Customer Reviews

The Pleasure Garden (Zebra Historical Romance)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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This story is set in the Regency era. Angelica "Angel" Pruitt is the daughter of a famous orator. He died only a few years before. Angelica teaches Cicely history and literature so she can speak with her "protector", Lord Geoffrey, about his interests of Greek mythology.

Angelica accepts Cicely's offer to a party in Vauxhall's pleasure garden for the sole reason of a meal. It is at this party that Angel meets Jason Kitterage. The attraction between them is mutual. Refusing to lower her standards though, she quits the party early. While doing so, Jason is hurt and has no choice but to care for him for a few days.

Jason is an antiquities collector and seller. He is offering an ancient treasure, called the Mask of Aphrodite, up for bid to others that had attended the previous party. Once well enough, he convinces Angel to stay with him and his father. He vows not to press his attentions on her. She sets the pace.

The Mask of Aphrodite is surrounded by legends. It is said that any woman who wears the mask becomes irresistible to all men and can enslave them to do her bidding. Problem is that the legends are true. Angel and Jason must keep the mask out of the wrong hands.

***** No hot love scenes here. This is a clean and sweet regency romance. However, there is danger and magic throughout the tale. This book proves that you do not need hot bedroom scenes in order to have a marvelous story. Jason's father and brother are secondary characters in this book and their personalities light up the pages just as brightly as the main characters' do. In fact, I have high hopes that the brother will get his own magical story soon! Author Regan Allen proves herself to be an enchantress in this gem. I was enthralled quickly and left begging for more. Highly recommended! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

I have no problem with the story, prose, or characters, what I DID have a problem with is the end. I wont spoil the end, but keep in mind if you do read this the book was written in 2005 (5 years ago) and the end STRONGLY suggests a continuation of characters... these characters AND others in a second novel, but a release date has yet to be hinted at. The author doesn't seem to have a website, and the book sites I tend to look at hasn't listed any other books for this author that have anything to do with these characters.

That being said, the novel takes place during the Regency era, it focuses greatly on the relationships that a young woman, left alone in the world, forms and what she learns of the less sheltered side of life as a single woman in Regency England (not always a pleasant experience). It certainly hints at religion, but it never outright convinces you to become more religious (thank heavens... pun intended). I was not disappointed, but have felt myself left wanting for the "rest of the story", which is one of my most hated feelings when I read books.

All in all, its a fun book. In a nutshell a woman goes to a "sketchy" engagement because she's starving, meets a man she can't resist and ends up fighting her own moral upbringing in the struggle to survive, love and hopefully have love returned. All this happens while the "lover" is attempting to sell a "magical" mask to several interested but not so pure of heart characters that are more than willing to pull any despicable moves necessary to ensure they are the ones that ultimately gain said mask. A fun mix of a fantasy element, relationships, some humor, love, and the ultimate morality battle of a young religious woman in love with a man that has absolutely no urge to commit.

Desirable, fascinating, sensual and magical are words to describe this historical romance set in the Regency period. The alluring Angelica Pruitt, down on her luck, hungry, and looking for work in London, is lured to madam Cicely's promise of an evening of entertainment and food, in exchange for being a campanion on the arms of gentlemen looking for entertainment at the Vauxhall pleasure garden. Innocent Angelica has spent her life in the country as the daughter of a vicar and is tired of trying to avoid the darker sides of London and what can happen to a beautiful young womnan. That night she meets Jason Kitterage, who is so drawn to Angelica, as are many of the men at the gardens. This handsome hero eventually sensually lures Angelica to pleasure and she moves into his home to become his mistress. Sweet, innocent Anglica soon becomes a healing balm to Jason's family and staff of his townhome. This is an interesting and heartwarming story that also involves mystery and historical relics with powers. The characters are well-developed and the story moves along, absorbing the reader into the lives of the characters and into the mystery of the famous ancient Mask of Aphrodite. An enjoyable read.

Miss Angelica Pruitt was an unemployed governess without references and though she was becoming adept at economizing it had been some time since her last meal. With the enticement of obtaining a real meal for showing up at function hostessed by her one single source of income - an infamous demimonde - the very beautiful and very proper Angelica found herself dressed in a Grecian themed gown and wandering into the `pleasure garden' at Vauxhall. She was actually debating whether the temptation of a meal was truly worth her masquerade when true temptation in the form of the darkly smoldering gaze of Jason Kitterage made her decision a moot point.

Jason's foray into the pleasure garden was business, initially tied into tempting the serious collectors of Egyptian artifacts with whetting their appetites on his latest find - the Mask of Aphrodite. Gazing into the face of an `angel' with a body to match his thoughts were anything but business as Angel piqued his interest as no other woman ever had. Although her manners and elegance resembled a lady, the setting and her costume reflected her to be something else. She was indeed something else, and Jason was about to discover that with Angelica he would discover magic without the use of the Mask of Aphrodite.

*** I am a big fan of regency reads and love the humorous, the serious, and the deeply sensual paths they can take. With Ms. Allen's well-written foray into the regency realm, she brings all three aspects into play, although the sensuality focuses more on the deep and abiding love versus the explicit sexual encounters that some authors are noted for. Ms. Allen also flavors this with an interesting and original bit of fantasy. Angelica is a love; definitely a heroine one has to admire for her principles and no nonsense approach to life. Unfortunately, I didn't see the apparent need she had for hiding her true identity from Jason, which had some bearing on my rating. [I just have to mention though, not to miss the one particularly amusing scene where she evened the playing field for Jason as both set upon by footpads.] The drama that focused around the `mask' was definitely an integral part of the story as well and kept that part of the plot dynamic and interesting. Jason was an admirable hero, even if he didn't realize what a treasure he'd discovered until he'd almost lost it. The supporting characters were all well-defined adding additional interest and depth to an enormously entertaining read and I look forward to what appears to be a second story featuring Jason's brother Dorian. This was definitely a beautiful romance from a new author who bears watching. --- Marilyn, for www.historicalromancewriters.com ---