Customer Reviews

After the Kiss: The Notorious Gentlemen, Book 1 (Wheeler Hardcover)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A kiss. Who would have thought that so much trouble started from just one stolen kiss? Sullivan Waring didn't. He was simply out for revenge against a man who stole what was rightfully his. By day Sullivan is a respected horse breeder but by night he becomes the Mayfair Marauder stealing back his mother's paintings. Only this time during one of his forays he just didn't steal some art, he stole a kiss from a beautiful innocent young Lady. And Isabel Chalsey isn't about to forget that one kiss from the masked thief. Sullivan is an exciting mystery to be solved and she loves a good puzzle. Isabel is used to getting her own way and she won't stop until all of Sullivan's secrets are exposed. But once they spend time together and everything is uncovered both realize that they have made a huge mistake -with their hearts. Because a man who sells horses has no future with the daughter of a Marquis.

A good start to a new series. But I did find some annoying points. Isabel to be a bit irritating with her shabby aristocratic nose-in-the-air treatment of Sullivan. And he has a chip on his shoulder the size of Alaska -thus the revenge. Then again that didn't bother me as much since they do have great chemistry. The sparks really fly between these two. I think thats Enoch strong point here. And the loves scenes where steamy too. The mystery wasn't so mysterious and very predictable but seemed carry some momentum. And the ending is believable.

My favorite part of the book and thus the four instead of three stars is Sullivan's friend Bram. He stole the scenes he was in. I loved his devil-may-care rakish attitude. Enoch spent a fair amount of time developing his character but his book is not the next in the series. Huh? What a teaser! Instead Phin's is. Before the Scandal: The Notorious Gentlemen And he is barely in the book! *Shakes head* why do authors do that?

I recommend this book to those historical romance readers who are fans of aristocrat and commoner pairings. If you like this type of scenario then you might want to check out The Leopard Prince.

Normally, I stick to historical fiction, but these days it's become harder and harder to find good historical fiction with romantic elements or romantic endings. Tracy Chevalier did a good job in A Girl With a Pearl Earring, and I very much enjoyed Michelle Moran's Nefertiti. But now I'm branching out into historical romance, and I am very glad I've decided to do so.

After the Kiss is only my fifth romance novel, and I enjoyed it immensely. The real story begins with Lady Isabel discovering Sullivan Waring in the process of stealing from her home. To keep her from screaming, Sullivan kisses her, but Lady Isabel manages to grab his mask and later discover his identity. The characters are well drawn, the romance is full of tension, and the historical setting is spot-on.

Highly recommended.

A year after being shot as an officer serving in the Peninsular War; highly regarded horse breeder Sullivan Waring lives a secret life. During the day the Ton admires his work with horses; at night they treat him with contempt. He does not care how they feel; instead he wants what was stolen from him; so in the evening he sneaks into the homes of the affluent to take back his late mother's paintings.

However Lady Isabel Chalsey catches the notorious Mayfair Marauder in the act of thieving. He is stunned by her beauty and cannot stop himself from taking a kiss; he is further shocked when she demands he train a horse for her use or she will expose him. As he falls in love, he prepares a mare for Isabel while helping her overcome her fear of horses; but may not be able to overcome his own dark secrets that eat at his soul.

The first Notorious Gentlemen tale (Sully's Peninsular War buddies to follow) is a terrific Regency romantic mystery that hooks readers when the heroine going for a late snack catches the notorious gentleman removing a portrait from the wall. The story line never slows down as Lady Isabel "blackmails" the thief after a witty exchange. Readers will enjoy their antics AFTER THE KISS as Suzanne Enoch provides a superb opening act.

Harriet Klausner

Like another reviewer, I too had been disappointed with Ms. Enoch's recent historicals (see my reviews on Sins of a Duke and Something Sinful). However, being an equestrienne with a love of Regency romances, the basic premise certainly piqued my interest.

I thought Isabel's (or Tibby's, as she's frequently called) character was well developed and the majority of her actions made sense from that perspective. So often, romance heroines are inconsistent and leave readers scratching their heads. Isabel's motivations for her actions were always in tune with her character, which can be especially difficult when writing a character who undergoes such a drastic shift in personality and beliefs during the course of a novel. Isabel shifts from a sheltered, spoiled princess to a more mature, worldly woman in the course of 384 pages. Throughout it all, she remains likable, as Enoch gives us plenty of indication as to why Isabel acts and thinks as she does. By allowing us to understand her, we are able to like her better.

Sullivan too is a character who develops over the course of the novel, going from a scorned, bitter son bent on revenge to a man who is capable of loving the very sort of girl he was determined to hate. What might have started out as a desire to see one of Society's princess fall from grace morphed into something else as he saw that she too had vulnerabilities and she too was at the mercy of Society's mercurial temperaments.

The secret, forbidden courtship of Isabel and Sullivan also made things enjoyable. Both knew what they were doing would be seen as wrong (which of course made it all the more delicious) but the attraction between them was simply too strong. This is a common device, I'll grant you, but in After the Kiss, you really believe that their attraction cannot be denied. What's more, both characters understand that what their doing is wrong and that there will be consequences, causing a realistic amount of hesitation and thought on the part of each. So often, characters leap into romance without a thought as to what their friends and family might think, which, I'm sorry to say, just isn't how real life works.

Finally, as with most of Ms. Enoch's novels, the secondary characters are not just a distraction but truly enhance the novel. Tibby's family, her friends/enemies, even the requisite 'villain' all helped to both move the plot forward as well as present obstacles which forced Isabel and Sullivan to make choices that furthered their growth. This novel is truly an exercise in character development. Sullivan and Isabel are dynamic characters whose actions ring true with whatever the current state of their personalities is, a rare thing in the modern romance novel. I highly recommend this novel, both for those who have never read Suzanne Enoch and need an introduction and for those who have been longtime fans recently disappointed by her latest historical fare.

After disappointment in some of Ms. Enoch's more recent historicals, I'm so glad to have read this book. This book is definitely a keeper for me and worth every penny!

This book is about a bastard son, Sullivan Waring, who is a famous horsebreeder and also secretly a thief of paintings, or rather someone who is reclaiming paintings which originally belonged to his late mother and sold without his permission. Sullivan meets Lady Isabel Chalsey during one of his nightly painting retrievals and in order to silence her, he kisses her. That kiss begins everything...

Initially reading this synopsis, I was a bit skeptical about the believability of this story. I mean, seriously, who kisses a thief in the middle of the night in their house? There are a lot of elements in this story that another author might have made less believable and made me roll my eyes at, but Ms. Enoch unravels the story so wonderfully and realistically that the jaded historical romance reader part of myself just disappeared while I was reading this book. Not only is the story engaging, but I loved everything in-between! I absolutely loved the subtleties. The subtle humorous comments within the dialogue and narration were a delight! Nothing was over the top. I loved that the author didn't accommodate for the lowest common denominator when writing this book. Although this isn't the most complicated of books, not everything was simple, like some historicals I've read.

This book has depth and realism. I love that when Isabel is slightly shunned by the ton, the author portrays the issue a little bit more realistically than other authors have. Isabel doesn't quickly wave away the consequences and reaction of the ton. Although there have been heroines in other books which have and have been made to seem stronger for it, I like that Isabel doesn't. She's human and not infallible. She's real and multi-dimensional. She stops and considers everything. She knows she has something to lose that is significant to her because she's been raised a certain way. Which one should she sacrifice?

I also enjoyed reading about the development of Isabel and Sullivan's relationship. Of course, there was the initial attraction, but there needed to be something more between them to build and Ms. Enoch does that incredibly well...and at a good pace. And it isn't just lust! There's flirtation, trust, suspicion, and everything in between! And...in their thoughts, they admit to the attraction and there is nothing coy about it! I cannot begin to tell you how much I hate it when characters feign ignorance or avoid their feelings for each other when it is clearly there. These two know they are attracted to each other and maybe it takes one of them a little longer to figure it out, but once they do, it's openly admitted and no one is trying to pretend something's not there. It's refreshing!

I even loved the secondary characters, the villians...everyone. They all played their parts wonderfully. Also, the heroine has a very supportive, loving, and complete family! I don't know how many historicals I've read where there's always someone who's the "evil" family member or where there's only part of a family.

I cannot begin to describe how wonderful this book is. You really have to read it for yourself and see. I am very glad to know that there are still these type of historical romances around. :) With that said, I'm off to pre-order Ms. Enoch's next book to this series, Before the Scandal: The Notorious Gentlemen!

This was a very enjoyable book to read. It isn't the same old storyline ("does he really love me?...I can't be happy and know he really loves me until I hear those three words."...none of that, thank goodness!) and the hero and heroine aren't typical. I initially thought they would be and that the heroine was going to get on my nerves, but she didn't. I finished this book also hoping for and looking forward to more stories of the secondary characters. I don't know how to describe it but this book just had a different "feel" to it that really made me like it. Great read!! I realize this is the first review and some might be looking for a synopsis but I hate writing those because I'm always afraid of giving away a spoiler and I don't want to take away any part of the story for anyone. I'll just say it really shows what people feel and go through with forbidden love, and it's worth reading!

Sullivan Waring is the son of a nobleman. The fact that he is illegitimate weighs heavily on his mind, especially since he is treated dastardly by the ton. After coming home a hero from the wars, Sully is becoming highly prized as a horse breeder and trainer. What the ton doesn't know is that he is the Mayfair Marauder. By day he breeds horses, by night he goes into the home of some of the richest of society and steals back items that were important to him. It is when he steals from the home of Lady Isabel Chalsey that his life changes.

Isabel Chalsey can't believe that the blackguard known as the Mayfair Marauder had the audacity to kiss her while stealing from her home. Coming upon the masked man in her kitchen, she was startled and intrigued. When she comes face to face the next day with Sullivan Waring, she has no doubts as to whom her midnight thief is and she plans to milk her knowledge for everything it is worth.

Suzanne Enoch has a prize on her hands with After the Kiss. Sully's characterization made me ache for the way he was treated and then feel proud for the way he overcame society's expectations and became the man I knew he was inside. Isabel made me smile more than once at her ability to keep Sully on his toes and his lips busy. Fans of beguiling historical romances will love After the Kiss. I know I did.

Talia
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

When Lady Isabel Chalsey gets up in the middle of the night for an apple, the last thing she expects to do is to bump into a thief. The Mayfair Marauder has been robbing London's most respected families and it appears Isabel has caught him in the act of doing the same to hers.

Later when she recognizes the Mayfair Marauder as the well known and respected horse breeder, Sullivan Waring, Isabel hires him to do some horse training for her. She's not sure she wants to turn him in, but she knows she doesn't want him stealing anymore so she blackmails him and keeps him close.

This is a forbidden love story; Isabel is from a titled family and Sullivan is the bastard child of a marquis. His father doesn't acknowledge him, so to the ton he's just a horse breeder. Horse breeders and Lady's do not mix romantic company, but Sullivan and Isabel have a hard time staying away from each other.

I am a fan of Ms. Enoch's Samantha Jellicoe series and have not read any of her historical romances, this was my first. I thought this was a great read. I found it while vacationing in the north woods and it kept me occupied and entertained while I maintained a lazy slug like status. Isabel and Sullivan were fantastic main characters and the book is filled with equally wonderful side characters and I am anxious to hear more about them. I laughed, I cried and I am dying to read the next book.

Before the Scandal: The Notorious Gentlemen
Cherise Everhard, July 2008

This was my first book by Suzanne Enoch and I quite enjoyed it, though I thought the premise was a little nonsensical but the characters managed to pull off the story.

The first book in The Notorious Gentlemen trilogy, it is the story of Sullivan Waring and Lady Isabel Chalsey. Sullivan is on a path of revenge. Revenge against the "father" who sired him and hasn't acknowledged him and regaining his rightful inheritance.

At night he is the Mayfair Marauder, stealing choice paintings from the homes of the elite Ton. By day he is the owner of the most prolific stables in England with much sought after thoroughbreds. On a nightly escapade he is caught red handed by Isabel Chalsey, as he s burglarizing her home. On impulse he kisses her but she pulls off his mask getting a good look at his face.

Isabel's and her brother go to Sullivan's stables to purchase a stallion. She immediately recognizes him and blackmails him into her employ - as she purchases an untrained, wild mare. Isabel has had a very traumatic experience with horses when she was very young and has always been terrified of them, so it is a shock to her family that she has purchased a horse, much less her intentions of learning to ride.

Tibby, as her friends call her, is quite spoiled and the belle of the Ton. She cant believe that she has actually blackmailed Sullivan and he has accepted; not only does she desire him, but she is bent on putting a stop to his foolhardy nightly escapades.

Sullivan can't make out what are Tibby's intentions but for now he is staying close - as he doesn't want the spoiled chit to send him to the gallows. He loathes her class and anything that has to do with the fripperies and affectation of the Ton.

Tibby's character completely changes from a spoiled princess that comes into the maturity of a woman, as her love for Sullivan makes her realize that she cares for none of the Ton's senseless gossip or the scandal that ensues from her friendship with Sullivan.


Sullivan embittered by his quest of revenge, starts seeing Tibby through different eyes, and slowly changes his opinion of her. Their attraction is too strong and both succumb to a clandestine and heated affair, which makes the story that much more delectable!

The secondary cast of characters in AFTER THE KISS, are well developed and interesting, setting a good premise for the novels in this series.

NEXT INT THE SERIES:
Before the Scandal: The Notorious Gentlemen
Always a Scoundrel: The Notorious Gentlemen

This was the 1st Suzanne Enoch book I've read and it was an enjoyable story. Good writing and Enoch made Sullivan and Isabel come alive, they were exciting and shared great chemistry from the beginning of the book. The reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is that through most of the book the plot moved along at a very good clip and had me on the edge of my seat by the book's climax with Sullivan and Bow Street; however, after that part the last couple chapters were somewhat anti-climatic and a little too dragged out. Still, a good ending which resolved everything. I really enjoyed some of the other characters as well, especially Sullivan's friend Bram, whose story I can't wait to read. Also thought Isabel's younger brother Douglas was funny and endearing and added a lot to the story. I hope Bram's story coming soon is as good if not better.