Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord (Love By Numbers #2)

TITLE: Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord AUTHOR: Sarah MacLean SERIES: Love by Numbers, Book 2 SETTING: Late Georgian (post-Regency), Yorkshire THEMES/TROPES: secluded country heroine, impoverished estate, crossdressing OVERVIEW: Lady Isabel Townsend has spent her life on her fathers estate in Yorkshire, looking after her brother, secretly taking in women in need, and trying to hold everything together in the face of her fathers gambling and abandonment. When she gets news that her father has died, her building anxieties about finances and safety become more urgent, and while many members of her male-dressed female household think marriage is her best route, Isabel decides to seek an expert to help her sell her large, valuable collection of marbles. Enter Lord Nicholas St. John, antiquities expert and (more notably to the women of Isabels household) number one on the list of Londons Lords to Land. Unbeknownst to most, Nick is also a legendary tracker, having honed his skills throughout Europe and Asia, and he has taken up the mantle once againas much to escape the ladies of London as to help his friend whose sister has run away. When Nick takes a break from his search to value Isabels marbles, its clear that something more is happening in the household, and hes determined to unravel the mysteries surrounding the beautiful young woman and her home. PROS: Im a sucker for secondary romances, so my very favorite thing about his book was the romance between Isabels cousin, Lara, and Nicks friend, Rock. They had the more straightforward kind of romance that usually falls in the background, but Lara is so sweet and Rock is so funny, and there is a touch of conflict because Rock is Turkish. As for the main story, MacLean excels at both fresh plot concepts and strong heroines. Isabels mission to help women with nowhere else to go and her willingness to take on a wide variety of responsibilities in order to care for her household form a character who is confident and competent and a little fragile after so many years of being the person who holds it together for everyone else. The other women in Isabels household and her little brother are also delightful, and the love and camaraderie among them makes a heartwarming backdrop for Isabels troubles. The secret of the all-female household made a good plot concept, giving Isabel a reason for both her strength and fears, motivating Nick to delve further into the secrets of the household, and keeping a barrier of secrecy between the two as the romance develops. CONS: While both Isabel and Nicks characters are well-rounded, I didnt feel a lot of chemistry in the romance, which I attribute largely to inconsistencies in the portrayals of their characters. Nick is supposed to be pretty easygoing, as displayed in earlier parts of this book and in the previous book in the series, but he acts very imperious with Isabel through a lot of the book, which made it feel like his twin brother, the hero of the previous book, was copied and pasted into this story. I get the idea of people acting differently when theyre confused or scared or in love, but a laid-back guy turning so autocratic just didnt feel true. I had a similar issue with Isabel, to a lesser extent. Shes so markedly stubborn and strong that her moments of diffidence and awkwardness seem off, though its more understandable for her as a woman who has never dealt much with men, never mind attraction and sex. Theres a good bit of improper behavior (even outside of the sexual stuff), like the whole cross-dressing staff and Isabel dressing in breeches and doing manual labor, which works well for the characters and situation, but I wish there could have been some context to make the lack of propriety feel like more of a risk. Because the book is set almost entirely on the isolated country estate, it lacks the thrill of bad behavior that could have consequencestheres nobody around who cares if anybody in misbehaving. RATINGS: Writing: 5/5 MacLeans consistently great writing. Characters: 4/5 Well-rounded, a touch inconsistent. Plot: 5/5 Good concept and execution. Setting: 4/5 Limited historical detail on the unorthodox estate. Romance: 3/5 Lack of chemistry. Sexiness: 4/5 Good but nothing impressive. Humor: 4/5 A sprinkling of funny dialogue. Average: 4.14 Great Plot Concept, Lacking Chemistry OTHER INFO: This is the second in the Love by Number series, the other two books starring Nicks twin brother and younger half-sister. This book introduces the hero of the third book, the Duke of Leighton, who only appeared very briefly in the first book of the series. This book also introduces the Dukes sister, Lady Georgiana, who eventually gets her own story in the fourth and final book of MacLeans Rules of Scoundrels series.

After loving the first book in this series, Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake, I found this follow up to be a bit of a letdown in several ways. Thats not to say I did not enjoy Ten Ways to be Adored When Landing a Lord but I found that it lacked the fun, humour and smoldering passion of Book 1. If you enjoyed the first book, I suggest you do give this one a chance as a lot of the characters make appearances and it is a good stepping stone to the third novel, Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke\’s Heart. Ten Ways to be Adored When Landing a Lord is the second novel of the Love by Numbers series by Sarah MacLean and revolves around Lady Isabel Townsend and Lord Nicholas St. John, brother of Gabriel St. John the rake from Book 1. The novel tells the story from both Nicholas and Isabels POV, sometimes switching from one to the other without clearly delineating the change which can be a little confusing. For those who have read Book 1 you will remember Lord Nicholas St. John, Nick, as the light-hearted flirt to his grumpy twin brother Gabriel. In this book we get a lot more of his background, including an introducing his constant friend and companion Durukhan, who he refers to as Rock. A Turkish man who rescued Nick from a Turkish prison which is also the origin for the story of how he got his scar. I would have liked this introduction to have taken place during Book 1 as I did find it a little disorienting to suddenly have such a close friend. Nicks background is also a lot darker in this novel and whilst I did like the extra depth that added to his character I felt like some of that detail conflicted with his depiction in Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake. I also felt that Ms MacLean dragged out the explanation for his scar and prison time too long. By the time we got the account of why Nicks had his deep dark secret that had caused his pain and behaviour, the whole thing felt overdone and a bit dry. Our heroine is Lady Isabel Townsend. She has spent her entire life in the country at her fathers estate in Yorkshire, never having a season in London nor any real interest in city life. Her father is a notorious gambler and she commonly refers to him as the Wastreal for his dissipated and spendthrift ways. At the start of the novel Isabel is dealing with a man whom her father has promised her hand in marriage in exchange for forgiving his latest gambling debt. I loved this scene and felt that Isabel was plucky and brave. However, for the rest of the novel these qualities got pushed into the background and I never felt that she rose to that level of boldness again. The story starts off with Nick receiving a request to track down the missing sister of the Duke of Leighton as they were apparently boyhood friends and Nick is a renowned tracker. At the same time an article has been published in the ladies publication, Pearls and Pelisses, on the eligible bachelors of London and how to land them. Of which, Nick is one of the preeminent bachelors mentioned and all the single, and some not so single, ladies of London are after him. The chance to escape London is jumped upon and leads Nick and Rock to Yorkshire and the neighbourhood of Isabel. What follows after Nick and Isabels initial meeting is a rather rapid insta-love story with lots of boring filling, how long can you read about roofing and marble statues without tuning out? In general, I have a problem with insta-love stories as I find that they just dont read true. You add that to an era where women were restricted and repressed, and with our heroine who has no romantic experience but she is fooling around with Nick within 24 hours, and I felt that Isabel was acting against her nature. I would have preferred a slower burn for the romance, but this felt very situational. Nick was the first gentleman that Isabel had met and boom she was in love. Overall, it wasnt a bad book but it did not live up to Book 1. There were several major plot and character issues that didnt allow me to enjoy the story as much as I wanted. The sexy times scenes also follow (almost exactly) the pattern of Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake and I would have liked to see something a little more original. 3.5/5 Stars! If you have read and enjoyed Book 1 in the Love by Numbers series I recommend that you also read this novel, but I do not suggest that you read this as a standalone novel.

I absolutely loved Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake, the first book in this series, and had high expectations of Ten Ways to be Adored When Landing a Lord. I have to say that, although it was good, it did not quite live up to my expectations. But, to be fair, Nine Rules was always going to be a tough act to follow. What can I say about Nicholas? He is just gorgeous! He is not only devastatingly handsome, intelligent, charming and super sexy but also a genuinely good man. Given how his mothers desertion had destroyed his father and his own betrayal at the hands of a woman, I could fully understand his attitude towards love to be avoided at all costs. He has his own rules when it comes to amorous affairs No mistresses. No regular assignations. And, most definitely, no wife. But we all know that rules are meant to be broken, as Nicholas (Nick) discovers when he meets Lady Isabel Townsend. He cannot resist a lady in distress, even if she is the most intriguing, infuriating and secretive woman he has ever known. He is also drawn to her combination of strength and vulnerability. I love how honest and forthright Nick is with Isabel and how he does everything he can to protect not only Isabel but also her ten-year-old brother, James, now Earl of Reddich, and the women of Minerva House. I am not perfect. I cannot promise you that I will not do things that will hurt you. He paused, his scar a pale line against his darkened skin. But I will do everything in my power to protect you and James and these girls. I also adore how Nick takes James under his wing and becomes like a surrogate father to him. The scenes between them are quite charming such as this one. Nick turned. Would you like me to teach you? The boys eyes lit up. Would you mind very much? Not at all. Nick removed the strip of linen from his person and placed it around Jamess neck. Turning the boy to the looking glass, he walked James through the movements until the cravat was a fair approximation of the knot Nick had created earlier. Isabels life has not been easy. Her late father had always neglected his wife and children, leaving them in the country, while he went off to London to enjoy a profligate and scandalous life. I admire Isabels courage in rising to the difficult challenge of running the estate and her resolve to provide a safe haven for the women at Minerva House and give them a fresh start in life. She is also determined to ensure that her brother, James, receives an upbringing and education befitting his position as earl. Those around her believe that she can face any challenge but are unaware that she is just as afraid and uncertain as they are. but hides it behind an air of confidence. Seeing this vulnerability in Isabel made her more relatable. Poor Nick! I felt so sorry for him because it is obvious how deeply he loves Isabel but she continually pushes him away. How many times had he worked to regain her trust, to prove his worth? And how many times had Isabel rejected him? I can understand Isabels initial reluctance to trust Nick. After all, her fathers irresponsible actions would hardly have convinced her that men were trustworthy, and the plight of those women who sought refuge in Minerva House would only have reinforced that opinion. But her constant refusal to trust Nick, even after he proves himself over and over again, was just so irritating. I wanted to grab her and shake her for not having faith in him. Luckily, she finally comes to her senses and it is refreshing to see the heroine forced to do some grovelling, rather than the hero. The romance between these two is quite steamy and Ms. MacLean certainly knows how write the most sensual scenes. One that particularly comes to mind is the scene between Nick and Isabel in the statuary. A cold shower is definitely recommended after reading it!! There is a sweet secondary romance between Lara, Isabels cousin, and Durukhan (Rock), Nicks companion and friend, which plays out in the background and forms a nice contrast to the more passionate one between Nick and Isabel. I enjoyed the scenes involving the ladies of Minerva House, particularly the one at the beginning of the book when, in male disguise, they are helping Isabel to get rid of yet another man to whom her father has promised her hand in marriage, in payment for his latest gambling debt. I grinned all the way through it. He turned on Isabel. Whats this, then? The stable master slapped her coiled horsewhip against one thigh, the thwack of the leather causing Asperton to flinch. We do not like you raising your voice to a lady, sir. Isabel watched as the angled notch at his thin throat quivered. II am I enjoyed catching up with Gabriel and Callie (Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake) and Im looking forward to the arrogant, rude and overbearing Duke of Leighton meeting his match in the final book of the series, Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Dukes Heart. MY VERDICT: A most enjoyable story with interesting characters, a passionate and sensual romance and delightful touches of humour.

This is the second book in Maclean\’s Love by Numbers trilogy, following Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake (Love by Numbers) . It follows Nick, Gabriels twin brothers, who runs to yorkshire in a bid to hide from the marriage focused debutants and their mothers, and finds instead Lady Isabel Townsend, sister of an Earl, daughter of the infamous Wastreal, and a Lady with many secrets! Invited to come and appraise her marbles (not a euphinism), Nick and his friend Rock feel that something strange is happening in Minerva House, and they are going to find out what it is. However the more Nick stays there, the stronger his conflicting intrests are as he becomes more and more drawn to Isabel. I did enjoy this book alot, the plot was intresting, there were background storys, the relationship between Nick and Isabel, was warm and sweet and passionate, but yet I felt there was such possibility for me to enjoy it alot more than I did. I felt as if Maclean tried to do too much at once and so didnt put enough focus on the main story of the romance and gradual love between Isobel and Nick. However saying that, I did enjoy this book, and I do believe it deserves 4 stars, or at least 3.5, and i think one of the reasons it fell short was because Nine rules to break when romancing a Rake, was so good, this book had very high expectations to live up to. I am looking forward to reading the third book, Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke\’s Heart (Love by Numbers) , which tells the story of Nick and Gabriels younger half sister.

Lord Nicholas St John is determined to get away from London and the simpering misses determined to catch him since he was named London\’s Lord to Land. So when he\’s hired to find a missing heiress in Yorkshire he jumps at the chance. What he doesn\’t expect is to find Lady Isabel Townsend – daughter of a nefarious wastrel and the most enticing and infuriating woman he\’s ever laid eyes on. Isabel has serious money worries and serious secrets that she\’s determined to keep. What she doesn\’t expect is that Nick could be the solution to all her problems and might uncover he secrets one kiss at a time. Like another reviewer said, this book suffers massively when compared to MacLean\’s previous novel, Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake , which I agree was a truly wonderful read. Having said that, I did actually quite enjoy this book on its own and although it didn\’t set my world on fire, it\’s still a well-written and fairly enjoyable tale to pass the time. This book features Nick, the twin brother to the hero of Nine Rules… although the books do stand alone quite nicely and you don\’t have to have read the first one to read this one. Personally, I would have liked to see more of Gabriel and Callie from the first book but that\’s just me. Both Nick and Isabel were likeable and sympathetic characters although I didn\’t feel any deep or memorable emotions either for them or from them. Regardless, I liked their interactions and thought they went well together as a couple. I think the main problem with the story was that there was too much going on. With Minerva House, the love story, the secondary love story, the Duke, the boy Earl – there wasn\’t enough time dedicated wholly to Nick and Isabel to make me truly believe. After all I\’ve written I\’m beginning to wonder whether I\’ve been too generous with my 4 star rating. But when I look at the book as a whole I enjoyed reading it, it was well written and it captured my attention so I\’ve decided to stick with the 4 stars. It\’s not the best but it\’s worth a look if you have it on your shelf or you enjoyed MacLean\’s first book. I also look forward to reading MacLean\’s next book Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke\’s Heart which I\’m hoping will be Leighton\’s story to continue the series.

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