Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
Avon (2002), Mass Market Paperback, 384 pages
Description
Why is Lady Sophia looking for a lover? And, could she seduce the most marriageable man in London? Lady Sophia Sydney would do anything to ensnare the unattainable Sir Ross Cannon. Her goal-to ruin his reputation and cause a scandal that would be the talk of all London. So she insinuates herself into his life by gaining his trust and living in his house. Every morning, her lush presence tempts him beyond all reason... the way she bends over the table to serve him the meals she has prepared... the way her hands oh, so gently-yet sensuously-brush against him. Every night, she promises with her eyes-and her body- that the hours before dawn could be spent in unbridled passion instead of restless sleep-if only he'd let her share his bed. She knows he is falling more in love with her each day. But she never counted on falling in love with him. And she never dreamed he might very respectably ask for her hand in marriage... Are you ready to be seduced by New York Times Bestselling author Lisa Kleypas and her most compelling love story yet?… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Darla
Steamier than the usual historical (though not nearly in the league of Passion--more on the level of Emma Holly's historicals). The heroine gets a job as a magistrate's assistant, planning to destroy him for indirectly causing her brother's death, by, among other things, making him fall in love
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with her and then breaking his heart. Well, we all know plans like that are doomed to fail. A couple of cute twists. Show Less
LibraryThing member skirret
Technically faultless, but disappointing in content. Both plot and characterisation were a little two-dimensional and some of the historical background seemed a little dubious. I'm assuming that Ms Kleypas or her fact-checkers did their homework on the history of the Bow Runners, but the story
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didn't generate enough interest for at least this reader to explore the factual background. Show Less
LibraryThing member Catherine331
Ross Cannon is the head of Bow Street and is looking for a new assistant. Sophia Sydney interviews for the position and even though Ross knows it is a bad idea he hires her anyway. He senses that she has some ulterior motive and wants to find out what it is... and he is of course very attracted to
I am a big fan of Lisa Kleypas and usually read her books in one sitting. Unfortunately this one was just kind of meh for me. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. It was just sort of... average. I found myself easily putting the book down to do other things. There was nothing horribly wrong with it; it was pleasant but rather bland.
Ross was a very nice man. I admired the fact that he held his wife's memory close and preferred to wait for a relationship with substance rather than sleep with just anyone. I respected the fact that he could admit it to himself that he missed the companionship of being married. What lowered his character in my eyes was the slow reveal of his relationship with his wife. The comment about his protector aspect just made me shake my head. I would have preferred that he loved his wife completely and was able to fall in love again anyway.
I went back and forth on my opinion of Sophia. I respected her reasons for revenge and wasn't bothered at all by her past indiscretion. I rather liked the fact that she was a little older and seemed more mature. I was a little bothered by how quickly her revenge was forgotten. I guess I was looking for more character tension as she had to struggle to reconcile her attraction to Ross while still hating him for what happened to her brother. I didn't want a book full of nonstop fighting, but I didn't expect her to just suddenly decide he's a great guy and give up any conflict. I guess I got the wrong impression from the book description.
Although I found Sophia and Ross (and their romance) rather tame, my attention was caught by the additional character reveal toward the end. I found the duality of his character very catching. I wanted to know more about him and be able to see from his point of view.
As I said before, there was nothing wrong with the book. It was just not what I was expecting and not really anything I wanted. I would still most emphatically recommend other works by this author.
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her. Sophia does indeed have another reason for being there. She is out for revenge and she will do anything to achieve it. She is determined to prove that Ross is dirty and expose him. To cap it off she wants to make him fall in love with her so she can spurn him and crush him completely.I am a big fan of Lisa Kleypas and usually read her books in one sitting. Unfortunately this one was just kind of meh for me. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. It was just sort of... average. I found myself easily putting the book down to do other things. There was nothing horribly wrong with it; it was pleasant but rather bland.
Ross was a very nice man. I admired the fact that he held his wife's memory close and preferred to wait for a relationship with substance rather than sleep with just anyone. I respected the fact that he could admit it to himself that he missed the companionship of being married. What lowered his character in my eyes was the slow reveal of his relationship with his wife. The comment about his protector aspect just made me shake my head. I would have preferred that he loved his wife completely and was able to fall in love again anyway.
I went back and forth on my opinion of Sophia. I respected her reasons for revenge and wasn't bothered at all by her past indiscretion. I rather liked the fact that she was a little older and seemed more mature. I was a little bothered by how quickly her revenge was forgotten. I guess I was looking for more character tension as she had to struggle to reconcile her attraction to Ross while still hating him for what happened to her brother. I didn't want a book full of nonstop fighting, but I didn't expect her to just suddenly decide he's a great guy and give up any conflict. I guess I got the wrong impression from the book description.
Although I found Sophia and Ross (and their romance) rather tame, my attention was caught by the additional character reveal toward the end. I found the duality of his character very catching. I wanted to know more about him and be able to see from his point of view.
As I said before, there was nothing wrong with the book. It was just not what I was expecting and not really anything I wanted. I would still most emphatically recommend other works by this author.
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LibraryThing member Kaetrin
Not being very well grounded in Lisa Kleypas, it was suggested to me that I try Lady Sophia's Lover where Nick Gentry (Sophia's brother) was introduced, before listening to this, Nick's book. I suspended my listen of Worth Any Price and started LSL. I only got about 60 minutes into LSL and I gave
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up, at least for the time being. The story, right from the start, sounded super dated - by which I mean Old Skool and I just wasn't feeling it. I decided it wasn't that important to meet Nick early. I don't feel I can even grade LSL as I didn't listen to enough of it. I'm not sure if I'll make my way back to it in future. I'm doubtful, but, you know, never say never and all that. Show Less
LibraryThing member LadyIsis
This is the second story in the Bow Street Runner series. It is about Sir Ross Cannon and Sophia Snyder. This story picks up about 6 months after the last book. It was wonderful that the Sir Ross found someone to show him that there was someone out there that wanted to take care of him and make his
Sophia needs a job and is determined to get Sir Ross Cannon to hire her. She convinces him that she can be his assistant and his housekeeper. She is also there to ruin Ross Cannon. She blames him for the death of her brother. It isn't long though that she realizes that her assumptions about Sir Ross where incorrect. Sophia is intelligent, quick to learn and compassionate to a fault at times. She hasn't had an easy life but she hasn't let that stop her or make her bitter. It isn't long until she has Ross eating and sleeping better and more consistently than he has in a very long time. She wins over the runners and the servants in no time. She also wins over Ross's family, except for his younger brother.
There is a good deal of foreplay and sex in this book. Ross is a heathy, deprived male that finally finds his mate and he is determined to claim Sophia. Ms. Kleypas writes some wonderful love scenes. She also writes some despicable men that you want to take out and beat. Sophia's former lover is one of them. He is a vile man that does what it takes to get what he wants. Ms. Kleypas does and good job of showing how vulnerable a woman's fate was during this time period. She also shows that life in London wasn't all wonder and light. Ms. Kleypas a very good story teller that I never hesitate to read. I can't recommend her highly enough.
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life better. It is a revelation when he realizes that he has buried himself so completely in his work. Ross Cannon is a good man that has found his calling in the judicial system. He is fair and compassionate and understanding. He stands up of women and children. He also takes in strays and tries to provide them a stable environment to excel in.Sophia needs a job and is determined to get Sir Ross Cannon to hire her. She convinces him that she can be his assistant and his housekeeper. She is also there to ruin Ross Cannon. She blames him for the death of her brother. It isn't long though that she realizes that her assumptions about Sir Ross where incorrect. Sophia is intelligent, quick to learn and compassionate to a fault at times. She hasn't had an easy life but she hasn't let that stop her or make her bitter. It isn't long until she has Ross eating and sleeping better and more consistently than he has in a very long time. She wins over the runners and the servants in no time. She also wins over Ross's family, except for his younger brother.
There is a good deal of foreplay and sex in this book. Ross is a heathy, deprived male that finally finds his mate and he is determined to claim Sophia. Ms. Kleypas writes some wonderful love scenes. She also writes some despicable men that you want to take out and beat. Sophia's former lover is one of them. He is a vile man that does what it takes to get what he wants. Ms. Kleypas does and good job of showing how vulnerable a woman's fate was during this time period. She also shows that life in London wasn't all wonder and light. Ms. Kleypas a very good story teller that I never hesitate to read. I can't recommend her highly enough.
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LibraryThing member TheLustyLiterate
3.5 Stars
Sir Ross is a magnificently seasoned alpha with the highest morals and standards. A widow now for five years, he remains heartbroken and lonely. His self-imposed celibacy becomes impossible to maintain when Sophia arrives at #4. She, unbeknownst to him, is a calculating temptress who's
Sir Ross unleashed is insatiable and passionate. He feasts upon her like a starving beast but with finesse and tenderness. He becomes her protector, champion and devout lover.
Sir Ross is a magnificently seasoned alpha with the highest morals and standards. A widow now for five years, he remains heartbroken and lonely. His self-imposed celibacy becomes impossible to maintain when Sophia arrives at #4. She, unbeknownst to him, is a calculating temptress who's
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spirit is broken by the loss of her brother John. Sir Ross is to blame and her mark for revenge via seduction and betrayal. Her own hardness and hatred diminishes as she gets to know him. Her plans get muddled and fuzzy. She begins to fall for him. He's too good to hate and too magnetic to deny.Sir Ross unleashed is insatiable and passionate. He feasts upon her like a starving beast but with finesse and tenderness. He becomes her protector, champion and devout lover.
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LibraryThing member nancynova
rabck from bluesneak; sizzling, explicit regency romance. Sophia believes that Bow street magistrate, Ross, is responsible for her brother's death. So she gets hired as his assistant, determined to find something to bring him down. But she doesn't expect to fall in love with him. Ross's sworn enemy
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is Nick Gentry, the leader of thieves...only he's no really Nick Gentry....he's really Sophia's brother, who's not dead after all. So, now that Ross has Nick in his custody - and he certainly is guilty enough to hang for his crimes, what is Ross to do? He loves Sophia and doesn't want to hurt her. So, how to get out of this tangle? Show Less
LibraryThing member grapeapril75
I just wasn't crazy about this one. The story was alright I just could not connect with the characters for some reason. A good book just not great!
LibraryThing member theshadowknows
This was a bland, uninspired story about two pretty boring, though beautiful, people. The heroine comes to the hero, Sir Ross, head of Bow Street, under the pretense of a desire for revenge against him that is summarily abandoned after she enters Sir Ross's employ as an assistant. I take issue with
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most revenge plots in the first place, and when the form of that revenge entails seducing then breaking the heart of the intended victim, a generally annoying motivation degenerates into utter stupidity. It might have been alright if Sophia had gone about her harebrained notion with some conviction, but she falls in love with Ross so easily and quickly that her supposedly intense hatred of him proves to be very flimsy and unconvincing, just a plot contrivance to get the two together for many rounds of boinking. To make matters worse, the romance that develops between the two is very boring. It basically consists of Sophia being wifely/motherly towards Ross, making sure he eats, has clean clothes, ministering to him when he's sick/injured, which is nice and all. Just not that interesting. As for Ross, it's lust/love at first sight for him, and doesn't progress much beyond that. I don't find their interactions compelling in the least. Sadly, Lady Sophia's Lover, my second Kleypas novel, was a big disappointment for me, particularly after enjoying Mine Till Midnight so much. Oh well, on to the next. Show Less
LibraryThing member mrsdanaalbasha
Sir Ross is so hot!! I believe he is one of my favorite men by Lisa Kleypas! The way he loves Sophia is breathtaking! The sex scenes were very intense and passionate, my favorite was the horse chair scene, though all of them were original and inventive. I felt sorry for Sophia's brother, Nick/John,
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his life was a total nightmare. I'm looking forward to see how he will evolve and change in the 3rd book of the series "Worth Any Price", I think he will make an interesting character and a lover, he might be even like Derek Craven from "Dreaming of You". They kind of share the same background. Show Less
LibraryThing member mrsdanaalbasha
Sir Ross is so hot!! I believe he is one of my favorite men by Lisa Kleypas! The way he loves Sophia is breathtaking! The sex scenes were very intense and passionate, my favorite was the horse chair scene, though all of them were original and inventive. I felt sorry for Sophia's brother, Nick/John,
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his life was a total nightmare. I'm looking forward to see how he will evolve and change in the 3rd book of the series "Worth Any Price", I think he will make an interesting character and a lover, he might be even like Derek Craven from "Dreaming of You". They kind of share the same background. Show Less
LibraryThing member Narshkite
Kleypas remains reliably delightful. It is rare that I don't thoroughly enjoy my time with her characters and Ross and Sophia were extra fun, smart and sexy. Vacation time well spent.
LibraryThing member Kathy89
This is the Bow Street Runner Series. I didn't like this book as well as the Ravenels and the Wallflowers Series. Sophia manages to get a position working at Bow Street as an assistant to the magistrate Ross Cannon. Her plan was to get damning evidence against him to discredit him because she
It's not long before Sophia sees what a good, kind, fair-minded man Ross is and their attraction for one another is obvious.
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believes he is responsible for her brother's death. Orphaned and falling on hard times the siblings were split and Sophia had to go into service and was taken advantage of by a titled man who used her and then told her he was married and left her. Her brother had gotten involved with thieves and a life of crime.It's not long before Sophia sees what a good, kind, fair-minded man Ross is and their attraction for one another is obvious.
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LibraryThing member Lauren2013
Lady Sophia's Lover
4 Stars
Lady Sophia Sydney is out for vengeance against the man she holds responsible for her brother’s death: Sir Ross Cannon - Chief Magistrate and leader of the Bow Runners. Sophia’s plan is to seduce Ross and destroy him both personally and professionally. However, a
The first 2/3 is simply spectacular. Ross is an incredible hero - intelligent, kind hearted, honorable and a born leader. He starts out quite stoic but softens as Sophia gets past all of his defenses and he realizes that she is everything he never knew he always wanted. Sophia is an engaging heroine and her chemistry with Ross is off the charts sensual. Their growing emotional and physical attachment makes for entertaining reading.
Unfortunately, the plot takes a slight turn for the worse toward the end when Sophia undergoes an a disappointing character reversal - keeping secrets, telling lies and being all round weak and insipid. Where did the strong willed, independent and caring heroine of most of the book disappear to?
Despite this shortcoming and the fact that the twist in the tale is rather obvious, Lady Sophia’s Lover is a well-written and enjoyable read. Looking forward to the last book in the trilogy.
4 Stars
Lady Sophia Sydney is out for vengeance against the man she holds responsible for her brother’s death: Sir Ross Cannon - Chief Magistrate and leader of the Bow Runners. Sophia’s plan is to seduce Ross and destroy him both personally and professionally. However, a
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wrench is soon put into these plans when Sophia realizes that Ross is not the man she thought and finds herself falling in love with him. The first 2/3 is simply spectacular. Ross is an incredible hero - intelligent, kind hearted, honorable and a born leader. He starts out quite stoic but softens as Sophia gets past all of his defenses and he realizes that she is everything he never knew he always wanted. Sophia is an engaging heroine and her chemistry with Ross is off the charts sensual. Their growing emotional and physical attachment makes for entertaining reading.
Unfortunately, the plot takes a slight turn for the worse toward the end when Sophia undergoes an a disappointing character reversal - keeping secrets, telling lies and being all round weak and insipid. Where did the strong willed, independent and caring heroine of most of the book disappear to?
Despite this shortcoming and the fact that the twist in the tale is rather obvious, Lady Sophia’s Lover is a well-written and enjoyable read. Looking forward to the last book in the trilogy.
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LibraryThing member mom2lnb
Lady Sophia’s Lover is the second book in Lisa Kleypas’ Bow Street Runners series, and like its predecessor, which I re-read last month, this marks the second time I’ve read it. However, the time I first read it, I wasn’t yet writing reviews, so now I get the pleasure of reviewing it for
Sophia is basically all alone in the world. Although born a lady, her parents died when she and her brother were young and there were no other relatives to take them in. They grew up running the streets of the local village, pretty much being hellions, until a distant relation took Sophia in but treated her more like a servant. Sophia’s brother wouldn’t accompany her, so he continued with his wild ways, heading for London and falling in with some rough characters, which led to him eventually going to prison for pickpocketing, where he died. Sophia was seduced by a silver-tongued devil who took her innocence and left her ruined, causing her relative to throw her out. With nothing left to keep her going except her need for vengeance against the magistrate who gave her brother the harsh sentence that led to his demise, Sophia applies for the job of Ross’s Bow Street secretary with the intention of using her position to try to dig up dirt on the Runners and on Ross, the magistrate she loathes, that would discredit them in the eyes of the public. She also hopes to seduce Ross and get him to fall in love with her, so she can break his heart by walking away and show him how much it hurts. Unfortunately all her plans begin to unravel when she starts to realize that Ross isn’t the man she thought he was. In fact, he keeps surprising her at every turn by doing the exact opposite of what she expects.
Sophia is a strong heroine, who has been through a lot but still holds her head high. She is by rights a lady, but she long ago made peace with her lot in life and is very capable in her job, not only as secretary, but also taking charge of Ross’ private residence, too. I like that she is a reasonable person, who gradually abandons her vendetta as she falls in love with Ross. She also shows the right balance between someone who is no longer virginal, but who isn’t vastly experienced in the bedroom either, while welcoming Ross’ almost overwhelming passion. She’s a woman who can be very kind and forgiving. Her only slight downfall is that I wish she’d been able to trust Ross more, but when I took into account her background and all that had happened to her, I suppose trust wouldn’t be an easy thing for someone in her position. For that reason, I think I appreciated her more the second time around, because I was able to see more of the depth in her character that I perhaps missed the first time, and I liked what I saw.
Though not an aristocrat, Ross is a wealthy man who is good at balancing the two worlds in which he lives, one where he rubs elbows with the aristocracy, and the other where he deals with the criminal element of London and the surrounding areas. He does the work of several men, always pushing himself to be the best he can be. I believe some of his workaholic nature can be attributed to the devastating loss of his first wife, whom he loved dearly, and their baby, both of whom died in childbirth. I think a part of him has been trying to drown out that pain, while also trying to work off some of the unspent energy that is a result of him being the “monk of Bow Street.” Rakes and rogues are a dime a dozen in romance, so I absolutely adored Ross for choosing to be celibate for so long. He simply doesn’t wish to sully the beauty of the love he shared with his first wife by going to a prostitute, not to mention, in his position, he knows how hard it is for many of the “working women,” and doesn’t want to add to that problem. Ross is like a chivalrous knight of old, always looking out for those weaker then he is, and always holding himself to a high standard. He’s highly respected by the men who work for him, and he’s able to exert absolute command over them without being a tyrant. He was also suitably appalled by the idea that he might have given too harsh a sentence to Sophia’s brother when he learns the truth. To his family and the men at Bow Street, he’s very reserved and perhaps even a bit stodgy. No one would ever believe that underneath that outward restraint is an incredibly passionate man who’s an amazing lover. That means that no one really knows just what a wonderful man he is except for the one woman upon whom he showers all that passion and affection, which I think is adorable. Ross is also a very kind, understanding and forgiving man, who never passes judgment on Sophia for her past or for her shortcomings. Ross is a prince among men and has definitely earned a spot on my favorite heroes list.
Lady Sophia’s Lover also has a few supporting characters worth noting. First, Grant (Someone to Watch Over Me) plays an important role, as he learns his job as assistant magistrate and becomes the man to whom Ross considers handing over the reins of Bow Street. He’s also a loyal friend to Ross. Jacob Linley, the dreamboat doctor put in a couple of appearances. He becomes the hero of the novella Against the Odds, which is considered the final story in the Gambler’s of Cravens series. Last but most definitely not least, is the infamous Nick Gentry, who is basically Ross’s sworn enemy. Kind of like Ross, Nick has a foot in two different worlds, although one of his worlds is quite illegal. On the upside, he’s set himself up as a thief-taker, who is revered by many of the lower classes of London for getting dangerous criminals off the streets. However, he has many underworld ties and is caught up in some criminal activities as well. Nick also has some big secrets that we learn during the course of the story. I can’t quite recall what I thought of Nick the first time I read this book. He comes off as a mixture of both charming and arrogant. Once his secrets start to emerge, I felt some sympathy for him and couldn’t help rooting for him, but at the same time, he isn’t particularly repentant about the bad things he’s done, at least not yet. I do recall, though, that he ended up capturing my heart as the hero of the final book of the series, Worth Any Price, which I can’t wait to re-read.
Lady Sophia’s Lover ended up being an incredible re-read and a great wrap-up to my April reading. It’s chock full of the deeply romantic interactions I crave in romance. Sophia is a heroine I could admire for her ability to forgive and abandon her own selfish agenda in favor of true love and also for the way in which she is able to read Ross and offer him the support he needs. Ross is a beautiful hero inside and out, a genuinely honorable man. He’s also a dream lover, who can be very creative with his love-making. The love scenes are fulled with lots and lots of steam, so be forewarned to have a cool drink, a fan, and/or a willing a partner on hand for those.;-) I loved every minute I spent reading this book, and without hesitation, would definitely read it again and again in the future. I can’t recommend it and the entire series highly enough to lovers of steamy historical romance.
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the first time. In this book, we get the story of a heroine who sets out looking for vengeance against the hero for the role she believes he played in her brother’s death and ends up unexpectedly finding the love of her life instead. Once again, I was reminded of all the reasons why I love this series so much. It boasts three, hot, sexy, scrumptious heroes, all of whom are easy to fall in love with, and three, kind and gentle, but strong heroines, all of whom are easy to like and want to be friends with if they were real. I think I ended up liking Lady Sophia’s Lover ever so slightly more than the first book, Someone to Watch Over Me. I may have liked Vivien, the heroine of that book a teensy bit better than Sophia, only because her sweetness, guilelessness and absolute trust in her hero, Grant, was a bit more relatable to me. However, I liked Ross, the hero of this book a teensy bit more than Grant… well… because he’s almost too awesome for words. The overall story of Lady Sophia’s Lover focused a little more strongly on the actual romance, which is always a plus, not to mention the love scenes were absolutely scorchingly sensual and borderline erotic, which was wonderful, too. So in the end, I couldn’t help ranking this one just a little higher than the last book, and I raised my GoodReads rating (which was originally provided long after I’d read it using my faulty memory :-)) from 4.5 to the full 5 stars.Sophia is basically all alone in the world. Although born a lady, her parents died when she and her brother were young and there were no other relatives to take them in. They grew up running the streets of the local village, pretty much being hellions, until a distant relation took Sophia in but treated her more like a servant. Sophia’s brother wouldn’t accompany her, so he continued with his wild ways, heading for London and falling in with some rough characters, which led to him eventually going to prison for pickpocketing, where he died. Sophia was seduced by a silver-tongued devil who took her innocence and left her ruined, causing her relative to throw her out. With nothing left to keep her going except her need for vengeance against the magistrate who gave her brother the harsh sentence that led to his demise, Sophia applies for the job of Ross’s Bow Street secretary with the intention of using her position to try to dig up dirt on the Runners and on Ross, the magistrate she loathes, that would discredit them in the eyes of the public. She also hopes to seduce Ross and get him to fall in love with her, so she can break his heart by walking away and show him how much it hurts. Unfortunately all her plans begin to unravel when she starts to realize that Ross isn’t the man she thought he was. In fact, he keeps surprising her at every turn by doing the exact opposite of what she expects.
Sophia is a strong heroine, who has been through a lot but still holds her head high. She is by rights a lady, but she long ago made peace with her lot in life and is very capable in her job, not only as secretary, but also taking charge of Ross’ private residence, too. I like that she is a reasonable person, who gradually abandons her vendetta as she falls in love with Ross. She also shows the right balance between someone who is no longer virginal, but who isn’t vastly experienced in the bedroom either, while welcoming Ross’ almost overwhelming passion. She’s a woman who can be very kind and forgiving. Her only slight downfall is that I wish she’d been able to trust Ross more, but when I took into account her background and all that had happened to her, I suppose trust wouldn’t be an easy thing for someone in her position. For that reason, I think I appreciated her more the second time around, because I was able to see more of the depth in her character that I perhaps missed the first time, and I liked what I saw.
Though not an aristocrat, Ross is a wealthy man who is good at balancing the two worlds in which he lives, one where he rubs elbows with the aristocracy, and the other where he deals with the criminal element of London and the surrounding areas. He does the work of several men, always pushing himself to be the best he can be. I believe some of his workaholic nature can be attributed to the devastating loss of his first wife, whom he loved dearly, and their baby, both of whom died in childbirth. I think a part of him has been trying to drown out that pain, while also trying to work off some of the unspent energy that is a result of him being the “monk of Bow Street.” Rakes and rogues are a dime a dozen in romance, so I absolutely adored Ross for choosing to be celibate for so long. He simply doesn’t wish to sully the beauty of the love he shared with his first wife by going to a prostitute, not to mention, in his position, he knows how hard it is for many of the “working women,” and doesn’t want to add to that problem. Ross is like a chivalrous knight of old, always looking out for those weaker then he is, and always holding himself to a high standard. He’s highly respected by the men who work for him, and he’s able to exert absolute command over them without being a tyrant. He was also suitably appalled by the idea that he might have given too harsh a sentence to Sophia’s brother when he learns the truth. To his family and the men at Bow Street, he’s very reserved and perhaps even a bit stodgy. No one would ever believe that underneath that outward restraint is an incredibly passionate man who’s an amazing lover. That means that no one really knows just what a wonderful man he is except for the one woman upon whom he showers all that passion and affection, which I think is adorable. Ross is also a very kind, understanding and forgiving man, who never passes judgment on Sophia for her past or for her shortcomings. Ross is a prince among men and has definitely earned a spot on my favorite heroes list.
Lady Sophia’s Lover also has a few supporting characters worth noting. First, Grant (Someone to Watch Over Me) plays an important role, as he learns his job as assistant magistrate and becomes the man to whom Ross considers handing over the reins of Bow Street. He’s also a loyal friend to Ross. Jacob Linley, the dreamboat doctor put in a couple of appearances. He becomes the hero of the novella Against the Odds, which is considered the final story in the Gambler’s of Cravens series. Last but most definitely not least, is the infamous Nick Gentry, who is basically Ross’s sworn enemy. Kind of like Ross, Nick has a foot in two different worlds, although one of his worlds is quite illegal. On the upside, he’s set himself up as a thief-taker, who is revered by many of the lower classes of London for getting dangerous criminals off the streets. However, he has many underworld ties and is caught up in some criminal activities as well. Nick also has some big secrets that we learn during the course of the story. I can’t quite recall what I thought of Nick the first time I read this book. He comes off as a mixture of both charming and arrogant. Once his secrets start to emerge, I felt some sympathy for him and couldn’t help rooting for him, but at the same time, he isn’t particularly repentant about the bad things he’s done, at least not yet. I do recall, though, that he ended up capturing my heart as the hero of the final book of the series, Worth Any Price, which I can’t wait to re-read.
Lady Sophia’s Lover ended up being an incredible re-read and a great wrap-up to my April reading. It’s chock full of the deeply romantic interactions I crave in romance. Sophia is a heroine I could admire for her ability to forgive and abandon her own selfish agenda in favor of true love and also for the way in which she is able to read Ross and offer him the support he needs. Ross is a beautiful hero inside and out, a genuinely honorable man. He’s also a dream lover, who can be very creative with his love-making. The love scenes are fulled with lots and lots of steam, so be forewarned to have a cool drink, a fan, and/or a willing a partner on hand for those.;-) I loved every minute I spent reading this book, and without hesitation, would definitely read it again and again in the future. I can’t recommend it and the entire series highly enough to lovers of steamy historical romance.
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LibraryThing member JorgeousJotts
This sort of plot setup is always a bit of a stretch, but it was handled decently here. There were some slow parts in the second half that didn't seem entirely necessary, but overall I think I liked the book better after both characters started laying their cards on the table and admitting their
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true feelings. There's a pretty good setup for the hero in book 3, without distracting too much from the relationship in this book. And the couple has pretty good chemistry once they get going. Show Less
LibraryThing member jamieschecter
This book is cornerstone of my personal romance canon. While not as well known as Lisa Kleypas' Wallflower or Hathaway series, Lady Sophia's Lover does so many things brilliantly and has excellent commentary on the legal system at the time.
Sir Ross Cannon is a widower who is devoted to his job
Sir Ross Cannon is a widower who is devoted to his job
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overseeing the Bow Street Runners. Sophia Sydney infiltrates his household to seduce and ruin him after he sent her teenage brother to prison. Of course, things don't go as planned. Instead, Ross and Sophia come together, give each other unconditional forgiveness, and have a very satisfying HEA. One of my favorites of all time. Show Less
LibraryThing member thewestwing
At times I found Sophia to be exasperating as she was very self absorbed but the plot and the character of Sir Ross made up for that and I enjoyed the book.
Subjects
Awards
AAR Annual Reader Poll (2003)
AAR Top 100 Romances (62 — Most Recent Rank - 2007)
Language
Original publication date
2002-06
Physical description
384 p.; 6.78 inches
ISBN
0380811065 / 9780380811069
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