Customer Reviews

A Woman of Virtue

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Finally! A book that's worth $6.50 the publisher is asking! Liz Carlyle delivers what I hunger for, and seriously BIG kudos go out to Sonnet for publishing a full-bodied romance instead of a 385-page version of "romance light." If this book were a desert, it would be filled with fat, calories, sugar, and every other wicked-good substance known to woman. No silly fluff, no big misunderstanding plot, no too-stupid-to-live heroine. Carlyle's books are erotic enough to be worthy of the name ROMANCE without scrimping on emotional depth. Yes, this book is one of those now-endangered species -- a romance with a plot, as well as a troupe of wonderful characters. (And I'm not even talking about the hero and heroine yet.) My only question is, if Sonnet can publish books like this, why can't other publishers?

I just finished the book and I don't want it to end. Like all of Liz Carlyle's books, A Woman of Virtue is an absolutely wonderful book to read!!!

The story of Lord David Delacourt and Lady Cecila Markham-Sands will tug at your heartstrings. It is a story of love lost and love found. Six years ago, David almost ruined Cecilia by almost compromising her. He offers her marriage, but our feisty heroine declines his offer. David, good looking, titled, rich but has been living a life of a dissolute rake could not fathom the idea that a woman like Cecilia would throw his offer back at his face. Now six years later they meet again, for David has lost a wager to his brother-in-law Cole (hero of Liz's previous book A Woman Scorned) and must work at his mission for 3 months while he is away in the country with his wife Jonet. To David's surprise he comes face to face with the now widowed Cecilia who also works at the mission. Still wildly attracted to each other, they try to work side by side, while trying to solve a mystery concerning a murder of one of the women who stays in the mission. Of course, the mystery in this book does not overshadow their romance.

A Woman of Virtue does not have a big misunderstanding. The characters are open and very adult about their feelings for each other. David is a wonderful hero, though very tortured about his past. Cecilia is a feisty heroine who is not ashamed to share her feelings, sensual or not with David. Great secondary characters support our h/h. Hilarious Kemble, the valet, (meet him in My False Heart), Etta the lady's maid, Max de Rohan the chief inspector and of course characters from Liz Carlyle's previous books.

The love scenes in this book are truly hot, but written so sensually it will warm your insides and make your toes curl with pleasure. The prose is heaven, for only Liz Carlyle can write a book and virtually transports you back in time. With her vivid descriptions she can make you feel like you are there yourself. All your five senses will be working when you read a book written by Liz Carlyle and A Woman of Virtue is definitely a book worth reading and enjoying. You will be able to feel the characters joy, sorrows and love. You will be able to see and smell the places, taste the food and wine, and hear the music playing.

Don't walk to the bookstore but run for A Woman of Virtue will not disappoint, it will only leave you wanting more books written by Liz Carlyle. And like me, you will not be able to wait for her next book to come out called Lady Catherine's Fortune.

Go! Buy A Woman of Virtue and read it! NOW!!!!

Liz Carlyle gets better and better. Before this book, Beauty Like the Night was my favorite, but this one delivers more. Humor (thank you LC), mystery, a strong female lead (but not too strong), a hero to salivate over (of course), a great love story with a little seduction on the side (again, thank you LC - I love the seduction) and hot love scenes. But more than that, LC makes her secondary characters so interesting you want to know more about them. Kemble is a hoot! Where did he come from and how did he pick up so many talents? Max de Rohan (and his dog) is so interesting, you wonder where he goes and what he does after each leave taking. It's easy to spin a story around two characters and draw you into their lives, but when an author fully and lovingly developes minor characters too. . .well, you're in for a treat. Still waiting for Bentsen's (from Beauty Like the Night) story, LC!

After losing a bet to his brother-in-law, the scandalous Lord Delacourt must assume the directorship of the Daughters of Nazareth Society -- a mission helping former prostitutes -- for three months. Upon his arrival at the mission, David finds himself dealing with Cecilia Lorimer, the only woman who has ever rejected him.

Six years ago a case of mistaken identity almost had David ravishing Cecilia. Instantly obsessed with her and wanting to make amends, David arrogantly insisted on announcing their betrothal. When Cecilia publicly jilted him and later married someone else, he proceeded to gain a reputation for being an immoral rake. Cecilia, now a widow, and David find themselves working together and embroiled in a mystery to discover who is murdering the women at the mission. Cecilia's life is soon in danger and the pair find themselves in a cat and mouse game with the murderer even as they try to come to terms with their feelings for each other.

A WOMAN OF VIRTUE is a story teeming with obsession, redemption and honor. Take a gentle but steadfast heroine and a spoiled rake and you have the makings of a true battle of the sexes. Throw in a mystery and you're left with a wonderful story complemented by the touches of sensuality and humor that is Liz Carlyle's hallmark.

TheSchemer

I find that I am never disappointed by one of Ms Carlyle's books, and her newest certainly follows suit! Lord Delacourt one of my favorite supporting actors has a story of his own, and true to form he has gotten himself into trouble again, more than even he imagines. Cecila Markham-Sands the honourable but headstrong lady, is the love he has his heart set on, but she rebuffs his advances, while craving his attention...delicious! Once again this book has me laughing and crying at the same time. I love the way Ms Carlyle uses word play and veiled humor that keeps me chuckling to the end, while at the same time keeping me on the edge of my chair with the mystery plot. I like a writer who pays attention to the descriptions and charactor development that makes me feel like I know these people and am right there part of the story. Forget chocolate when I have a Carlyle in my hands!!!! Thanks for another great read, please keep them coming.

I must confess that my first book by Liz Carlyle was A WOMAN SCORNED and that when I bought it I did it more than anything because I was intrigued by the tittle. After reading it I added a name to my list of favorite authors, because I simply loved it! Now, after reading my second book by LC I must say she just keeps getting better!! Her characters are not only real, but they come alive in the pages of her books in a way that simply makes them unforgettable. David and Cecile met at a time in which they were simply not ready to handle the possibility of what they felt for one another. He had been deeply affected by his past, and she is simply too young and imature to deal with what happened between them. She feels she must punish him, not realizing that he had inflicted enough punishment upon himself for what he had donne, and in the process they let the chance at something wonderful pass them by. After mistakes and misunderstandings, we see them mature and overcome their differences. I think what I love the most about her characters is that though to a point they may fight what they are feeling, they truly love eachother and that is the basis for the choices they make. The love scenes are lovely, the mystery is just right, and the book progresses in such a way that by the time they confess their feelings for oneanother it is exactly the perfect timing. I am definitely getting Beauty Like the Night, I am anxious to see what she can do for Hell-Bent and fo this new group of characters. After reading A Woman Scorned, I wasn't sure she could do better, I though that would be my favorite... After A Woman of Virtue, I know it would be hard to top such an excellent book, but I'm sure that if anyone can do it Liz Carlyle will!!! She really does not dissapoint.

I have just about finished this novel and have just ordered the other three books written by her! Wow! I love her writing style, Her hero Delacourt is my kind of guy, Kemble is an absolute riot, de Rohan and Cecilia - awesome.... and the dialog in this novel alone is fabulous. I find myself belly laughing throughout - that is when I'm not swooning over the love scenes - very erotic! Another great author to add to my list...I can't wait to read her other novels and look forward to anything new! Bravo ... another devoted fan!

A WOMAN OF VIRTURE by Liz Carlyle offers the reader romance, sensuality, mystery and intrigue. This is a very good book.
Cecelia and David meet under a cloud of badly-handled, mistaken identity, the circumstances of which keep them apart (and enemies) for six long and uneventful years. Yet both of them recognize that the ill feelings between them will not die. Cecelia has, without her knowledge, punished David's indiscretion far too long. David has suffered not only from Cecelia, but from his own past. Now it's time for his soul to gain peace.
A WOMAN OF VIRTUE also offers an excellent murder mystery, one in which the culprit and the ending are a real surprise.
This is one of those solid books in which information was clearly researched. For the real or amateur history buff in all historical romance lovers, research and accuracy lend the air of realism. Liz Carlyle is a name I was happy to learn.

I just finished A Woman of Virtue by Liz Carlyle last night. For anyone who was a fan of A Woman Scorned this book does not disappoint. This is the sequel to AWS telling the story of Jonette's brother. I loved David Delacourt because Liz made us feel all of the emotion and anguish and self doubt that he had. It was refreshing that after they slept together they discussed where to go from there (what a concept), no big misunderstanding looming in the background. Did I mention how much I enjoyed the relationship between David and Cecelia? The book is worth reading alone just to meet Kimble the Valet. He's hilarious! The story was very fast and the book just flew by while I was reading it. It has a high sensuality rating (yeah!). Can you tell that I loved this book?

The main characters are likeable and though I didn't know the prequel I had no troubles getting into the plot. The story is compelling but not overly original, there are some very trite story elements in it which might annoy some readers (widowed heroine's past for example which was rather romance-stereotypical and felt very contrived).

However I even liked the contrived elements in this story, it was written in a way that I could still enjoy it a lot.

The couple was clearly very much in love with each other and not afraid of showing it which I always find nice.

But amazon's sensuality rating of 8 and the allegedly heated love scenes, oh well, that's another rant altogether! I would have given the book a four stars review if those "love scenes" hadn't been in that book. I'm a sucker for a well-written erotic romance but that one was definitely one of the most unerotic ones I have read for quite a while. Reviewer CBDB's description of David's love-making as that of an electrician under shock is very apt indeed Outch. And there were no variations. That one really rough and almost brutal quickie where the heroine's poor head continually banged against something (just to give one aspect of David's clumsiness and callousness) occurred again and again and grated mightily on my nerves. It was the hero's only technique, obviously and he was very lucky to have such an undemanding, inexperienced partner. David seemed more to be like a pubescent, sex-starved school boy who never had a woman before in his whole life. Tenderness? Preparations? Seduction? What's that? And that man was supposed to be a rake and a skilled, famous lover? Give me a break! He must obviously have spent the six years he was separated from the heroine on a very deserted island....for a truly sensual and sexy romance try Kleypas. You won't be disappointed!