Favorite quotes:He stared. She didn’t notice. Nor did anyone else, such was the crowded ballroom and Mile’s lifelong ability, despite his considerable height, to be more scenery than seen when he chose.Perhaps one thought in geysers of clichés when one fell in love.She’d been wearing green when he’d kissed her. In Tudor times prostitutes wore green dresses so the grass stains wouldn’t show on their dresses when they were taken ferociously outdoors. He thought she was fortunate indeed to be wearing white muslin right now.“Good heavens, you are loud,” she told it. “I thought cats were supposed to say ‘meow.’ There are two syllables in meow.” “MEEEEEE!” It corrected vehemently and with great singularity.The unfortunate, bloody, misguided, ridiculous shooting party—as Miles had begun to affectionately refer to it in his thoughtsShe took a deep breath. Raised the gun to her shoulder. Closed one eye into a squint in order to properly aim at that shining red sphere in the distance. Held the pose for a moment to accustom her body to it, and began to feel more confident. Perhaps she wouldn’t shame herself. She took a deep breath. And pulled the trigger just as the dog inserted his nose into her behind. She leaped, squeaked, and there was a boom and a shattering pling as the musket ball struck the statue of David’s penis and hurtled it westward toward Mr. Goodkind. “Duck, Goodkind!” Miles screamed. Mr. Goodkind threw himself to the ground instantly: he’d been in the army, and he did not think of waterfowl when he heard the word “duck.” The penis of David slammed into Goodkind’s hat and sailed away across the lawn with it. The shooters heard a faint yelp.Oh, God. I’ve killed a man with a marble penis.“May I pay you a compliment, Miss Brightly?” It was the first time anyone had ever requested permission to do such a thing. She was distantly amused. But far be it for her to deny a man an opportunity to compliment her. “I would be honored to receive a compliment from you, Mr. Goodkind.” She said this somberly. Her eyes were glinting. “You could tempt a pious man into being wicked.” Oh! Very good compliment indeed. “I shouldn’t fear the temptation, Mr. Goodkind. As we’ve established, a little wickedness is good for the soul.” And at this he laughed genuinely, a hearty sound, and she laughed, too.Spider didn’t wish to cooperate. He squirmed out of her hands like a silky little bar of soap and attacked her toes. Cynthia gave it her best effort, but she could not be morose when she needed to defend her toes.And since Goodkind had taken the marble penis in the hat, everyone was more inclined to behave more charitably toward him.Spider didn’t wish to cooperate. He squirmed out of her hands like a silky little bar of soap and attacked her toes. Cynthia gave it her best effort, but she could not be morose when she needed to defend her toes.And since Goodkind had taken the marble penis in the hat, everyone was more inclined to behave more charitably toward him.“I don’t want you,” she said. It was a cracked whisper.“I don’t want you, either,” he whispered, too. It seemed the proper language for the dark, the language to use when touching bare skin.And as for his erection…well, it was hardly poetry, but the words “ax handle” sprang to mind.It also reminded him that he’d been keeping his own hands knotted against his thighs, as if in solidarity with the ax handle cock imprisoned in his trousers. Ridiculously delighted to recall he possessed hands, he freed them to do what he’d intended to do all along: lower that bodice.Cynthia awoke with a cat on her head,If there was anything he had learned from the books surrounding him now, it was this: regardless of how appalling the behavior, some human had already done it. The thought cheered him perversely.Miles found that he could not dislike Argosy. And yet the fact that he did not dislike him was not quite a strong enough reason to like him. The man was simply unfinished, and might never become more than that. Character, he knew, was shaped through resistance and trial.“You do have my blessing, Argosy. I wish you great joy in your marriage.” And with a sense of something right, and something terribly wrong, he saw the future light up the other man’s face. As though Miles had transferred all of his own happiness to him.“Because I cannot bear thinking you will spend the rest of your days with someone you do not…you do not at least truly like. Your happiness, quite simply, is my happiness.”It might very well be the first and last time he used his body for its truest purpose. For why else had the species been given this capacity to give and take pleasure unless to express the vastness of what he felt? I enjoyed Like No Other Lover but it wasn't as compelling for me as The Perils of Pleasure. Again the story hinged around a specific moment in time, in this case a house party that happens over two weeks. Miles Redmond is the second son of the great Redmond family and his older brother is missing so his duties are changing. This is complicated for him as he's a naturalist and wishes to be exploring but first he has to please his father. Cynthia Brightly was once the toast of the ton but now that's all fallen apart and she's trying to find a husband before she has to work. She is invited to the house party by Violet, Miles' sister who is full of mischief. Miles and she have immediate chemistry and Miles agrees to help her marry one of the men at the house party though under his own terms.When it comes to this book, I was torn, because it felt like there were almost two different stories. I loved seeing Miles and Cynthia learn to understand and respect each other, finding a person that they can trust with their true selves. The issues of money and class were effectively done and at times painful. What I found jarring were the sex scenes due to the structure of class built up around the characters. The scenes themselves were well written and enjoyable but at times I felt that they didn't fit into the pacing of the story. Some of this might also be that there are structures of a romance house party novel that I'm not familiar with and these choices might make more sense. I plan on reading more of the Pennyroyal Green books and appreciate how each one can stand on its own.
What do You think about Like No Other Lover (2008)?
Loved this SO MUCH, maybe my favorite regency ever
—faith
