I received an ARC of Seduce Me With Sapphires by Jane Feather from Netgalley. Fenella Grantley and Edward Teemayne, a playwright and an illegitimate son of an Earl are destined to be a part of each other's lives. Edward has almost always seen Fenella as the heroine of his drama but she can't imagine how she would play the character being an amateur. Their worlds collide and sparks fly.

I have read almost everything that this amazing author has read and loved them all. The premise of this story had the heroine, Fenella, venturing out on her own to secretly take acting lessons and that brings her in contact with the playwright, Edward Tremayne. She soon realizes she remembers seeing him several times at dances and he was the one standing against the wall glaring. Edward had never forgotten Fenella either.
The journey begins of two strong willed people who clash constantly but are attracted in spite of it or maybe because of it. Edward wanted her to be the main roll in his play. but they definately set out on the wrong foot. But he is determined to have her in more ways than one..
Well drawn characters, strong emotions, a mystery, sizzling romance and a lot of twist and turns with humor thrown in, bring this tale full circle and have you guessing if these two will ever work it out!
Simply a must read!

3.5 Stars
Seduce Me with Sapphires by Jane Feather is book Two in The London Jewels Trilogy. This is the story of Edward Tremayne and Fenella Grantley. I have read the previous book but feel this can be a standalone book if you wish to do so. Edward is the illegitimate son of the Earl of Pendleton which has left he beneath the towns eye. SO Edward had to make it on his own which also included writing plays. Fenella wants to be a actress but of course her upbringing doesn't allow for that, but she still works to do so. Edward and Fennella have sparks between them and he does want her to be an actress for one of his play. But of course things are very complicated.

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. Seduce Me With Sapphires is the second book in Jane Feather’s London Jewels Trilogy. It can be read as a stand-alone. It’s been a while since I’ve read a book by Jane Feather and this one is an old school romance with a hero who’s just a little bit dark. Edward Tremayne is the natural son of an Earl who was raised within the Earl’s family but then disowned when he wasn’t interested in spending the rest of his life in servitude to the Earldom. Fenella Grantly wants something different than marriage to a peer and running his household. She is interested in woman’s suffrage and is secretly studying acting. When Edward brings a play he has written to her acting teacher, he asks her to read the lead role, and although she finds him overbearing, with a chip on his shoulder, there is a spark there, and she agrees to play the part. Edwards's pride and her desire for independence lead to conflicts between them and their road to HEA is not a smooth one. Medium Steam. Publishing Date January 28, 2020. #NetGalley #SeduceMeWithSapphires #JaneFeather #OldSchoolRomanceNovel #HistoricalRomance #bookstagram #bookstagramer #KensingtonBooks #ZebraRomanceNovels

Quite an unconventional heroine is Fenella, as a lady of society her views on suffrage and acting class is unheard of, but Fenella is an independent thinker and runs about town. Meeting Edward, the playwright of the play her life opens to a different way of life. Edward is a moody, social outcast, at least his family turned their backs on their bastard sibling, but he likes the simpler things in life and with the help of the money from his mother he's able to live as he likes, independent of his family. This book is very entertaining, full of humor, great characters and lots of heat!

Seduce Me with Sapphires is the first 'modern' historical romance I've read by Jane Feather. All of the others were written in the 90's so I was excited to see how Feather's writing developed over the years. In terms of writing style, I enjoyed it and felt quite nostalgic for her other beloved series.

However, I was a little confused as to the time period of this story. I had to do further research to discover this book is set in the early 1900's and I'm not overly familiar with society's rules for this era. There were many moments in the story that had me wondering if the characters could really act like that in public; for example, at the beginning of the book, Fenella storms out of a play reading and when chased by Edward, she immediately tells him he can buy her a hot chocolate at the nearby cafe. As previously mentioned, I'm not too familiar with the early 1900's but since I've read a lot of regency, this behaviour and freedom seemed strange to me. I'd definitely like to read the previous book in this series to compare behaviours and social etiquette.

The characters themselves were constantly butting heads but I loved how Feather used this behaviour to work through their own individual issues and become better together as a pair. And boy, did they have a lot of personal issues! Fenella was at times hypocritical and didn't like it when Edward would point this out. She was also ashamed to be seen with him for quite some time and came across as a little spoilt. Edward, on the other hand, was quite scornful towards society due to his upbringing but it didn't stop him from working hard in his job while writing plays in his free time and I admired his determination.

Overall this story did have a few issues but Feather's ability to weave a story is wonderful. I really enjoyed this one and I look forward to reading more from Feather in the future. 3.5 stars!

Fenella Grantley is a feisty uptown girl who has grown bored of the monotony of a socialite’s lifestyle. Enter Edward Tremayne, a man with the roughest edges of any hero I’ve ever read. Edward is broody and a bit rude and completely different from any man Fenella has ever met. The attraction between these two characters is instant; they quickly begin a passionate relationship full of romance, food, and bantering.
•
•
I loved Fenella’s strength and attitude. However, Edward often comes off as overbearing and controlling. He seems to have no regard for Fenella’s feelings, indeed he doesn’t even seem to see her as an actual person! I struggled to like him and to want to see him with the plucky heroine.
•
•
The story structure, overall, is satisfying with a few inconvenient problems. Fenella’s friends are excellent side characters, also possessing her verve for life. However, Fenella’s parents, her “respectable” suitor (George), and the many servants who flit in and out of the story are all underdeveloped caricatures with no interesting purpose. Also, while the plot moves at a pleasing pace, the character perspective often jumps from one to another which jars the reader from the action of the story. Finally, as I said before, the hero is really a bit worse than a lovable rogue and is often downright cruel to the lovely heroine. Because of all these, I felt compelled to continue reading the story but never fell in love with the people or felt invested in their situation.

Fenella Grantley is the daughter of an earl. She has two best friends that she confides in about everything. She has been taking a drama class and eventually hopes that she can be an actress. During a class, she is introduced to Edward Tremayne who is the illegitimate son of the Earl of Pendleton. He hates society but his dad gave him an excellent education. He is also a playwright of a new play he is trying to get off the ground. He is rude and arrogant and doesn't listen to Fenella. They seem to be arguing all the time. This was a slow read for me. I also found Fenella's behavior a little out of sink. She did a lot of walking by herself and thought nothing of it. She also went all over town again alone. I love the writing of Jane Feather and enjoy her books so much but this is just a little slow.
I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from netgalley.

It took me like a full week to read this book, when i usually finish one in a day.I finally had to sit down and power through so I could finish it and move on to something else.
I thought right from the beginning that it kind of seemed unbelievable. Fenella is from the upper classes, but feeling.. i guess depressed/ melancholy. So she has started taking acting lessons. One day when she arrives to class its to be told that they will be putting on a play written by Edward Tremayne. Edward decides that Fenella should read the part of Rose who is the main character..
Almost immediately they start to argue, Fenella storms off and Edward chases after. They go back to his house and talk about the play then kiss.. She goes back the next day and they have sex.
It was like there wasn't any real emotional connection between the characters. They met, had lots of sex, ate a lot of food. argued A LOT.... Also it did feel very modern, that might have been written that way because its taking place when women are trying to get the right to vote.. But it felt kind of unrealistic.. Fenella just wandered around with no problems, her parents had almost no issues with Fenella going out with a man late at night. and not coming home till even later..
It wasn't a bad book, I just didn't connect to it.. I haven't read the first book in this series, but I have read some of Jane Feathers older books that I really enjoyed.

3.5 Stars
Fenella Grantley has a secret: she’s been taking drama classes and longs to be an actress. Ladies of her standing don’t appear on stage, but Fenella has never been one for society’s rules. She’s quite excited to take on the challenge of reading the leading role in a new play until she meets the playwright. Toeing the line between infuriating and irresistible, his first impression leaves a lot to be desired. Edward Tremayne, illegitimate son of the Earl of Pendleton, scorned the ton years ago, making his own way in the world, and pursuing his literary gifts on the side. The only thing he misses from his old world is Fenella. Since seeing her at a ball when she was a young debutante, he’s never forgotten her. Now that fate has reunited them, Edward’s determined to make her his leading lady—in every way.
On the whole an entertaining, steamy read but I didn’t really connect with Edward & Fenella & whilst I could believe they were in lust I found it hard to comprehend that they were in love. The pace was OK, I kept expecting things to gather pace but it just kept plodding along & I found myself skimming through some pages. Loose ends were on the whole tied up at the end. Whilst I didn’t love the book I didn't dislike it
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

This is my honest review, in my own words for this ARC. The story premise was somewhat interesting but in my opinion it just didn't show itself to what I thought could have been it's best advantage. A bit bland for my taste.

The Honorable Miss Fenella Grantley, only child of Baron Grantley, has a secret, one she has shared with no one, not even her dearest friends Petra & Diana. Fenella secretly longs to tread the boards and has been taking acting lessons, but she knows it is not a realistic aspiration for a woman of her social standing, but nonetheless, she is taking lessons and enjoying herself. She is actually at a class and is given a new part to read. She begins and is berated by Edward Tremayne – the illegitimate son of the Earl of Pendleton and apparently the author of the play she is reading for. Fenella knows Edward by sight, but was never formally introduced. She gets upset with his critique and gives him a piece of her mind before leaving.

Edward can’t believe Fenella didn’t immediately understand the character – in his mind she is the lead character – Rose. Edward has always lived on the fringes and has always admired Fenella, when he began writing his play, titled Sapphire, he always pictured Rose looking like Fenella. He rushes after her and to patch the riff between them. He is lucky that Fenella is a reasonable person and gives him a chance to explain himself. She listens to him and agrees to meet the next day – she is not sure how she feels about him, but doesn’t deny the attraction she feels. When she arrives home, her friends Petra & Diana are waiting for her and she tells them of her acting classes and meeting Edward. She also mentions the problem of a suitor Lord George, the son of a duke, who has lately began to act as if they are engaged, she blames herself for not making her feelings clear and is at a loss as how to set him straight without hurting him or ruining herself.

The next day Rose goes to see Edward at his lodgings, he tries to explain his vison for the play and Rose in particular, things do not go well and they once again quarrel, but this time Edward kisses her, a kiss she eagerly returns. He asks her to come back the next day and even though she is confused about how she feels, she agrees. That evening she attends her mother’s dinner party and meets Edward’s half-siblings, they are vile people, but Fenella indulges her curiosity and learns quite a bit about Edward. When she visits him the next day, they again quarrel, make up and he suggests they spend the day together, she agrees and after a good meal and interesting conversation, they return to his rooms and one thing leads to another and she spends the night and leaves even more confused than before - where is this relationship going and more important - where does she want it to go??

This was a very strange book – the first 80% is basically, Fenella and Edward eating, arguing and having sex. Repeatedly, some other things happen, but for the most part – that is the book – I kept waiting for something to happen, but it didn’t. It wasn’t a bad book, but it was somewhat boring, despite being steamy. I felt confused by Fenella, she doesn’t want to ruin herself by breaking with George, but she is going to Edward’s alone and having sex (I assume from her inner dialogue that she was a virgin) but apparently she isn’t concern about being labeled loose/fast??? I also found them both a bit spoiled and used to having things their own way – she was definitely more flexible and reasonable, Edward seemed to have a lot of “What did I say?” moments, which I actually found amusing because they were the typical male “I really don’t understand why you are upset” reaction to her anger. The end of the book did tie up most of the loose ends and cemented their relationship, but I honestly didn’t feel the love. So bottom-line, I didn’t love the book, I didn’t hate it either, and while I would not read it again, I did like it better than the first book in the series. This is the second book in the series, but it can be read as a standalone with no problems.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*

Seduce Me with Sapphires by Jane Feather is different than the usual cut of historical romance novels. This book synopsis had me hooked. Thinking this was going to be an easy 5-star read, I was a bit disappointed. The characters were a bit lacking.

The main hero of the story gave off the vibe of unpleasantness to his peers. Yet inside he was this man who had yet to find and prove himself worthy. With the heroine, he wanted to prove himself to her as well. The pacing included with the hero's unusual demeanor, made this a lot slower of read than most books in comparison. It was a tad difficult to be really interested in reading it. However, the other characters in the story were done well.

There was also a bit of intrigue that lured me into finding out what exactly happened between the two main characters of the story. Their romance was a hot and cold session throughout the book until the ending. Overall, it was an okay read; the historical period felt realistic; the main characters just didn't quite hook me on their story.

Seduce Me with Sapphires is the second book in the London Jewels Trilogy. This book was hard for me to rate. I think the story line was good, the descriptions were great, and it was grammatically correct. The time frame was never given in the book, but it felt too modern to me. The freedom that Fenella was given to wonder around London unchaperoned doesn’t seem realistic.
Miss Fenella Grantley was secretly taking drama classes and she wasn’t concerned what society thought of her appearing on a stage. She was excited when the class was presented the play, Sapphire, to read although at first, she wasn’t sure if she could do the part of Rose.
Edward Tremayne, the illegitimate son of the Earl of Pendleton, had seen Fenella a few years back at a society event and had been intrigued by her since then. He only wants her to play the role of Rose and comes to realize he wants her in his life forever.
Disregarding the modern feel of the book, it had a good storyline, interesting characters, and was a book I enjoyed reading.

This is the second in Jane Feather's London Jewel's trilogy, and it focuses on one of three friends in Victorian England.

Fanella is a headstrong young woman that is way before her time, and doesn't enjoy the rules governing women. She's not only a suffragette, but she also wants to be an actress, and it's through this that she meets Edward. Edward doesn't run in the same circles as Fanella as he was the product of an affair, but their relationship develops nonetheless.

This book is what you would expect of a Jane Feather novel. It's a historical romance that pushes the envelope of the time.

“Seduce Me with Sapphires” by Jane Feather
An excellent, spicy, Victorian Era romance. It will keep you turning the pages that is for sure. I am guessing that you read the description and probably know you like Jane Feather novels… so you don’t really need me to tell you that you will like this story, too. I received an ARC of this story from the publisher via NetGalley with the request that I share my honest opinion. Happy Reading !!

I enjoyed the second installment in Jane Feather's London Jewels Trilogy about three society friends in Victorian England. This is Fanella's story. She is a headstrong young woman who is not going to abide by the "rules" governing women. She is a suffragette, anxious for women to break free of their constraints. And horror or horrors...she wants to be an actress! Such a dishonorable vocation for a woman of high society. Fanella's journey into the world of the theater brought her into the life of Edward Tremayne, a writer, whose mother was an actress who had an affair with an Earl. Needless to say, Edward is not very welcome in Fanella's world. Being a rebel, Fanella is instantly attracted to Edward. Their relationship blossoms nicely, both in the theater and personally. Jane Feather adds some very saucy scenes to add to the intensity of their relationship. All in all I had fun reading this book, and am looking forward to the next in the trilogy. Thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

As a wealthy baron's daughter Miss Fenella Grantley is expected to make a good match and take her place in London high society. But Fenella is no fan of society's stringency and has secretly been attending drama classes and quietly aspiring to be an actress. When she meets the enigmatic playwright of a new play for which she's reading the lead character, he doesn't exactly make a great first impression and she's not at all sure she likes him.

As the illegitimate son of the Earl of Pendleton, Edward Tremayne hasn't had an easy time of it. He scorns society and supports himself as a research assistant, writing his plays in his free time. But he's never forgotten Fenella since he saw her at a ball four years ago and now he's determined she must portray the lead role in his play, that she is the only one who could do it justice. Soon he's determined to make her his full stop, but they can't seem to get along for more than five minutes at a stretch and their irresistible mutual attraction is the only thing they can agree on.

First off, I liked this book much better than its predecessor, however, it was not without issues. It was extremely modern and apart from a few details, could almost be a contemporary romance. I really didn't connect with either of the main characters and found all the freedom Fenella had to be fairly unbelievable. You chance mild spoilers from her on as I get my thoughts out. Around halfway, Fenella was clearly worried she'd be seen in public with Edward by someone she knew and almost ashamed of him, yet she had plans to act on stage. This struck me as hypocritical and I was pretty much done with her then. Fenella gets angry at Edward for being truthful and telling her things she knows but refuses to face and then she expects an apology from him for it. Edward wasn't much better; he took her to a brothel for goodness sake and took a while to talk about real feelings, while just assuming she would know. That said, I can understand his hesitancy given that Fenella was still reluctant to be seen with him socially even after she admitted her feelings for him. Even when Edward makes an effort for her, she's confused by what he's doing and constantly questioning his feelings. He had no experience with being loved and I think he was just doing his best to muddle it out. Fenella's suitor, Lord George, is teased up as problematic because he's a friend and she doesn't want to hurt him, but really he's just a jerk who goes away fairly easily when I'd expected more from him and a golden opportunity for Fenella to express her feelings that was just dropped instead.

Mainly I think my issue here is that nothing really happens. Fenella and Edward have a volatile and fairly dysfunctional relationship based on sex and eat and drink a lot, then Fenella leaves him to eat and drink some more with her friends. I kept expecting more or a showdown discussion of their real feelings and it just felt a bit anticlimactic to me. This was a unique trope and I liked that and enjoyed the read overall. The writing was good and I will read this author again.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Well, I am not really sure how to rate this book. On one hand, I loved the bohemian take on Victorian life. On the other hand, I thought the hero was quite rude for the majority of the book. I understand that maybe that was just his temperament, but I did not like it. I did like the heroine. I thought she was portrayed well and knew what she wanted and her parents were very accommodating, which actually was a little bit of a surprise to me. On the whole, the story was good (not as good as the last story which I loved) just not what I was expecting.

This was the first time I read something by Jane Feather. I liked Fenella. She is very independent. Edward was a little creepy at times I think it's weird how the main character can sleep with someone she thinks is stalking her. I'm not sure if I'll read more by this author. Her writing is good, but I didn't like a big part of the plot.

I received this book from NetGalley in return for a honest review.