Believe me it took some serious discipline (nothing kinky) to refrain from putting either 'notorious' or 'pleasures' in the title. NEver having published anything I don't know the exact details of the through process that goes into choosing a book title, I know publishers have the final say for up and down. But can you imagine sitting down and saying, "I think this little beauty will be called Notorious Pleasures." Obviously Elizabeth Hoyt did. Now Hoyt and I have a checkered reading past, I enjoy her work on the surface, good concepts, but underneath they disturb me a little. Her characters, not to put too fine a point on it are fucked up. Like you would not let your children anywhere near these people. Her writing is also on a number of different levels not at all sexy, sometimes its violent, sometimes its a little twisted, often the word choice is just wrong (if you don't believe me think about this, should the word 'crammed' ever be included in a love scene?).I will confess I have not read the first three books she wrote, the three princes novels. I have read all four of the Four Soldiers books and now both of the Maiden Lane books. Notorious Pleasures has probably been the best so far, and I think the third Maiden Lane book, Scandalous Desires about Silence and Charming Mickey has potential (how could it not with names like those?). It opens with the virginal maiden walking in on our hero having sex with another woman (see I told you it was twisted) sufficiently scandalous. Set in an unusual time is history for a historical romance, the 1730's this is one thing it has going for it. WIth most historical romance being either medieval, Regency, or Victorian this offers a fresh perspective and a grittier backdrop. Hero and Griffin are satisfying characters, and the way their roles reverse lends itself to interesting reading. The side story setting up the third book with Silence is a little random, though to her credit Hoyt does try to make it fit. The side track with Hero's fiancee and his other woman fits but is somehow unnecessary.
I did like it htough, there was enough adventure without it seeming flat out ridiculous (which its predecessor WIcked Intentions had ) and the romance that blossoms is torrid and tortured, if tied up just a little bit too neatly in the end. Hoyt knows her history and readers will enjoy returning to the streets of St. Giles and the ballrooms of Mayfair equally. Overall, despite the name, I too took notorious pleasure in this one.
