

Kiss Me, Annabel
Author: Eloisa James
Series: Essex Sisters #2
Narrator: Susan Duerden
Unabridged: 11 hr 43 min
Format: Digital Audiobook Download
Publisher: HarperAudio
Published: 07/02/2013
Categories: Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction
Author: Eloisa James
Series: Essex Sisters #2
Narrator: Susan Duerden
Unabridged: 11 hr 43 min
Format: Digital Audiobook Download
Publisher: HarperAudio
Published: 07/02/2013
Categories: Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction
To say, it runs in the family, is an understatement when referring to the writing career of author, Mary Bly. Her credentials are impeccable with degrees from various prestigious schools, such as Harvard, Oxford, and Yale. She is a tenured professor on William Shakespeare, and has published with the Oxford University Press.
While attending the University of Virginia on a humanities fellowship, Bly began writing romance novels. Granted, the novels are not modern day romance, but set in England's Regency Period, where her incomparable knowledge of William Shakespeare serves as an added bonus in her works. She began this genre of writing to expedite paying off her student loans. Her first attempt was very well received.......The Pleasure Trilogy......and sold many copies in hardback, and her advance payment from the book paid off that student loan debt. After that, she decided to publish under the pseudonym of Eloisa James and to only publish in paperback format. It was more of a mass-market plan. Both worked in her favor.
Most of Bly's novels are not typical in character for the romance genre. Most have a very beautiful female character and a romantic interest in a handsome male character. Bly deviates from the norm by featuring a plump female character, or a hero who annulled a marriage because of impotence. Women friends or sisters play important roles in a Bly novel, because she places importance on those relationships in her own life. Most of her novels are in trilogy form or groups of four. That format gives her more story line time to develop interesting characters.
It was several years before Bly uncovered her secret second career to her intellectually snooty colleagues. She even disguised her appearance when she addressed each group, readers of her novels, and colleagues. When she realized how popular her novels were with her readers, she revealed her secret by giving each faculty colleague a copy of her latest novel. It was well received by all. And for the fact that the talent runs in the family, Mary Bly's (Eloisa James) Father, Mother, and Uncle were writers. Her romance novels are very popular all around the world.
I enjoyed Annabel and Ewan's book more than the first book. I liked that Annabel had flaws but was very likable and relatable. Ewan was sexy and Scottish. I thought it was sweet how they fell in love and I really enjoyed Ewan's family. I loved that they had this cute kissing game and that they were......more
Annabel wants to marry a rich, titled Englishman. Instead, she gets accidentally ruined by a poor Scotsman. But, he looks like this: So, I'm thinking: Best Accident Ever. But, of course there has to be angst. And, troubles. And, a really really stupid reason that she isn't sure about marrying him. Cuz,......more
I enjoyed this installment, though not as much as the first one. I loved both Annabel and Ewan up to the point where the author sacrificed their totally credible, refreshingly honest and down-to-earth characters to some idiotic plot device & made them act like romantic idiots as well. A great pity.......more
El año pasado leí el primer libro de la serie de las Hermanas Essex, huérfanas de un vizconde escocés amante de la cría de caballos de carrera (con muy poco éxito por cierto) y que ahora están bajo la tutela de un duque, amigo lejano de su padre. Me gustó tanto que inmediatamente supe que sería una......more
3.5 stars. A cute romance. Annabel grew up in poverty, and fully intends to marry a rich man so she never has to scrabble for money again. (view spoiler)[She is accidentally compromised by a Scot, the Earl of Ardmore, who is reputed to be poor and looking for an heiress wife (although she is no heiress). They are (hide spoiler)]......more