A Notorious Countess Confesses: Pennyroyal Green Series (Pennyroyal Green, #7)

by Julie Anne Long

Long has created a fabulous series set against the feud of the wealthy Eversea and Redmond families of Pennyroyal Green, Sussex. There will be plenty of romance, scandal, and interconnecting characters to enthrall any fan of Regency-set novels!

• ISBN10: 0062118021
• ISBN13: 9780062118028
• Publish Date: 30 October 2012
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Avon Books
• Format: Paperback (A-Format (178x111 mm))
• Pages: 384
• Language: English
• URL: http://harpercollins.com.au/9780062118028

Reviews

[Amanda]

I've been reading the Pennyroyal Green series all out of order (book 8, 9, 7), but they've been fun enough that I keep coming back to them. This is the first review I've written, mostly because I go in and out of my desire to write reviews, but also because this is the first book, at least of this series, where I felt like I shouldn't like it... but did.

Allow me to explain.

Adam is the vicar, and religion -- or more accurately, Bible verses and themes -- plays a large role in the story. It could be easy to roll over into preachy territory. (Seriously. Adam literally preaches.) Especially with Evie being a former courtesan.

And yet, Julie Anne Long somehow makes it feel like a natural part of the story and characters. Embracing religion isn't necessarily a theme of the book, but it is an integral part of who Adam is, and I think that's why it works so well.

Even when the book quotes the Bible! Which, in most cases, I don't like. I prefer religion to stay out of my romances. And I think that's why I was surprised by how much I liked A Notorious Countess Confesses. But in a good way.

If you read enough historical romance (or you're just curious about that time period), you know the double standards of men and women. The divide between wife and courtesan. Virgin and whore. A Notorious Countess Confesses tackles that divide in an overtly religious way. (I think I recall Courtney Milan having a book with similar characters, but less religion.)

But it's a divide that needs to be tackled, and I like whenever an author does. Challenging society values creates drama, which is good for books, and Julie Anne Long doesn't hold back in highlighting the hypocrisy that often accompanies Christian tenets such as "love thy neighbor." (Which is likely part of what saved the book from turning preachy.)

I liked the setup between Evie and Adam. How he seemed impervious to her attempts at flirtation. How she was able to understand him and care for him in ways he needed. How... explosive they were. Good tension and unraveling.

But I also liked them as individual characters: Adam's struggle to be a vicar (which is no easy feat) and Evie's struggle to make friends and create a new life for herself. Both their struggles make them sympathetic characters easy to identify with.

Despite the seriousness of the topic, though, I laughed out loud more than once while reading, and it was really the secondary characters who brought the much needed lighthearted moments to this book. It makes me eager to jump into the rest of the books.

[Cocktails and Books]

Evie a girl that started in poverty, that went throw and tried her hardest to help her family have a better life. going to London to work in the theater. Then marrying an Earl who won the right to marry her in a card game.

Adam the Vicar to the small community of Pennyroyal Green. Doing his best to help and lead his community.

Evie at first has a hard to being excepted by the community seen as someone who will destroy all the morals they hold dear to them. Trying to do charitable works to get accepted by the woman of the town. Adam starts to help Evie with her getting involved and making friends.

The romance between Adam and Evie is very slow paced. But was very steamy and interesting when it picked up. The interactions between all the characters seemed a bit touch and go. The plot was interesting, and at the same seemed drawn out.

I give the "A Notorious Countess Confesses" three cocktails