REVIEW: ECSTASY WEARS EMERALDS BY RENEE BERNARD

(Jaded Gentlemen, #3)

Genre: Historical Romance (Victorian)

Cover Blurb

Like all the Jaded Gentlemen, Dr. Rowan West may have his secrets, but he’s done his best to forgive the ghosts of his past and move on with his life. Until the beautiful Miss Gayle Renshaw appears on his doorstep, jeopardizing his medical practice, his reputation, and, worst of all, his heart.

In her desperation to become a doctor, Gayle uses what she knows of Rowan’s fiancée’s mysterious death to blackmail him into taking her on as an apprentice. With his back against the wall, Rowan agrees, but quickly discovers that Gayle isn’t as heartless as she seems. Captivated by his tenacious and brilliant new student, Rowan finds himself surrendering to temptation, just as the enemies of the Jaded start to encroach. Now, with both their lives threatened, Rowan may be forced to give up the woman he loves to save her life…

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This is the third book in the brilliant Jaded Gentlemen series. Once again, Ms Bernard pens an enthralling, original and passionate love story and the world of Victorian medicine forms a fascinating and refreshingly different setting.

Rowan, with his inherent kindness and compassion, makes a great hero. He has an enquiring mind and, is willing to embrace new ideas in medicine whilst others are firmly entrenched in traditional thinking. He truly cares about his patients and treats them all with respect regardless of their social status. He even treats his staff more like family than employees.

“I strive for balance in my profession. And while some may see the populace as fodder for their laboratories, I refuse to ignore a person’s humanity so that I can feel secure and important.”

Gayle is an unconventional heroine. Although her desire to become a doctor flies in the face of Victorian convention, she is fiercely determined to succeed. Even when Rowan attempts to work her so hard that she would ‘quit after a fortnight of training and limp from the house with her baggage’, although exhausted, she refuses to be beaten and I couldn’t help but admire her resilience.

He’d pushed her harder than any apprentice had ever been pressed, and she’d simply borne it with a grace that often left him speechless.

I love how their romance grows through their love of medicine. It allows each of them to recognise their misconceptions about each other. At first, Rowan sees Gayle as nothing more than ‘a vicious little thing’ willing to destroy his reputation to achieve her aims but, as he comes to understand her, everything changes.

And there he was- inspired by her intense hope and wishing he could shield her from the worst to come and give her whatever she needed to make her dreams come true.

Gayle believes Rowan to be the ‘vile man’ who was responsible for her cousin Charlotte’s death and has no qualms about using a little blackmail to persuade him to take her on as his apprentice. As she watches him with his patients and his staff, she comes to see a very different man.

But the more I know of him, the more I wish to be near him. The way he respects his household staff and the way he spoke to his patients today – my father always said it was how a gentleman treats the common man that betrays the most about his character.

Some of the other Jaded Gentlemen make a welcome appearance and I loved the witty banter between Ashe and Michael. No wonder Gayle is charmed by them! The suspense sub-plot adds substance without overshadowing the romance and, although I didn’t find it difficult to guess the identity of the villain in this particular story, there is still the continuing mystery of who is ultimately threatening the Jaded.

Ms Bernard’s has such a beautiful writing style. It is romantic, sensual and emotional with lovely touches of humour. Here are some of my favourite moments.

He watched her ascend the stairs, as graceful as a duchess despite the awkward load she carried, and marvelled that anyone could be that beautiful and still make a man dedicated to healing consider poisoning her poached eggs in the morning.

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And there it was – that bright, fierce light in her eyes that made him want to kiss her senseless or just laugh and waltz her around the room. Her dreams were spinning out in her head, and he could almost see them, they were vibrant and powerful.

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She was pure innocence and pure passion – the duality of perception and reality collided and a new lesson was initiated, but Rowan knew that he was likely the student.

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“Just one last check for any glass slivers that may have strayed to your stockings.”
  “Oh!” His touch was efficient and feather soft, but the miasma of fire and delight that spread up her limbs to form a molten pool between her hips was intoxicating. Her knees turned to rubber, and she bit the inside of her cheek to stare at the ceiling as a thousand wicked thoughts nearly overcame her. The slay of warm fingers were telegraphing electric sweet storms all over her body, and she wasn’t sure she could survive another pass of his hands without betraying herself with a moan or a sigh.

ECSTASY WEARS EMERALDS is another wonderful addition to what is becoming a highly addictive series.

REVIEW RATING: 4.5/5 STARS

SENSUALITY RATING: HOT

Read March 2014

The JADED GENTLEMEN series (click the cover for more details):