Customer Reviews

The Stranger I Married

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

When London's most scandalous couple weds its not for love or money, but convenience. The widowed Lady Pelham can continue her discrete affair with her latest bachelor without the burden of an unwanted marriage proposal and Gerard Faulkner, Marquess of Grayson, can continue his affair with his married lady love and mistresses. As friends, they get along famously, never crossing the line into a 'real' marriage (no emotional/sexual relationship, which neither wants). Neither wants, that is until Grayson, shaken by a recent tragedy, disappears for four years without word. He returns a different man, not only physically, but emotionally. No longer the light-hearted unrepentant ladies man without a care. In its place is a serious gentleman bent on righting the wrongs in his life, begining with his wife. Shocked to discover this new 'man' is her husband back from his self-imposed exile, Pel resists the urges and sparks that fly when the two are near. She guards her emotions well, knowing that Grayson is the one man who can completely destroy her heart if she allows it (even worse than in her first marriage). But Grayson will not be deterred and slowly breaks down her defenses while losing his own heart in the process as well.

I have to say that I really enjoy Day's writing. Her stories are quite original; I mean when was the last time you read a historical where the herione is married AND has a paramour?. Added to the fact that the hero is completely in love with someone else in the begining of the book? I truly didn't think Day could pull this one off, boy was I wrong! And the love scenes?!?! Whew!!! I had to practically jump into the refrigerator after reading some of those! They were many of them and they were rather *well* described.

But the heart of the matter is whether or not I cared about these two characters. There wasn't much of a story line besides their relationship (no big mystery to solve or misunderstanding etc.) So Day really had to focus on drawing out her H/H. This, I believe, is her strong point. In some books I've read, authors give descriptions of the characters and we're told to just accept that he/she is this or that. Day takes the time (well really the whole book) to give examples of why the characters behave as they do (why Pel is terrified of falling in love again and why Grayson is hell bent on making his marriage a real one). This results in what I think is a book thats a highly emoitional read with well drawn out characters.

Just a really great character driven book and ......uh ....the erotic love scenes don't hurt either! ;).

Sylvia Day comes through with another well-written and developed story with characters so interesting and passion so sensual that leaves the fan of the erotic romance wondering how it can ever get better. Isabel, Lady Pelham, "Pel" and Gerard Faulkner, the Marquess of Grayson, "Gray" are The Ton's most beautiful and scandalous couple. They marry for the simple convenience of being able to keep their paramours and lead simple lives and although they lead lives of sexual scandal with others, they are friends. These two sensual people have anything but simple lives, as they both fell in love and were hurt at a very young age and did not realize until years later that life was not as convenient and simple as it seems. When Gray's young love Emily dies in childbirth he run off and Pel does not hear from him for four years when he suddenly returns a changed man. He has spent these years at his estates taking stock of his life and growing up and discovering that he wants a real marriage with Pel. When he returns, Pel is shocked and discovers she is sexually attracted to Gray, now the stranger she has married. She has always felt he was like her first husband, Lord Pelham, her first love who hurt her deeply when he did not return her love, but instead turned to a long string of other women, leaving her by dying in a duel over one of his paramours. Gray is determined to prove his love for Pel and feels he will begin by showering her with sensuality and passion, not realizing that this only reminds her of Pelham, but at the same time, while Pel enjoys and relishes his wild passion, she wants some sign that Gray will be committed only to her. There are family characters, Gray's mother and brother, and ex-paramours who try to put a wedge inbetween Gray and Pel's relationship that make the story interesting. The secondary side love story of Pel's brother Rhys is passionate, sexy and sweet, although a bit short and should really have its own story. Overall the book is sensual perfection and not to be missed.

I adore this novel, after I read the last page I went out and bought all of Sylvia Day's backlist and added her coming books to my Amazon Lists. The story of Pel and Gray is one of both passion and growth. The novel starts when Gray(Gerard, the Marquis of Grayson) decides he needs a wife who is a friend and on who will understand that his heart is lost to Emily his childhood love who is already married to someone else. Gray chooses Pel(Isabel Pelham), a sophisticated and beautiful widow, who is also his good friend. It is their solid friendship and understanding of each other that lead to their marriage of convenience, but when tragedy strikes and Gerard looses both Emily and his son in childbirth; the marriage is placed on hold as Gerard disappears.

When Gerard returns he has matured and is also more devastating. So begins Pel and Gray's rediscovery of each other. Their emotional growth and their sizzling passion for each other is what grabbed me. The story of their absorption in each other is really very HOT, deserving of two Ice cold Aquafinas.

All in all it was a fantastic introduction to the work of a very promising new author Sylvia Day. I have now joined her league of Sinners.

Isabel, Lady Pelham, has learned the hard way that husbands cannot be faithful. Her own marriage to Lord Pelham had ended with his death in a duel over a paramour. Since then she has taken a series of lovers but it's always with an understanding that there will be no permanence, and for the time they are together they will see only each other exclusively. Inevitably, every one of her lovers has wanted more and Isabel severed the relationship.

Gerard Faulkner, Marquess of Grayson, is an unrepentant rake. He has no interest in marriage, but he's come up with the perfect plan to thwart his mother's marriage-minded efforts and keep his mistresses from expecting anything from him. Marriage to Isabel, whom he calls Pel, would solve both their problems perfectly. They would both be free to carry on with their lovers as before, but none of them would have any illusions of anything more permanent. Gerard and Isabel will have the perfect marriage of convenience.

Before Isabel and Gerard's nuptials he learned that one of his mistresses was expecting his child. Emily is already married so there is no hope of them marrying and legitimizing the babe, but that doesn't stop Gerard from being ecstatic over the news. Six months into Isabel and Gerard's marriage he receives the devastating news that Emily and the babe died during the birth. Gerard is flooded with guilt and blames himself for their deaths. The very same last night he learned of the deaths, Gerard packed his bags and left. Isabel doesn't hear from him again until four years later when he returns home. Only he isn't the same man Isabel had married, this new Gerard is older, wiser, sexier than ever, and determined to turn their marriage of convenience into a real marriage in every sense of the word. Isabel had felt safe with their marriage before. Gerard and she had been great friends and enjoyed their time together when they were first married, but adding sex would destroy everything, wouldn't it? Gerard only wants one woman in his life, but Isabel is convinced that all he really needs is a mistress. She's even willing to help him obtain one. How is Gerard ever going to convince Isabel that she is everything he wants in a woman and that he is all the man she'll ever need?

You just can't go wrong with a Sylvia Day novel. With larger than life characters, plots that steal your breath, and sex hot enough to singe the pages THE STRANGER I MARRIED is sure to keep readers up long into the night. I developed a respect for Isabel that I hadn't anticipated when I started reading this novel, but her honesty and ethics throughout this storyline touched me. Gerard did a lot of growing up during the time he was away from Isabel. He left still a young man full of selfish ideals who enjoyed the more debauched things in life. He came back with a man's body and a better understanding of what he truly desired. I loved losing myself in Gerard and Isabel's struggle to come to an agreement on the status of their marriage. Gerard has a most interesting way of helping to convince her that he can satisfy her more carnal desires. Beautifully done Ms. Day!

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)

I had two reviews spinning in my head about this book and decided to go with the favorable one. Clearly Sylvia Day is not really interested in giving us a literary masterpiece. Her characters are clichés, the storyline is dubious, the side characters negligible. What she boldly offers is some very sexy scenes - not too kinky, not really innovative - but definitely a hot read. By page 60 I stopped caring about the story and characters because I knew that if I stayed the course, I will only get mad at the exorbitant price I paid for this trashy story. So I switched my approach. I let my eye drift over the pages that were outside of the bedroom and just got into the sexy parts - and frankly I had a lot of fun (and a few cold showers) reading this book.

If you are looking for GREAT stories - try elsewhere.
If you are looking for HOT sex (and to be honest, a bit of good healthy porn) - this book will do very well, I think.

So I have to admit that when I read the description of this book I was intrigued and captivated. I read a lot of historical romance and the whole concept of the heroine being a widowed woman that has a slew of lovers and actually -gasp!- enjoys sex, is virtually unheard of. So right off the bat I was interested but not sure if I was going to like it. Let's face it, we all love the common cliche of the virgin seductress that drives the hero mad with lust! Not matter how outdated and old-fashioned that type of plot is, it's what we crave and what we are used to or their wouldn't be soooo many of these type of books out there.

When I came across this story and started reading some of the reviews I was immediately drawn to it, if not for any other reason than it was just different. How refreshing! So unlike anything I'm used to reading but staying true to the romantism of a historical themed book. Boy was I wrong!!

My first disappointment was right at the very beginning. I didnt like how the author just jumped into the two characters striking a bargain and getting marrried. I guess that wouldn't have been so bad had she let us get to know the characters a little better or developed their relationship more before she immediately jumps to 6 months after their wedding. I mean show us some dialogue and interaction. I know the marriage was a farce but they were supposed to at least be friends. Then for him to take off and leave her for 4 years. 4 years and not a word?? That was a little hard to believe. And then POOF! I'm back and I want you. That concept wouldn't have been so bad had the author let the reader somehow connect with characters on some level. Which, sadly I did not. So Gray coming back after 4 years and wanting her with such intensity was stretching it a little for me.

Another thing that I didnt care for was the sex. And the sex and more sex. Sex,sex,sex....come on really? I was exhausted just from reading about it. Once again I didnt feel the emotional connection between the characters. Just mindless lust and hormones. Don't get me wrong, there were definetely some steamy parts but after awhile I grew bored when every couple of pages they were going at it like rabbits. Not to mention the promiscuity of the other characters. Everyone was sleeping with everyone else and it seemed like a contest on who could sleep with the most people! And the language was a huge turn off!! I dont need the sex scenes prettied up like some authors do but I swear I've heard less vulgar language on a porn movie!

All in all it wasn't a horrible book there just wasnt a real plot there. I feel the characters had real potential but we never got to see them for what they really were because they were to wrapped up in themselves or they were trying to hard to get into each others pants to really form a real connection other than with the baggage that each one brought to the relationship. The authors only saving grace in my eyes was the side story between the heroines brother Rhys and Abby. That story was more to my liking and what I'm used to reading.

I guess I was looking for something different and oh boy! did I get it! Now I realize I'm more of a traditionalist than I thought. I dont think I'll be reading anything else by this author any time soon. Not unless I run across a used copy somewhere. If this book is the difference between erotica and romance than I think I'll stick to the boring old virginal romance thank you.

THE STRANGER I MARRIED depicts two taming-the-rake routines, and it's clear Sylvia Day enjoys her heroes giving chase and pining quite a bit. The routine dealing with our main hero and heroine is mostly imbalanced and unjustified. I disliked both lead characters (Gerard/Gray and Isabel) and the soapy plotting required a secondary pairing (Rhys and Abby) to fill the pages. For an erotica, the love scenes here are just plain. Day's ASK FOR IT (**) is much better in that department. There's no doubt appearance plays a role in attraction, but I found Day's infatuation with superficial appearances even towards the end exhausting. If I didn't know any better, one big erection is as good as any other for Isabel. I had a hard time understanding why Isabel loves Grayson other than his size. Grayson pines so much throughout the second half and voices so much tender drivel for Isabel's delight, I believed him. But she really doesn't do anything to earn all that pining because she never once trusts him.

The entire story has Grayson needing to prove himself for Isabel and win her affections as if Isabel has been some chaste virgin her whole life. I found it repetitive and very strenuous to read. There's nothing there, Isabel does little more than seethe and lambaste Grayson the entire book because she believes Grayson is exactly like her first husband who cheated on her. Isabel holds it against Grayson that years ago he was "cheating" on the woman ("Em") he professed to love (who was married) with another woman. Despite the fact that both the women went into the affair with Grayson eyes wide open and knew of his libertine ways. Despite the fact that Isabel has had many paramours herself between her first husband and Grayson. Why is it that Grayson has to constantly prove himself? He was already reformed by the time he returns to Isabel after his hiatus. Isabel believes Grayson wants to sire a child off her and so Grayson assiduously spills his seed elsewhere to allay those concerns (every time). Many times Isabel thinks Grayson with other people and so Grayson must assuage her concerns there. Isabel never surrenders all of herself to Grayson because she believes him exactly like her cheating first husband. If anything, it was Isabel's mistrust and commitment issues that needed reforming. Later when Isabel changes her mind and wants children, the issue drives our lovers apart. Again Grayson needs to prove himself and chase Isabel. I'd love to see Grayson finally discover bliss with someone else after she drives him away (again). Isabel never knows she has a good thing. Let her continue with her paramours as she has been, and take your mother's advise to divorce her!

More than once, the book talks about how true love is about accepting the other person with their faults. I don't see any faults with Grayson: he's physically perfect, amply-endowed, titled, and wealthy. Arrogance, high-handedness and lascivious debauchery in heroes are actually celebrated in historical romances like they are in THE STRANGER I MARRIED (Rhys is a celebrated rake too). Hence, I don't consider these qualities all that bad since sexual experience in heroes is a prerequisite more than anything else. It's why readers of romance gravitate towards alpha heroes so much. While threatening Isabel's last paramour Hargreaves in the second half, Grayson (Gerard) thinks to himself that Isabel was not a fickle woman to leave Hargreaves for him. Which is bull because a muscled body, big erection and a quick recovery time in bed are pretty much all it takes for Isabel to submit to Grayson and ditch Hargreaves. I'd say that's pretty fickle. Sex is great [with Grayson] and she gets multiple orgasms for every one of Grayson's.

The plotting is mostly immature and soapy. Everyone in the book seeks good sex and lusts for the forbidden affair which appeals so much to women (Isabel, Isabel's mother outside marriage, etc.). You have a marriage bargain that invites both spouses to sleep with everyone but each other. Neither recognizes potential problems that could arise from such an arrangement. Then once Grayson decides he wants his wife for himself, you have these episodic jealousies and outings introduced by other characters. Twice, Isabel chances on Grayson and his former mistress Lady Stanhope (Barbara) in a compromising situation from which Isabel draws all the wrong conclusions. Along with Grayson's scorned mistress, his evil mother pose significant road blocks for Grayson and Isabel's lusty relationship with misunderstandings and misconceptions. After all of Isabel's misconceptions and misunderstandings are out of the way, there's the children issue which rears its ugly head. First, it's hard to believe that Isabel would remain childless with so many men considering the time period's inadequate contraceptive methods. Second, if she wants children so much, just pick a guy like she has previously and get a child from him! The book is so inane and soapy, it turns its attentions to a second pairing: Isabel's rakehell brother Rhys (aren't they all rakes?) and the virgin spinster Abby. Just so we have at least one pairing where there's a handsome rake deflowering the ordinary-of-appearance virgin.

After reading such great reviews, I bought this book new. However, I was disappointed, and frankly, felt a little ripped off by the price.

Essentially, the story is about two people who agree to marry for convenience, and then must come to terms with their genuine feelings for each other. From the beginning, I was frustrated with how the book glosses over a huge, life changing chunk of the characters' lives. Tragic event happens. Cut to four years later. What?! Then the hero comes back after a four year absence with the intent to woo his wife. Why does he think that after all this time apart, he's suddenly in love with his wife? I just didn't buy it. But okay, sometimes human emotions are inexplicable, so I'll just go with it...

So now I'm thinking, how are they going to stretch this courting process out for 200 pages? They were already good friends, they're married, and they're totally hot! A few potential antagonist/rivals stand in the shadows, twisting their moustaches, but ultimately, this is how the story is stretched out: add a filler secondary romantic storyline. This felt totally cheap and contrived to me.

On the plus side, the premise was touching: a smitten husband tries to win his reluctant wife's heart. Only, the hero translates "wooing" as: trying to bed his wife as much as humanly possible. There was plenty of hot sex, but a lack of character development. You have to take the author's word that her hero and heroine are exceedingly charming, because their dialogue certainly doesn't demonstrate that. I guess the hero was supposed to compensate for his wooden personality with his newly chiseled abs and great tan.

Finally, the prose was pedestrian, and the ending was abrupt. If you're looking for an eloquently told love story, I can't recommend this. But if you're looking for lots of sex without any pesky plot to get in the way, then by all means, give this a try.

This was so completely inaccurate of its time. This was not a Regency, this was erotica. And it wasn't good erotica because there was no plot. I couldn't believe it when I saw that Sylvia Day had written some "Regencies." But when I read this, I was disappointed.

Second, the characters are absolutely unbelievable. Almost no one acted the way these two did back then, especially having sex everywhere they went. No, the scenes were NOT hot, because they were just randomly placed, rather constantly, and have no reason or background.

If you are a fan of Thea Devine or Susan Johnson, than Sylvia Day is the author for you. This book has so many sex scenes with our two main characters trying every position imaginable is a feat beyond itself. If you are looking for a juicy plot, look elsewhere.
Everyone is this book who is married sleeps with everyone. Of course the reader doesn't let us see too much of the hanky panky going on between the less than important people in this book, but we read about it in everyone's conversations.
Bella our heroine and her hero Gray have baggage but we are not overrun by it. (Bella's first husband cheated on her horribly and Gray's first love died from giving birth to his baby while she was married to someone else) Their marriage at first was one of convience, they weren't even intimate. But then Gray leaves heartbroken over the death of his one true love. He comes back a changed man after 4 years and wants to make a marriage with Bella a "true" marriage, meaning sex and more sex, and maybe love will bloom.
Bella on the other hand is afraid because Gray is so much younger than she! (She is in her early 30's and Gray is about mid twenties). She just knows he will turn out to be like her first husband, so she is doesn't want to care for him other than friendship.
There is also a nice funny secondary romance with Bella's brother and a young woman from America.
If you like steamy sex scenes with a plot that is in the background, enjoy this book!

Katiebabs