Claiming the Courtesan

( 48 )

Overview

The Duke of Kylemore knows her as Soraya, London's most celebrated courtesan. Men fight duels to spend an hour in her company. And only he comes close to taming her. Flying in the face of society, he decides to make her his bride; then, she vanishes, seemingly into thin air.

Dire circumstances have forced Verity Ashton to barter her innocence and change her name for the sake of her family. But Kylemore destroys her plans for a respectable life when he discovers her safe haven. ...

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Claiming the Courtesan

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More About This Book

Overview

The Duke of Kylemore knows her as Soraya, London's most celebrated courtesan. Men fight duels to spend an hour in her company. And only he comes close to taming her. Flying in the face of society, he decides to make her his bride; then, she vanishes, seemingly into thin air.

Dire circumstances have forced Verity Ashton to barter her innocence and change her name for the sake of her family. But Kylemore destroys her plans for a respectable life when he discovers her safe haven. He kidnaps her, sweeping her away to his hunting lodge in Scotland, where he vows to bend her to his will.

There he seduces her anew. Verity spends night after night with him in his bed . . . and though she still dreams of escape and independence, she knows she can never flee the unexpected, unwelcome love for the proud, powerful lover who claims her both body and soul.

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Editorial Reviews

From Barnes & Noble
The Barnes & Noble Review
Anna Campbell makes her debut in a satisfying Regency romance that takes role playing and the battle of the sexes to new and sensuous heights. In one corner, Justin, Duke of Kylemore; in the other, London's most celebrated and scandalous courtesan, Soraya. Campbell has barely finished setting the stage -- Soraya's been Justin's mistress for the past year, he asks her to marry him to annoy his mother -- when she throws all the cards up into the air. First Soraya, aided by her mute Arabian guardian, Ben, escapes. Ben turns out to be her younger brother; she turns out to be Verity Ashton from Yorkshire, who has finally accumulated enough money to reject the courtesan life. But three months later, the determined duke has tracked her down in Yorkshire and abducts her to a remote corner of Scotland. By this time, she has zero desire to resume her old identity or their old roles, and he is determined to give her the punishment and the seduction she deserves. But nothing about this couple is as simple as it seems. This one is a natural for fans of Stephanie Laurens. Ginger Curwen
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780061234910
  • Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
  • Publication date: 3/27/2007
  • Format: Mass Market Paperback
  • Pages: 384
  • Sales rank: 499,502
  • Product dimensions: 4.18 (w) x 6.75 (h) x 0.96 (d)

Meet the Author

Anna Campbell decided to become a writer shortly after she learned to walk. Then she discovered romance novels and realized she just had to be a romance writer and tell stories about love and hope and triumph through adversity, not forgetting gorgeous, passionate men. After various jobs and as much travel as she could afford, including a stay of several years in the United Kingdom, Anna has now settled near the sea on the east coast of Australia.

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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 48 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(25)

4 Star

(11)

3 Star

(6)

2 Star

(5)

1 Star

(1)

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 49 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted July 6, 2007

    What an amazing first novel!

    The characters are complex and multilayered, and the story was compelling. With most romance novels, you anticipate a happy ending. But this one kept me guessing right up to the last few pages. An altogether amazing first novel!

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 22, 2007

    A great debut and a cracking good read

    This is a powerful story that sweeps you away from the very first page. Dramatic, intriguing and above all, a story about emotion and the strength of love despite almost overpowering odds. A gripping, satisfying read. If you prefer your romances light and fluffy, this is probably not the book for you. It was one of the best historicals I've read in a long time. Full marks to the author on delivering a story which delivers on the promises held out to the reader from the very beginning.

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 10, 2007

    Deep,intense..for those who like something a bit darker

    I read this novel and was blown away from the first chapter. I don't have much to say except 'WOW'. If you like a light hearted love story..this is not for you. If you like something darker...with a hint of obsession, this is for you. The Duke of Kylemore makes for a great character. I wish I man would have this dedication for me...complete with the 'force' if you know what I mean. GREAT read!

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 15, 2007

    Stunning book

    This is by far the best book I have read in a long, long time. The first book Anna Campbell wrote and what a book it is. It¿s not a sweet book. It¿s not a tame book. It¿s dark and brooding. It¿s intriguing and powerful and so very different. Soraya is an expensive whore, bought and paid for and because of that the Duke of Kylemore does not allow her to leave him. He is boss and she is not. But when she does leave him he kidnaps her and in a remote place in Scotland they both fight their own demons. Soraya turns into Verity Ashton again and the Duke of Kylemore slowly becomes human. Something he is definitely not in the beginning of the book. He is a dark and tormented hero and a brute sometimes but Anna Campbell has such a mesmerizing way of telling a story that you cannot help but love him from the beginning. I think the loveless sex (some call it rape) was essential to the story. How can you write about a hero who leaves his demons behind and becomes an angel if you don¿t write about his very dark side first? This book is a stunning debut that left me breathless. Anna¿s second book will be out in December and it¿s already on my auto buy list.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 11, 2007

    An Amazing Novel

    I could not put this book down!! I can not wait to read more from this wonderful author.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted December 9, 2008

    more from this reviewer

    A winner

    By 1825, Soraya had become the Ton¿s most notorious courtesan. Hardly anyone realizes that she started only a few years earlier when as an innocent fifteen years old she sold her body to save her impoverished family. All these years as a kept woman, she prayed after each taking that soon she will escape back to what she once was, Verity Ashton.--------------- Soraya knows the time is right for her to vanish as she has the money and is falling in love with her current patron though she fears her kind wealthy benefactor the Duke of Kylemore will not simply allow her to disappear as the insult would be too great for an arrogant soul like him. Besides she believes Justin Kinmurrie would defy the aristocracy by making her his wife if she let him. When she runs off, he tracks her down and ignores her plea for his sake to forget her. Instead he abducts her to persuade his Verity that she would make a fine duchess of Kylemore although most of his peers would disagree, some violently.--------------------- Though CLAIMING THE COURTESAN may seem like a typical Regency romance, the relationship between the fully developed lead couple turns this into a must read for sub-genre fans. Soraya is the more fascinating character as she wants to turn back the clock to when she was a simple innocent Verity, but knows that is impossible to achieve Justin believes that his kisses and his trust will ultimately convince his beloved that she is Soraya in his bed only, but Verity, the Duchess of Kylemore in public. That match-up makes for a terrific gender battle.------ Harriet Klausner

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 10, 2013

    Loved the characters

    Great story, very different than other romance novels I have read lately

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 9, 2013

    Forcing himself on her

    I agree with the reviews, both sides. It was a complex read and good character development. I appreciated the writing.

    But essentially it's a caveman story. Man grabs woman. He slings her over his shoulder and kidnaps her. He rapes he ... oh I mean "forces himself on her".

    Reading some of that was very hard to deal with and created sad conflict in my feminist soul.

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  • Posted January 3, 2013

    I loved other books by this author but this one was terrible. It

    I loved other books by this author but this one was terrible. It is pretty much based upon a disgrace of a man who refuses to let his mistress go because he's a pig and rapes her. Ms. Campbell tries to put passion and some loving feelings in there, but the main character is miserable and is being tortured by her captor. That's about it.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted November 19, 2012

    Highly Recommend

    I really enjoyed reading this book.

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  • Posted November 6, 2012

    Intense

    This one was intense! The hero was aggressive, obsessive and seriously intense. His single-minded focus on the heroine was almost scary at times. He was the perfect anti-hero.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 21, 2012

    Avid reader

    Good luck getting through this one. Never could get interested. It took two days finally finished.

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  • Posted March 15, 2010

    more from this reviewer

    Not for everyone, but an excellent story

    I don't usually find themes of revenge and control enjoyable in most romance novels. A delicate touch is required to turn such negative emotions into a convincing love story. And for those reasons, this was a bit of a rough read for me. The writing was excellent, but some of the things the hero and heroine kept doing to each other were painful indeed. Yet each of them was so compelling and, yes, likable, that I didn't have to struggle very hard to keep reading. I wanted to know what happened to them, and I had faith that they would come out the other side of their story better and stronger people. They didn't disappoint me.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted September 9, 2007

    A great debut

    Much like a few other reviewers, I was torn at times over thinking this book had a great plot line and main characters. Other times I couldn't help thinking it was just a little off. I had a bit of trouble believing that Soraya could be this hot little mistress that all men wanted and was a woman of the world in the bedroom who would do anything with the man who had bought her. Then, once she decided to leave the business and go back to being Verity, she suddenly is innocent, gentle, loving and a bit shy? That was a bit of a stretch. I think this dual character was trying to appeal to the old virgin/angel on one hand, then naughty hooker in the bedroom syndrome that men seem to like and some women seem to think is the way to go too. Also, Kylemore seemed to struggle with being insensitive, disturbing and sexually rought at times - often taking what he wanted regardless of his partners wishes. I agree that his dark side had to come out and be dismantled before he could become the best man he could be by the end of the novel. This book showed moments of potential brilliance in the unsual story line and the complicated characters. I especially liked that for once, the main character had only one mistress in the book - the one he ended up with! Interesting twist. I just would have made the change in Soraya/Verity phase in more gradual - the switch from hooker to angel was too abrupt for me. Over-all, two thumbs up though. For a debut book this really shined. Yes, it had some bugs to work out, but for a first timer, it really went the distance. I am looking forward to this author developing further. I would recommend this book.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 16, 2007

    Not my cup of tea

    I enjoyed the fast pace and the writing was engaging and easy to immerse myself in. However, the main characters 'romance' or 'courtship' played out more like Stockholm Syndrome than true love. The hero was creepy in his obsession with the heroine. I was encouraging the young lady to break a window and attack him with a piece of broken glass! I will admit to a certain bias against books in which forced sexual relations leads to abiding love. This 'fantasy' is for adults only, I certainly hope no one young and impressionable reads books like this and thinks their abusive boyfriend will become the man of their dreams if they just stick it out. Enough of my soap box. I hope this author has more books on the way. the two demerits on the rating were purely contextual, in no way reflecting on her ability to engage and keep one turning pages.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 15, 2007

    A Keeper!

    Claiming the Courtesan is an exciting, action packed page turner. Finally a historical romance that breaks through the overly fetishized maidenhead. 'Pun intended.' This book examines love beyond the first thrills of initiation. Verity is a strong likable character a perfect match for the inwardly turbulent Justin. The book starts a year into their affair at a time when most romances are running out of steam. While other heroes are ready to put their feet up Claiming a Courtesan's Justin is just getting started. Verity is a complex heroine who needs more than the average handsome, adept lover with a large estate. The one downside would be that towards the very end the plot gets a little choppy ¿ Verity's actions and non communication became a little tiring.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 17, 2007

    Interesting premise fails

    Verity becomes a courtesan after she was dismissed from her governess job when the son of the family tried to rape her. She is the sole support her sister and brother after the death of her parents. She ends up as Justin's mistress after they negotiated for a year contract. After that year she will have enough money to return to a respectable life. The day before she leaves Justin asks her to marry him just to spite his mother. She declines his 'gracious' offer and leaves London with out telling him where she is going or why. Three months later he finds her, kidnaps her to the wilds of Scotland and tells her even though their contract ended it's not over 'til he decides it's over. He then rapes her every evening, 'punishing' her for leaving him. She, of course, falls in love with her kidnapper and rapist, believing there is a 'good and honorable man' beneath his facade as he's the way he is as he was abused by his father and neglected by his mother. She decides she has to runaway even though she has been warned repeatedly that she will die out in the elements. Justin finds her the next day and saves her from falling to her death. He is now sorry for all he has done and vows to take her home and not to bother her anymore. She, of course, decides to come to him that night of her own free will. On their way back to Verity's home, they stop at one of Justin's estates. There they find Verity's brother who has been searching for her and Justin's mother who is still angry and appalled that Justin wanted to marry his mistress. She angers her son who sends her to the Dower house with little money. Verity again turns down Justin's proposal as she thinks she is not good enough to be a duchess (and he is?). On her way home with her brother, Verity is attacked by the duchess and her hired men, she has her brother nearly beaten to death and she then plans to scar Verity in the face and have her raped by her men as revenge over her influence over her son. Justin rescues her just in time and convinces Verity to become his wife.

    0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted July 4, 2011

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted May 28, 2011

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 6, 2011

    No text was provided for this review.

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