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Eloisa James

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Much Ado About You (Essex Sisters Series Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Eloisa James (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

2,285

Book 1 of 4: Essex Sisters series

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When you're the oldest daughter, you don't get to have any fun!

Witty, orphaned Tess Essex faces her duty: marry well and marry quickly, so she can arrange matches for her three sisters -- beautiful Annabel, romantic Imogen and practical Josie. After all, right now they're under the rather awkward guardianship of the perpetually tipsy Duke of Holbrook. But just when she begins to think that all might end well, one of her sisters bolts with a horse-mad young lord, and her own fiancé just plain runs away.

Which leaves Tess contemplating marriage to the sort of man she wishes to avoid -- one of London's most infamous rakes. Lucius Felton is a rogue whose own mother considers him irredeemable! He's delicious, Annabel points out. And he's rich, Josie notes. But although Tess finally consents to marry him, it may be for the worst reason of all. Absurd as she knows it to be, she may have fallen utterly in love . . .

Book 1 of 4

Essex Sisters series
Print length

400 pages
Language

English
Sticky notes

On Kindle Scribe
Publisher

Avon
Publication date

October 13, 2009
File size

578 KB
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Reviewers have compared James's Regency-era romances (Your Wicked Ways, etc.) to Sex and the City, but her effervescent voice is somewhat subdued in this first installment of her new series, focusing on four squabbling sisters. After their father passes away, Tess, Imogen, Annabel and Josie Essex find themselves impoverished, uprooted and taken under the wing of a benevolent duke. As the eldest and most sensible, Tess decides she must marry so that she can help support her sisters. But who should she wed? Garret Langham, an earl who seems to admire, though not lust after, her? Or the untitled but über-wealthy Lucius Felton, who hides his emotions behind a mask of cool civility, save for when he kisses her? Tess is mildly conflicted but generally content to go along with whatever fate throws her way, which makes her a less than inspiring heroine. What she lacks in character is more than made up for by Lucius, however, who possesses a quiet intensity and magnetic presence. The chemistry between the two easily overshadows the rather tenuous camaraderie that Tess and her sisters share. Sex and the City gals they are not; they bicker constantly and rarely connect on a sisterly or even friendly level. But though the book isn't as spry as James's earlier novels, it contains a romance that will induce sighs of satisfaction.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Tess Essex wished her father had loved his Thoroughbreds a bit less and his daughters a bit more. Now, after his death, Tess, Imogen, Annabel, and Josephine find themselves with a new guardian: Rafe Jourdain, the Duke of Holbrook. Although Holbrook is exceedingly kind, he is completely clueless when it comes to finding suitable matches for his new wards. Deciding that it is up to her, Tess encourages the romantic overtures of one of Holbrook's closest friends, Garret Langham, the Earl of Mayne. Titled, handsome, and sophisticated, Garret is an entirely appropriate suitor for Tess, and his society connections will help Tess secure good husbands for her sisters. The only problem is that even though Tess is resigned to a politely civilized marriage to Garret, she just can't seem to forget the less acceptable Lucius Felton and his deliciously improper kisses. In the first in a new series featuring the wonderfully amusing Essex sisters, New York Times best-selling James' gift for superb characterization and elegantly sensual, delightfully witty prose create a thoroughly romantic treat. John Charles
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000FCKL48
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Avon (October 13, 2009)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 13, 2009
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 578 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 0007229488

Best Sellers Rank: #79,483 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #140 in Read & Listen for $14.99 or Less
- #163 in 20th Century Historical Romance eBooks
- #178 in Ancient World Historical Romance (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
2,285

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Eloisa James

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Eloisa James is a New York Times bestselling author and professor of English literature who lives with her family in New York, but can sometimes be found in Paris or Italy. She is the mother of two and, in a particularly delicious irony for a romance writer, is married to a genuine Italian knight.

For info about books, visit www.eloisajames.com and sign up for her Five Fabulous Things newsletter. Or ask a question on Facebook (where Eloisa spends entirely too much time): https://www.facebook.com/eloisajames

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5

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Me_Mo

This is the first regency romance book I read by Eloisa James and also my favourite.

Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2017

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It is a perfect guilty-pleasure read: delightful, witty, light, wicked and steamy aaaaand surprisingly and importantly, it gets most of the regency p's and q's right. It also contains explicit sex scenes, so if you prefer clean romances, you may want to look elsewhere.

Rafe, the Duke of Holbrook promised the Earl of Essex to become guardian to his daughters should the need arise. As the Earl -a kind, but feckless and horse-crazy wastrel- dies in an accident, Rafe is bound by his promise to take care of the 4 girls. He may not be enthusiastic, but he is nothing if not conscientious. Holbrook Hall's nursery room is prepared and awaits his protégés with toys, trained nursery maids and a rather bemused Duke in tow.
His bemusement turns into despair when he finds on their arrival that the adorable moppets are all, but one, of marriageable age, in want of chaperones, dowries and husbands.
As for husbands, though Rafe vows never to marry, he is eager to procure at least one candidate in the person of his friend, the Earl of Mayne, an infamous roué who could give Lord Byron a run for his money without even trying too hard.
But whom should he choose as his bride? Lovely, responsible Tess, the oldest of the siblings, who played mother to them all? Beautiful, sultry and materialistic Annabel? Passionate, impulsive & stunning Imogen? (The youngest, the ever-practical, but vulnerable Josie is still in the schoolroom.)
The Earl thinks, Tess would be an ideal wife for him: she is lovely, witty and though she has no money, her inheritance is a most famous racehorse, who could want more?
Tess, who is bent on giving her sisters a chance in London high society, agrees to the match, but her pleasant feelings get greatly disturbed by the appearance of the Duke's other friend, the mysterious and detached Lucius Felton, a "mere Mr", but one of the richest men of the Kingdom.

This book is the first in a series, but all four books can be read as a standalone as enough information about characters and storylines is provided to enjoy them without having to read them all or in order.
I loved all the sisters (especially Tess and Josie, well, maybe not Imogen) with their distinct and fully-developed personalities with their support for each other as well as their bickerings and teasings. I read all the books almost in one go as I really wanted to know all their fate. I also liked all their love interests as well as the secondary story-lines that were entwined with the main plots.

13 people found this helpful

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IreneDAdler

Very enjoyable read, not quite as frivolous as most in this genre

Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2011

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This book is a well-written story that focuses on relationships between more than just the ostensible romantic leads. Even though it can be said to be a stand-alone work, I think it would be more accurate to describe it as the first episode in the saga of this family of four sisters, and my rating of 4 stars is given from such a perspective. In the strictest terms of a "Regency romp," this may disappoint many readers, as there is not much swashbuckling adventure or sexy intrigue. In fact, there is not much in the way of dramatic action at all, and the relationship between Tess and Lucius is relatively low-key, compared to other relationships in the narrative. But I felt that this novel was very enjoyable on slightly different terms.

Firstly, I greatly admire the author's deft hand with scripting discourse between characters that very elegantly illustrate their personalities and psychological motivations. It is not infallible, as there are a few clunky exchanges here and there, but overall, there is something distinctly Austen-ish in the way the author is able to clearly and succinctly sketch out the social dynamics between characters. Truth be told, one of the few faults of this novel is that it perhaps borrows TOO heavily from Austen, as Imogen's passionate willful nature is the spitting image of Marianne, and Lady Clarice and Mrs. Felton (Lady Margery) seem like bits and pieces of Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Mrs. Norris. In one part of the book, the author makes a slightly heavy-handed direct reference to Pride and Prejudice. Nonetheless, I feel the slightly over-done homage could be pardoned for the overall result, which is an organic group portrait of some very interesting people. The familial and friendly interactions are so vividly drawn that, it's a shame to say, the romantic interactions suffer in the comparison, even though they are by no means shabby. The romantic tension is, admittedly, somewhat forced, stemming from the old "oh alas I'm not good enough for her" vs. "does he really love me" cliche, but Tess and Lucius do have credible chemistry, both of them being very level-headed and caring people.

As far as the dramatic arc and structure of this novel, I do agree that it is very subdued, and the resolution is not entirely satisfactory, even viewed as the first in a series of novels, but the merits again far outweigh the faults. Perhaps the biggest lapse in storytelling in this novel is the way the subplot with Lucius' family was handled. It is brought up very early in the book, but becomes neglected until the very very end, and the resolution is far from complete. Not only does ending the novel on that subplot feel anti-climatic given the many other arcs of heavier dramatic impact that we have seen, the subplot itself is not resolved, since, as far as I can gather, Lucius' relationship with his parents remained at status quo. However, it is a small enough part of the book that I don't feel overly-bothered by this shortcoming. As for the placid (some might say boring) nature of the plot, I do not feel that the lack of fireworks detracts from the enjoyability of the narrative. Indeed, if one were disposed to be laudatory, one could say that this was yet another Austen-ish aspect, in that it is a story about people and psychology, not events. I was personally so engrossed in the characters and their exchanges, that I never felt that the story was being slow.

One small aspect of the novel that really appealed to me so I must mention, is the character of Lord Mayne. Though I definitely will enjoy reading about the sisters in the next volumes, the principal reason that I will most likely read this series all the way through is to follow the development of Lord Mayne's character and see him get his happy ending. Though his character could be considered stock, coming from a long line of cynical rakes for whom pleasures of the flesh now feel lonely and empty, he nevertheless draws my sympathy and my curiosity.

In short, if you are looking for some frivolous bodice-ripper (and I do appreciate my good share of those), you might be disappointed. If you are looking for light reading that is capable of a slightly more profound emotional engagement, this is an excellent place to start. I'm giving it 4 stars for the manifold virtues in prose and characterization, detracted a bit by some false steps in dramatic structure, that renders it a very worthwhile read, and yet not quite as well-crafted as the second volume, Kiss Me Annabel.

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Gialdini

romantic comedy at its best

Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2009

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The most fun I've had reading a book in a long time. Much Ado About You is a pure delight. I was laughing, sighing, even tearing up a bit. It is witty, intelligent, humorous, light and fun, but underscoring all this is a keen insight that gets to the heart of human emotion and tragedies both small and large. I loved how this book provides a diverse range of characters - it's just as much about the recently orphaned Essex sisters Tess, Annabel, Imogen, and Josie, their guardian Rafe Jourdain, the Duke of Holbrook and his friends Garret the Earl of Mayne and Lucius Felton, along with an engaging cast of other secondary characters, as it is about the primary romance between the hero and heroine. I thought James balanced these many different story threads very well. The book is enthralling, entertaining, and original, a refreshing take on the usual stereotypes. Part of the fun of Much Ado About You is that you never quite know how things are going to turn out and the characters are always surprising you. For a while I wasn't even sure who would end up with whom - a remarkable feat in a book. James deftly explores the sundry relationships among her characters. The sisters' relationships in particular were spot on, so genuine and real - their love for each other bound up with playful squabbling and heartbreaking ruptures. And the romance isn't half bad either, full of touching moments that are breathtaking and beautiful. My only complaint is that we don't get inside the hero's head enough - though this slight imbalance didn't interfere with my enjoyment of the book at all and I was able to get a good sense of his character anyway. To put it simply, I loved this book. It's my first by Eloisa James, and I'm definitely going to track down more.

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Lonore

A lire, style différent que j'ai apprécié!

Reviewed in France on September 26, 2023

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Un livre avec plusieurs héros et héroïnes, que l'on découvre simultanément et de leur point de vue!
Hâte de lire les suivants.

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L. Trim

A good story..... But...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 7, 2023

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The author writes great stories set in England: this is one of them. 4 sisters become wards of an English Duke after their father dies, and the 4 books in the series outlines how each of the beautiful girls meets their future husband and marries. This book is about Tess, the oldest sister and the novel rolls along nicely. The only fly in the ointment is the American cant used and stupid mistakes, such as 'the groomsman tossed her up onto her horse'. A groomsman is part of a wedding party; a groom works with horses. Ms James teaches English literature, so why would she not say groom is beyond me! But the story is good fun and entertaining.

Nicky

Sisters

Reviewed in Australia on August 3, 2020

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Very much a tale of sisters, that draws you into their lives, their late nights chats together, their openess with each other, cant wait for the next

Laura

A lovely series!

Reviewed in Italy on October 4, 2015

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I already loved eloisa James books, the Essex Sisters add to them, speaking of friendship, of daily problems besides love. I'm going to buy the sequel

Vorzimmerdrache

Sisters united

Reviewed in Germany on September 10, 2013

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Ganz wunderbarer Einstieg in die Geschichte der 4 Essex Schwestern, die von ihrem pferdenärrischen Vater kaum als Ladies erzogen wurden und nach dessen Tod einem ihnen unbekannten, ledigen und reichen Vormund(Rafe) vorgestellt werden.
Jede der Schwestern hat ihre Eigenheiten und es scheint vorprogrammiert, dass keine der 4 auf konventionelle Art und Weise heiratet.

Leicht zu lesen und mit jedem Buch mehr (bin jetzt schon bei Josie's Geschichte 'Pleasure for Pleasure') wachsen einem nicht nur die Mädchen, sondern auch die dazugehörigen Dukes, Sirs etc. ans Herz.

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Much Ado About You (Essex Sisters Series Book 1) Kindle Edition

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Eloisa James

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