My Lady's Trust

by Julia Justiss

Book Overview

Laura Martin assured herself. But would the cloak of anonymity she wore to escape a hellish marriage also protect her from the discerning gaze of the Earl of Beaulieu? Or would the famed Puzzlebreaker... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0373291914
• ISBN13: 9780373291915
• Release Date: January 2002
• Publisher: Harlequin
• Length: 297 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 4.2" x 6.7"

Customer Reviews

As all other Justiss novels, Worth the Read

Julia Justiss continues to write regency novels that are worth reading. A fresh alternative to others who continue to disappoint. I admire Laura's character and her strength. I thought that Justiss did a wonderful job revealing Laura's distrust and her low self-esteem. Even knowing the source of criticism is a horrid, evil man, will not prevent women from feeling there must be some truth to his words. I see this everyday and it's a reality that this author touched on. The violence in the book isn't extensive and, in the context, is realistic. Beau was a wonderful male character who begins his quest trying to stave off boredom and figure out who Laura really is. Some of his insights seem too accurate for a male, but since he's known as the "puzzlebreaker" I will allow that he might have been able to understand Laura well enought to uncover her motives. Their budding friendship and romance was touchingly sweet. The ending came too quick in this book and I was disappointed that there was no epilogue. I'm a sucker for good epilogues. :-)~

An emotional roller coaster that will keep you turning pages

Laura Martin has a good reason for trying to make herself invisible...her life is at stake. Unfortunately, the earl of Beaulieu is determined to bring her out in the open...as his mistress. As much as Laura feels drawn to him, she has more to fear than her reputation. Their romance is impossible, for reasons that she cannot divulge.According to the earl's thinking, the widowed Laura is the perfect choice for a mistress. Being known as his mistress can only enhance her standing with the ton and would certainly not prevent her from marrying respectably after the conclusion of their liaison. Although he cannot imagine ever letting her go to another man....Inevitably, his interference endangers the very woman he sought to protect, and it is only then that he realizes his true feelings and his unworthiness to be her husband.As much as I enjoyed this book--couldn't put it down, in fact--I was disgusted at the earl's vision of bringing her to society's notice as his acknowledged mistress. Trust a man to rationalize his lust by persuading himself it's in his victim's best interests! From what I've read of this period--and I've read extensively--such women were part of the demimonde and NOT considered respectable at all, even if some of their activities were overlooked. And such a dimwit to have guessed so much of her secret and not realize his actions were putting her in extreme danger!Still, even considering the hero's shortcomings, this is an enjoyable, very engrossing story that I guarantee any reader will not soon forget.

Enthralling Historical

Laura Martin has done her best to ensure that she does not stand out as she lives quietly in an English village. When her Aunt Mary died, Laura occupied herself by using her knowledge of medicinal herbs to heal others. Tragedy strikes when Squire Everett's young guest, Kit Bradsleigh, is shot in a hunting accident. Widowed Mrs. Martin is asked to tend to the injured man and remain at Everett Hall during his convalescence. Desperately trying to appear drab, Laura hopes to escape the notice of Kit's visiting older brother, Hugh Mannington Bradsleigh, Earl of Beaulieu. But the attraction between the two is cleverly subtle, thereby increasing its effectiveness. And Mrs. Martin's kindness and herbal knowledge has not escaped the notice of rich supporting characters, Lady Elspeth, Beau's sister or Squire Everett, the aged noble who is much taken with Laura. As the attraction between Beau and Laura reaches the boiling point, she once again withdraws to the safety of her cottage. Will she trust Beau and reveal her deepest secret, which could place her in grave danger? A gradual awakening of romance supported by a cast of well-written characters provides the backbone in this page turning historical. Ms. Justiss is well on her way to making her mark in the genre of historical romance.

A Great Read

I absolutely LOVED this book and couldn't put it down. It was the best regency historical I've read in ages, and I didn't want it to end. As soon as I finished it, I immediately watched Sense and Sensibility on video, just to feed my desire to stay in the regency world the author had created for me.The characters were fascinating and so true to life, that I felt like I was living the story with them. The plot itself had meat and substance, and was meaningful with the heroine's perils, and exciting and unpredictable right up to the end. The hero was just the kind of man I like to read about - strong and sexy with intelligent, intriguing, and delicious dialogue. (I'm still dreaming about him.) This gifted author really knows how to pull you into a book, and I will be counting the days until her next one comes out.