Customer Reviews

Confessions of a Little Black Gown (Thorndike Romance)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Elizabeth Boyle is one of my favorite authors: she is an autobuy for me. This book just never grabbed me. I did not feel the emotion between Tally and Larken. After I read an historical romance, I think about whether or not I could have written it. If the answer is yes, then I know the book's not that great. Sad to say, I think I could have written this book. There are some amusing secondary characters but this book was not driven by characterization. There was quite of bit of telling and now showing in the plot. I'm sorry I wasted my money. I'm giving it 3 stars only because I usually enjoy the author's books.

This is the first Elizabeth Boyle novel I've read. I loved Tally's optimism and desire for excitement. Can't say she's the kind of friend I'd want around though, she'd be getting into trouble too much for my taste. She's a wistful kind of character that makes you want to be a little more care-free. She seems to believe in love at first sight and doing whatever you can for love triumphant. There were parts of the book I felt could have been expanded upon more, such as the haunting memories from Lord Larken. For such an implied troubled life it could have shown more resistance and more of an eternal fight from the past and not just the current event. Overall though I'm encouraged enough to seek out others written Elizabeth Boyle. It left me smiling, I think it's worth the read.

I cant believe that other reviewers here gave this book 5 stars. Maybe they have not read really good Regency romances and are satisfied with a mediocre read. And this is definitely mediocre - which is a little surprising coming from Elizabeth Boyle - who has written some superb romances.

The plot is really convoluted - some areas down right long winded. The characters are flat and there is little or no emotional connection between Tally and Larken. I was hard pressed to finish the book - and I have been a fan of Boyle's books through the years. This one just didn't grab me at all! Sorry Elizabeth. Let's hope Memoirs of a Scandalous Red Dress is more redeeming.

PS - I do agree - the book has a gorgeous cover

This was the second book I read in this series by Elizabeth Boyle. The first, Love Letters from a Duke, was much better written well-rounded characters, interesting dialogue and a realistic plot. Confessions of A Little Black Dress features a love story between Talley and Vicar Ryder/Lord Larken. The entire premise of her falling instantly in love with a shadowy figure sitting in a chair was unbelievable. Basically, the course of their romance and adventure occurs over the course of about 3 days. The entire "mystery/conflict" was predictable. I had a hard time even getting into this book initially, but I had just finished Love Letters so the characters were familiar and I decided to finish it.

Parts of the story were interesting, Larken's flashbacks to the murder of his father and the Black Lily sisterhood of spies. Unfortunately, they were only given occassional mentions, even though the Black Lily sisterhood was a bigger component of the story and outcome.

Did I miss something? The Prologue of the book had Lizzie and Horatio reading the play written by Talley and Pippin and they talk about wanting to produce and star in said play because it was so wonderful. These characters were never mentioned again.

Overall, a somewhat disappointing read, but I will try another book by Ms. Boyles, only because I enjoyed the first book I read so well.

I really had to push myself through this book, especially the beginning where way too many characters (and their nicknames) were introduced at once. The plot was convoluted and I never felt a connection between Tally and Larken. There was a lot of talking and not a lot of emotion. I usually love Boyle's books. My favorite is His Mistress by Morning. This one, however, was just not for me. Reading this book felt like work to me when I would rather have been swept away. Gorgeous cover though.

I think this series would have benefited from being released three months in a row, like the recent Balogh series. Confessions almost stood alone, but having read the previous book greatly enhanced my enjoyment of it. There are several elements that made it enjoyable on it's own - the primary one being Tally's sense of who Larken is on the inside, despite how he presents himself on the outside. It was enough to make me half wish that the external Larken would stay Larken - that Tally, who dreamed of a dashing adventurer, really would find herself enraptured by a clumsy vicar. Read it in one sitting.

The side story of Dash and Pippin wasn't thrilling me - I am most certainly not a fan of that storyline. But it ends so beautifully, so perfectly, that I was grateful for their inclusion. Sometimes, Dash, you can't rely on charm to save the day. It was the perfect shocking end to send me digging in my book bag for the next book well after sensible women have gone to sleep.

A wonderful, funny historical romance with well developed characters and plot. My favorite was Aunt Minty... would love to hear her story with her insightful witty character. The only shame is her introduction was so late in the story.

I like the Pippin sideline in the story. However, I do hope Pippin's story ends in the arms of Gossett, not Dash. I am sure we will be entertained when Pippin's story continues even though it looks like it will be in the arms of Dash after some heartache. Poor Pippin!

Elizabeth Boyle develops a marvelous story with well written language and character development. I look forward to hearing more stories from this author.

Well, I don't know what book the other reviewers have been reading, but I feel as if I have read a completely different book. I found this book boring and predictable. And it had been so long since I'd had read the previous books that led up to this one, that I had lost my connection with the girls. I couldn't finish it, which is a shame because I am usually a great fan of Elizabeth Boyle.

I see that this book is not the first in a series, but this is the first I have read in it. Still, I did not feel I was missing anything and I loved this story. All of the characters were likable and well-defined and the romance was enjoyable. I felt like this was more mystery than romance, but it was a great mystery and it keeps you turning the pages wondering what will happen next. It was not totally predictable and you won't be able to put it down. The hero is hardened by a career as a ruthless spy bound by his honor and duty to his country, and to restoring the good name of his family. He is ordered on a new mission, which he is very reluctant to carry out...the killing of a friend who is wanted by the Bristish government. The heroine is the daughter of a former spy. She has traveled the world and knows the second that she meets the hero that her life is forever changed. But she has deep loyalities and familial obligations that stand in the way of this romance. She must learn who to trust and hopes that she makes the right decision in the end.

I stayed glued to this book from the second I began reading it. I highly recommend it and think it will be a winner for anyone who enjoys suspense/romance.

I LOVED this book! One of my favorite qualities in any book is if it could make me laugh - and while reading this, if I wasn't giggling, I was trying to unravel the mystery of the missing American pirate that was freed from one of England's most secure prisons.

In the very beginning, the book didn't seem anything out of the ordinary [for a historial romance:] but at about chapter 3, it really started to come to life. Tally (Thalia Langley) was such a fun, flirty character who was anything but ordinary. Lord Larken assumed the identity of the awkward and clumsy Vicar Ryder, but was in fact a very dangerous spy.

Upon meeting, they both suspected that neither was what they pretended to be so their encounters were attempts to get them to fumble their "pretenses" and reveal their true selves (which was actually amusing). Their encounters transformed from playing mind games to resisting their attraction and then finally giving in to their mutual passions.

Meanwhile, the truth of the missing American pirate Thomas Dashwell begins to reveal itself taking with it a slew of accomplices that totally catch you by surprise! This story is filled with twists, turns and surprises!

The storyline is a lot to keep up with because so much is going on, but I think it made it all the more fun. There is just a "dash" of the love story between Tally's cousin Pippin and Dash which I cannot wait to read about in Boyle's follow up, "Memoirs of a Scandalous Red Dress".