Customer Reviews

The Romantic

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is truly a wonderfully written, stimulating, mature romantic story. The various scenarios and subplots are also true to the pre-Victorian era it's written in respect to several social issues it touches upon.

Julian Hampton, `The Romantic', is a well respected and trusted solicitor for the Laclere family. Throughout his adolescence and adulthood, Julian Hampton clandestinely desired the affections of Penelope (Pen), the Countess of Glasbury. His safest discourses of expressing his pent-up desires are passionate love letters and poems addressed to her, but never dispatched. He carefully wrote and hid them away for over ten years - since he was 16 yrs old.

Pen's mother, in an attempt to save her family from financial ruin, as well as fulfill her young daughter's excitement and fantasy of having a husband, coyly encourages Pen to marry a presumably respectable Earl, Count Glasbury - who agrees to give her family a significant endowment to wed her. After a year of marriage, Count Glasbury introduces his naive wife to the darker side of his sexual passions and lusts. Needless to say, due to her lack of experience and isolation from people outside of Glasbury, Pen believes these new versions of bed play are `natural' - although they were emotionally upsetting and physically painful for her (i.e. whips and chains, bondage, crawling, etc.)

Pen eventually confides in "Mr. Hampton" (Julian), and discloses the embarrassingly sordid secrets of why she wants a legal separation from her husband. Discreetly, Julian secures her a separation from Count Glasbury with alimony - by threatening to publicly expose his sexual appetites to the ton. Ten years later, upon finding out that his heir (last remaining male in his family line), nephew, cannot have any children, the Count wants to nullify the separation and re-enforce his marital rights as her husband. He is determined that no one will stop him from getting his wife back and will use any means necessary, legal or otherwise, to have her back under his roof.

Here is where Julian, beyond a doubt, is a knight in shining armor. His unconditional, surrendering love for her is unveiled. Julian offers himself (from her list of possible lovers) to demonstrate to her what it's really like to make love with someone who truly loves you. As a result their very public act of adultery - Pen's efforts to high handedly force Count Glasbury into divorcing her vs submit to his `unnatural' sexual desires, Julian's poems and letters are literally and agonizingly laid bare for all of society to `judge' him to the point of possibly convicting him to hang for murder to save Penelope.

Don't let the word "adultery" wrestle you away from reading this as a romance story. There is so much more to it that it will stimulate your mind and kindle your heart which can not be expressed in any brief review.

Penelope is, once again, on the run for her life. For years, she has enjoyed living a life estranged from her evil husband, the Earl of Glasbury. He is a man with sadistic sexual tastes who keeps a house far from London, unknown to anyone, staffed with Jamaican slaves who are constant victims of his sexual abuse. Now the Earl is determined to have Penelope back to bear him an heir, but Penelope will not have him. As soon as she discovered she was being followed, she fled Naples for London, to the arms of the only person who can save her from Glasbury, Julian Hampton.

Julian successfully kept Penelope hidden while she pondered her options. She wanted to flee to America but Julian managed to talk her out of it. When the situation finally became desperate, she agreed with Julian that the only way to get herself out of her marriage would be to have a very public affair and force her husband's hand. But just when things were beginning to go their way, Glasbury is found murdered in his house and the primary suspect is Penelope.

Julian swears to Penelope that she will always be safe and he will see to it. She has no idea how far he'll go to keep his oath, until the police arrest him for the murder.

I think The Romantic is my favorite Madeline Hunter book...so far. I don't think there's anything more romantic or sexy than a hero who has secretly loved the heroine from the time they were children, and is consistently plays the knight in shining armor to her damsel in distress. Julian is by far my favorite character in this series. He has kept his love a secret, instead pouring it into his poems and letters. He has never failed in his devotion to Penelope, always there when she needs him; always there to save her from whatever trouble she's in. He is, by far, the consummate romantic hero.

The writing is exquisite as usual. Madeline Hunter is such a gifted writer. She weaves enchanting stories of larger than life heroes and heroines that it's hard not to fall in love with her books.

"The Romantic" is the fifth and final official installment of Madeline Hunter's enjoyable Seducer series, set in Regency and pre-Victorian England. The entire series is a revelation: Engaging plotlines and remarkably period appropriate, yet readable dialogue propel these books beyond the usual light romance reads.

Hunter writes quality, detail-rich stories, appealing to educated romance readers who enjoy a great book with a lively plot, superior historical accuracy and vibrant characters with full, rounded lives, and interesting goals.

Throughout the Seducer series, Hunter's characters face believable challenges within the social and political context of the Regency and pre-Victorian time setting, interspersed with steaming hot sex scenes that are sensual as well as quite anatomically workable, and unlike some authors' scenes, don't leave the reader wondering if a winch, truss, or chiropractor would be required by either participant afterward.

This novel picks up the relationship story of the fifth major ongoing male character in the Seducer series - that of Mr. Julian Hampton, the Laclere family lawyer and lifelong friend of all of the Duclairc siblings. Over the course of a thoughtful storyline, we experience the resolution of Penelope, the Countess of Glasbury's tragedy of a marriage which has been chronicled as a fifteen-year secondary story in all of the Seducer series. Needless to say, the quiet, enigmatic, darkly handsome Julian Hampton is involved.

The Romantic is a fitting finale to this fine quintet, and I rated this book a five. Read in sequence, it is easily a five-star read. The only flaw (and it is a small one) in the Seducer series, is that the books are each richer if you have read the series in sequence, as there are delicious details throughout each book that expand upon and update previous storylines. Indeed, the series, when read in order, more resembles a single epic-length novel with five distinct parts written in different characters' voices.

Each hero and previously introduced heroine is featured as an important secondary character in each of the subsequent novels, and because of this, the details of the stories can be harder to pick up in the first chapters if the books are read out of sequence. In some reviews, Hunter receives some criticism for slow exposition in this series. Given that each book (except for the Seducer) opens with characters we already know, so we have an immediate understanding of the motivations for their actions and interactions, I have some sympathy for stand-alone readers who must play catch-up for a chapter or two. I argue that this effect is entirely eliminated when the series is read in order. However, because of this issue, as a stand-alone book, I would withdraw half a star, and rate The Romantic a four and a half -- Still a pretty great read!

My recommendation if you haven't read the rest of the series: Buy all five! -- You will not regret this. For the most enjoyable experience, read them in chronological sequence: The Seducer set in 1818, The Saint set in 1823, The Charmer set in 1831, The Sinner set in 1832, and as the grand finale, The Romantic set in 1833. Or, if you want to jump in and read The Romantic today, the synopsis below includes the prequel elements of Pen and Julian's story that readers of the previous four books know.

***

The prequel story to the plot of "The Romantic":

Cruelly and dishonorably treated, in 1817 the 21-year old Countess of Glasbury made the extraordinary decision to leave her abusive husband. This was an act singular for the courage required to do so, due to the scandal attached to such a move in early 19th century Britain. Well-bred women of high station simply didn't leave their husbands in Regency London, regardless of the circumstances, trebly so if said husband was a peer of the realm.

The former Penelope Duclairc, the young countess, might never have been able to arrange for her separation from the Earl if not for the skill, intelligence, and empathy of a similarly young London solicitor and lifelong family friend, Julian Hampton. Deeply embarrassed, Penelope cryptically described the horror and degradations of her marriage and asked for Mr. Hampton's help to leave her husband. Looking to Penelope's future happiness, Hampton had advised her to divorce the earl, but the countess did not want to ruin her family's reputation and her younger sister Charlotte's chances of making a good match of her own during her upcoming debut season. As was her way, Penelope sacrificed her future joy to spare her family.

Using what little information Penelope was not too embarrassed to reveal and seeking out more on his own, as Penelope's solicitor, Julian Hampton was able to use wht he learned to legally blackmail the Earl of Glasbury into allowing the countess to separate from him with a small support allowance, with the caveats that they would not divorce, and that the countess would do nothing to "embarrass" the Earl of Glasbury, ever. The meaning was clear: No one in society would know the real reason she left the earl, and Penelope would live a lifetime alone, as were she to have an affair the deal would be off, and she would be forced to return to the abuses of the earl.

Hampton had grown up with Penelope and her brothers, but on that day when the Countess confided her darkest secrets of her miserable marriage, he listened to Penelope as more than a lifelong friend and more than her family's lawyer. As Julian Hampton listened, his solemn, sympathetic demeanor hid the black rage that grew as he swore a dark oath to himself that the Earl would never be able to touch or hurt Penelope again.

For the reserved, enigmatic Julian Hampton had his own secret: He had been deeply in love with Penelope since they were both adolescents, but his deep sense of honor has kept his true feelings for her locked within his mysterious, tormented soul.

As The Romantic opens, sixteen years after their seperation, the Earl of Glasbury has decided that he wants his Countess back so that she can provide him with his heir. In desperation, Penelope turns again to her trusted adviser, Julian Hampton, to protect her from Glasbury's depraved clutches.

Against this backdrop, Pen and Julian's long-awaited story unfolds.

***

Why I love Madeline Hunter's Books:

Besides the fine, well-researched writing, another attribute that sets all of Madeline Hunter's books apart is her ability to weave legitimate political and social debates and developments of the time and setting of the stories into the plots. Previously in the Seducer series, Hunter tackled the aftereffects of the French Revolution, particularly the bloodshed that was Robespierre's Terror; the social scorn and the assumption of loose morals heaped upon any woman who chose a career in the performing arts (no such scorn awaited similarly-situated men, of course); the tradition that gentlemen and aristocracy did not engage in trade and to have "real job" was scandalous; the inability of married women to own and control property in their own name; the desperate lives led by closeted homosexuals; the "chattel" state of married women in general; and the political hot potato that was the parliamentary reform movement in Britain in the early 1830's. In this, Hunter's books remind me of the West Wing on TV - highly entertaining and an accurate history lesson, to boot.

It's to the benefit of all the smart women readers out there who enjoy relaxing with a romance that Hunter's well-written works (that could easily hold their own on the popular fiction bestsellers shelf) just happen to be historical romances.

***

A final note for those who may not care for Regency and pre-Victorian romances:

Although I am an historical romance fan, the one era that has always left me cold in the past is the Regency period. Far too many authors writing stories taking place just before Queen Victoria's ascension and long reign take more unwelcome liberties with the period than a London rake on a drunken tear, and manage to stuff so many anachronisms and unnecessary inaccuracies into the story that the net effect would be hilarious, if not so distracting to the historically-informed reader. Had any of the books in the Seducer series been my first Madeline Hunter, I would have never even cracked the cover due to my distaste for the usual mess that passes for Regency romances.

Lucky for me, Madeline Hunter's first literary efforts in the historical romance genre were set in my favorite time period and place - 14th Century England and France. This was Hunter's fabulous Medieval Series (I think of it as the David d'Abyndon series after the series' keystone novel's heartthrob and a character that reappears as a secondary character in each of the other books.) After the delights that were these six medieval stories, I felt a stab of disappointment when I first learned in early 2003 that Hunter's next series would be Regency. ("Regency! UGH!" thought my rebellious little mind.) However, my joy in reading her Medieval series convinced me to give The Seducer, the first book of the series, a chance. I will be eternally grateful to Fortune's caprice that my previous exposure to Hunter's excellent work led me to go ahead and sample the Seducer series, as within this quintet, each book is a stand-alone marvel, and together they form a delicious, rich and satisfying series.

It had been a while since I read a book that I did not want to put down for a moment. I was in the middle of reading another novel, when surprisingly, I found this one in the bookstore. I immediately bought it and as soon as I got home "dumped" the other book and started reading this one. I had been waiting for Julian and Penelope's story almost since the first book in the series, I had already begun to think that it was not going to be written, because of all the time that had passed within the series (15 years), but it was worth the wait, because as much as I like the other books, this one just became my favorite of this series.

I was always intrigued by Julian Hampton, I knew that beneath the cool facade and reticent silences, lay a man of deep and powerful pasions. This character is so compeling that for him alone I would have given the book 5 stars.

That doesn't mean that the book itself doesn't deserve the 5 star rating, the story is fast paced, full of suspense, pasion, tendernes, heart wrenching moments, and above all; love.

I only wish this book had been placed earlier in the series. Between The Saint and The Charmer would have been a good spot for it. It's just that I feel sorry for Julian and Penelope. They had to wait so long to find happiness! The delay in writting this book makes me think that the author hadn't planned to write it at all, that it was only because of the interest generated by these characters that it was decided to create this book. In any case, I'm grateful it was written, because it is one of my favorite novels of all times.

Although I didn't hate this book I personally didn't enjoy it as much as some of the other reviewers here did. Why? Frankly, I found the heroine, Penelope Glasbury, irritating (think nails scratching a chalk board, irritating).

Now don't get me wrong, Penelope's flaws did lend credibility to her story's character. After all the woman is a countess in Victorian England; considering the time period, the fact that she turned out spoiled, selfish, and a bit of a snob is no big surprise. It's... just... not very romantic.

I'll explain.

Never in my life have I heard anyone declare so passionately "I now know what I should do" and be so horribly wrong so often. Between running away from her problems, playing the perpetual victim, and taking Julian's love for granted (I think she compared the man to a 'vase' because he's always around yet hardly ever noticed) she's not a very likable lead character.

In contrast the hero of the story (Julian Hampton) is so close to perfection you wonder what the man sees in such a silly woman. Strong, silent, competent, handsome--Julian is why this story gets three stars and not two. Nevertheless, he can't carry the book by himself, and nothing can suspend reality long enough to forget what a snot the heroine is (although he does make the fact that I shelled out $6.50 for this book less painful).

Enjoy

Certainly lives up to its title. It's a beautifully written story about the unrequited love and frustrated passions of Julian Hampton, solicitor to the powerful and very wealthy. While Julian is outwardly calm, cool and collected inwardly he's a man tormented by a powerful love for a woman who is not only a member of the aristocracy but married as well although unhappily so. Over the years he has become very adept at hiding his true feelings from the object of his devotion and the outside world. He vents out this inner turmoil by writing passionate sometimes angry love letters and poems to his oblivious love until one day she shows up on his doorstep pleading for his help and protection.

Julian Hampton has always been Penelope's, the Countess of Glasbury, knight in shining armor. So, when her estranged husband decides to end their mutually agreed upon separation, she turns to her life long friend and defender for help once again. Only this time something has changed and she begins to develop a dangerous attraction to him. Dangerous not only because she's a married woman but also because her husband is a ruthless monster of a man who will stop at nothing to get what he wants and after a decade long separation he decides he wants his wife back.

Ms. Hunter has written a beautiful love story and a keeper in every sense of the word. Of course what makes this book so unforgettable is the hero. Julian is my idea of the perfect romantic hero. He is wonderfully tortured but not by the usual my momma/ex-wife/lover done me wrong but by his life long love for a seemingly unattainable woman. Not only that but he's also willing to sacrifice anything and everything for his woman. What could be more romantic than that? I know that my fellow romance readers will agree with me when I say that sometimes I can enjoy a book but not truly believe in the happily ever after. Or not truly believe that the characters love for each other is more than just good sex. Well, this book isn't one of those. By the time you turn the last page you will believe that Julian and Penelope will be together forever and not just because the author decided it should be so but because their love transcends the pages it's printed on.

As wonderful as this book is I feel I have to issue a little warning for those of us who consider adultery a hot button issue. Adultery is a major hot button issue for me. However, I was able to accept it in this book because of the nature of Penelope's marriage and the fact that her husband was an animal, pure and simple. I also thought the author did a wonderful job of describing the way women in that time were virtually enslaved to their husbands regardless of how cruel or abusive said husband was. So, I would entreat those who would normally not read this type of story line to give this book a try. The Romantic is romance at its finest and I highly recommend it.

Madeline Hunter's dark, strong and silent heroes continue to enthrall in the final installment in this series on the Dueling Society. Unlike THE CHARMER (which belonged to its heroine), this novel thoroughly belongs to its tall, dark, handsome and silent hero who is a romantic at heart: Julian Hampton. A solicitor by profession and lacking the title and wealth commonly found in other romance heroes, Julian Hampton's pithy and succinct eloquence shields a poetic, romantic heart that yearns for the woman he's loved since he was a youth. From the amusing letters he's conjuring to write to the happily-married ladies who thrust eligible ladies at him, Julian exudes a sly sense of humor. The eligible ladies fail to excite him however because for all of his teenage and adult life, Julian Hampton's heart surreptitiously aches for Penelope, the notorious Countess of Glasbury and Viscount Leclere's sister (from THE SAINT). THE SEDUCER and THE SAINT builds the foundation for Julian and Penelope's story here in THE ROMANTIC. Although THE CHARMER features the best historical backdrop, THE ROMANTIC contains the strongest plotting and pacing of the series, engaging me and surprising me even as I predicted other elements. There's suspense, adventure, murder, a trial, whodunit mystery, and of course, romance and passion. I was thankful that even though Julian yearns for Penelope his whole life, the book avoids the copious pining and repetitive introspection which would take away from his character. One thing you have to love about Madeline Hunter's characters and stories: her stories offer more historical backdrop and plotting than the average romance book while her characters are doing something beyond seeking and having sex. Here, Penelope is very proud of authoring a piece on married womens' rights.

THE ROMANTIC is probably the darkest book in the series as well. Penelope isn't a virgin and she's married: separated from her husband, the earl of Glasbury, who engages in sordid sexual activity including BDSM. Penelope's notorious reputation, Julian's angst over Pen's affairs following her separation with the earl, Pen and Julian's advanced age (both are 'old' for romance stories) and the reprobate earl's insidious designs all make for a dark read.

Another thing you have to love about Madeline Hunter's stories: both the hero and heroine end up giving to each other in love. The giving and loving is mutual. As much as Julian protects and loves Pen his whole life, Pen helps him and takes care of him at the end. You could tell she's really awed by the depth of his love and loves him in kind. She did seem too ignorant of the depth of his love though, always making excuses for his loyal protection and love earlier. When she still couldn't surmise the recipient of Julian's unsent love letters during the trial at the end, her ignorance started to grate. However, Pen's ignorance added to the drama and tension in the plotting. I would have hoped the book made Pen's ignorance of Julian's profound love deliberate on her part. Like she knew subconsciously the depths of Julian's love for her but couldn't face it because she felt she was unworthy or she was afraid to believe in it. Alas, there's no such admission, she simply says she had no idea and that she's honored by Julian's lifelong love for her. Despite her persistent ignorance, I did feel Pen deserved Julian. It's clear Pen is very compassionate always abandoning her interests for the sake of others'. Pen says she married Anthony because he was an earl and she was young and stupid but that wasn't the complete picture. I couldn't abide Pen marrying the earl in the first place, but then we learn financial straits handicapped Pen's family during her first season. The earl of Glasbury's generous offer compelled Pen to accept and she later convinced herself that it was her fault. Then after separation, she avoided outright confrontation with the earl because she wants to shelter her family from scandal as much as possible. Yes, I think Pen is very deserving of Julian's undying love and devotion. I could understand Julian's love for Pen since they grew up together and Julian witnessed first-hand Pen's compassion serving as her family's solicitor.

The story grows and evolves with twists and turns, getting stronger the more you read it. Pen's strife to escape the earl meshes with her burgeoning feelings for Julian. In the end, the varying elements of suspense, mystery, love and passion manage to entertain and engage.

Courtesy of Love Romances Reviews

As always, and with The Romantic, Madeline Hunter delivers an emotional love story full of realistic characters and plenty of plot to keep one reading to the end.

Penelope, "Pen," the Countess of Glasbury has been running from her depraved husband for many years. Unable to get a divorce as society would scorn her forever, and also because her husband refuses, she managed to at least escape his household, if not his name. But after avoiding England and his far reach as long as she had, time has run out and she must return home, hoping to get assistance from her beloved family and the one man who has always been there for her.

Julian Hampton has been the solicitor for Pen's family since finishing the university. He has ever been there for the family, including Pen. If not for Julian, she would not have gotten the escape she did manage from her husband. He often played his cards close to the vest, but his biggest secret of all was held so tightly no one had even a hint of the depth of passion he felt for the woman who stole his heart when they were both children.

Now a new threat has come to Pen from her husband, and this time she fears he may finally get his way and be able to hold on to her for the rest of his life. Who else would she turn to so as to avoid the depraved lifestyle of her husband Glasbury, but the one man who has ever been her champion? Will Julian's love finally have a chance to come to fruition? And what of her marriage? Can she escape once and for all?

Ms. Hunter has proven her immense talent for passionate stories that suck readers in with this story. Perhaps the most anticipated book in the series, The Romantic is guaranteed to live up to the expectations. Julian has been such a mysterious character throughout the series that his was certainly this reviewer's favorite character, and his story is as deep and emotional as the man himself. He has always been the dutiful one, never wavering in his course, keeping his secrets to himself.

Pen has been a delightful character throughout as well, and possesses a strength unsurpassed by many heroines in today's romance novels. The horrors she experienced in her marriage hardened her in some ways, yet in some ways she never lost that youthful innocence. She has her flaws, one of the biggest being her inability to see what was right in front of her, in the guise of Julian, for so long. She has grown so much throughout the series and here in her own tale, that she is a force to be reckoned with when she sets her mind to something.

When simmering passion finally is released and both Julian and Pen give in to their feelings for each other, the heat in their encounters will ignite passion in the reader as well. They are meant to be together, and have always been; though sometimes it was hard to see. This reviewer admits to having had doubts as to how their story would be resolved, and if it would be done in a way that they both deserved. She has never been a fan of the heroine being married to one person and carrying on a relationship with another, so was worried how it would be resolved here. Ms. Hunter handled this facet of the story in such a good way that readers can't possibly doubt the outcome. Our lead characters here deserved a story as strong and deep as they are, and this book fulfills that completely.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, December 2004. All rights reserved.

I love this book! I am fan of the whole series and was excited that Julian and Pen were finally getting a story of their own. Ms. Hunter, did something that is rarely done with books, a 5th book in a series that is just has good as the first book, if not better. If you have followed the series you will remember Pen, the countess of Glasbury, and the problems she had with her husband the Earl of Glasbury. Several years ago Pen, left England for Naples to escape the her mentally twisted husband. When Glasbury decides that he wants Pen back she comes back to England seeking the help of her life long protector and family solicitor, Julian Hampton. For Julian having Pen back is like a dream come true because he has secretly loved her for years. Realizing what kind of danger she is in from her husband, Julian vows to protector her at any cost.

I liked the strength that Pen seem to have. Since the story takes place in historical England, Pen as a woman had no rights; she was her husband's property. Yet, she found the strength to leave an Earl and face the rejection society gave such women. Of course she was scared of Glasbury, he could do what ever he wanted to her and the law was on his side.

Julian is a true romantic. What women does not want a man that will go the ends of the earth for her? As Julian puts his life on the line to save his true love, I found myself cheering for Julian. Rarely does a hero have that dashing, knight in shining armor quality that Julian has.

Through out the story Julian and Pen are put in many dangerous situations, as Glasbury hunts down "what is his". The story takes readers all over England and in to an underground world of women, who for various reasons left their husbands. This book is full of adventure and passionate romance a must read for anyone who loves a good historical romance.

I would never have thought that Julian Hampton could have been such a dynamic character. As the book begins with him writing his letter that he will never send to his one true love Penelope you just have no idea the depths of this man's love and all that he has done for her, and how very long he has truly loved her. Are there really men like this - I rather doubt it. But it is surely wonderful to read about them. This is such a beautiful love story. There is something about Madeline Hunter's characters that make them more real than others. This group of men from the Dueling Society are a little more on the edge than those of the aristochratic ton one reads in other books. An aura of mystery and danger seems to follow their lives that keeps one wondering about them and their lady loves. The story of Julian & Pen is one of the best. When those letters he wrote finally come out in the end for the world to hear I just cried. It was so romantic - ah yes that was the name of the book. A total keeper - read this series - and like someone else said read in order - you won't be disappointed!!