Scan barcode
geo_ix's review
5.0
This was my favourite one. I loved book two but Robert is so into her lmao. The ‘twist’ was quite obvious but the confrontation scene was actually great. Sad there’s not books for his other brothers I really liked them lol
emmanadine's review
4.0
So good. I loved all three of the Carroway brother stories. I read Shaw's first, [b:Rules of an Engagement|7953835|Rules of an Engagement (Adventurers’ Club, #3)|Suzanne Enoch|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348715179s/7953835.jpg|11588998] and wanted to know if she had written the brothers' stories and when I looked them up I found out that Shaw was actually the last of the brothers to get his stories. Robert has some severe PTSD from being held prisoner for seven months in horrible conditions during the Napoleonic wars, and he's been dealing with that for almost four years. By this point, he needs help to motivate him to continue healing, and he finds it in Lucinda. I liked both hero and heroine in this story and watching all the brothers and friends rally around to help Robert was wonderful.
Tris's book is actually the first one in this series. You can skip all the other books and read these three alone. They work well together.
Tris's book is actually the first one in this series. You can skip all the other books and read these three alone. They work well together.
carriegooding's review
3.0
I didn’t love either of the first two books in this series but was interested enough in Robert’s story to finish it out.
travelisfers's review
4.0
Thank goodness the third in this series did not disappoint! This story was good. Again, a beautiful escape historical romance and this time about a wounded soldier (Robert) who is hiding the real story of what happened to him during the war. Only Lucinda (the last of the three friends in this series to teach a rake a lesson) seems to be able to provide him with the ability to open up. Robert is also the younger brother of Tristan (Dare) who we met in Book One.
How the second two books can be so different that the first - I don’t know, but the plot here of stolen war papers, jealousy between suitors for Lucinda and the appearance many times of past characters from Books One and Two, made this an enjoyable read.
The only thing I still didn’t like - scratching. People scratch at the door instead of knocking! That drove me crazy.
I still love Saint from Book 2 (again reminds me of Sebastian - IYKYN and I know you all know) but a very well-written book.
How the second two books can be so different that the first - I don’t know, but the plot here of stolen war papers, jealousy between suitors for Lucinda and the appearance many times of past characters from Books One and Two, made this an enjoyable read.
The only thing I still didn’t like - scratching. People scratch at the door instead of knocking! That drove me crazy.
I still love Saint from Book 2 (again reminds me of Sebastian - IYKYN and I know you all know) but a very well-written book.
mamamelreads's review
5.0
When I pick up historical romances I am generally looking for one thing ... escape. I just want a sweet, romantic story that brightens my day and entertains me. I don't expect any real depth or any life changing messages. So many of these stories are exactly alike, and I'm okay with that because that is exactly what I am looking for when I pick them up. But every once in awhile a historical will jump off the page and reach a depth that truly touches me in a way that most of these stories do not. That is what happened with England's Perfect Hero, the final book in the Lessons in Love trilogy.
This book turns its attention to Lucinda, the last of the women who had made a pact to teach roguish men of the ton the right way to treat ladies. Lucinda has set her sights on Geoffrey Newcombe, a returned from war soldier who seemed to be a hero from the war with France. He really doesn't seem all that roguish, especially compared to the two heroes in the previous books of this series. He does seem like a perfect match for Lucinda, and it seems as if the true goal she holds has she goes after Geoffrey is marriage. After all, it worked out for her two friends. Why not her? A wrench is thrown into her plans, however, when she bumps into the reclusive Robert Carroway, Dare's (book one's hero) brother. Robert does not go into society. He barely talks to anyone, including members of his own family, after returning three years ago from fighting in France. Almost everything sends him into a blind panic attack these days, everything but Lucinda. With Lucinda he finds peace, and he decides that he will help her in her quest to teach her lessons to Geoffrey. No conflicts of interest there, right?
Robert is what sets this story above and beyond others in this generally fluffy genre. He is dealing with some intense PTSD after spending seven months in a French interrogation prison. He has been tortured to the point of death, and no one knows. Not his family. Not his friends. And for a little while, not Lucinda. He never talks about his experience with anyone. PTSD is not really an accepted condition in the England of the 1800s. The things that Robert has to do just to mentally endure his capture and torture are not things that society will appreciate or support. He may have gotten away from his prison hell, but he is experiencing a whole different sort of hell in his "freedom." His struggle is agonizing, and he has had to endure it all alone ... until he meets Lucinda. What I love about Robert and his struggles is that it is not glossed over. He doesn't magically awaken one day, in love and all better. Lucinda helps Robert to find hope and a reason to truly live his life rather than to simply exist. However, he still daily has to deal with the after effects of his torturous experience. Even to the last page of the book he has to fight back the emotional toll of his nightmare. I love how this book portrays the struggle with heart. Robert may be the most courageous hero of any of the stories in this genre I have ever read. I adored him. So many of the rogues portrayed in these stories choose to be cads in the midst of the luxury of their lives. They are heartless or without morals because they can be. They are rich and powerful. What's anyone going to do about it? But Robert's struggles to have solid relationships come from deep psychological wounds. You can feel them as you read, and I couldn't help but root for him to find a way into the light after so many years of darkness. Loved him!!!!
I also ADORED Robert's family relationships. His family could be ruined if Robert's story gets out. England could find him to be a traitor, and everyone would suffer for it. They could choose to distance themselves, but they instead circle the wagons and stand together. His brothers were absolutely wonderful. This story does the best job of pulling together all the previous characters of a series that I have ever seen in a series. Usually in series such as this, old characters will show up here or there just so we as readers can have a quick reunion with beloved characters, but those characters do not take central roles in the current story. However, in this story Dare and Georgiana from book one and Saint and Evie from book two are strong supporting characters. They are involved in almost all pivotal scenes in some way. It was a wonderful way of weaving all three stories together without seeming like a gimmick. The strength of the family and friend relationships of this story were an important highlight of the book.
The romance of this story was a sweet one. I'll admit that Lucinda was seriously ridiculous as she tried to work through her feelings about Geoffrey and Robert. Her head had already decided that Geoffrey was the perfect one for her, but all of her actions said otherwise. It was clear from almost the beginning that she was falling in love with Robert, but she was so incredibly obtuse that she couldn't see it for herself. Still, I really enjoyed her relationship with Robert, especially her ability to understand him and his struggles. She didn't treat him as an object of pity. She treated him as a wounded man who just needed someone to see him as whole. Their relationship really was touching and rewarding to read.
I'm happy to read a historical with a hero who is genuinely good and finds his way back to humanity through the love and devotion of another genuinely good heroine. I couldn't put this one down. Five stars!
This book turns its attention to Lucinda, the last of the women who had made a pact to teach roguish men of the ton the right way to treat ladies. Lucinda has set her sights on Geoffrey Newcombe, a returned from war soldier who seemed to be a hero from the war with France. He really doesn't seem all that roguish, especially compared to the two heroes in the previous books of this series. He does seem like a perfect match for Lucinda, and it seems as if the true goal she holds has she goes after Geoffrey is marriage. After all, it worked out for her two friends. Why not her? A wrench is thrown into her plans, however, when she bumps into the reclusive Robert Carroway, Dare's (book one's hero) brother. Robert does not go into society. He barely talks to anyone, including members of his own family, after returning three years ago from fighting in France. Almost everything sends him into a blind panic attack these days, everything but Lucinda. With Lucinda he finds peace, and he decides that he will help her in her quest to teach her lessons to Geoffrey. No conflicts of interest there, right?
Robert is what sets this story above and beyond others in this generally fluffy genre. He is dealing with some intense PTSD after spending seven months in a French interrogation prison. He has been tortured to the point of death, and no one knows. Not his family. Not his friends. And for a little while, not Lucinda. He never talks about his experience with anyone. PTSD is not really an accepted condition in the England of the 1800s. The things that Robert has to do just to mentally endure his capture and torture are not things that society will appreciate or support. He may have gotten away from his prison hell, but he is experiencing a whole different sort of hell in his "freedom." His struggle is agonizing, and he has had to endure it all alone ... until he meets Lucinda. What I love about Robert and his struggles is that it is not glossed over. He doesn't magically awaken one day, in love and all better. Lucinda helps Robert to find hope and a reason to truly live his life rather than to simply exist. However, he still daily has to deal with the after effects of his torturous experience. Even to the last page of the book he has to fight back the emotional toll of his nightmare. I love how this book portrays the struggle with heart. Robert may be the most courageous hero of any of the stories in this genre I have ever read. I adored him. So many of the rogues portrayed in these stories choose to be cads in the midst of the luxury of their lives. They are heartless or without morals because they can be. They are rich and powerful. What's anyone going to do about it? But Robert's struggles to have solid relationships come from deep psychological wounds. You can feel them as you read, and I couldn't help but root for him to find a way into the light after so many years of darkness. Loved him!!!!
I also ADORED Robert's family relationships. His family could be ruined if Robert's story gets out. England could find him to be a traitor, and everyone would suffer for it. They could choose to distance themselves, but they instead circle the wagons and stand together. His brothers were absolutely wonderful. This story does the best job of pulling together all the previous characters of a series that I have ever seen in a series. Usually in series such as this, old characters will show up here or there just so we as readers can have a quick reunion with beloved characters, but those characters do not take central roles in the current story. However, in this story Dare and Georgiana from book one and Saint and Evie from book two are strong supporting characters. They are involved in almost all pivotal scenes in some way. It was a wonderful way of weaving all three stories together without seeming like a gimmick. The strength of the family and friend relationships of this story were an important highlight of the book.
The romance of this story was a sweet one. I'll admit that Lucinda was seriously ridiculous as she tried to work through her feelings about Geoffrey and Robert. Her head had already decided that Geoffrey was the perfect one for her, but all of her actions said otherwise. It was clear from almost the beginning that she was falling in love with Robert, but she was so incredibly obtuse that she couldn't see it for herself. Still, I really enjoyed her relationship with Robert, especially her ability to understand him and his struggles. She didn't treat him as an object of pity. She treated him as a wounded man who just needed someone to see him as whole. Their relationship really was touching and rewarding to read.
I'm happy to read a historical with a hero who is genuinely good and finds his way back to humanity through the love and devotion of another genuinely good heroine. I couldn't put this one down. Five stars!
taramisu's review
4.0
First reading years ago: 5 stars
Second reading: 3.5
Not quite sure what happened between then and now. This time I didn't quite love the hero. Also, the whole premise about teaching love lessons was just too contrived. But, in the end, I'm a sucker for a tortured Hero, thus the 3.5 stars.
-----------------------------------------------------
2006:
The premise: Third and final in the Lessons in Love series. Lucinda Barrett has chosen her "student", to which she will teach her list of "lessons": Lord Geoffrey Newcombe. However, she has caught the eye of a completely different man, Robert Carroway. Robert has been in seclusion for 3 years following his return from the war. The beautiful Lucinda proves to be the only person who has been able to draw out the mentally and physically wounded soldier.
Miscellaneous notes: The end of the book became a bit tedious for me, but then again, I'm not into politics and subterfuge. On the other hand, I fell in love with Robert immediately. He and Auburn Tamberlake from Ever Yours were very similar.
Second reading: 3.5
Not quite sure what happened between then and now. This time I didn't quite love the hero. Also, the whole premise about teaching love lessons was just too contrived. But, in the end, I'm a sucker for a tortured Hero, thus the 3.5 stars.
-----------------------------------------------------
2006:
The premise: Third and final in the Lessons in Love series. Lucinda Barrett has chosen her "student", to which she will teach her list of "lessons": Lord Geoffrey Newcombe. However, she has caught the eye of a completely different man, Robert Carroway. Robert has been in seclusion for 3 years following his return from the war. The beautiful Lucinda proves to be the only person who has been able to draw out the mentally and physically wounded soldier.
Miscellaneous notes: The end of the book became a bit tedious for me, but then again, I'm not into politics and subterfuge. On the other hand, I fell in love with Robert immediately. He and Auburn Tamberlake from Ever Yours were very similar.
pantsreadsbooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
First & foremost, yes this one holds up. Enoch is an author I read fairly religiously when I was in my Romance Novel Heyday in my early 20s, but not one I kept up with after, and while this book made me want to reread the other two in this trilogy— mostly for Georgie and Saint who both shine in their side roles here, as do the other Carroways— this one is really the standout. I ADORE Bit. He is a stunningly wonderful hero, his PTSD feels authentic (although I don’t know personally), and I like Lucinda and her struggles to balance this budding relationship with the expectations of her dad. Geoffrey is a somewhat predictable villain, but the mystery element is solid.
elemomi's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0