Jade and Armand meet at Her family’s auction house and develop a flirty friendship which leads to a joint effort to find a particular clock. This was a decent read, but I kind of found it a chore to get through. It read kind of bland to me; the romance was slow moving, there was not much drama surrounding the search for the missing clock, and I felt the characters lacked a bit of depth. The previous book I rated much higher and I remember the story being a bit more entertaining and quick. Even more angsty. Unfortunately, this book fell flat for me.

The Mystery of the Clock

The clock comes to him in his dreams. What is the mystery of this timepiece? There are many copies of it made, and people are being murdered to find the original. Jade and Armand are on a quest to find the clock. She has a client that commissioned her to find it, but the clock belongs to his family. What is the story of this clock, and what do Jade and Armand discover? This story kept me turning the pages. I enjoyed the suspense, the mystery, and the romance.

This was an entertaining and enjoyable addition to the Gems of London series. The book can be read as a standalone, so you don't have to read the first one to follow this, but the series has been delightful so far, so I would definitely recommend reading both. Armand and his mother fled France during the revolution and came to England when he was a young boy. A dream from his childhood keeps nagging at him and he is anxious to find out about his French past. He is in search of a specific clock that just may give him answers about his family.
Jade works in her family's antique shop and auction house. Armand has been frequenting the shop to furnish his new home. While at an auction, he sees the clock from his dream, but loses when he places a bid on it. Jade also receives a mysterious letter regarding the clock. As the two team up to find it, someone else is also searching for the it. Danger and intrigue followed them, and in the midst of it all, a romance between them began to blossom. This story was definitely a page-turner with an interesting and intriguing plot and I could not put it down. The characters were well-developed and I enjoyed following their story. Great read!
Thank you to Dragonblade Publishing and Netgalley for providing a complimentary copy. This is my voluntary and honest review.

An original clock plays an important part in Armand Danger's nightmares. Fleeing France as a child with his mother, Armand searches for answers with the help of Miss Jade Bridges, a valuer in her family's antique shop and auction house. Someone else is looking for the clock. As the Count de Ytres, Armand uses his title to open doors for his investigation. Only a trip to France to talk to his Maman will give him answers, but he won't leave without Jade as his wife. Mystery, murder and a key. Not much of a surprise to the identity of Mr. Smith. Some open bedroom door.

Ok I have to admit I just now got the connection between the characters and the series title. I am a little slow sometimes. But I was focused on the book and intrigued and enraptured and any other "in or en" you can think of. This sis more of an romance slash mystery or maybe a romance intrigue. I am severely hooked on this series.
I recieved a free copy so that I might tell you what I honestly think. Hope you enjoyed my review. Now go enjoy the book.

A Curio for the Count by Elizabeth Ellen Carter was just enough different to make it a really good Regency romance. Count Armand Danger lived with his stepbrother, Charles who was an earl, and his wife, Arabella. It was a good life. Charles’ father had died several years earlier and Armand’s mother had returned to France from whence she and Armand had fled during the revolution. The only fly in the ointment was that Arabella was constantly after him to marry, and did her best to introduce him to appropriate women. It was getting on his nerves. One day he saw an advertisement for an auction made up of furniture and household goods as well as curios. He decided to attend and there he felt comfortable. He bought some furniture and then realized he need a place to put it and so he bought a townhouse. He continued to return to the auction and made friends there, including one of the owners, Jade, who started tipping him off to good deals, and things she thought he would like. Eventually the townhouse was fully furnished and Armand moved in. That did not keep Arabella from finding women for him. He had been having dreams all his life about the night he and his mother had fled. He saw his father and a clock and a giant woman and the house of the dead. He couldn’t put it all together. Until he saw the clock at the auction house. He bid on it but lost. He needed to look at it so he followed the man who had purchased it. This started a firestorm of events.

This book had an excellent plot. In the stories about the war with Napoleon and after never mention any of the French refugees that flooded England, many of them Aristocracy. It was refreshing to read about this character. He was a lovely man and well-written as was the love of his life, Jade, although I thought she tamed considerably after her marriage, which I didn’t love. The plot was good and most of it possible. It was a well-written book with red herrings and wonderful details along the way. I liked it!

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of A Curio for the Count by Dragonblade, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Dragonblade #ElizabethEllenCarter #ACurioForTheCount

Miss Jade Bridges has worked in the family business for years but has never had such a unusual request before.

Count Armand Danger has nightmares about fleeing the revolution in France. A chance visit to an auction house makes him realise there are discoveries he must make.

This is a fun filled historical romance with a fascinating mystery to solve. All the characters are wonderful and different from those we normally read about. How can one old clock cause so much trouble? There is a little danger to go with the excitement.

Although this is part of a series each book is totally separate from the others. They have both been very enjoyable and I will definitely be reading any more that are to come.

Great fun.

I found this story entertaining. Jade and Armand brought most of the entertainment as well as the excitement. There were a few moments I found a bit humorous. These moments are when Armand goes on the hunt for the precious artifact. The book is an easy reader and a page turner. The characters are charming and whimsical.

Armand Danger, Comte de Ytres, is troubled by a dream from his childhood that leaves him speculating on his French past. He wonders whether the clock owned by his father, executed during the French Revolution, holds the answers he seeks. He enlists the aid of Miss Jade Bridges, an English valuer, at first proposing to purchase the clock. As the couple begin to work together to find the timepiece, their attraction grows. Yet it seems that they are not the only ones in search of the clock, leading them to fear for their lives.
The story was well paced, with plenty of romance and mystery mixed in. The book gets straight into the hunt for the clock, and gradually reveals both characters’ pasts. I found myself engaged from the very start, and whilst being part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone story.
I received an advanced reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Raised as an Englishman, Armand Danger, Comte de Ytres, is troubled by a dream from his childhood that leaves him speculating on his French past. He is convinced an elaborate clock belonging to his late father, executed in the French Revolution, holds the answers he seeks. Miss Jade Bridges works as a valuer in her family's London antiques shop and auction house. One day she receives mysterious letter from an anonymous client willing to pay any price for a very specific statue clock. While in pursuit of the clock, Jade and Armand meet and there's immediate attraction. As the couple grow closer and attraction deepens, they agree to join forces to find the timepiece together.
The second book in the series & it’s easily read on its own. a well written book that drew me in & I found it very hard to put down. The pace was good & the characters well portrayed. I really liked both Armand & Jade who were attracted to each other from their first meeting but they were from very different backgrounds. I loved the mix of romance & mystery & was engrossed & captivating wanting there to be a HEA & the mystery surrounding the clock to be revealed. An exciting, page turning novel
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

An intriguing novel that makes one take notice of the effects of war on young children and the devastation on the lives of the people who become victims of mob violence. My heart ached for Armand as he tried to make sense of the nightmares that plagued him, leaving him questioning whether his dreams are real or fear-induced memories. At the center of the plot is a beautiful custom-made clock, the search for which brings Armand, Comte de Ypres, into Miss Jade Bridges and her brother's antique business. Even at their initial meeting, the attraction between Armand and Jade is clear, but they come from two different worlds, making the possibility of a match almost impossible. With Armand's sister-in-law determined to see Armand married, he has to tread carefully so as not to offend her, but also to allow him time and space to examine his relationship with Jade. With other parties also seeking out the clock, the plot becomes suspenseful and reeks of betrayal. I loved both Armand and risk-taking Jade, and despite their different characteristics, they are perfect for one another. Armand's dreams eventually lead him to the truth and he and Jade find their future happiness. I received a copy of this well-written and exciting romance as a gift through DragonBlade Publishing and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

This was a surprising story. I may post spoilers, so reader beware.
This story was surprising from start to finish. The story was based on a treasure hunt, but it wasn't an independent wealthy aristocrat following a map with the daughter of another treasure hunter. No, this was a story set in the working class with a female entrepreneur and a French emigre.
The heroine is the daughter of a popular auction house. She and her brother run the business, but she doesn't get credit for it. She does have some renown as a value for the business and often conducts business during balls. She will dress and attend the ball.or party because the host has a item that needs to be valued or determin if it is a fake or the host wants to sell it. She received a ladies education because her mother was raised in the upper class, so she is able to hold her own during the parties. Her brother is not as comfortable, but will escort her if he has to. During an auction, she is drawn to one of the customers. He did not state his name, but she can tell from his wardrobe that he is from the upper crust of society. He is the hero of this story. He and his mother escaped from the French Revolution when he was three years old and arrived in London. His mother captured the attention of a wealthy earl who was a widower with a three year old son. They married and raised each other child as their own. When he was older, his step father called him into the office to show him some.of the papers his mother brought over about his father. His father was the Count of Ytres, which is the title he uses. He learned his father was killed weeks they escaped after by decapitation. His mother, who was not strong to begin with, decided to go home to her sister in France after his step father passed away. His step brother is a newly married aristocrat and so the hero moves into his own home and over 6 or 8 months, decorates his home based on suggestions by the lovely heroine. The hero wishes to give her rides in the park and in general, try to court her, but she refuses because she always sees him with a beautiful woman on his arm. His step brother's new wife is determined to marry him off, which is one reason why he moves out. His step sister-in-law is always inviting a young lady to go with them to events. The hero is not happy about this and has some hurdles to convince the heroine that he really is interestrd in her..
This story had tomance, action, mystery, treasure hunting and was such a good read. It was hard to put down. There is so much more to the story than what I told. I give it 5 stars and a recommendation to read.

Danger, Intrigue and romance while looking for a clock that answer's questions about Armand's past and family. The romance between Jade and Armand built gradually over 6 months as he shopped for furniture for his home. I was intrigued from the beginning and didn't want to put it down. I hadn't read the first book but that didn't affect my enjoyment of this story. Loved it. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A clock with a secret and a lot of replicas! This book gives bits a pieces of the the Danger family history as Armand dreams about events that happened when his was 3. If he could only figure out what the clock means.

I really liked the danger and romance along the way in searching for the clock. What a perfect combo. The romance between Jade and Armand just seemed easy. He kept coming into her shop/auction to furnish his home and then they became partners in crime in looking for the clock.

My favorite part of the book was definitely the costume party. I don't know what had me pulled into the book more, the sneaking around or the steamy romance.

The clock and this book was the key to good time!

Thank you to Dragonblade and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this ARC for my honest review.

This story was so enchanting and romantic!!!! I enjoyed it immensely!! I loved how the story unfolds with a dash of danger!! Bits and pieces…a little at a time…until the puzzle is complete!! Such an enjoyable story!!!

I came into this without having read the first book in the series, but I did not find that to be a problem. Although the events of the two books appear to overlap somewhat, they do not require you to read them both in order to follow what is going on. I am fairly new to this author having only previously read a few novellas of hers in Dragonblade collections, but so far I have really liked what I have read from her. I found I was fully drawn in right from the prologue and my interest never wavered. Armand and Jade are such interesting characters and make for a really good team. I really liked that their romance grew over many weeks and developed very naturally. The mystery surrounding the clock adds a little extra drama and I always like a good mystery. I also liked that Armand truly loves Jade for who she is and never tries to change her. Even when he is telling her he thinks she has done something wrong or without thinking it through he is also showing that he will always have her back. I really liked Jade's brother - the perfect balance of loving and exasperated.