45 Comments

1. Emmanuelle on October 7, 2009 at 4:19 pm

   I agree !!! Great book, definitly grade A. Only left satisfied and hungry for more (Leo and Marks grrrrrrr…. major frustration here) 😉

2. Sybil on October 7, 2009 at 6:21 pm

   You gave an A? wow… And omg he wasn’t worse than the devil in winter! Well he might be he was different.
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   LOL did you EVEN read the interview. You guys are so not good for my migraines. I plan to review this and really should while I can stand the screen. And of course my net is wiggy. le sigh. I would give it a B-. But like I told you on the phone today, I think I am harder I my favorite authors. Prolly totally unfair but there you go…

3. Meg on October 7, 2009 at 6:49 pm

   Lovely review! Sorry, Sybil, I’m not going to be good for your migraine, either, but I do think Harry might’ve been worse than Sebastian. Unlike “Devil in Winter,” where Evie has control throughout the entire book and indeed initiates the entire marriage according to her master plan, Poppy has to fight hard to exert control over Harry. Evie had Sebastian cornered by making him an offer she knew he couldn’t afford to refuse, and, let’s face it, Sebastian was pretty much a big, hot cuddly teddy bear whenever he was around Evie, anyway…unlike the previous book, where he actually kidnapped someone, but I wouldn’t put something like that past Harry, either. Maybe Harry wouldn’t be so overt about it, but he definitely showed that he wouldn’t have let Poppy go out of that church with Michael Bayning. Harry is more underhanded than St. Vincent, which, IMO, makes him more dangerous. While Sebastian did his dastardly deeds (aside from womanizing) because he didn’t want to be poor, Harry simply saw something he wanted (Poppy) and took it. It was almost as if she wasn’t really a person to him in the beginning, and, to me, that makes Harry one of the hardest, if not THE hardest to redeem of the Kleypas Heroes. And, like Gwen, that’s why I ended up loving him so!

4. Sybil on October 7, 2009 at 7:45 pm

   🙂 no meg that is fine I meant she hadn’t read the interview post *g* not that she didn’t agree with me, I am used to that *g*
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   I meant the sum of the whole as far as Harry not being as ‘bad’ as Sebastian and we did get to see St. Vincent over a few books vs just ‘his’ book. I would totally agree with you that Evie has the upper hand in DiW. I think Evie is his other and omg if anything were to happen to her. And Harry prolly has more ‘sins’ that we don’t know about about Sebastian’s deeds with Lillian are pretty hard to top.
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   Harry had a shitty childhood and became a cold man who was verra much into control. Again I would agree with you about him seeing something and taking it. I think there is a reason their first meeting takes place in his collection’s room. Polly is one more thing he ‘collects’.
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   Sebastian had a grand childhood (as far as it should be for a Viscount) where shitty things happened and used his looks and charm to get what he wanted and made bones about it.
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   Leo had a grand childhood almost perfect to a point and completely outside the ton. And then it all went to hell BUT he was an adult already… so if you look at it the building blocks of a good man are already there. He became a member of Lisa Kleypas’s bastard hero club after the death of his daddy, mother and laura aka love of his life (all in a row)
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   I could go on… lol hmmm and of COURSE there is always Derek. I think Harry was a bad boy but I think St Vicent wins on the history. There has got to be more drama between Harry and Cat though but whatev he did he set her up with money so it can’t be ‘that bad’.

5. Meg on October 7, 2009 at 8:06 pm

   No, I got what you meant, I just like to throw things out there, LOL 😉 Sebastian does have everyone beat in the shitty history department 😛 Having his entire family except his dad wiped out might have made him a little touchy, LOL. And he did threaten to rape Lillian…I’ll bet Lisa had a devil *snerk* of a time trying to make clear that Sebastian couldn’t have gone through with rape in DiW! I ROFLMAO at Lisa Kleypas’s Bastard Hero Club xD Those are the best kind! One of the reason’s I’m looking forward to Leo’s story so much is that although he’s a card-carrying member of the Bastard Club, he hasn’t been really dangerous since MTM, and even then he was more obnoxious than a threat to anyone besides himself. Leo’s unique because, unlike a lot of Kleypas’s other heros who either start out uptight and righteous or a complete jerk/villain (not that I don’t love them), Leo is neither. He’s just a sarcastic guy that goes through life as a witty observer rather than driven and/or passionate like her other heroes. And it’ll be a beautiful thing to see him realize that he cares about someone very much 🙂 I agree, he knows how to be a good man already, he just needs someone *cough*Cat*cough* to shake him out of his apathy.

6. Marie on October 7, 2009 at 8:47 pm

   I agree emphatically… it was a great one.

7. KristieJ on October 7, 2009 at 8:47 pm

   Thumbs up for your review!! I loved this one too. I do believe it may be my favourite of the Hathaway series so far – although I’m sure if I were to go back and reread each one – whichever one I’m reading would claim that title. But I really did adore Harry. He was so damn determined to get Poppy wasn’t he? And I think a big difference between him and Sebastian is that right from the beginning, Sebastian needed her money – and then of course realized what a Evie was and fell in love with her – but right from the beginning – from the first meeting, he needed Poppy herself and did wicked things to get her.

8. Pam P on October 8, 2009 at 2:07 am

   I liked this one, too, a B+ for me. Perhaps because it was subtle as to his past some aren’t as crazy about him. I perceived him right off as so damaged he cut off all emotion, and no one challenged that in him, always intimidated by him. It appears he wants Poppy right off just because he wants, but I think she sparks his interest when she’s not so intimidated by him, talks to him, chattering away, unlike others he puts off; that that’s part of why his lonely self is attracted and needs her, even if he doesn’t realize why. After, she even though he plots and manipulates, she’s aware of it and whatever he gets away with is because she allows it, coming to understand him.

9. mdegraffen on October 8, 2009 at 7:39 am

   Yep, it’s Kleypas at the top of her game. Great book!

10. Linny on October 9, 2009 at 10:51 pm

    Sybil, love your responses and I have to agree, as much as I adore Lisa and I was happily satisfied, it was around the B mark for me as well. The first part of the story was very engaging really caught my interest on the whole Harry/Poppy pairing, but it fizzled a little for me as it when along. Possibly I was distracted by my Leo/Cat obsession. Meg, based on what he actually did, Harry could be considered the very bad…but to me, what he actually did to push Micheal out of the picture wasn’t so awful terrible. I mean if Harry did something like arrange a widow or woman (who he has dirt on) to put Micheal in a compromising situation so that Popping gets wind of it, or worst she witnesses it, then that would definately make him the most unscrupulous bastard about. I kinda hope it would be as bad as that (evil me). I’m the biggest cry baby and love books that makes me all sniffly, but unfortunately I wasn’t moved to tears by TMAT as the reviewer was. I felt a little distant from Harry…again, could be that Leo was too much on my mind. However, I could happily keep re-reading TMAT and previous books, as I gnaw at my nails waiting for MBM…

11. Marie on October 9, 2009 at 11:08 pm

    Gwen,
    I wholeheartly agree with you. This was a definite a for me. I Really liked Harry. Although I too am looking forward to Leo’s story, that did not stop me from completely enjoying this story.

12. Meg on October 10, 2009 at 2:47 pm

    Linny, I’m with you. I would give TMAT a B++…just a tiny smidge from being an A. The reason being, I love Harry and I love Poppy; as seperate characters, they really shine. Together, they have great chemistry. But I do feel that Harry’s turnaround was a bit too quick for someone whom it had been made clear that he was guarded, manipulative, cold, etc. A get that he’s a big ol’ teddy bear around his heroine, which I love, and I get that he has to be redeemed by the end of the book, but it seemed there should’ve been more of a transition between “He takes whatever he wants and damn the consequences” to “He’s just like those wacky Hathaways!” It’s like a conversation with Cam and a night of nookie with Poppy and his heart grew three sizes that night, LOL ;D Poppy’s turnaround caused me even more whiplash, because she goes from, not even letting him kiss her to a really, really bad virginity loss experience, immediately to trying to save him. That and the kidnapping plot at the end which felt a little out of left field. I don’t want to sound like I’m totally ripping on this book, because I thought it was wonderful overall. Lisa’s characters are so rich that I don’t even much care about the plot. Harry and Poppy could’ve been playing volleyball on the moon and I would’ve loved it because Lisa’s just that darn good. It’s just a shade away from an A, but still on my keeper shelf along with all Lisa’s other books! 😀

13. Linny on October 11, 2009 at 12:31 am

    Hey Meg! I agree, the turnaround was rather sudden and the whole kipnapping thing was so out of nowehere. And I don’t think you’re ripping on this book at all, even though it was a b-ish book for me, I think Lisa has created a world and characters I want to love regardless of what they were up to as well. I just didn’t feel the deep emotional connection snap in place between the couple as the story progressed, so it made me feel a little distant. But yes, still a keeper on the shelf dedicated to Lisa. 🙂

14. Meg on October 11, 2009 at 5:49 pm

    I think I’ve sussed out that it didn’t really work as a standalone for me like MTM and SMAS did. I think it was mentioned by Sybil in the other thread that TMAT is Part I and MBM will be Part II. Nothing wrong with that, it is a series after all. It’s just easier to view it in the sense that Harry and Poppy’s story doesn’t neccessarily have to come to a resolution yet…it’s still a work in progress that’ll probably feature into MBM, given *SPOILER* Cat’s relationship with Harry and his new involvement in her life. It seemed like a setup for that, and absolutely no insult intended to Lisa. She’s just got these characters, some of which, like Harry, have just been introduced, and it’ll take some time to get to know them. That’s what’s great about a series 😀

15. Yraney on October 14, 2009 at 8:52 am

    OMG: Finally the debate I’ve been waiting for. Totally agree with Sybil and Linny, sadly I think the Hathaway series carried this book. After waiting quite a while to read it and catching snippets of it through reviews I was left satisfied but not changed. Harry was portrayed to be this ruthless devil but no evidence was shown in the book. I mean look at Sebastian, he was such a bad boy that even if he was a old man in a walking stick woman will still flirt with him and he would flirt back. Girlish giggle. But his heart will forever be Evie’s. Harry was kind of too soppy towards the end. He needed to be loved more by anyone rather than he needed to be loved by Poppy. Dissappointed at Lisa, thought she would be the one to carry this through the book. Before one can love someone one needs to love one’s self. But this book was perfectly portrays Poppy, and her middle child syndrome. She was so sweet and understanding that she at some point carried the book for me. Love that she wanted to be independent as well as a home maker. Would have liked to see more passionate hate/ love.In the middle I felt like there was not much story and I was, and still am more excited to learn Miss Marks secrets. I mean when Harry and Cat were in the garden together I cried at the sweetness an sincerity (classic kleypas). But as a whole will give this book a B. And Sybil you are great, love your reviews and interviews.

16. Linny on October 14, 2009 at 11:51 am

    Hey Meg, enjoy and agree with your thoughts but I have to say I hope Lisa doesn’t dwell on the Poppy and Harry story in MBM other than to divulge the mystery of Harry’s link to Cat. Since I wasn’t blown away the first time round, I’m happy to leave the actual development of the Poppy/Harry relationship where it finished off. It’s all Leo and Cat from here on as far as I’m concerned. 😉 And Yraney, you couldn’t have expressed it any better for me as far as the things that I struggled with. Oh and I loved your comment re Sebastian, so very true. 🙂

17. Meg on October 14, 2009 at 6:56 pm

    Oh, I agree that Harry and Poppy as a unit shouldn’t really have any significant plot points in MBM 🙂 I just meant that we’ll still get to check in on them like we get sneak peeks of what Cam/Amelia and Merripen/Win are up to. Now Harry as a standalone/in relation to Cat is extremely interesting to me and will have to factor heavily into MBM. Speaking of which, wouldn’t it be nice to have a snippet to read? *casts hairy eyeball upon Sybil* I kid, I kid, you know I love to tease, Sybil! xD I’m so ready for Leo/Cat. Something tells me this will be one of Lisa’s masterpieces right along with my tattered copies of “Dreaming of You,” “Where Dreams Begin,” “Worth Any Price,” and “Devil in Winter.” Come to think of it, all the books in the Wallflower and Hathaways series are looking a bit worse for wear 😉

18. Sybil on October 14, 2009 at 7:42 pm

    Yraney: Thanks and I would disagree on some points LOL even the review *g*
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    I think Harry wanted her to begin with she yet another thing to collect for him but I do believe he fell in love with ‘her’ because of the type of person she was. Maybe because of what you said her “her middle child syndrome” and being away from the hotel and in the country he discovered a whole other way of things.
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    He never would have stayed away from work for a woman even his wife for as long as he did for Poppy without caring for her. And by the end of the novel “The Princess does Save the Villain” in many ways. 🙂
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    Glad you liked the interview. I should have more coming up, I have been offline because we (my neuro and I are changing my migraine meds and I am trying to let them level off *eg*) And of course we will have have our Duck Chats with the ever wonderful Sandy. She is oh so much nicer than I am though *g*.
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    AND I swear Meg haven’t forgotten… honest 😉

19. Gwen on October 14, 2009 at 8:28 pm

    Bronx Cheer for all of ya! 😉 I loved it and don’t care what any of you say. ::HUGE wink::
    .
    Okay, so here’s the deal. Harry did not have the vocabulary to express how he felt about Poppy. Being in love and caring so selflessly for someone else was completely foreign to this incredibly self-centered and driven man. Of course he’s going to be bad about how he expresses it. He has no knowledge or basis for the acts. It would be like a dog trying to tell you why he barks. He just does.

20. Sybil on October 14, 2009 at 8:53 pm

    uh huh I can totally get on board with that gwen… after the whole he wanted to collect her thing *g*
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    and I am SURE you have read the interview by now *g*
    http://goodbadandunread.com/2009/09/28/time-for-temptation-qa-with-lisa-kleypas/
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    Back to read with me

21. Linny on October 14, 2009 at 9:08 pm

    Meg: I’m curious as to how much and how effective of a ‘big bother’ Harry will be. But because I wasn’t completely sold by Harry’s performance so far, I’m just a tad dubious about his overall role. And even though I told myself I wouldn’t complain greatly, every time I think of Harry confessing to Poppy that he saw himself as a villian, I get this urge to snort in disbelief, and it bothers me that after pages of not showing much evilness worth writing home about, he then gets himself kidnapped! (oops, couldn’t help the mini-rant) And I agree with you about our much awaited MBM excerpt. I’ve been thinking about jabbing a voodoo duck labelled ‘SYBIL’ just to give her the hurry up, but it seems mean since she’s already suffering from migraines. As for MBM, it has to be a masterpiece, with all this anticipation, Lisa would have to go into hiding if it’s not. (again, no pressure of course – lol) My heart is completely set on the Leo/Cat story to be as passionate as “Dreaming of You”, “Seduce me at Sunrise”, all the Wallflower series and “Again the Magic” which I adored. It seems like Lisa had grown particularly fond of Leo so that’s always a good sign!

22. Linny on October 14, 2009 at 9:32 pm

    And that’s it Gwen, in spite of everything, I love it anyway. Sybil, you’re alive. Forget I thought of voodooing you. Just wanted to check you were still online and thinking about our excerpt. 😉

23. Meg on October 14, 2009 at 11:31 pm

    Linny: I’m guessing (here I go again) that Harry will have a few indignant “I’ll pulverize you for touching my sister!” moments regarding Baddy McVillainPants, and I’m not so sure he won’t be sizing up Leo for suitability for that matter. I don’t really understand his presto-change-o “I all of a sudden grew a conscience because of the power of luuurve and it somehow extends to this half-sister I’ve never really liked till now” bit either, but I have no choice but to buy it because he’s not going to revert back to his old ways. He’d lose his already-established hero status.
    .
    He knows all her secrets and so he can help her in ways that Leo won’t be able to at first. He’s not going to steal Leo’s hero thunder when it comes down to most of the Cat-rescuing, though.
    .
    I was kind of bothered by his sudden change of heart towards Cat because it was almost like “Okay, I love Poppy. Poppy’s a caring person. Poppy wants me to care about people like she cares about them, and I guess I can start with the sister I’ve disdained for so long ’cause she looks like our mother.” It’s like without his love for Poppy, it just never would’ve clicked that he’s supposed to love Cat for her own sake, and I’m still not sure it has.
    .
    And you like “Again the Magic,” too? It’s weird, that book is on my keeper shelf solely due to the subplot involving Livia/Gideon Shaw. McKenna is completely repulsive as a hero to me and Alinne just didn’t do it for me, but that subplot is one of the best relationships Lisa has ever written, IMO.
    .
    I agree, Lisa is fond of Leo! You can always tell the ones she has the most fun writing…Westcliff, Sebastian, Derek Craven, and you can tell she has an absolute ball writing Leo…he won’t be repressed! 😉
    .
    I guess I’ll have to put away my voodoo duck labeled “SYBIL” for now, since she’s not feeling well, lol. It’ll be in my top left drawer of my computer desk, though…XD

24. Linny on October 15, 2009 at 1:49 am

    You crack me up Meg. 🙂 And you summarised the Harry turnaround with Cat so well, really had me snickering behind me keyboard. I’m beginning to feel sorry for Harry now, it’s like he never had his true moment to shine. As if he was just a prop towards an end that is Cat’s story. But its just too bad, cause you’re right, he can’t be stealing Leo’s thunder.
    .
    Ok, I’m going to go back to this kidnapping fiasco cause it just didn’t work for me, but Harry lost his ‘hero status’ for me when he had to be rescued. Not that I’m being sexist or anything, but it just didn’t come out right. Anyway, my skimming fingers itched like mad when I got to this.
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    And in reference to “Again the Magic”, I’m surprised you had a problem with McKenna . It’s been a long long long time since I re-read that novel, but I can’t remember what could be so hateful about him . And I thought Alinne was lovely and handled herself very well considering she had a horribly burnt leg. Fate just got in their way but it all ended beautifully. After all, how can you not love a story about a servant who did well for himself and came back for his true love?
    .
    I remember they were in love to the point of obsession, that he suffered when he was forced to go and then when he thought Alinne was rejecting him again. I had a sniffly moment or two…especially when McKenna was teared up near the end. For me it was an intensely passionate story. Also, how can you not love a man who does his woo-ing with gingerbread??? (I have a massive sweet tooth 😉 )
    .
    Nope, I have to disagree with you on this, I really enjoyed McKenna/Alinne. I actually didn’t like that Livia/Gideon Shaw having their romance start and end in a subplot, they should have had their own novel. I’m not a fan of subplot romances anyway, I feel it takes away from the main couple. Anyway, I don’t think I will survive the wait for MBM…the more I chatter about TMAT the more I want the next book… 🙁

25. Meg on October 15, 2009 at 9:50 am

    For me, it wasn’t so much that he had to be rescued (although I prefer my heroes to find their own way out of a locked room. He’s a mechanical genius, can he not pick a lock?). If it was or lead to a significant development in Harry/Poppy’s relationship (or if the villain had had more than one scene and a vague reference previously) then I could’ve bought it. But Harry and Poppy had already reached the climax (no pun intended) of their relationship, the “I love you forevers” had been exchanged, and the villain, that gun manufacturing guy, I had to go back and skim to remember who he was. It would’ve made more sense if the villain was Michael Bayning or none at all, since Harry really *was* both the hero and villain of the piece. I guess, regarding McKenna, we have different tastes in heroes 😉 I loved him at the start of the book. (And I could tolerate Aline because the hero, not the heroine, carries the book for me. Nothing against her, really, she’s just not a fave LK heroine of mine). But he was so angry and bitter and vengeful. I know he had a right to be angry with her, but I wanted to yell “Get a life!” at him at several points of the book, while he was rubbing his hands and pacing back and forth and foaming at the mouth. I mean, I’m all for obsession, but he had no class about it. And aside from the last sexual scene, which I’ll admit was hawt, I perceived very little tenderness in their interactions. It was either full-blown passion or vengeance, but nothing that showed them really connecting as adults the way they did as youngsters. That’s just my perception, though 😉 He did say, “You’re the other half of me,” which made me cry. Best. Line. Ever.

26. Linny on October 15, 2009 at 11:20 am

    Yup, I love lotsa angst in my heroes…and I did feel McKenna was entitled to be mega pissed off. The guy didn’t have an easy existence and clawed his way from a difficult situation. As I said I can’t remember the specifics of book (and dammit I can’t find it on my shelf, I’ve obviously hid it from myself after a re-read!), but going by what you say, if I was mega pissed off, then I could easily imagine someone more mild mannered telling me to ‘Get a Life’ and that I have no class. 😉 Must be cos I’m such a meanie to the ones I love when I’m cranky that I could appreciate McKenna the super crank. As for the lack of tenderness, they had serious misunderstandings between them so he was hard on her *shrugs*, but I still felt the powerful connection nonetheless. And when they finally worked it out, I do remember it was so very very moving for me. You know how it is when you get a Lisa Kleypas moment, it kinda stays with you. But the fact that we’re chattering about “Again the Magic” obviously means we’re desperately in need of the MBM excerpt!!!!! 🙂

27. Meg on October 15, 2009 at 1:14 pm

    I think the wonderful thing about Lisa’s books are that she varies her heroes so that there’s something for everyone. If, for example, McKenna wasn’t my cup of tea, then I could just dig through my box of books that I don’t want my mother to know I read and find a Sebastian or a Nick Gentry (not everyone’s favorite, but hubba-hubba) or a Leo, who’s already my fave of all time and his book hasn’t even come out yet, lol! I’d love for someone to write a master’s thesis on romance novels and psychology, and why taste in heroes, heroines, time periods, plotlines, etc. vary so from reader to reader. Like, why am I all about Lisa’s Bad Boys and yet I’m mild-mannered in real-life, while my wild n’ crazy friend swoons over her responsible, righteous heroes like Westcliff? *sighs* Yeah, you know we’re in Kleypas withdrawal when we start talking about books Lisa wrote like a decade ago! 😉 I just have to know what happened that made Leo feel like he could call her “Cat.” A tad familiar, when all he ever calls her is “Marks,” “shrew,” “Satan in Petticoats,” “Grim Reaper,” etc…how did he even find out that Cat was her nickname? Gah. I’m pulling my hair out here! Although due to the spoilers, we know Leo and Cat haven’t slept together. If he has to imagine her naked, he obviously hasn’t seen her naked. It was probably a heavy make-out session, because clever Lisa threw that “memory of sensation hovered between then” line, so they had some sort of physical contact.

28. Linny on October 15, 2009 at 2:27 pm

    OMG…it’s like 6-ish am in Australia right now and I like have to be at a med appointment 8.45 am!!! And here I find myself still awake and sneaking another peek in hope I see something useful like an MBM excerpt. And Meg you’re right, there is a hero for everyone in Lisa’s books, and you just brought up one that didn’t grow on me (Nick Gentry). But yes I’m like you about the Leo thing. I feel kinda silly how I’m so into Leo and he hasn’t even got his book yet…And BTW there is a book that was written a while ago called “Danger Men and Adventurous women” that has opinions from Romance Writers on the appeal of Romance. I found it very insightful and help explain some of my own obsessions. 🙂 ***Sharp wack at Meg *** and would you stop it with all the speculation of Leo imagining Cat naked , whether they slept together or had a heavy make-out sessions. I can’t stand the heat anymore, I swear I just can’t take the excitement of the unknown anymore!!! I just hope that Lisa cranks up the temperature with steamy steamy love scenes, cause I want to read lots about Leo naked. And as I said so many times, I have no idea how I will survive the wait. I may need someone to hit me on the head with a baseball bat so I have temporary amnesia for a while. I’m even talking to my husband about it these days and he gives me these blank looks. And another thought before I go, re the whole Cat nickname, after reading TMAT I always wondered if more happened after Harry left Cat sitting in the garden as she did some quiet reflection (pg 321/322). For whatever reason that particular scene always seems truncated to me. Maybe Leo overheard the conversation with Harry, Harry calls her Cat. And for whatever reasons, the last page of that reference Cat smelling of “garden blossoms” and the “memory of sensation” always makes me wonder if whatever they got up to had happened in the gardens. Anyway, I’m blabbing on and I’m not even sure if I’m typing straight – lack of sleep

29. Meg on October 15, 2009 at 3:36 pm

    Hehe, Nick’s definitely not everyone’s fave, but his relationship/devotion to/obsession with Lottie makes me swoon every time. I also like the fact that he’d only ever been with one woman before he met Lottie, and she was His One. Anyway, wow, it’s early on the other side of the world, lol! It’s late afternoon here in the US, but rest assured I’ll be checking this site for updates every five seconds for the next however long until MBM news. I’ll definitely check out the book you mentioned! There’s a great one I recently read called “Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches Guide to Romance Novels” by Sarah Wendell and Candy Tan, the bloggers behind the “Smart Bitches, Trashy Books” blog. It’s one of the funniest, most insightful things I’ve ever read regarding the romance genre. Lisa’s featured in it, as well, and she has some really interesting insights. To give you an idea, they have a chapter called “Secret Cowboy Baby: Cringe-Worthy Plot Devices We Know and Love.” I was literally in tears. Anyway, enough with the pimping and on to your really good idea about Cat’s moment of reflection. I think you’re really onto something. Lisa mentioned that the “missing scene” occurred at the end of Chapter 23. Since Leo probably stalks Cat all over the place when they’re at Ramsay estate, it’s a real possibility he might’ve overheard. Something else has to have happened, a quarrel of some sort, and that’s what’s driving me nuts. Maybe Leo misconstrued Harry and Cat’s relationship at first with the whole “walking together alone, kiss on the forehead” deal, he gets jealous and confronts Cat about it, and she sets him straight, but the damage has already been done…she’s hurt that he would accuse her of betraying Poppy that way. My fantasy also involves a heated scuffle amidst a pile of blossoms. I also need some sleep. 😉

30. Linny on October 15, 2009 at 11:18 pm

    I overlooked Lisa’s response about where the actual missing scene was so I’m glad it wasn’t just me being crazy then. For me, it just felt like a lot of energy for put in setting the scene as to where Cat was at. I began scrutinising everything, even all the daffodils for hidden meaning (lol). And what you described as Leo misconstruing the situation between Harry/Cat was EXACTLY what I thought…and I kept wondering where Leo could be hiding. It drove me a little crazy for a while after reading that scene, and when I finished I kept flipping to and fro and I was hunting all the scenes afterward where Harry and Leo were in the same room looking for tension between them but found none. Wished we had more clues…

31. Linny on October 15, 2009 at 11:43 pm

    Oh and same here, I will look into that book you mentioned, always interested in the pyschology of romance readers, we’re insatiable!

32. Meg on October 16, 2009 at 8:58 am

    Yep, I couldn’t find any tension between Leo and Harry, other than the “If you hurt Poppy, I’ll blah, blah, blah…” kind. The shoe will be on the other foot in MBM, though, because this time it’ll be Harry trying to protect his sister and her secrets from Leo. Regarding the scene in the garden, I can see Leo having an inital flare of jealousy over seeing another man’s hands on Cat, no matter how platonic it was, and concern over whether they were having a fling. Harry did mention that Cat was his only family, so depending on how much, if anything, Leo overheard, he could already know the score. If he just heard snippets like “You’re beautiful” and “I would rather not hide our relationship when we’re in private”…methinks that could look a bit incriminating 😛 Either way, we’ll probably get to see Harry vs. Leo tension aplenty in MBM, because Harry’s her big brother, knows all her secrets, etc.

33. Linny on October 17, 2009 at 8:08 am

    I’m thinking now that most likely Leo doesn’t know of Harry/Cat relationship, when he talks to Poppy, he says says that she’s the only person he gives a damn about (pg337). Oh well, whatever Harry’s involvement I hope it makes sense, I just find the idea of him playing the protective big brother to be unnatural at this point. Anyway, don’t know about you, but I am out of Leo/Cat speculation power ideas. 🙁

34. Meg on October 17, 2009 at 9:26 am

    I’d love it if he tried too hard to play the big brother and gets called out for it…like maybe it’s not something he’s totally feeling yet, but he thinks he has to step up because Poppy would want him to. I know, regarding Leo/Cat, I’m spent 😛 And steeped in anticipation.

35. Nancy on October 17, 2009 at 10:02 pm

    Love the Hathaway family and I am having serious Leo and Cat withdrawls! Post excerpt soon or I will surely expire from anticipation.

36. Linny on October 18, 2009 at 2:47 am

    I think I’ve already expired…

37. Meg on October 18, 2009 at 2:31 pm

    Expired, thy name is Meg. ;P

38. Devon on October 19, 2009 at 3:02 pm

    Just finished this. Loved it!! Loved how unprincipled Harry was, though if he was on a TV show or something, I would’ve been appalled.

39. Nancy on October 21, 2009 at 9:37 pm

    Anyone seen anything from Sybil? I am starting to worry…

40. Meg on October 22, 2009 at 9:34 am

    I hope she’s okay, I think she’s been having some kind of migraines or something…

41. Sybil on October 22, 2009 at 10:23 am

    I popped in yesterday *g*. AND I did chat a bit with lisa yesterday as well…

    Sorry I dropped out my head has been in clouds and sadly no one else knows anything or would even want to waddle into my email which I think is up to 1100 now. I was doing so well too… on the off chance anyone was really asking and not JUST wanting to know where the fuck the excerpt was I am feeling somewhat better but still in something of a cloud.

    the excerpt… let me see what I can do about that and I will try and give you a heads up today… *eg*

42. Meg on October 22, 2009 at 11:14 am

    Of course we are really asking how you are! Do they have you on some really funky medication? Cause depending on what you take, some of that stuff will put you straight out of commission…and this is from someone that gets floored by Dayquil, lol! ;D

43. Nancy on October 22, 2009 at 2:07 pm

    Hi Sybil. I am really glad to see you post! I don’t usually post comments, I just read the yummy little goodness that others contribute, but when I didn’t see anything from you I became genuinely worried. I am glad you are doing okay. I love Lisa Kleypas, but all of your reviews and post are equally as entertaining for me and I would be terribly disappointed if you were not around.

44. Sybil on October 27, 2009 at 10:03 pm

    Sorry didn’t make Sun or Monday… will tuesday work 😉

    http://goodbadandunread.com/2009/10/27/exclusive-excerpt-married-by-morning-by-lisa-kleypas-summer-2010/

    thanks nancy 😉 you should post more often!

45. Sybil on October 27, 2009 at 10:06 pm

    Hey Meg,

    yes they have me on topamax and are adding and subtracting other things right now it is verapamil and assorted things to counter the side effects… I am playing the part of Alice in Wonderland it seems.