Elizabeth Hoyt

Their lives were perfect . . . until they met each other. Lady Hero Batten is perfect, well-mannered and beautiful with an impeccable pedigree. After years of waiting for a gentleman to sweep her off her feet, she has decided to do her duty and settle for a proper society marriage to Thomas Remmington, the Marquess of Mandeville. True, the marquis is a trifle dull and lacks a sense of humour, but he is handsome and rich. Griffin Remmington, Lord Greyson, the Marquess' younger brother, is not at all perfect. In fact, some have called him the most notorious rake in London. When Griffin meets Hero he thinks that she is much too intelligent for society, let alone his brother. Their duel of words soon sparks a fire in them both, despite the fact that Hero's marriage to Thomas is drawing ever nearer. . .

Number 2 in series

Notorious Pleasures

Sarina Sherman

4 stars ⭐️ I enjoyed the second installment in this series. Griffin and Hero were lovely and had a cute story. It felt a little insta-love at first, which is not my favorite. But it definitely improved much by the middle. I only felt that this book was more of a setup for Silence and Mickey’s story, which I am so excited to start!

Their lives were perfect . . . Lady Hero Batten, the beautiful sister of the Duke of Wakefield, has everything a woman could want, including the perfect fiancé. True, the Marquis of Mandeville is a trifle dull and has no sense of humor, but that doesn't bother Hero. Until she meets his notorious brother . . . Until they met each other. Griffin Remmington, Lord Reading, is far from perfect - and he likes it that way. How he spends his days is a mystery, but all of London knows he engages in the worst sorts of drunken revelry at night. Hero takes an instant dislike to him, and Griffin thinks that Hero, with her charities and faultless manners, is much too impeccable for society, let alone his brother. Yet their near-constant battle of wits soon sparks desire - desire that causes their carefully constructed worlds to come tumbling down. As Hero's wedding nears, and Griffin's enemies lay plans to end their dreams forever, can two imperfect people find perfect true love?

b.andherbooks

Lady Hero Batten meets Griffin Remmington, Lord Reading's bare rump first, and only realizes he's soon to become her BROTHER-IN-LAW after she's already interrupted his tryst with a married woman AND thrown her diamond earring at said butt.

What follows is an angsty, hormone filled tale that was a wild ride from start to finish. Lady Hero struggles against being perceived as "Lady Perfect" and fighting her desire to do what is right and expected and her passion for Griffin.

There are many recurring characters from the 1st book, and we do get chapters in their POVs. I'm very excited to read Silence's romance with this dastardly "Darling Mickey."

Overall though, Griffin does many things I can't quite forgive. He quite likes shoving his penis into Hero in a fit of anger, which felt slightly icky, AND he ends up blowing up his illegal gin still to murder the other gang's men for revenge...and Hero's just like sure that's fine. WOW.

That said, the sex scene in the library where the lovers use the a door trying to open to power their thrusts is one I won't soon forget. That and the diamond earing butt toss!

Not my fav of the two but excited to keep reading!

window

Rated this a "liked it" but with reservations. I didn't care for how the H and h met - set the tone to dislike Griffin quite a bit. Aside from that, given that Hero (and what kind of a name is that?) was engaged to Griffin's brother when they started their relationship, I can't quite view it as a grand romance. Yes, her engagement was something of a business transaction but nonetheless. On top of this, her fianc√© is still salty about Griffin (view spoiler)[allegedly seducing his first wife, who died giving birth to perhaps Griffin's child. On her deathbed, she tells her husband she and Griffin have been having an affair. That to me is pretty strong evidence in favor of it happening - hard to imagine a wife so bitter than while she's bleeding to death, she contrives a tale meant to poison the relationship between brothers. Griffin denies all of this and the reader as well as Hero takes his word for it. (hide spoiler)] Given that bit of baggage between brothers, it's particularly loathsome that Griffin would seek out a relationship with his brother's fiancee. 

I didn't get why so much page count was spent on Silence at the foundling house, unless it's to set up another installment in the series. In this book, it felt like a distraction. Same with the Ghost of St Giles. 

As for the HEA, no way in any real life situation that things would end up the way they did for either of the brothers.

Petaco

Lorena

Lover of Romance 

Their lives were perfect . . . Lady Hero Batten, the beautiful sister of the Duke of Wakefield, has everything a woman could want, including the perfect fiance. True, the Marquis of Mandeville is a trifle dull and has no sense of humor, but that doesn't bother Hero. Until she meets his notorious brother . . . Until they met each other. Griffin Remmington, Lord Reading, is far from perfect - and he likes it that way. How he spends his days is a mystery, but all of London knows he engages in the worst sorts of drunken revelry at night. Hero takes an instant dislike to him, and Griffin thinks that Hero, with her charities and faultless manners, is much too impeccable for society, let alone his brother. Yet their near-constant battle of wits soon sparks desire - desire that causes their carefully constructed worlds to come tumbling down. As Hero's wedding nears, and Griffin's enemies lay plans to end their dreams forever, can two imperfect people find perfect true love?

Notorious Pleasures Number 2 in series

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