So, here it is, my first review. I am participating in the TBR challenge this year, and my review of Delilah Marvelle’s Mistress of Pleasure is my first entry.
Let’s start with the heroine. Maybelle is the motherless granddaughter of a renowned French courtesan who raised Maybelle after her father’s death. I’ll try not to give away too much here, because getting to know Maybelle is a delight, but let’s just say she has a rather unusual upbringing, as her grandmother is very forthright about sex and her own sexuality. Since Maybelle never plans on getting married, she doesn’t need to “save her virginity for her dowry,” so when she sees the Duke, Edmund, well – I’ll just say that Marvelle creates the most delicious tension right from the start.
Maybelle’s grandmother, Madame de Maitenon (which I think of as a clever wordplay on the French, maintenant, or “now”), opens a school to educate men on seduction, but because of an illness, one that hints at being false, Maybelle must assume the grandmother’s duties as instructor at the school.
Edmund, our hero, (are they even called hero and heroine anymore?) is charming and masculine in an almost knock –you-over-the-head-and-drag-you-back-to-the-cave kinda way. A duke who hasn’t married yet because of the unsavory rumors surrounding his father’s death, Edmund has some hang-ups about love and marriage. The one niggle in the back of my mind was the apparent “cut “ the ton had given the Duke. The Duke’s mother (a likable secondary character) indicates that there were few ladies of quality that were willing to marry Edmund, and of the few that were willing, Edmund found something wrong with them. This seems inaccurate, that a duke would have a hard time finding a willing bride in English Society, though I admit, I have only just started reading up on Regency and Victorian history. Nevertheless, this aspect didn’t detract from the story in the least.
Now for the topic you’ve all been waiting for: the sex. As indicated in a previous post, my mother in law calls this stuff filler, but I think relationships (in real life and in fiction) can be gauged by the kind of intimacies shared. Having said that, I would describe Maybelle and Edmund’s relationship to be adventurous, perilously exciting and a bit naughty. Toe-curling, really.
I enjoyed this book immensely. Maybelle is spunky and shy, assertive and determined. I like the way she handled Edmund. But I think the aspect I appreciate most about this book is the underlying theme of empowerment. Of taking stock of society and circumstances of birth, and of not being afraid to buck those rules in order to learn more about who you are and what makes you happy.
I would definitely recommend this book, particularly for those who are looking for a heroine that isn’t the typical sheltered miss. I am looking forward to reading more of Marvelle’s books, with the anticipation of becoming a Marvelle junkie.
Happy reading, Love Bugs.
Full disclosure: I purchased the ePub of this book through iBooks.
