New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James writes historical romances for HarperCollins Publishers. Her novels have been published to great acclaim. A reviewer from USA Today wrote of Eloisa's very first book that she 'found herself devouring the book like a dieter with a Hershey bar'; later People Magazine raved that 'romance writing does. My American Duchess(18)Online read: When he had declined, Elsa had wept bitterly, although the terms of their agreement had been established at the outset. He gave her a ruby as a farewell gift, but the memory still pricked at him, as i.
Born | 1962 (age 56–57) Minnesota, U.S. |
---|---|
Pen name | Eloisa James |
Occupation | Professor, novelist |
Nationality | United States |
Period | 1999–present |
Genre | Historical romance nonfiction |
Subject | English literature |
Website | |
eloisajames.com |
Eloisa James is the pen name of Mary Bly (born 1962). She is a tenured Shakespeare professor at Fordham University who also writes best-selling Regency and Georgian romance novels under her pen name. Her novels are published in 30 countries and have sold approximately 7 million copies worldwide. She also wrote a bestselling memoir about the year her family spent in France, Paris in Love.
She is the daughter of poet Robert Bly and short-story author Carol Bly.[1]
- 2Career
- 4Bibliography
- 4.2Romance novels as Eloisa James
Early life and education[edit]
Mary Bly was born in Minnesota in 1962, the daughter of Robert Bly, winner of the American Book Award for poetry, and Carol Bly, a short story author. She was the inspiration for her mother's essay 'The Maternity Wing, Madison, Minnesota,' which was published in the anthology Imagining Home: Writing From the Midwest.[2] Her godfather, James Wright, wrote a poem especially for her, which he included in his Pulitzer Prize-winning Collected Poems.[3] Bly has three younger siblings, Bridget, Noah,[2] and Micah.[4]
The Bly family did not own a television but did own more than 5,000 books. Robert often read to his children, choosing to expose them to classics such as Beowulf instead of more traditional children's fare.[5] Even at a young age, however, Bly was fascinated with romance. Throughout her childhood, she wrote and produced plays, using her siblings as the cast, and charging admission to any adults in the household (poets came often, visiting her father). The plays always ended in a romance, if only because her sister insisted on being a princess. To entertain her siblings during a snowstorm, she once wrote built a puppet show, complete with lights, that also featured a romance.[6] After discovering the romance novels of Georgette Heyer in her local library, Bly convinced her father to allow her to read one romance novel for each classic novel she read.[2]
After graduating from Harvard University, Bly went on to earn an M.Phil. from Oxford University and a Ph.D. in Renaissance studies from Yale University.
Career[edit]
Academia[edit]
She is a tenured professor lecturing on William Shakespeare at Fordham University in New York City. She has served as Director of Graduate Studies in the English Department, as well as head of Fordham's Creative Writing Program and, in 2018-19, Associate Dean of Fordham College, Lincoln Center.[7] She specializes in bawdy puns found in English boys’ plays written between 1600-1608.[8] In addition to publishing an academic book with Oxford University Press, she has published an academic article on 17th-century drama in The Publications of the Modern Language Association.[9]
Romance novelist[edit]
While attending the University of Virginia on a humanities fellowship, Bly began writing romance novels. Her second career began when her husband wished to postpone having a second child until they had paid off their student loans. To speed the process, Bly followed her parents' examples and wrote a story to send to a publisher.[2] Two publishers bid for that novel, Potent Pleasures,[10] netting Bly an advance that paid off her student loans in full.[2] As she was at the time an untenured professor about to publish her first academic work,[11] Bly made the decision to publish her fiction books under a pseudonym, Eloisa James, to keep her academic life separate from her fiction writing.[12] She has written 30 novels, 27 of which were New York Times bestsellers. Her books have since been translated into 28 languages and 30 countries[13] and have become hardcover bestsellers in the Netherlands and Spain.
Bly's first three novels, the Pleasures Trilogy, were published in hardcover by Dell, a plan with which Bly did not fully agree. Following the publication of those three novels, she bought out the remainder of her contract and moved to Avon, where her books are now published in mass market paperback format. She believed that marketing her first works as hardcovers was not a truly successful plan and hoped to have more success with the mass-market paperbacks.[14]
The inspiration for her novels comes in part from her academic career, as plays or facts discovered during her academic research often spark ideas for fictional plots.[10] Her novels, which are set in England's Regency period (1811–1820) or Georgian period (1740-1837), often have references to Shakespeare or include pieces of 16th-century poetry or other tidbits she has found while researching her academic papers.[15] As she spends much of her day teaching about or reading early British English, she feels that the language choices she makes in her novels are more authentic.[11] Although Bly has attempted to write a contemporary romance, she chose not to finish the manuscript because of difficulty writing in a contemporary voice.[16]
The characters in Bly's novels often dispense with the typical romance novel stereotypes, with the novels featuring female characters who are plump and even a hero who annulled a marriage because of impotence.[17] Her heroines are usually surrounded by very good female friends or sisters. Most of her novels are part of a trilogy or set of four novels that focus on a set of interconnected characters, and explores the relationships between those characters as well as that of the hero and heroine.[18]
In 2018, Apple Books included her novel, Too Wilde to Wed, on its list of 10 Best Books of 2018.[19]
Dual careers[edit]
'When a reader tells me that she sat by her sister in the hospice, reading aloud from one of my books and laughing together, that’s my Nobel Prize..'—Washington Post Op-Ed[20]
![Eloisa Eloisa](/uploads/1/2/5/6/125619623/579666347.jpg)
For several years Bly's second career remained a secret, and she disguised herself by wearing contacts instead of her normal glasses when she attended functions as Eloisa James.[5] After her first The New York Times Bestseller in 2005, Bly realized that her readers liked her writing regardless of its genre, and that by keeping her identity a secret she was implying that she was ashamed of her work and of her readers.[12] At a February 16, 2005 faculty meeting, Bly outed herself to her colleagues, revealing her alter ego and offering copies of her novels to her fellow professors. Once she had officially 'come out', she submitted an op-ed to The New York Times defending the romance genre. She was invited to speak at the National Book Festival in 2012.[21]
Bly credits her success in dual careers to being 'very, very organized.'[18] Lacking the time to write every day, Bly often writes upwards of 20 pages at a time.[22] On her days at home, Bly schedules time to work on both her fiction and her academic works. When possible, she does not work when her children are at home.[18] Bly usually does not teach in the summers, giving her more time to devote to her writing (both academic and fiction).[16]
Personal life[edit]
Bly's father and stepmother, Ruth, are very supportive of her romance writing. Carol Bly also supported her daughter, contributing a 'nifty crossword puzzle' to the Eloisa James website.[2]
Bly's mother died from ovarian cancer. Collaborating with her publisher, Avon, an imprint of Harper Collins, she became a spokesperson, along with six other Avon Romance authors, in a program named K.I.S.S. and TEAL to increase awareness about the early symptoms of this disease. 'Romance is read primarily by women, and ovarian cancer is a women’s disease. Avon and its authors are saying, “You are our readers, our women, and we want you to live long and healthy lives, so we are going to put the symptoms in the back of every one of these seven books.” We are looking out for our own readers. Almost everyone has been touched by ovarian cancer, whether by the death of a friend or a relative.'[23]
Bly is married to Alessandro Vettori, an Italian knight (or cavaliere)[15] who is also a professor of Italian at Rutgers University,[12] whom she met on a blind date while she was at Yale.[17] They have a son and a daughter.[24] The family lives primarily in New Jersey but spends summers in Tuscany visiting Alessandro's mother and sister.[3]
Bibliography[edit]
Academic works as Mary Bly[edit]
- Consuming London: Mapping Plays, Puns, and Tourists in the Early Modern City
- Bly, Mary (2000). Queer virgins and virgin queans on the early modern stage. Oxford: Oxford UP. pp. viii+213. ISBN0-19-818699-1.
Romance novels as Eloisa James[edit]
The Wildes of Lindow Castle Series[edit]
- Wilde in Love. Avon. October 2017. ISBN978-0062389473.
- Too Wilde to Wed. Avon. May 2018. ISBN978-0062692467.
- Born to be Wilde. Avon. July 2018. ISBN978-0062692474.
- Say No to the Duke. Avon. June 2019. ISBN978-0062877826.
The Pleasures Trilogy[edit]
- Potent Pleasures. Random House Publishing Group. September 2009 [1999]. ISBN0-440-24563-X.
- Midnight Pleasures. Random House Publishing Group. September 2009 [2000]. ISBN0-440-24564-8.
- Enchanting Pleasures. Dell. 2002 [2001]. ISBN0-440-23458-1.
The Duchess in Love Series[edit]
- Duchess in Love. Avon. 2002. ISBN978-0-06-050810-4.
- Fool For Love. Avon. 2003. ISBN978-0-06-050811-1.
- A Wild Pursuit. Avon. 2004. ISBN978-0-06-050812-8.
- Your Wicked Ways. Avon. 2004. ISBN978-0-06-056078-2.
The Essex Sisters Series[edit]
- Much Ado About You. Avon. 2005. ISBN978-0-06-073206-6.
- Kiss Me, Annabel. Avon. 2005. ISBN978-0-06-073210-3.
- The Taming of the Duke. Avon. 2006. ISBN978-0-06-078158-3.
- Pleasure for Pleasure. Avon. 2006. ISBN978-0-06-078192-7.
The Desperate Duchesses Series[edit]
- Desperate Duchesses. Avon. 2007. ISBN978-0-06-078193-4.
- An Affair Before Christmas. Avon. 2007. ISBN978-0-06-124554-1.
- Duchess by Night. Avon. 2008. ISBN978-0-06-124557-2.
- When the Duke Returns. Avon. 2008. ISBN978-0-06-124560-2.
- This Duchess of Mine. Avon. 2009. ISBN978-0-06-162682-1.
- A Duke of Her Own. Avon. 2009. ISBN978-0-06-162683-8.
- Three Weeks With Lady X. Avon. 2014.
- Four Nights With a Duke. Avon. 2015.
- Seven Minutes in Heaven. Avon. 2017.
Novellas in Anthologies in collaboration[edit]
- 'A Fool Again'. The One That Got Away. with Victoria Alexander, Liz Carlyle and Cathy Maxwell. 2004. ISBN0-06-054026-5.CS1 maint: others (link)
- 'A Proper Englishwoman'. Talk of the Ton. with Rebecca Hagan Lee and Julia London. 2005. ISBN0-425-23051-1.CS1 maint: others (link)
- Lady Most Likely. with Julia Quinn and Connie Brockway. 2010. ISBN978-0-06-124782-8.CS1 maint: others (link)
- A Gentleman Never Tells. 2016. ISBN978-0062573087.
- To Wed a Rake.
The Fairy Tales Series[edit]
- A Kiss at Midnight. Avon. 2010. ISBN978-0-06-206052-5.
- When Beauty Tamed the Beast. Avon. 2011. ISBN978-0-06-202127-4.
- The Duke is Mine. Avon. 2012. ISBN978-0-06-202128-1.
- The Ugly Duchess. Avon. 2012. ISBN978-0-06-202173-1.
- Once Upon a Tower. Avon. 2013. ISBN978-0-06-222387-6.
Single Novel[edit]
- My American Duchess. 2016.
Memoir as Eloisa James[edit]
- Paris in Love. Random House. 2012. ISBN978-1-4000-6956-9.
References[edit]
- ^Sachs, Andrea. 'Mary Bly (a.k.a. Eloisa James) Talks to TIME About Her Literary Double Life'. Time. ISSN0040-781X. Retrieved 2017-06-02.
- ^ abcdefGrossmann, Mary Ann (February 14, 2006). 'Secret Romance'. St Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved 2007-02-07.
- ^ ab'Media Kit'. Eloisa James Official Website. Retrieved 2007-02-07.
- ^Johnsen, Bill (June 2004). 'The Natural World is a Spiritual House'(PDF). Colloquium on Violence and Religion Annual Conference 2004. Girardian Reflections on the Lectionary. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2007-07-04. Retrieved 2007-04-30.
- ^ abBly, Mary (June 2005). 'What It's Like to Lead a Double Life'. More Magazine. Retrieved 2007-02-07.
- ^James, Eloisa. 'A Shakespearean romance novelist who truly plays many parts'. Washington Post. Retrieved 2012-09-12.
- ^https://www.fordham.edu/info/24089/mary_bly
- ^Skenazy, Lenore. 'A professor's double life'. Yale Alumni Magazine. Retrieved 2018-12-01.
- ^http://www.eloisajames.com/articles/ELOISA.pdf
- ^ abDonna (2000). 'New Author Spotlight on Eloisa James'. RBL Romantica. Archived from the original on 2004-09-09. Retrieved 2007-02-07.
- ^ abMoiseeff, Dolly (January 16, 2005). 'Professor steps out of shadows'. The Oakland Press. Archived from the original on December 14, 2006. Retrieved 2007-02-07.
- ^ abcGarman, Emma (January 24–31, 2005). 'Love's Labors'. New York Magazine. Retrieved 2007-02-07.
- ^Donahue, Deirdre (May 24, 2007). '5 Questions for Eloisa James'. USAToday.
- ^Yamashita, Brianna (November 4, 2002). 'PW Talks With Eloisa James'. Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on February 12, 2008. Retrieved 2007-02-07.
- ^ ab'A Little Background'. Eloisa James Official Website. Retrieved 2007-02-07.
- ^ abDebbie. 'ARR Interview with Eloisa James'. A Romance Review. Retrieved 2007-02-07.
- ^ ab'Eloisa on Being 'Outed'; A Knight in the Life; Passions of Faith and Fiction'(PDF). Avon Books. 2006. Retrieved 2007-02-07.
- ^ abcWard, Jean Marie (May 2005). 'Eloisa James: Regencies With a Shakespearean Twist'. Crescent Blues. Retrieved 2007-02-07.
- ^Bass, Jessica. 'Apple presents the best of 2018'. Apple. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
- ^Cite error: The named reference
makers
was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^Heller, Karen. 'Heaving bosoms and joyous endings conquer Capitol Hill'. Washington Post. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
- ^Domingo, Diane (February 2005). 'An Interview with Bestselling Author Eloise James'. Writers Break. Retrieved 2007-02-07.
- ^'Archived copy'. Archived from the original on 2012-06-04. Retrieved 2012-03-18.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^Buonfiglio, Michelle (March 23, 2006). 'AuthorView: Eloisa James'. WNBC. Retrieved 2007-02-07.
Further reading[edit]
- 'Shakespeare by Day, Romance at Night'(radio interview). All Things Considered. NPR. February 13, 2005.
- 'Fordham Prof Unveiled As Romance Writer'. Publishers Weekly. December 13, 2004.
- 'A Shakespearean romance novelist who truly plays many parts'. The Washington Post. 13 September 2012.
- 'A professor's double life'. Yale Magazine. 1 December 2018.
External links[edit]
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eloisa_James&oldid=916611726'
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Not the book you’re looking for?Preview — Too Wilde to Wed by Eloisa James
(The Wildes of Lindow Castle #2)
9 hours, 34 minutes
No one is more surprised than Lord North when he returns from war to find his ex-fiancee in his ancestral home...working as a governess...
The handsome, rakish heir to a dukedom, Lord Roland Northbridge Wilde—known to his friends as North—left England two years ago, after being jilted by Miss Diana Belgrave. He returns from war to find that he’s notorious...more
No one is more surprised than Lord North when he returns from war to find his ex-fiancee in his ancestral home...working as a governess...
The handsome, rakish heir to a dukedom, Lord Roland Northbridge Wilde—known to his friends as North—left England two years ago, after being jilted by Miss Diana Belgrave. He returns from war to find that he’s notorious...more
Published May 29th 2018 by Avon
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Rating details
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Okay, I'll admit that I probably should stop reviewing (actually, stop 'reading') Eloisa James. Everything she writes lately is a 3- or 2-star book for me. It's a nostalgia thing partly. I miss the earlier, cleverer James. Now her books seem to be written for 20-something readers. Hah! I barely remember my 20s. So perhaps I should just shut up and leave the enjoyment of these new stories to the young'uns. But, no, not just yet. I read this one. I'm reviewing it.
This is the second in James's new...more
Apr 14, 2018Nissa | Of Pens and Pages Book Blog rated it really liked itThis is the second in James's new...more
Shelves: 2018-reads, arc, georgian-era, third-pov, second-chance
4 stars!
Review at Of Pens and Pages.
Too Wilde to Wed was my first Eloisa James read and definitely not the last. I knew I’d love the story the moment I saw the blurb. A second chance romance between one of the most eligible bachelors in England and the woman who jilted him? I am here for it! There’s some great dynamic between the hero and heroine, the heroine and her charges, the hero and his family, and many mor...more
May 17, 2018Carole (Carole's Random Life in Books) rated it really liked itReview at Of Pens and Pages.
It made it clear that the woman who jilted him was still the woman of his heart.”
Too Wilde to Wed was my first Eloisa James read and definitely not the last. I knew I’d love the story the moment I saw the blurb. A second chance romance between one of the most eligible bachelors in England and the woman who jilted him? I am here for it! There’s some great dynamic between the hero and heroine, the heroine and her charges, the hero and his family, and many mor...more
Shelves: romance, reviewed, series, edelweiss, 2018
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I just loved Diana and North! I have been looking forward to reading their story since finishing the first book in the series, Wilde in Love. This book would work perfectly well as a stand alone but the ending of the first book really had me eager to read this second installment. I went into this book with pretty high expectations and they were all surpassed. I really had a fantastic time reading this book.
Diana and North were previo...more
Jan 24, 2018Esther rated it liked itI just loved Diana and North! I have been looking forward to reading their story since finishing the first book in the series, Wilde in Love. This book would work perfectly well as a stand alone but the ending of the first book really had me eager to read this second installment. I went into this book with pretty high expectations and they were all surpassed. I really had a fantastic time reading this book.
Diana and North were previo...more
Shelves: arc-edelweiss, arc, family, hero-rich, virgin, some-angst, virgin-heroine, excellent-epilogue
ARC provided by Edelweiss and Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I loved the first half of this book/romance. But the second half was disappointing, the heroine evolved into someone different from the first half. The first half was sweet, with chemistry between the two MC. Second half it's like this modern woman took her place. Very sexual and not sure of her feelings for the hero, determined to do her own thing (I love strong woman but she came across as muddled/confused and wishy washy...more
I loved the first half of this book/romance. But the second half was disappointing, the heroine evolved into someone different from the first half. The first half was sweet, with chemistry between the two MC. Second half it's like this modern woman took her place. Very sexual and not sure of her feelings for the hero, determined to do her own thing (I love strong woman but she came across as muddled/confused and wishy washy...more
Feb 16, 2019Ginger rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Better then the 1st book in the series!
Dec 18, 2018Melanie A. rated it really liked it
Audio: 5 STARS!
Story: 4 STARS!
While this installment of the Wildes wasn't a borderline farce like the first one, I still really enjoyed it. James' sense of humor and romance matches up nicely with mine, and best of all, she writes a lot of in-depth dialogue to convey it. There's nothing I like more than an author who shows me rather than tells me....more
Story: 4 STARS!
Blinding joy swirled through Diana, mixing with desire and trust and love.A really satisfying read, filled with quite a few swoon-worthy moments!
While this installment of the Wildes wasn't a borderline farce like the first one, I still really enjoyed it. James' sense of humor and romance matches up nicely with mine, and best of all, she writes a lot of in-depth dialogue to convey it. There's nothing I like more than an author who shows me rather than tells me....more
Jan 09, 2018Becca marked it as not-my-cuppa
After reading the 'excerpt' on Cosmopolitan's website with the cover reveal, I am done with Eloisa James. The teaser was just a long sex scene. No romance, just sex amped up for contemporary readers with pussy, balls, and cocks galore. I'm not hating here, but that isn't for me.
This is a note to myself that I won't be reading her newer work. I draw the line at that level of steam. I read more for the romance and sex scenes are just secondary. It's just my preference.
All that said, the covers f...more
May 29, 2018Aly is so frigging bored rated it it was amazing · review of another editionThis is a note to myself that I won't be reading her newer work. I draw the line at that level of steam. I read more for the romance and sex scenes are just secondary. It's just my preference.
All that said, the covers f...more
Shelves: favorites, historical, hh-duke, hh-teacher, hh-2nd-chance-romance
2nd read: July 2019
I couldn't remember how much I loved this book the 1st time I read it.
1st read: May 2018
I love Eloisa James. Saying that, I think she has outdone herself with this series. It's fun, funny, the characters are relatable and well rounded, the secondary characters are to die for! Also, I think she played so well with the governess trope.
May 29, 2018amanda rated it it was okI couldn't remember how much I loved this book the 1st time I read it.
1st read: May 2018
I love Eloisa James. Saying that, I think she has outdone herself with this series. It's fun, funny, the characters are relatable and well rounded, the secondary characters are to die for! Also, I think she played so well with the governess trope.
Shelves: romance, social-climbers, are-you-serious, historical-romance, georgian-era-in-fiction, family-saga-romance, 2018
okay, so like.... for the most part, eloisa james has really good, breezy romance novel prose that doesn't often throw you out of the time period, which i appreciate. her banter is very charming and her familial relationships are believable and cute.
i was a little frustrated with both the hero and the heroine at points, where it felt like if they just talked and were honest with each other the book would have been over a lot faster. still, i could have overlooked this.
my other quibble was the ki...more
May 11, 2018Lacey (Booklovers For Life) rated it really liked iti was a little frustrated with both the hero and the heroine at points, where it felt like if they just talked and were honest with each other the book would have been over a lot faster. still, i could have overlooked this.
my other quibble was the ki...more
Shelves: adult, historical-romance, arc, tbr-2018, review-copy, second-chance-romance
I am in LOVE with the Wildes!!! The first book in the series wasn't a favorite, but Eloisa James has made me fall head over heels for this amazing family. North and Diana's romance was utterly sweet and heartwarming – I love it when a hero has to win the heroine's heart.
Review to come!
Thanks to the publisher for generously providing me an ARC to review.
Review to come!
Thanks to the publisher for generously providing me an ARC to review.
May 20, 2018Kimberly rated it it was amazing
4.5 stars
It has been two years since Miss Diana Belgrave jilted Lord Roland Northbridge Wilde, and those two years have changed everything. North went off to fight in the Colonies and has returned whole in body, though not in spirit. And after being tossed out by her mother for breaking her engagement in favor of raising her orphaned nephew, Diana has taken a position as governess to North’s sister in Wilde family household. When North returns to England, the two come face-to-face and the sparks...more
It has been two years since Miss Diana Belgrave jilted Lord Roland Northbridge Wilde, and those two years have changed everything. North went off to fight in the Colonies and has returned whole in body, though not in spirit. And after being tossed out by her mother for breaking her engagement in favor of raising her orphaned nephew, Diana has taken a position as governess to North’s sister in Wilde family household. When North returns to England, the two come face-to-face and the sparks...more
Jul 24, 2018Penny Black rated it did not like it
Sigh, yet another dismal disappointment from Eloisa James. If the first wilde was tedious, this one was ludicrous. The story has so little connection with the realities of Georgian era it would have been better as a contemporary. But then, the romance wasn't all that special. I think the time has come to give up on the Wildes; I am clearly not the target audience.
Jun 05, 2018Tammy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
5 ☆ I love the Wilde’s and this series!!!
In Book #2 the story focuses on North and Diana. Their relationship is full of spicy heat behind the scenes while dealing with their previous relationship + broken engagement. Also added to the story is the new addition of a little guy Diana brings back with her to Lindow Castle (where she’s now employed as a governess). It proves to be a REAL scandal for North as he’s perceived to of fathered the child! An all around wonderful fun story, I enjoyed every...more
Aug 28, 2018Nadia rated it really liked itIn Book #2 the story focuses on North and Diana. Their relationship is full of spicy heat behind the scenes while dealing with their previous relationship + broken engagement. Also added to the story is the new addition of a little guy Diana brings back with her to Lindow Castle (where she’s now employed as a governess). It proves to be a REAL scandal for North as he’s perceived to of fathered the child! An all around wonderful fun story, I enjoyed every...more
Shelves: dumb-dumber-the-heroine, my-feels-are-all-over-the-place, this-is-gooood, steamy, love-the-cover, awesome-side-characters
I came to this with low expectations, but I'm positively surprised. It was a little bit repetitive in the middle, and the story didn't seem to be going anywhere, but I'm happy I stuck with it because in the end it proved quite enjoyable. I'm still a little mad with North for his highhandedness with Diana's possessions, but he did redeem himself later on in the story.
Jan 19, 2019Debby 'Piene Raven' rated it really liked it Shelves: 2019-in-2019-book-count-challenge, a-series-reads, authors-i-j, hr-mad-about-series-challenge, romance-audiobooks
Audiobook Review:
This second in the series is the story of North, heir to the Dukedom, and jilted by his bethrothed Miss Diana Belgrave. Not knowing the circumstances surrounding her untimely departure, he buys a commission and prior to leaving finds her in a cottage with a young child believing he had been deceived and she is with another. Upon his return from service, rumour has it that she has had a son by him and her family has taken her in at the castle.
North soon learns that Diana is now t...more
This second in the series is the story of North, heir to the Dukedom, and jilted by his bethrothed Miss Diana Belgrave. Not knowing the circumstances surrounding her untimely departure, he buys a commission and prior to leaving finds her in a cottage with a young child believing he had been deceived and she is with another. Upon his return from service, rumour has it that she has had a son by him and her family has taken her in at the castle.
North soon learns that Diana is now t...more
Sep 06, 2018*The Angry Reader* rated it it was amazing
4.5 stars.
I love this book. Not for any fancy reason. Or really any discernible reason. It's a well-crafted, trick-free, perfectly paced love story between two odd people. Eloisa James is a paragon for a reason. And I adore most of her books.
I was very so-so on the first book in this series. Wilde in Love. (See my review here). Despite less-than-intense feelings for WIL I was excited for the rest of the series. And TWtW was better than I'd expected. I'm thrilled for what's coming in this series...more
May 10, 2018Maida rated it really liked itI love this book. Not for any fancy reason. Or really any discernible reason. It's a well-crafted, trick-free, perfectly paced love story between two odd people. Eloisa James is a paragon for a reason. And I adore most of her books.
I was very so-so on the first book in this series. Wilde in Love. (See my review here). Despite less-than-intense feelings for WIL I was excited for the rest of the series. And TWtW was better than I'd expected. I'm thrilled for what's coming in this series...more
Shelves: arc, second-chance, series, historical, deception
Four plus. Absolutely delightful. Lots of meaningful conversations between North and Diana clearing up misunderstandings of the past and allowing them to get to know one another better. I love that North fell for Diana because of her laughter. I love that Diana takes care of North as no one else can.
I particularly liked the seamless inclusion of the household staff in the story in a way that is natural a la Downton Abbey. Prism, Mabel, even Boodle provide not only comic relief, but also bring r...more
I particularly liked the seamless inclusion of the household staff in the story in a way that is natural a la Downton Abbey. Prism, Mabel, even Boodle provide not only comic relief, but also bring r...more
Sep 21, 2019Lover of Romance rated it really liked it
This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance
Too Wilde To Love is the second book in James' latest series 'The Wildes of Lindow Castle' and reading this was a risk because I had picked up the first book in Audio and yeah I had to DNF that one and it was really disappointing. But when I saw this book on the shelf of my public library, I knew I had to pick it up if I could. And I am so happy that I did because this book was a PAGE TURNER and man I was surprised by how easily I had gotte...more
Too Wilde To Love is the second book in James' latest series 'The Wildes of Lindow Castle' and reading this was a risk because I had picked up the first book in Audio and yeah I had to DNF that one and it was really disappointing. But when I saw this book on the shelf of my public library, I knew I had to pick it up if I could. And I am so happy that I did because this book was a PAGE TURNER and man I was surprised by how easily I had gotte...more
May 30, 2018Pj Ausdenmore rated it it was amazing
I love this couple. I love the entire Wilde family. In fact, not since Julia Quinn's Bridgertons have I fallen in love with a family so quickly or completely. I've read Diana and North's story twice and already I'm eager to go back to the first page and begin again. I love the humor in this story, the witty banter, the sparks that fly when North and Diana go toe to toe, and the sweetness that flows between them in the quiet moments of the darkest hours of the night. I enjoyed their growth, both...more
This is even better that the first one, which I loved. Now I just have to wait impatiently for Wilde for You, Parth and Lavinia's story and for Betsy's book, which is book 4. I am wild about this series. :) Full review will be posted nearer pub date.
The following review appeared in Romantic Intentions Quarterly -- Issue 1, April 2018.
Lord Roland Northbridge Wilde returns from war in the colonies to find himself rivaling his brother Alaric (Wilde in Love) as the subject of scandalous prints. The...more
May 29, 2018Sissy's Romance Book Review rated it it was amazingThe following review appeared in Romantic Intentions Quarterly -- Issue 1, April 2018.
Lord Roland Northbridge Wilde returns from war in the colonies to find himself rivaling his brother Alaric (Wilde in Love) as the subject of scandalous prints. The...more
Shelves: 2018-read, 5-star, second-chance-at-love, arc-edelweiss, series, trt, puretextualitypr
Too Wilde to Wed by Eloisa James is book Two in The Wildes of Lindow Castle series. This is the story of Lord Roland Northbridge Wilde 'North' and Diana Belgrave. I have read the previous book (and Loved it) but feel this is a standalone book although the previous book did do some set up for this one.
North and Diana had been engaged to be married but she made a hasty decision that had her breaking things off with North. North brokenhearted left but now he is back only to learn that his reputati...more
North and Diana had been engaged to be married but she made a hasty decision that had her breaking things off with North. North brokenhearted left but now he is back only to learn that his reputati...more
May 31, 2018Lissa rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
I needed this!
Imagine: Final week of teaching 7th graders. You need to finish packing your room, but a new Eloisa James was delivered to your Kindle.
Better believe my responsibilities had to wait! I've been wanting to read this story since the epilogue of Wilde in Love and it did not disappoint.
This was the perfect, beginning of summer read: romance, revelations, but no angst or insidious plots. Just two people who need to get their acts together.
Thank you, Eloisa- I needed this stress relief...more
Imagine: Final week of teaching 7th graders. You need to finish packing your room, but a new Eloisa James was delivered to your Kindle.
Better believe my responsibilities had to wait! I've been wanting to read this story since the epilogue of Wilde in Love and it did not disappoint.
This was the perfect, beginning of summer read: romance, revelations, but no angst or insidious plots. Just two people who need to get their acts together.
Thank you, Eloisa- I needed this stress relief...more
May 03, 2019Somia marked it as to-read
99p on Amazon 3rd May 2019
Jul 16, 2018Jill rated it really liked it
4.5 Stars! Loved it!!
Aug 12, 2018Heidi rated it really liked it
A delightful read from start to finish— but if you’re a fan of Ms James, than this review is nothing new.
Somehow I missed the first entry in her Wilde family series, but it was a great stand-alone story.
I’m a sucker for a governess meets tortured hero romance and this one fit the bill perfectly!! It was charming, well-written and filled with a cast of wonderful characters. And none of that heavy handed lamenting by the heroine that so often accompanies historical romances!!
Definitely swoon-wo...more
Somehow I missed the first entry in her Wilde family series, but it was a great stand-alone story.
I’m a sucker for a governess meets tortured hero romance and this one fit the bill perfectly!! It was charming, well-written and filled with a cast of wonderful characters. And none of that heavy handed lamenting by the heroine that so often accompanies historical romances!!
Definitely swoon-wo...more
Feb 07, 2018Austine (NovelKnight) rated it liked it · review of another edition
This book was provided by the publisher (via Edelweiss). This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
After reading Wilde in Loveand immediately falling in love with James's writing and story, I couldn't resist reading Too Wilde to Wed early and sharing my thoughts. While I will certainly continue reading books in this series, this one didn't live up to the first book.
I felt like I read two different stories. The first half followed the romantic set-up with two people...more
After reading Wilde in Loveand immediately falling in love with James's writing and story, I couldn't resist reading Too Wilde to Wed early and sharing my thoughts. While I will certainly continue reading books in this series, this one didn't live up to the first book.
I felt like I read two different stories. The first half followed the romantic set-up with two people...more
Though I enjoyed the romance in the first book of this series, it was almost overshadowed by my interest in the secondary couple, the hero’s brother and his betrothed. So I was more than excited to start this book and read their full story.
North, heir to the Dukedom, and Diana were engaged in book one, but it seemed that she was far less enamored of the match than he was. In fact, she ran away and jilted him before that book was done. It ended with him finding her hidden away in a cottage with a...more
May 26, 2018Bambi Unbridled rated it really liked itNorth, heir to the Dukedom, and Diana were engaged in book one, but it seemed that she was far less enamored of the match than he was. In fact, she ran away and jilted him before that book was done. It ended with him finding her hidden away in a cottage with a...more
Shelves: million-page-challenge, avon-addicts, read-2018, arc, romance-historical
Too Wilde to Wed is the second installment of Eloisa James' Wildes of Lindow Castle series, featuring the very large and entertaining Wilde family. I have read the earlier book, Wilde in Love, but I think you can get by reading this one as a standalone if absolutely necessary (though you will miss some of the backstory).
Our hero in this story is Lord Roland Northbridge Wilde (a/k/a North), heir to the dukedom. After being jilted by his fiance and coming to an incorrect assumption, North enliste...more
Shelves: 2018, historical-fiction, library-book, so-average-its-ok
“Perhaps that was the definition of maturity: recognizing that pleasing everyone was not possible.”
North falls in love at first sight of Diana. He courts her, they become engaged, and she jilts him at their engagement party. He goes to check on her and finds her in a small cottage with a baby. He assumes the baby is hers and leaves her, he goes off to fight in the war.
When he gets back from the States, he finds Diana working as a governess in his house for his youngest sister. The baby he hea...more
Jul 12, 2018Desiree M ~*~*~ LiveReadCollect rated it liked itNorth falls in love at first sight of Diana. He courts her, they become engaged, and she jilts him at their engagement party. He goes to check on her and finds her in a small cottage with a baby. He assumes the baby is hers and leaves her, he goes off to fight in the war.
When he gets back from the States, he finds Diana working as a governess in his house for his youngest sister. The baby he hea...more
Shelves: 3-star-reads, hero-celibate, hero-scandal-rumors-gossip, borrowed-from-library, hero-good-guy-straight-arrow, historical-romance, heroine-scandal-rumors-gossip, hh-duke-duchess, military-heroes, voluptuous-curvy-heroines
3.5 stars.
Really loved the first half of this but the second half my enjoyment declined a little.
I was glad that Godfrey was explained fairly quickly. It wasn't a mystery that was dragged out to either the reader or the characters.
North, I really liked, and I still liked him in the first half of this book, until he threw Diana's shoes in the lake. The blatant disregard of Diana's property just annoyed me to the point where I started to not like him. This first incident, I was able to forgive,...more
Really loved the first half of this but the second half my enjoyment declined a little.
I was glad that Godfrey was explained fairly quickly. It wasn't a mystery that was dragged out to either the reader or the characters.
North, I really liked, and I still liked him in the first half of this book, until he threw Diana's shoes in the lake. The blatant disregard of Diana's property just annoyed me to the point where I started to not like him. This first incident, I was able to forgive,...more
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Review on Eloisa James' 'Too Wilde to Wed' | 1 | 5 | Oct 09, 2018 11:41AM |
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New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James writes historical romances for HarperCollins Publishers. Her novels have been published to great acclaim. A reviewer from USA Today wrote of Eloisa's very first book that she 'found herself devouring the book like a dieter with a Hershey bar'; later People Magazine raved that 'romance writing does not get much better than this.' Her novels have repeat...more
The Wildes of Lindow Castle(5 books)
“Moreover, when there is rough ground to be covered, a glass of wine does not go amiss.” — 1 likes
“How are you getting along with Lavinia?” she asked, her eyes twinkling. “I’m so happy she and her mother have come to pay us a visit. I do believe she’s one of the most direct people I’ve ever met. She says exactly what’s she’s thinking, but with utmost tact. I adore her.” — 0 likes
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