Evangeline will go to any length to escape her monster of a step-father. She will even place herself in the care of the conniving Lady Stratford, and risk staying with brooding murderer, Lord Lioncroft.

I received a free copy of the Gothic Love Stories box-set from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Evangeline is desperate to be rid of her step-father - the man guilty of killing her mother, and prone to fits of violence. As far as the law is concerned, she is his legal property until she comes of age in a month's time. And her step-father is not willing to let her escape him, he intends to put her skills to good use and make his fortune.
It's no wonder that she jumps at the opportunity to be whisked away by Lady Stanton and her daughter, to go to a house party held by an outcast. Evangeline doesn't pause to wonder why her acquaintances are so keen to have her on board.

Gavin Lioncroft is a recluse. After being blamed for the death of his parents ten years ago, he was shunned by society, and Gavin has spent every day since shunning them back. He has a savage nature, and is not tempered by the rules of the ton. He doesn't think twice about lashing out against the brute who married his sister.
When the same odious brother-in-law is found dead in Gavin's house, everyone is convinced that Lioncroft is the killer. Only Evangeline and her unusual skills can aid him.

I really enjoyed this story.
I felt so sorry for Evangeline, and understood her reluctance to get close (physically or mentally) to anyone. She's independent, and doesn't fit in with the upper class, nor the servants, so she's often alone. I liked how she started to accept the friendship of Susan Stanton and Gavin's nieces.

Gavin has been punishing himself for a decade, and he's finally forced to be civil with other people. I loved watching them mend the relationship between him and his sister. Gavin stays true to himself, with a fierceness and unpredictability. That being said, there were some endearingly sweet scenes, as he clearly can't hide his growing feelings for Evangeline.

The plot was generally good. I thought that everyone was a bit blase that a) someone had died in the house and, b) the murderer was still there.
I know they all had their own secrets to protect, but everyone was far too relaxed.

In the second half of the book, I thought things got a bit repetitive - and not just looping the plot, there were instances of repeating phrases and conversations in quick succession.

Overall, this was a 3.5 out of 5 for me. I enjoyed it and look forward to the rest of the series.

~~~~~

After disappointing her society-driven mother too many times, Susan is banished to stay with a country cousin. The impossibly dull location is made a little more exciting by ghosts, pirates, and a certain Mr Bothwick.

I received a free copy of the Gothic Love Stories box-set from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

This follows Susan, who was a side character in Too Wicked to Kiss (book 1), in which she is shunned by society for being a tattletale, and shunned by her mother for failing to trap Lord Lioncroft in marriage.
This second book starts with Susan showing further disobedience to her mother, by sneaking out and almost drowning at the Frost Fair.
Rather than care for her daughter's well-being, Lady Stanton sends her away from London, until her previous "ill behaviour" is forgotten about.
Susan ends up in a seaside town with no entertainment fit for a lady, no friends, and no chance of escape. Worse, she is plagued by ghosts, since her own brush with death. She finds an unlikely ally in Dead Mr Bothwick, and seeks to uncover the mystery surrounding his death, and her cousin's captivity.

Mr Bothwick's living brother, Evan, has sworn to stay away from Miss Stanton. She's the sort of marriage-chasing society prim that he has no interest in. He has no intention of falling into any sort of commitment with a woman. But Susan surprises him, by being opinioned, head-strong, and more than a little odd.

I really, really wanted to like this one. I enjoyed its predecessor, and come on, this one includes ghosts and pirates.
Unfortunately, it lost the flowing, easy-to-read narrative of the other books in this boxset. Sentences were jumbled and the plot was hard to follow. It felt like the author didn't know what she wanted to achieve with any particular scene, but kept writing anyway.
I was very disappointed, this was a great idea, but the execution just gave me a headache.

I wanted to like Susan, and she had some glimmers of hope, but overall I didn't buy her as a character. She didn't seem to grasp the danger she was in, with her cousin and her husband. Or, she did, but it didn't seem to bother her that she had to keep sleeping in their home. She's keen to escape, and seems quite selfish in that endeavour.
She had a plan that she was going to escape via an assembly at Bath, but not for a couple of weeks. It was frustrating, and her thoughts were dismally repetitive, as she stewed in her misfortune and didn't make any effort, except when she was being harried by a ghost.

I'm glad this wasn't the first book in the boxset, as it would have put me off the rest.

~~~~~

Rebecca is content with her life as the invisible relative in a lonely castle. When the new heir threatens to throw her out, she has to turn to an unlikely ally - the man who broke her heart and drove her into hiding - Lord Stonebury.

I received a free copy of the Gothic Love Stories box-set from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

After having her heart publicly broken by Lord Stonebury, Rebecca had to leave society. Before she could return, her parents died, leaving her alone and forgotten. Even the people within the castle think she's a ghost.
Rather than be upset by this outcome, Rebecca embraces the freedom this gives her. She develops her own sense of independence, and finds challenges for her intellect in running the accounts and designing devilish mazes.
When her relative dies and the new heir takes over, this freedom is quickly lost. She has to leave her haven, by way of marriage, as that is all women are good for.

Daniel's biggest regret was losing the only girl he's ever loved. When he gets a notice about a will-reading for the old owner of Rebecca's castle, he jumps at the chance to finally make amends, even if it means seeing her married to another man.

Wow, that book was shorter than I anticipated - I was not expecting a novella.
It's great to see that Ridley's writing is back on form, after the confusing Too Sinful to Deny (book 2). Even though this is a small story, it was so easy to get pulled in and enjoy every moment.
It is simple, straight-forward, not particularly gothic, but enjoyable nonetheless.

Rebecca is a great character. She approaches everything with logic, and knows that her best chance of a successful future is to find a man that will allow her the freedom to work, or help with the estate and keep her mind active.
Daniel is more perfect than she can know. For the last few years, society's gossip columns have loved this charming bachelor, who is never seen with the same woman twice. But the truth is much sweeter, and much more appealing - Daniel is engrossed in matters that have arisen in the House of Lords, and he is passionate about doing his part for his country.

The story wrapped up very quickly. With it only being a novella, there were no side plots, just the satisfactory reunion of these two old friends.

~~~~~

After being involved in a murder, Violet only thinks of running. When she is discovered at Waldegrave Abbey, she is drawn into its shadows, its secrets, and potentially more.

I received a free copy of the Gothic Love Stories box-set from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

When defending one of her vulnerable students from some lecherous gentlemen, Violet is not sorry to have had a hand in their deaths. Knowing the law won't hesitate to punish her for her crimes, she runs away, seeking to live long enough to hire a lawyer who might moderate her sentence. She runs as far as she can, before collapsing on Waldegrave land.
Violet is taken within the dark walls, and given the chance to live a dark life, with monsters and vampires.

Alistair Waldegrave hadn't been planning on adding to his staff, but he will try anything to bring happiness to his feral daughter, even assigning the mysterious Violet as her governess.
In his over-protectiveness of his ill daughter, he has allowed Waldegrave Abbey to become a tomb, with its inhabitants merely existing. They need Violet to break the cycle, as much as anything else.

I really enjoyed this one.
This is the fourth and final book in the Gothic Love Stories box-set, and it was a perfect story to end with.
It is beautifully gothic, with the darkness and secrets, with the rumours of demons and vampires; and one little girl in so much pain it hurts everyone around her.

I loved that this was focussing on both members of the Waldegrave family, not just the romantic storyline of Violet and Alistair.
I don't like children, they are horrible creatures, but Alistair's daughter Lillian has to be one of the most well-written and emotionally-moving side-characters I have ever read. She is not there as a token character, or to help move the main plot along, <i>she is the plot</i>. Lillian is a main character in her own right.

I really liked Alistair, he would go to the ends of the world for his daughter, but he is tired of being seen as the villain, for trying to keep her safe. He's stuck in the past, putting his whole life on pause, ready for the day when his daughter will be well again; but months have turned into years and he is losing hope.
He is great for Violet, and I did a little cheer when there were a a few moments that could have gone down the usual judgey-romantic-angst trope, but instead he was perfectly supportive.

I loved Violet as our main character. She came from nothing, a street urchin, who found a passion in art and teaching young girls. She lives each day as if it were her last and never has regrets.
With her own troubled history, Violet is wonderfully sympathetic to her students, encouraging them to live again. She brings this positivity to the dark halls of Waldegrave Abbey, and she can't help but fall for Alistair and his daughter.
I did more cheering as Violet is completely independent and doesn't need a man to swoop in and save her. She makes her own plans and sees them through.

I very much enjoyed this finale to the box-set, and I'm looking forward to reading more of Ridley's work.

TOO WICKED TO KISS Once again, Erica Ridley makes Gothic romance more than heaving bosoms and delicate young ladies. She has taken a deadly mystery, added two wonderful main characters and created a tale of budding love and romance to free two hearts strangled by the burdens of their pasts.

Erica Ridley’s TOO SINFUL TO DENY A fun read, a little spooky, more teasing romance than blazing passion and I liked it!

Erica Ridley’s TOO TEMPTING TO RESIST is a short, but delightfully quirky romance with a feisty heroine and a hero that never saw what hit him! Moments of humor, light-heartedness and even some sorrow, but most of all, this fun read is filled with love and a sweet romance.

Erica Ridley’s TOO WANTON TO WED is a tale of loving so much that nothing is beyond the impossible as two strangers find a common bond in protecting and loving a child doomed to live in solitude her entire life. Sometimes Fate brings strangers together, their secrets buried deep and it take the wisdom of a child to open their eyes to love. But can she open their hearts to trust when so many lies of omission are discovered?

This tale is one of love, for a child, for a relationship that seemed impossible and for a chance to start over, leaving old lives behind and looking forward to a brighter future.

I loved this story, the strength of each character, their good hearts and even their misguided lies of omission. A little mysterious, a little dark, but the ray of sunshine that shows through is colored with a romance that cannot be denied.

The story is well thought out and nicely written making this an exciting page turner and one which I am more than happy to recommend."

Classic stories from Erica Ridley. We buy lots of her books for our library, but our patrons prefer her Regency romances. We generally don't buy re-releases.

This was an interesting selection of Gothic stories. I like Erica Ridley stories and with the four stories included in this set I found I liked some more than others but if you like Gothic you will enjoy these. Finding love is not always easy and sometimes hard to accept when you are not really wanting it. These ladies find themselves in a variety of situations. Hope you will enjoy.

Wow, Erica has done it again. This series is amazing. The books are stand alone novels so it does not matter what order you read them in.
My favorite cover was on the book "Too Sinful to Deny."
My favorite story was "Too Wicked to Kiss."
Evangeline has the ability to read people, but not in the way one would imagine. With one touch of her fingers, she can see the past, the future, and anything in between. However, she does not have complete control.
When she runs away from her step-father, the man who killed her mother, she takes refuge with a friend and her mother.
They are going to a house party at the estate of reclusive Gavin Lioncroft. He is a known recluse, and is a known murderer.
When someone at the house party turns up murdered, no one wants to tell the truth. No one wants to admit what happened. Trust is easily gained and easily lost.
I loved the way this story was written. It drew me into the book and made me feel like I was in the dark, sprawling estate.
I hope you enjoy it too.
I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

I always enjoy books by Ms. Ridley and Too Wicked to Kiss was another enticing read. Evangeline Pemberton is hiding a secret, a secret that killed her mother. Traveling to Blackberry Manor for a house party on the goodwill of her cruel aunt, Evangeline wants nothing more than to hide from her stepfather and his fists. Almost from the moment they enter the foyer of the forbidding Blackberry Manor, Evangeline feels a strange attraction to Gavin Lioncroft, a murderer who was never charged for his crime. The guests at the party all have secrets and something to hide, but when one of them ends up dead, Lioncroft is again accused of the murder. Evangeline must use her gift to clear the man who is slowly winning her heart.

From the opening pages when Evangeline accidentally runs into Gavin in a darkened hallway, his dangerous animal magnetism is hard to resist. I found the full cast of characters in the book a little hard to follow in the beginning and to keep them straight. The mystery of the murderer is well done and the suspense was carried throughout the book. First Evangeline tries to unravel the murder while hoping that her stepfather never finds her. His cruelty and torture of her is cringe worthy. Can Gavin save her all the while trying to save his own neck from swinging on the gallows.

I am so glad these are all in a collection now !
Each of these stories is unique in some way and are a great read while sipping on some hot coca this fall. I definitely recommend checking this collection out.
I volunteered to read these books from WebMotion in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed with in are my own.

I love this author. She has written books in at least three different styles that I have read. This one is a gothic romance. I had previously read the second book, but when I received this set, I started on tube first one and read through all four. Out of the four, the second one is still my favorite. It kept me laughing. All books have some dark tones to them, but I believe you will pull for each hero and heroine and for their own happy ending. Enjoy, I did!