| Title | : | Compromising Willa (Accidental Peers, #3) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 251 |
| Publication | : | First published December 9, 2013 |
Lady Wilhelmina Stanhope is ruined and everyone knows it. Back in Town for the first season since her downfall, Willa plans to remain firmly on the shelf, assuming only fortune hunters will want her now. Instead she focuses on her unique tea blends, secretly supporting a coffee house which employs poor women and children. If her clandestine involvement in trade is discovered, she'll be ruined. Again.
No one is more shocked by Willa's lack of quality suitors than the newly minted Duke of Hartwell. Having just returned from India, the dark duke is instantly attracted to the mysterious wallflower. His pursuit is hampered by the ruthless Earl of Bellingham, who once jilted Willa and is now determined to reclaim her.
Caught between the clash of two powerful men, a furious Willa refuses to concede her independence to save her reputation. But will she compromise her heart?
Compromising Willa (Accidental Peers, #3) Reviews
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2 stars. God this book was just almost all bad. There were like three good moments, which is why I’m giving this two stars instead of one. The writing is sub par, the hero and heroine are both awful in different ways, the storyline went from overly boring to overly exciting, and could have used more of a middle ground. I’m desperate to find a new HR author to love, but this one was a huge miss for me.
The biggest issue I had with this book is that the hero didn’t talk like a hero. He often said things that made him sound like a disingenuous rake, even though he’s a Duke and supposed to be respectable. I listened to this on audiobook and there’s no doubt that some of this can be blamed on narration - but some is definitely due to the writing.
Safety wasn’t great.
The hero (who is at this point betrothed to the heroine) is obsessed by the idea of the heroine having been compromised by OM… he goes to visit the inn where it all supposedly happened and decides it’s a good idea to see the room where the heroine spent the night with this OM. He then pays the maid who told him the story of the heroine’s downfall to f*** her in the same room. She gets naked and they come close to doing the deed before he comes to his senses and stops. It’s a totally unnecessary scene (at 65%) that gave me little faith in the hero’s right to be called a hero.
The heroine is forced by the OM into some kisses she didn’t want.
The hero and heroine are married and since he assumes she isn’t a virgin he takes her virginity without any preparation and hurts her. She doesn’t want anything to do with him so he “releases her” from the obligations of the marriage and thinks about planning his future with a mistress he plans to find ASAP. How nice of him to be so considerate. -
I read this review for the Compromising Willa Blog Tour.
I chose to read this book because it's set in England back in 1805 and, during my experiment with romance novels, I've found that sci-fi stories and historical fiction stories that include a romance are much more enjoyable to me than just a plain old romance.
I actually really liked this book, a lot more than I had originally expected to like it. I liked that Grey Preston (Duke of Hartwell) really wanted to be marry Lady Wilhelmina Stanhope despite her past with Augustus Manning (Earl of Bellingham), that he stood up for her and defended her, even though he sometimes allowed his jealousy to get the better of him. Sometimes Hart's attitude made me want to punch him in the face and sometimes Willa was just TOO head-strong, but that is sometimes how people are in life. I did like how it ended, though at one point I couldn't imagine it ending the way that it did.
Note: I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. -
I have to admit, I wasn't particularly a fan of
Compromising Willa by author
Diana Quincy.
Set in the Romantic Era of 1800's Europe, I was anticipating the historical details that would have brought a level of depth to this title's story line. Sadly, this was not the case. Elements of art, music and literature embodying the sensuous period were entirely bereft. No depictions of sumptuous silk brocade gowns swirling on the dance floor; no vivid detailing of rambling estates. The book was entirely lackluster, relying on tired themes that never quite played out. What. A. Snooze-fest. A couple sexy scenes behind boudoir doors might have livened things up a bit, but no. No tawdry lusts for poor, poor, compromised Willamena.
If you were to imagine the disappointment that follows reaching into your bedside table drawer to pull out your favorite vibe, just to hear a faint z-z-z-zzz...nothing as the batteries wore out, that would be Compromising Willa.
Thanks, but no thanks.
A digital copy of this book was provided by the publisher for purposes of review. -
“‘To whom do you belong?’ His voice sounded labored, almost guttural. She writhed in a delicious agony. ‘I belong utterly and completely to you, Grey Preston, Duke of Hartwell.’”
STOP! Stop romanticizing women being literally owned by men in this era. STOP. Even Lisa Kleypas has admitting to learning why writing shit like that is regressive and damaging. The book even gets worse with the hero being obsessed with the heroine’s virginity, whether or not she slept with anyone before him, constantly accusing her of loving someone who it seems might have tried to rape her, and for the crowning moment, the hero sexually assaults her in ANGST of her loving a man who it is is obvious to anyone with eyes she is afraid of. It is 2020. This book was not written in 1930, but 2013! Just STOP. This book even seems to have some awareness of feminist themes but has this surreal cognitive dissonance when it comes to how the hero is written and how the heroine acts around him. Also, Edit: Awesome, I read some reviews and see that homophobia comes in later on in the book. Just lovely. -
Oh, Willa. Hart. You guys rock so hard. Seriously. Now, before this gets awkward (too late?) let me just say COMPROMISING WILLA was one of those books that grabbed me from page one. And before I caught my breath, Ms. Quincy threw in a slight twist that told me I was in for one heck of a ride.
She didn’t disappoint.
COMPROMISING WILLA is not just beautifully written, but smart and dimensional. Willa is splendidly quick with her tongue, leading to positively delicious banter between her and the yummy Duke of Hartwell, whose absence has kept him free of the gossip that has irreparably damaged Willa’s, erm, marketability. Ruined woman? Pshaw! Okay, so maybe by society’s standards, but fortunately Hart doesn’t quite see it that way. The tension between Willa and Hart is smokin’ hot, and the author is a master of infusing that smexiness into every exchange. Somehow these two buck tradition while remaining true to the period, leading to a delightfully fresh story that positively immerses the reader in 1805 England. There’s very little about the plot that could be marked as predictable, and as intricate as some of the pieces, they all came together perfectly at the end. (I’m looking at you, Augustus. Dude was PWNED!)
If you love historical romance, grab this one. If you don’t, grab this one anyway. You will fall in love!
*Review copy provided by author* -
I really love this author. She has some glitches, but she gets better with every book.
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Diana Quicy and her editing team has written another Lovely Historical Roamance. With a lovable H/H couple Grey Preston Duke of Hartwell and Lady Wilhelmina/Willa Stanhope.
Willa was compromised by the disgusting Augustus Manning now the new Earl of Bellingham. Willa and Manning had come up with a scheme to make her appear compromised so Augustus's father the Earl would allow them to marry. But he wasn't strong enough to stand up to his father the Earl! But he went about letting anyone who became interested in Willa know that he completely ruined her and she was his. Willa never knew the depths of Augustus depravity and lies he told about her. Until she meets Grey Preston the Duke of Hartwell. Willa went about for years thinking men did not find her attractive. She thought she wasn't pretty she didn't understand how Augustus had lied about compromising her.
What bothered me was we already knew from bk.1 Seducing Charlotte that Hartwell and Willa were married and living a very happy life. Comprosimisng Willa tells the story of how they came together as a couple. I think it should have been bk.1.
I love the actual love story and the way Hartwell dispatched and completely and utterly ruined Augustus. I love it when the villian of the story gets his payback for all the harm they have cause. He destroyed the man for a lifetime.
This is a very well written believable HR!! I can't wait to start bk 4 Engaging The Earl!! -
Book Three in the Accidental Peer series centers on the budding romance between Lad Wilhelmina "Willa" Stanhope and Grey Preston, Duke of Hartwell. Willa's reputation has been ruined, leaving her no choice but to wait for a suitor who's likely never to come and resign herself to her looming spinsterhood. To distract herself from her less-than-perfect future, Willa blends tea that she supplies to a coffee house which employs less fortunate women, but even this past time must remain secret, as engaging in trade is not considered to be proper. Somehow, amidst all the scandal, Willa attracts the affections of the new Duke of Hartwell. However, despite the growing attraction between the two, their romance is hampered by the evil Earl of Bellingham, who refuses to allow Willa to be claimed by anyone but himself.
This romance was definitely a page turner! There was never any question that Willa would end up with the duke, who is usually referred to simply as Hart, but Quincy still managed to keep me wondering about how everything could possibly fall into place.
Willa was the perfect historical romance heroine. She's smart and longs for independence. She doesn't recognize her own beauty. She's been ruined by means of a misunderstanding and although her situation demands that she be rescued, she refuses to take the easy way out. She reminds me of several other romantic heroines that I've read about, but I like her so much that I didn't mind.
Fittingly, Hart is the perfect love interest for Willa. He's gallant yet imperfect but at the end of the day, he's exactly what Willa needs and her interests are at the center of his heart. He makes mistakes but always earns Willa's forgiveness, and his obvious love for Willa endeared him to me.
And Bellingham, the evil earl, is a villain that I loved to hate. He was SO bad!! I loved the way that Quincy introduced him to us - at the start of the book, he appears to be the love interest, but soon we learn of the absolute dread that Willa feels whenever she sees him. And when we learn why she hates him so much, we come to hate him, too. Without giving away any details, I'm happy to assure you that he meets a most satisfying end.
The plot centered entirely around the romance between Hart and Willa. Personally, I prefer romances with a bit more depth to their conflict, but Entangled Publishing requires authors in their Scandalous imprint to focus on the process of falling in love, so Quincy really can't be faulted for following their instructions. Because it was required of her, I didn't decrease my rating of the book because of the lack of a greater conflict, but I think it's worth noting that I personally would prefer some focus other than the relationship between Willa and Hart. That being said, there were definitely a lot of complications in Willa and Hart's relationship and this added to the plot development. Quincy revealed their secrets to the reader without info dumping, which is ALWAYS very much appreciated!
As the imprint category suggests, this book was full of scandal. Willa herself suffers from the impact of the scandal in her life and this has a huge impact on the plot of the book. But additionally, some of the scenes between Willa and Hart get quite steamy! If you're interested in that, you'll probably enjoy this book.
Overall, this book was enjoyable to read and it was a great way to unwind from finals week. I would definitely recommend it to any historical romance fans. Although this is the third book in the Accidental Peers series, you do not need to read the preceding books in order to follow the story line - I didn't read them and I understood the story just fine. However, after reading this, I do intend to go back and read the first two as well as the fourth once it's published. I'll definitely be looking for more from Diana Quincy in the future! :)
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy of this book from Entangled Publishing, but in no way did this influence my review. -
Willa is a 23 year-old young lady in a time where she should already be married with children. However, four years earlier, her childhood friend and love, Augustus, humiliated her and destroyed her reputation completely obliterating any chance for possible suitors.
Augustus, or Gus, devised a plan that would compromise Willa’s “innocence” in order to force his father into allowing them to marry; a plan which both succeeded and failed. Willa’s virtue was compromised but Gus’s father still didn’t allow them to marry, leaving Willa with a broken heart and tarnished reputation.
The story begins--four years after Willa’s humiliation--with Gus’s father taking his final breaths and passing the title of Earl of Bellingham onto his first son, which is Gus. Gus wastes no time in showing up uninvited to Willa’s sister’s coming out party a few days later with the news that his father is dead and he is ready to claim Willa as his wife. Willa has grown up in four years and has learned she can be happy without a man and enjoys her independence. She has no desire for any marriage proposals, especially not from this slimy creep.
As fate would have it, that same night Willa meets the dashing Duke of Hartwell. He has just returned after years of doing business abroad and is mysteriously sexy and an unmerciful flirt. After one dance the duke is intrigued and sets to court the lovely Willa. After years of discourteous stares and rumors, Willa has two suitors vying for her hand.
While Willa is against taking anyone to marry, Hartwell is slowly getting under her skin. The rivalry between suitors heats up when intentions are made known and Willa realizes that her suitors’ have a mutual hatred for one another stemming from their times back in school at Cambridge.
Instead of feeling flattered of being pursued by dueling suitors, Willa gets the feeling that she is only a trophy in the game these men are playing. Can Willa separate truth from lies or will her best-laid plans be destroyed by the one thing that has eluded her the most; love.
It is a well-known fact that I am not a fan of historical romances. But somehow Diana Quincy has made me a believer. Her stories are intriguing, her characters are brilliantly written and the dialogue is witty and hilarious. I really enjoyed reading about Willa and all her follies with these gentlemen. Well, one gentlemen and one complete jerk. Gus was a real piece of work and a total d-bag.
I completely fell in love with Hartwell. He was a terrible flirt but when he loved, he loved hard and put Willa’s happiness above his own, even if it meant they weren’t to be together.
Chronologically, this book takes place before Seducing Charlotte, the first book in the Accidental Peers series. I think I need to go back and reread it to find out how Willa and her chosen suitor are doing. This is an excellent book. Diana Quincy is an amazing writer and I’m looking forward to what’s next in the series.
Reviewed by Elizabeth for Cocktails and Books -
I had a few reasons that I really wanted to read Compromising Willa. The first reason is that I have read another book in the Accidental Peers by Diana Quincy and I really enjoyed it. It was a great story. So when I had a chance to read this book I jumped at the chance. The second reason I really wanted to read this book is more personal. I loved that Willa's name was Wilhelmina, my Grandmother's name was Wilhelmina so I felt a personal connection to Willa right away.
Lady Wilhelmina Stanhope has had a rough few years. She has come to the conclusion she really would just rather not marry. Her life is going on fine on her own and she thinks she wants to keep it that way. That is until the man that jilted her and ruined her reputation arrives back in town. Earl of Bellingham is determined to have Willa for his own and he doesn't care what means he has to go to in order to accomplish this.
However Duke of Hartwell is just back in town as well and he has an instant attraction for Willa. Willa is a little offish at first because she wants to stay single. These two have some tension between them that adds to the sparks they create when they are together. I really enjoyed watching these two get to know each other.
I don't want to tell you two much but a lot of drama happens and situations are changed. Many things occur and a lot of secrets are revealed. This book is a page turner. I could not wait to see what could possibly happen next. There were so many things happening. As I said I had an instant connection to Willa so I found myself cheering her on along the way.
I really enjoyed this story. I have just recently discovered my love of historical romance and Diana Quincy is another one of my new favorite authors. She writes a wonderful historical romance that certainly has a way of keeping my attention.
This is part of the Accidental Peers series but you will have no problem reading it as a stand alone, if you haven't read the other two books in the series. However they are great as well so you might think about picking them up too.
I can't wait to see what she may have in store for us lucky readers next. I know that I will certainly be looking forward to whatever she has out next.
If you enjoy a historical romance with some drama, I think you will really enjoy this book. If you are already a fan of Diana Quincy then hurry grab up your copy so you may start reading right away.
I was given the opportunity to read this book so that I may share my thoughts with you. As always it has been my great pleasure to share my thoughts with you on Compromising Willa. -
My Rating: 4.5/5
A lovely historical romance, Compromising Willa was another wonderful book in the fantastic Accidental Peers series. I absolutely loved this book!
Willa was a great heroine. She was strong and wanted nothing more than to be independent. Even with her psycho ex-fiance's manipulations, she refused to back down. I thought she was a wonderful character.
Hart was also wonderful. He was a sweetheart. He couldn't care less what happened in Willa's past. He just wanted her. And, he always wanted what was best for her, even if it was away from him. He was perfect and I adored him.
The romance was lovely. Willa and Hart were sweet together, especially with the way Hart was entirely devoted to Willa's happiness. The chemistry between them was steamy and there were certainly some hot moments. My one complaint about the romance, though, was that they really needed to learn how to communicate correctly. There were a lot of miscommunications that led to some issues, which could have been resolved had they been straight with each other in the first place. But, it was a fairly minor problem, and I still thought these two were a perfect couple.
Augustus, the Earl, was Willa's ex-fiance. He was a...hmmm...interesting character. And by that I mean I hated his guts, but in a good way. He was perfectly hateful, especially when we find out the extent of his past, and he added an interesting dimension to the book.
The plot was fast paced. I was hooked the entire way through. I really enjoyed the story and I thought the ending was lovely. The Accidental Peers series is absolutely wonderful and I can't wait to read more from it.
Compromising Willa was a wonderful historical romance. I absolutely loved this book! Lovers of romance, you have to read this book.
*I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review -
COMPROMISING WILLA by Diana Quincy is an interesting Regency Historical romance set in 1805 England. #3 in the "Accidental Peers" series, but can be read as a stand alone. Fast paced and filled with suspense, and passion. Lady Wilhelmina Stanhope has been ruin and is caught between two powerful men, the Earl of Bellingham and Duke of Hartwell (Hart). Filled with passion, deceit, and powerful men, you can not help but feel for poor Willa, who is determined not to marry, but is attracted to Hart. Meantime, Bellingham is determined to have Willa at all cost,including destroying her if he has too. Willa does not can a flip if her reputation is in tatters but her heart is another matter all together. Fast paced and passion filled, you will not regret reading "Compromising Willa". Be be warned some of the men are distrusting, such as Bellingham, while Hart is my hero. Willa if feisty,intelligent and wants to help women who are alone, abandoned and desperate. A must read! Received for an honest review from the publisher.
RATING: 4
HEAT RATING: MILD
REVIEWED BY: AprilR, Courtesy of My Book Addiction and More -
Both Willa & Hart are engaging characters & in their 1st meetings, sparks literally fly between them. Their interaction is snappy & lively & the chemistry palpable. Having been in India looking after his business interests, Hart is unaware of the scandal behind Willa & appreciates her for everything she is: an intelligent & beautiful woman. The villain of the piece is the man who ruined Willa those years ago & who is determined to have her now that what had forced them apart initially – his late father the Earl, had passed on.
A nicely written story with breathtakingly sensual scenes. Willa makes a strong, likable heroine while Hart is strong, honourable & totally enamoured with Willa. He does have to battle raging jealously as Gus (the villain) does his utmost to have Willa.
This is the 3rd book of Diana Quincy’s that I've read & I’ve enjoyed them all. Looking forward eagerly to her next book. -
h: Lady Wilhelmina Stanhope
H: Duke of Hartwell
So let me start by say the Duke of Hartwell was just dreamy *sigh* I loved how he went for what he wanted and didn't care who was in his way. If I was Lady Wilhelmina I wouldn't have waited so long to say yes to him. But she had issues so i not to upset. At first i felt a little sorry for the Earl of Bellingham wanting her all that time but not allowed to marry her because of his father. Whoa did my opinion change and fast what a toad I hated him. I think he gets off way to easy especially after what we learn he did that got him beat up at school GROSS!. I really loved this book! I can't wait for more from the Author! I loved everything about it. (the steamy love scene didn't hurt either :) lol ) -
"How many ways can I ruin myself today?"
Wow, I loved this story! Ms. Quincy is such a talented writer. Her dialogue is sharp and spicy, her characters just come alive on the pages, and her sharp wit makes me smile.
Willa, I think, is my favorite of her heroines. She is so sharp, resigned to her fate never to wed yet okay with that.
Grey is arrogant but likable. He is immediately drawn to Willa, and sparks do indeed fly.
Ms. Quincy has a social consciousness I love too. The period is historical, her characters are historical yet she subtly lays relays the message that are strong, even tea-sipping women!
Terrific read! -
A wicked read....Compromising Willa is the 3rd book in Diana Quincy's Accidental Peers series...seriously, where have you been Ms. Quincy? I just adore the way she writes her characters and stories, might I add that this one's pretty "brave"
Am definitely looking forward to reading the entire series....and will definitely look out for Diana Quincy's upcoming books... -
A fun, sexy historical read! I really enjoyed this story of Hart, the sugar-trading Duke, and Willa, the tea-concocting heroine. The dialogue was snappy and there were some smokin' sex scenes. Another great story by Ms. Quincy!
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An excellent read! I am not a fan of historical romances but I LOVED this book!
Full review posted on Cocktails and Books blog!
http://www.cocktailsandbooks.com/revi... -
lovely review to post soon.
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Was just as great and captivating as the previous stories in the series, LOVED it!!
Detailed review to be posted soon -
3.5 stars
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What can I say... this book truly let me down. It even felt like it didn't deserve to have Diana Quincy name on it, it was sooo so bad.
The characters make NO sense at all, teh story goes every way and it is a wonder, it finally arrives to a resolution. The ending felt like the author just couldn't get rid of that book faster enough, it's so botched.
Lots of typos AGAIN which made an already bad book even worse to read. I almost dropped it 50 pages from the end.
Okay what I didn't like. The villain. The villain is more than villain, he's despicable, a serial rapist and just plain disgusting. The hero. I don't know if he's just plain stupid, he never listens to anything the heroin is saying, or anyone else for that matter. And then he's like "But why did you lead me to believe that ** spoiler** Oh hello? C'mon.
Then, the heroin, who is stunning (of course) and spends the second half of the book 'no no I'm not beautiful, I mean everyone is saying that I am but no, really, I'm not'.... duuuh. *slap face*
So yeah. I'm honestly not sure to go on with the fourth and last book in this series or just go with another book by another author. I do have a Lorraine Heath on my Kindle.... -
Tea. Lady Wilhelmina Stanhope is ruined and everyone knows it. Back in Town for the first season since her downfall, Willa plans to remain firmly on the shelf, assuming only fortune hunters will want her now. Instead she focuses on her unique tea blends, secretly supporting a coffee house which employs poor women and children. If her clandestine involvement in trade is discovered, she'll be ruined. Again.
No one is more shocked by Willa's lack of quality suitors than the newly minted Duke of Hartwell. Having just returned from India, the dark duke is instantly attracted to the mysterious wallflower. His pursuit is hampered by the ruthless Earl of Bellingham, who once jilted Willa and is now determined to reclaim her.
Caught between the clash of two powerful men, a furious Willa refuses to concede her independence to save her reputation. But will she compromise her heart?
