Implausible.

I would actually give this story 2 1/2 stars. It was entertaining initially but I didn't like how the ending wrapped up so neatly... especially when it didn't need to. You could see the ending coming from a mile away and there were no real surprises that made good sense. I'm going to try book 2 because I've genuinely enjoyed this author in the past. Fingers crossed...

This is my attempt to record what I really read, and not be ashamed of myself. This book was a perfect antidote to a very busy day at work (as a children's librarian).

It's too bad none of the cataloging details tell readers that the Lord in the title is a person of color - it's rare in this genre, historical romance, and very welcome!

I’m new to historical romance as I only recently ventured into this genre. I’ve always been a fan of historical fiction and some of the other HR books I have read have been quite good. Mary Jo Putney’s books kept popping up in my Libby list so I thought I’d give it a try. This is my first book from her and it didn’t impress me. In fact, I find the backstory of the characters much more interesting than the romance. The romance development felt awkward to me with no chemistry between the characters. I didn’t feel the emotions of the romance building up. I found myself skimming quickly through the book just to discover what mystery was behind each main protagonist.

I actually borrowed the books 1-3 bundle and have started on book 2. I found myself not able to continue and no interest in trying to find out how the romance developed between the characters. It is too bad because the whole premise sounded interesting and I imagined many layers of complex emotions intertwined with the backstories. But I guess some HR are just simple cozy stories that one can curl up in a couch and read.

Great hopes for this new series. Shorter than her usual novel, but a delightful little bite at the end of summer. The story takes some slightly ludicrous turns toward the end--the "happily ever after" imperative becomes a bit railroady. But she does a good job of introducing the future hero/ine/s of the series, giving a sense of their particular foibles. And hopefully the shorter length will mean a faster roll-out.

There were a lot of parts of this book that were just too convenient which was kind of annoying but the story was unique enough that I'm interested in reading more Mary Jo Putney and Lost Lords books.

Mariah invents a pretend husband to put off an annoyingly persistent suitor, then is conveniently presented with Adam, who washes up on the shore with amnesia - voila! She tells him he's her husband, and he believes her. I liked Mariah and Adam as a couple - perhaps I don't read enough romance to be bothered by the lack of chemistry that annoyed other readers - but I do think Adam was not bothered enough about being lied to. Like oh! You presented me with an entirely false picture of my life when I was at my most vulnerable, but I guess you had your reasons.