Two romances for the price of one - I like.

In a bid to escape the marriage market in England, Gervais, Earl of Huntley retreats to his widowed aunt Horatia's home in Venice. There, he meets her god-daughter, Lady Caroline, who seems immune to his charms. Traumatised by a dark past, Caro has sworn off men. But in Venice, she encounters yet another entitled marquis, Antonio di Venier, who refuses to take no for an answer. In an attempt to avoid the evil marquis, Gervais and Caro are thrown together in an adventure of a lifetime where Gervais realizes that maybe marriage isn't all that bad after all, and Caro finally learns to trust again.

I'm not sure which love story I liked better - Gervais and Caro's or John and Horatia's - though, to be fair, both have their own pros and not-so-pros. Gervais and Caro had a slow progression to their love story - from prickly strangers to reluctant co-travellers, to friends and then lovers. But the fact that a significant portion of that duration was spent with Caro unconscious in a sick-bed and Gervais caring for her, is a much-abused story-arc in historical romances. On the other hand, Horatia literally fell into John's waiting arms and subsequently into lust-at-first-sight. Their chemistry was as incendiary as setting a match to a kindling; just that I am not a fan of insta-love.

The author weaves an engaging adventure across Venice and Austria to Nancy, France with beautiful locations and droolworthy food descriptions - by the end of the book, I was hankering for a chocolate torte myself. The writing is compelling and both romances meld seamlessly.

Overall, book 4 of 'The Marriage Mart' series is (a passionate love story)×2. Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington books for providing a digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Haunted by her past, Lady Caroline Martindale fled England for the solace of Lady Horatia Laughton, her godmother’s palazzo in Venice. But if Caro was hoping to escape the charms of marriage-minded men, she’s come to the wrong place. And she’ll resort to extreme measures to spurn the advances of a dangerously determined Venetian marquis. Though most of his friends have married off, Gervais, Earl of Huntley, remains bent on eluding the parson’s mousetrap. But his convictions begin to falter when he arrives in Venice and meets his match in the alluring Lady Caro. What began as a hastily concocted lie to save her from the marquis may become a chance for them both to relinquish their fear—and embrace what they can no longer deny
The book was first released in 2014. I love this series & we have two happy endings, which is a lovely bonus. I loved both Gervais & Caro & was drawn in from the first page until the last. Gervais is sigh worthy & falls hard & fast for Caro. The chemistry between them sizzles. The characters are well portrayed & have lovely depth. A well paced book with chases & two lovely romances. An engrossing, which I loved
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Reread mass market paperback August 18 2020
I still love this title! 🥰

…and the games continue!

Lady Caroline Martindale and the rake Huntley! Will they fall in love?
Gervaise, Earl of Huntley, heir to the Marquis of Huntingdon, is a man of infinite patience and strength once having decided that it is Caroline whom he wants as his Countess.
This Marriage Game begins with a marriage of convenience that slowly grows to something more, defying Caro's tragic past. The ravishment and rape of young women by scoundrels is a danger that one doesn't think about. I suspect us readers have been anaesthetized by Jane Austen. This is Caroline's darkest secret and deepest nightmare. A nightmare she constantly relives with fear and loathing.
Fleeing Vemice and the unwanted attentions of the deranged Marchese di Venier,
Caroline and Huntley are thrown together by Huntley's aunt and Caro's godmother, Lady Horatia Laughton in an effort to protect Caroline.
A torrid race through Italy over the alps en route to Nancy via Austria pursued by the wicked Marchese makes for a different turn of events.
However, the strength of Lady Horatia and her finding love in an unexpected place actually entranced me, and nearly eclipsed the romance between Caroline and Gervaise. I did enjoy Horatia and Captain John's repartee and interaction. Theirs is a whirlwind romance, witty and amusing. I found it very satisfying that this wonderful widow found the love and companionship she deserves.

A Kensington Books ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

Love the setting, racing across Europe, from Venice to Paris. I even Google the map to trace their route. Caro is hiding out at her Godmother’s in Venice, the Earl of Huntley is visiting his aunt. Of course she is one and the same and playing a little matchmaking with her 2 favorite people. Throw in a stalker and a secret admirer and you have the makings of a great adventure story. Read it’s a rerelease, but new to me, I enjoyed the story.
A sweet novella is also included in Desiring Lady Caro. Earl Elliot, Gerald is a good friend looking out for his best friend little sister as she enters her first season. Lucinda has been looking forward to her postponed season only to find out her mother has already found her a husband. And meeting her future to be husband had left her even more disappointed, they do not suit!
Depending on her brother’s friend Elliot to help her out of this mess has also open her eyes to the man before her.
Thank you NetGalley for this eARC. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story. #NetGalley #DesiringLadyCaro

A very fun, quick and steamy read. I liked the pace of the book. The plot moved unbelievably quick and was a little too far out there, but that was all part of the fun

Lady Caro is known as an ice queen, but she’s really just trying to protect herself from her past. Huntley, on his grand tour of Europe, comes across Lady Caro in Venice as she stays with his aunt. When Caro is threatened by a local marquis, she and Huntley will be thrown together in ways they never imagined. But will love follow?

Really liked this one! Strong female lead, adorable protective hero and a truly wicked villain. I loved the element of danger as the villain tracks them across Italy and beyond. It kept the pace quick and trapped me on my couch for a delightful afternoon. I also appreciated the love story for Huntley’s aunt - it was great (and unexpected at the outset) to see her find love as well.

Great love story, lots of action and a fun read. This is my second Ella Quinn and I’m definitely going to have to check out more of her books. Even though this is an installment of a broader series, if you haven’t read the others you could follow along perfectly well.

TW: rape (occurred before the book but described)

I quite enjoyed this book. I liked that it started outside of England and the main characters were fairly likeable. The "baddie" however was a bit pantomime but it made for a fun story!

When Lady Caroline Martindale flees to England to stay with her godmother in Venice, she desperately seeks to escape her past. However, she soon finds herself intrigued by Gervais, the Earl of Huntley, who seems intent on avoiding marriage. Yet when a Venetian marquis begins to pursue her, Gervais does all that he can to protect Caro.
An interesting story with the villainous marquis always threatening any chance of happiness that the couple hope to have. What did make this book an interesting read, was the focus on the issue of rape, highlighting the perils faced by women on these times.
The second story is that of Gervais’ widowed aunt, who is also faced with trusting another man again. I found these two stories worked well together and gave greater depth to the story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and Kensington Books. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

You might have read this already as it's a re-release that was originally published in 2014. If you haven't read it, you'll find an engaging tale of a couple that surprise themselves. Caroline has been living in Venice with her godmother since an assault when she was a teen made her unmarriageable, or so she thinks. Gervais, the Earl of Huntley, is under pressure to marry and produce an heir. In classic trope-y fashion, they meet, find themselves warming to each other, engage in a fake marriage, and then, well they fall in love. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A guilty pleasure read featuring two good characters.

Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Series: The Marriage Game #4
Publication Date: First Published 1/1/14 – new release 8/23/22
Period: Regency Europe
Number of Pages: 301

This was a scrumptiously feel-good book. Yes, there was a villain, and yes, there were exciting coach chases over the alps, but, all-in-all it just felt good. It seems every male and female who met fell in love. While there were several mentioned romances, the two featured ones were: the main one between Gervais (Earl of Huntley) and Lady Caroline (Caro) Martindale; and the secondary one between Lady Horatia and John Whitton, the Earl of Devon.

Lady Caroline left England five years ago to live with her aunt, Lady Horatia, in Italy. She’s spent that time trying to heal after the horrendous events that caused her to leave England. She enjoys her life with her aunt and she adores Italy. Unfortunately, she has become the focus of Duca di Venier, and his attentions are most unwelcome. His family is ultra-powerful in the area and she’s heard some very dark stories about him. Leaving Venice is the only answer – even if it does have to be with her Godmother’s nephew.

All of Gervais’s friends have been bitten by the love bug and married and he’s been pursued by every marriageable lady in England. The only way to escape is to take his Grand Tour and visit his Aunt Horatia for a while. The houseguest he finds there is beautiful, intriguing, and totally uninterested in him. How can that be – all the ladies love him?

I just loved Gervais – he had the most wonderfully generous heart and a protective streak a mile wide. Almost as soon as he saw Lady Caro he was smitten and would do whatever he had to do to protect her. Of course, he couldn’t tell her he intended to marry her – he’ll have to quietly woo her and convince her. However, he has to save her first. Can they escape the Duca before he swoops in to kidnap Caro? Can Gervais convince Caro to stay with him and have a happy marriage?

While Gervais and Caro are careening through the alps, Horatia is trying to lead the Duca on a false trail – where she meets the most enigmatic man. He’s so very handsome, and so very determined to marry her. He intrigues her. He vexes her. He entices her. Oh! My!

I can definitely recommend this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and the characters were absolutely wonderful.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Desiring Lady Caro by Ella Quinn is the fourth book in the The Marriage Game series. In this particular novel, readers get a twofer.. Two romances, two wildly different storylines and two different hot men. The story lines start together and end together tying everything together nicely.

The Earl of Huntly is determined not to get married EVER, until he meets Lady Caro and suddenly his world turns topsy-turvy. He goes to Vienna to get away from the marriage mart and there he meets Lady Caro. She is being stalked by a Marqui who is incapable of understanding no. Gervais (the Earl of Huntly) is determined to help her escape this madman and they take off across Europe and the Alps by carriage. The villainous Marqui follows them and Gervais is forced to take some desperate measures.

Meanwhile Lady Caro’s godmother is taking a different route to meet up with them and runs into a ship's captain who was best friends with her deceased husband. Sparks fly and her world goes through a serious change.

The novel was full of adventure and love, with lots of various characters to move the couples along. I enjoyed reading this novel and laughed at a couple of scenes where it seemed that the servants were planning the seduction of Gervais and Caro. Desiring Lady Caro by Ella Quinn was a fun read.

I did not realize this book is a re-release from 2014. I kept wondering why this story seemed familiar! Nevertheless, I enjoyed rereading this book. Caro is hiding out in Italy living with her godmother. She does not want to marry or have anything to do with men. Gervais arrives to visit his aunt and is attracted to Caro. While trying to protect her from a crazed suitor, he decides that being single may no longer suit him. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Kensington Books for my honest review.

Desiring Lady Caro is a re-release of Ella Quinn's fourth novel in the Marriage Game series, that was originally published in 2014. The main storyline follows our hero the Earl of Huntley and Lady Caroline Martindale as she flees England for a palazzo in Italy.

My biggest issue was the inclusion of multiple storylines that really didn't have much to do with the main story. Those additional plotlines took up some much needed time and space in the story that the author could have used to fix the relationship between our two MCs. I don't mind the miscommunication trope in novels, as long as it is given the proper timing and treatment to be fixed, which unfortunately didn't happen in this. There was also a smidge too much 'past trauma being healed completely by a brand-new lover' vibes for me.

Desiring Lady Caro has an expected publication date of August 23, 2022. Thank you to Kensignton Books, Zebra, NetGalley and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A thoroughly entertaining read. Lady Caro is visiting her Godmother, Horatia in Venice when Gervaise, The Earl of Huntley arrives. He is immediately smitten with Caro, but due to her past she isn't interested. When the Marches' son wants Caro, Gervaise takes her away from Venice to Nancy. There are a lot of twists and turns and sub-plots in this book that will keep you entertained. A 5-star read from Ms. Quinn.

Gervais, the Earl of Huntley is a rake determined to evade marriage for as long as possible. But on a trip to Venice, he comes across the lovely widow Lady Caro, and is instantly attracted to her. What starts as an attempt to seduce the chilly Caro, however, becomes more complicated when a Venetian marquis grows obsessed with marrying her--and finding another marriage is her only reliable way of escape.

So this was disappointing. I'll admit, I requested this book, knowing that it was a re-release, having not read any of Ella Quinn's books before and largely being interested in the unique Venetian setting the fact that the heroine's name... is Caro. But I had high hopes! I love that she was a widow, and I actually really did like Caro in general. She had issues, she wanted her freedom, she was a woman of the world--I got it.

Our trouble began with our hero, who is a vapid, slutty rake. Which is fine. I can love a vapid, slutty rake. But the vapid, slutty rake does need to be charming, and Huntley just lacked that. He seemed a bit too... realistically boring, I suppose. Limited. And he is so immediately set on Caro in a way that is totally without conflict (aside from her not being into it, but in the beginning we really get much more of his perspective than hers, so that's not quite as pressing). He's into Caro. He thinks she's pretty. He notices nothing deep about her personality. He wants to have sex with her. He doesn't mind that she doesn't seem to like him. On we go.

Typically, in a well-done romance novel, the attraction is kind of apparent... But the characters are either in denial about it (often in an enemies to lovers situation, maybe a "I'm pining for this person but I'm too proud to admit it" scenario, you know the drill) or circumstances make it immediately impossible. There is nothing, besides Caro's resistance which doesn't seem to trouble Huntley, that is stopping him from sleeping with her. And there is nothing about her that irritates him, none of that "God she's hot but what a bitch" vibe. It's just like. Oh look. She is hot. I will pursue her. She does not like me. Not offended, will still pursue.

It's just a bit shallow?

Then you throw in this really bizarre moment which discusses a murder so casually and unnaturally that I really wasn't able to take the story super seriously after. It was just clumsy. And again, I liked Caro. I got her. I just felt like she wasn't served very well by the plot or her hero.



Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Normally, I really enjoy this author, but not this time.
Spoiler alerts.
I normally truly enjoy the story telling of this author, but this time, it did not grab me. The hero was too old for me. I like a hero who is less than 30, and either has experienced love or at least knows what it is. This hero was 33 years old, jaded, and partakes of too many ladies or women for me to believe that he will see his one and truly, fall in love and cleave to her only. He is all about lust and immediate gratification. It even states that during the two month trip to Venice, he was not abstinant. By 33, the leopard has already grown into his spots and he will not change. The heroine, is 5 years past her debut, so the reader has to assume that she is between 21 and 23 years old. The hero is running away from getting married and runs to his aunt who is living in Venice. The aunt is described as a "few years older than him, but still attractive". So it is okay for a man who is 33 to be assumed at his prime, but a woman a few years older is not? If you are going to assign modern speech and actions on historical figures, then do so across the board. You can"t have it both ways. No present day 24 year old woman would date a 33 year old man, unless he was rich and he was her sugar daddy. As we read on, it becomes obvious that this is a story about a spoiled party girl and playboy. As much as the author tried to inject some intrigue or elevate the story, it is still mismatched in my eyes.
This book was a smooth read and well.described settings and support characters, but i do not like how the main characters are portrayed. The rest if the book met all my expectations so I will give it 4 stars with a recommendation to read.

Lady Caroline is haunted by a past that includes rape. Will she let Garvais into her life and heart?
Haunted by her past, Lady Caroline Martindale fled England for the solace of her godmother’s palazzo in Venice. But if Caro was hoping to escape the charms of marriage-minded men, she’s come to the wrong place. And she’ll resort to extreme measures to spurn the advances of a dangerously determined Venetian marquis . . .
Though most of his friends have married off, Gervais, Earl of Huntley, remains bent on eluding the parson’s mousetrap. But his convictions begin to falter when he arrives in Venice and meets his match in the alluring Lady Caro. What began as a hastily concocted lie to save her from the marquis may become a chance for them both to relinquish their fear—and embrace what they can no longer deny
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily. . . .

Lady Caroline fled to her Godmother's home in Venice to leave behind a past that haunts her and is the reason why she doesn't like to be touched. The Earl of Huntley decides to do some traveling so he can avoid the claws of matchmaking momma's and their daughter's. Huntley travels to Venice where he meets Caro and is intrigued by her. During his stay with Caro and her Godmother, he becomes aware that Caro is being continuously being harassed by a Maquis that doesn't understand no. When this Marquis comes to call, and a lie is concocted it a race to get as far from him as possible. On this journey Caro and Huntley, the attraction between them becomes harder to deny. Caro feels like she will have a replay of her past, and Huntley does what he can to proof her wrong.

This is a story of Caro, a young woman who was brutally raped by her betrothed. She ran from England so she would never have to face him again and live with her god mother, a young widow.

Huntley is going on a grand tour to avoid the match making mamas of the ton. He goes to visit his aunt, Caro's god mother, in Venice and is attracted to Caro, while she has interest in no man after what happened to her.

An overbearing Venetian lord thinks Caro loves him and even though she regularly turns him down, he plots to force her into marriage. He is unhinged and has previously killed an innocent woman for not doing his biding sexually.

Caro and Huntley take off for France together, with their aunt / god-mother hanging back so it does not look too obvious that they are fleeing. Through a series of interesting events, Caro and Huntley marry. Huntley patiently gets to know Caro and eventually woos her and alls well that ends well.

I really enjoyed the overall story. It felt original and interesting. My biggest reason for the 3-star rating is more so the writing and plot development. The story felt jumpy to me, like another few pages here or there would have made things flow better and allow for clear character / relationship development.

Also, this is a personal preference, but I cannot stand the misconstrued understanding (e.g. he loves her, she loves him, but he says a word that is "his" instead of "ours" so he must not love her and therefore she should push him away). I get it, people do not often communicate well, but when we are reading of amazing heroes and heroines, I expect more. Maybe I shouldn't. Again, this is a personal preference and I would still read the story again knowing this was a major plot point.

I would recommend the story itself as it felt unique and was interesting, but the writing may or may not be to your style.

I received a free ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

The cover is beautiful but I’m not sure it fits the characters in the story. Gervais, Earl of Huntley goes to Venice to avoid the marriage minded mamas. But there he meets the beautiful Lady Caro (Caroline Martindale) who is living with her Godmother. She is the object of unwanted attention of a powerful titled Venetian who has murdered others. In agreement they flee going to journeying to Austria before rendezvousing with the Godmother in France. Along the way they are compromised and quickly marry. Caro didn’t plan to marry as she was raped at 15. The rape is vaguely described and makes her for a real marriage. Gervais sets out to woo her. The flip side of the story is a romance for the Godmother as well.

I actually enjoyed the journey, especially the many different foods and variety of chocolate they find along the way. The couples are sweet and you know everything is going to work out well between them. The book seems to be a re-release of a book originally published in 2014. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.