distinguished himself as a soldier and is revered as a horse breeder and trainer by all of Britain. He is, however, full of rage at the rich and titled because of the way his mother was used and cast off by his father-and because his father sold off the inheritance his mother, an artist, left him. He has been robbing the homes of London’s rich, taking back his mother’s paintings. Late one night, making his way out of a townhouse, he encounters Lady Isabel Chalsey. As a way of distracting her, Sullivan “steals” a kiss-not a problem until Isabel recognizes him at a horse auction the next day.
Headstrong and independent, Isabel is determined to find out why Sullivan is robbing houses. She manipulates him into selling her a most inappropriate horse, and into teaching her to ride. What follows is a battle of wills, as two strong individuals attempt to control each other.
At first Isabel seems to be the Paris Hilton of her time, and the author even has several characters acknowledge that Isabel is a darling of the ton. However, Sullivan comes to learn that Isabel is quite capable of thinking for herself, and is a great deal braver than he gives her credit for-she’s actually terrified of horses(with good reason), so being close to one is a big step for her.
Sullivan has good reason for his bitterness; and when he begins to fall for Isabel his illegitimacy falls unusually close to home. His own legitimate half-brother is paying court to Isabel, and planning to marry her. Almost everyone in the book tries to separate the two of them, but Sully and Isabel are fascinated with one another, and so the lies and consequences begin.
I really, really enjoyed this book. Sullivan is a lovely hero; he might not be noble by birth, but he is a gentleman. He doesn’t want to implicate anyone else in his thievery, even though he has friends willing to help him. Isabel has his regard and respect, and taking care of her is his concern; even more so than the noblemen surrounding her.
Isabel took a bit longer to warm up to, because she does start off as a spoiled brat. However, she redeems herself nicely once she opens her eyes and realizes that she’s not going to be happy simply because she is titled and rich. She finds herself to be much braver than she thought she was, and she is transformed.
A good deal of the story’s conflict is the class difference between Sullivan and the rest of the characters. There is an especially painful bit where he confesses his love for Isabel to his best friend, an aristocrat, only to see the disapproval in his friend’s eyes. It’s a topic that doesn’t come up often in historical romance, and I believed in the way the characters dealt with it. One interaction towards the end of the book was a bit too Hollywood HEA for me, but it didn’t detract from my overall buy-in of the ending. I’m looking forward to the next two Notorious Gentlemen stories!
Grade: A
Summary:
A Notorious Gentleman . . . Sullivan Waring wants only two things: his rightful inheritance, and revenge against the man who stole it from him. By day, Sullivan is the most respected horse breeder in England; by night, he plunders the ton‘s most opulent homes to reclaim his late mother’s beautiful paintings. His quest is going swimmingly . . . until the night he’s discovered by Lady Isabel Chalsey. Clad only in a revealing nightdress, she’s an entrancingly different kind of plunder, and how can a thief resist stealing a kiss?
A Curious Lady . . . Surprised by a masked man in her own home, Isabel should be quaking with fear. Instead the sight of the sinfully handsome Sullivan makes her tremble with excitement. Who is this man, and why is he so set on this reckless pursuit? Lady Isabel loves a challenge, and she’ll dare anything to uncover Sullivan’s secret-but she may instead convince him that she is the greatest prize of all.
Read an excerpt.
