The Captain's Bluestocking Mistress

FINALLY THE NEKKID NAUGHTINESS I BEGGED FOR Captain Xavier Grey came home from war injured in body, spirit & trapped in his own fractured mind! He was called the Bringer of Death & Destruction, but his BF Oliver dragged his lifeless body around the Ton until he snapped out of it, but he totally BUSTED Oliver with the damning words “kiss & succulent breast!” Now he plans to live in peace in his small cottage in Essex, but what do they say about PLANS? Spinster Jane Downing had a weird effect on the Ton, she caused everyone to have walking AMNESIA when it came to her. Jane was happier with books, had a brain & was willing to use it, hated Society & she was PLUMP, so in other words, she was FORGETTABLE! When her older brother, Isaac, leaves on an unexpected business trip, she decides to put her brain power into action & SEDUCE the yummy Captain Grey ASAP, so she packs, gives her maid a holiday, gives her staff only 5 minutes to catch Egui, her brother’s cat (Jane’s own personal FURRY DEMON SPAWN), shoved onto a hack, handed a possessed basket & on her way to being an EXCITED Mistress by Choice. Again PLANS never work! Xavier is alone in Essex with his staff gone due to the snowstorm, but when the DELICIOUS & DECADENT Jane knocks, she turns his carefree & boring life into a tailspin! Jane maybe freezing to death, dragging her luggage behind her & have the pissed off basket, but she is delighted to find herself trapped & completely alone with the YUMMY CAPTAIN! Egui is also set lose from his basket & proceeds to make himself at home by clawing up everything not nail down. When Jane demands to become his Mistress, Xavier knows he must fight the greatest temptation he has even faced. With all the death & destruction he is responsible for, he feels he only deserves a lonely & desolate life. Thus begins Jane TEMPTATION 101 with some help from Mother Nature (we females must stick together), with Xavier playing her lady’s maid as he is swallowing his excess drool & unleashing her glorious locks of hair to make him want to pull & command. Soon her BOODACIOUS BOD, makes him kneel at her altar, as he melts her bone marrow with tantalizing kisses & caresses that make her beg for more, but the FURRY DEMAON SPAWN always seems to CLAW UP the moment! When they finally get the special time with Egui locked away, Jane learns she wants more & Xavier learns he must force her away before she makes him CRAVE a life he doesn’t deserve! Can Jane prove to her Captain that he deserves to have it all? Is Xavier able to let the war guilt go? Does Jane leave Essex without her man? What BEOTCH SLAPS does Xavier need to go GET his soul mate? Most importantly, does Egui ever get KITTY MANNERS? This is Book #2 in Mizz Ridley’s Dukes of War series & she has written each book with great characters who all have had a difficult & MEGA hilarious paths to their other half, but this one is my favorite so far! Jane was a BBW, big beautiful woman, who was serious overlooked in Society, but I love a heroine who has a brain, knows using it will cause her problems & has no problem WHIPPING HER INTELLIGENCE OUT! Mizz Ridley made Jane uniquely unconventional with an inner spunky light that she NEVER let anyone dim even thou Society thought she was FORGETTABLE! Now I have a love of FURRY FAIRY GODCREATURES, but Mizz Ridley outdid herself with my 1st FURRY DEMON SPAWN & I tried to find at least 1 good quality in Egui, but I will just say that Mizz Ridley added a few STITCHES in time that made me want to give the FURRY TERRORIST a MEGA HUG, claws & all! Xavier crawled & curled into my heart in Book 1, but he scored yummy points to my funny bone with his “kiss & succulent breast” comment! Poor Xavier was a tortured soul from all the evils of war & his was locked inside his mind filled with all the images & deeds he did, but he came out of the dark world by reaching for that itsy bitsy light. I totally believe that comatose Xavier felt Jane’s inner light & he REACHED for it. Mizz Ridley made Xavier a great wounded inside & out hero with all the war baggage, but she gave him a great friend in Oliver, who NEVER gave up on him & graced his world with a completely UNFORGETTABLE Jane, who helped him heal his own crippled heart & damaged soul! That my peeps is a GREAT LOVE STORY, when a character makes someone CRAVE healing themselves & Jane did that for her Captain! NEKKID NAUGHTINESS was another great extra character in this romance with TEMPTATION GALORE moments & some good old fashion WHAM, BAM, DO IT AGAIN CAPTAIN yummy action & I love me some DECADENCE! Also Mizz Ridley had her h/h feed off one another with their fabulous back & forth dialogue & she spread out her HILARIOUSNESS GALORE between her characters, so it wasn’t over the top! I have read books #0.5 & #1 in her Dukes of War series & had only 2 complaints, too much hilariousNESS & lack of NEKKID YUMMINESS! Well, Mizz Ridley totally listened up & SLAMMED this book into my top score of 5 fingers up & 10 toes, plus Simba’s 10 BLOODY CLAWS UP & embedded in my leg. So I ask you my peeps, need I say more! NetGalley ARC given for my honest review.

We first met Xavier in book 1, a friend of Oliver, the new Earl of Carlisle, and Oliver’s worry for his friend are great. In that book, Xavier was literally “dead inside” needing to be moved, seated, fed, you name it. So trapped  in the horrors that he saw during the war, Xavier is broken, perhaps beyond repair.  Enter Jane, thought to be firmly on the shelf, her intelligence is apparent, even as her social skills are better  suited to a pre-teen. Jane’s dichotomy is unusual: her candyfloss proclamations are not an affectation, her girlish side often pops out and is spoken before she can reign it in. But then, just as quickly she can astound  with her intellect: with a brilliant observation or statement so pointedly real that you often wonder if it came from  her lips.  While I thought early on that this trait of hers would frustrate me, it was quite endearing and made her  wonderful to watch since you never quite knew what side would come out.  And poor Xavier: he’s never quite sure what Jane will say next: her utter delight in things she enjoys, and then her daring honesty when she declares her affections for him.  Totally keeping him off balance even as she  intrigues him to no end, I don’t believe that he thought her proclamations were honestly meant or possible,  even as it was the first light of hope to shine in the prison he has built from his memories.  Jane may not be in line for marriage, but she has no intentions of continuing to be alone: if she can’t rouse Xavier’s interest in her with conversation, perhaps she can convince him to be seduced.  And her plan is foolish  but so very Jane, and another man just may have taken her offer. But here is where Xavier is head and shoulders above the rest: he lets Jane in: from his outright refusal to interact with anyone, he opens up  marginally to Jane. And that little crack is all she needs to walk in and push, prod and worry him with her wit, her heart and her humor.  When she thinks she has made some progress toward a goal, Xavier’s grand gesture from one who hasn’t made any moves at all to speak of since his return will bring cheers from reader’s lips.  So wonderfully over the  top and so perfectly unlike the Xavier we have come to know, the romance and development of their connection is wonderfully written.  I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility. 

Though I've not read Ms. Ridley's books before I found this an entertaining place to start with a book that combined comfortable fluff with the harsh realities of war. With its memorably outspoken heroine and damaged hero their bumpy journey to HEA keeps you fully immersed in their emotional highs and lows. Jane is firmly ensconced on the shelf at the start of the story. She feels plain, unmemorable to those who meet her. With life passing her by though she decides it's time to make her mark and leave an impression. Jane's an interesting dichotomy of loving the arts and being proud of her intelligence while also showing flashes of a flirty woman going after the man she wants. That man is returning war hero, Xavier, who's also struggling with how he sees himself. When he first came home Xavier was catatonic but is slowly emerging from the darkness. That's not to say he's found peace and happiness though as he's still feeling lost and angry over his actions during wartime. He just wants to be left alone in his self-imposed punishment. I ached for Xavier and the hardness of his heart and soul that war has left him with. It makes him a bit harsh and hard to love early on but Jane sees something in him that calls to her and her surprising proposal sets them on an intriguing path. These two lost souls may start with a low simmer but soon find themselves waging a steamy war to reach their HEA in a story that's sometimes predictable but satisfying by the time Xavier makes his grand gesture. This was a story with a bit of humor and heart, along with emotional intensity brought on by the past. While it didn't weigh itself down dealing with the ravages of war, it didn't shy away from them either. There was a nice flow in this quick read with two compelling main characters and a cat who completely charmed me bringing some very appreciated levity. I enjoyed Ms. Ridley's tale and know that, though this was my first time reading her, it won't be my last.

I really love this series. The characters are fantastic and lively and this book fits so smoothly into the series concept. I love a female character that is lively and spunky. She is not the norm for the time period and I think that makes her all the more fun! She's a determined,  intelligent woman that just will not let go of what she feels she wants. In a time period where women had little choice, she decided what she wanted and set out to make it happen. She didn't take the easy road, she set her sites if not her heart on a man that was so damaged by war and his role in it that would rather not speak and hide himself away than to deal with the world around him. Watching her break t hrough and in the process find love and not just passion was an exciting adventure.

Charming and romantic, The Captain's Bluestocking Mistress was a fantastic historical romance. It was a lovely addition to the Dukes of War series and I really liked it. Jane was great. She was tired of being forgotten and wanted a taste of passion, which she was totally unafraid of going after. She was kind, understanding, and a likable character. Xavier was wonderful. He was a man with a heavy conscience, burdened by what he did during the war. But, he was a good man at heart who was haunted by having to do bad things and a sweetie at that.  The romance was delightful. Jane and Xavier were perfect together. They had a strange start, but they were a perfect match. The plot moved quickly and kept me hooked right from the start. I really liked the story and I loved how it ended.  The Captain's Bluestocking Mistress was a fantastic historical romance. I really enjoyed reading this lovely book. Romance lovers, this is a book you'll want to read. *I received a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The second in the Dukes of War series was pleasantly more like the writing I expect from Erica Ridley. I really like the fun conversations and play between Xavier and Jane.

Great story.

Well writen and enjoyable storyline.

2.5 out of 5 stars, while I enjoyed the character update and liked Jane with Xavier, it was very slow. In addition, I found Jane to be very naive when it came to who Xavier truly was, as she romantisized everything about him even though he tried to disillusion her from the beginning. The only part I can positively say that was my favorite was the ending of this novel because of how Xavier portrayed his "grand gesture." Therefore, I only recommend this novel to anyone who has read "The Earl’s Defiant Wallflower" (Book 1 of the Dukes of War Series). Review By: From Me to You ... Book Reviews

I really enjoyed this sweet story. Loved the characters Jane and Xavier. Well written and I absolutely love the series.

Another great story of The Dukes of War series! The Captain's Bluestocking, by Erica Ridley, is a sweet and entertaining Regency romance. This heartwarming and romantic story will surely please you! I love stories of tormented souls, their stories are always filled with strong emotions! It tells the story of Captain Xavier Grey, an emotionally broken man, because of the horrors of war and spinster Jane Downing, who will enters his life with a special request! Because of her lack of self-esteem, Jane thought she couldn't please a man, so she decides to concoct a proposition that will fill Xavier's life with ups and downs. She is a smart woman and is determine to get what she wants '' she needs Xavier in her bed''! What will happen next? Just follow Jane and Xavier’s charming story, you’ll love both of them! I loved how Jane grew in confidence! Some scenes are filled with romance with a touch of humor. I really enjoyed watching their relationship transform from not knowing each other to being in completely in love. Will her wish come true? I highly recommend this book to lovers of romance that ends with a happy-ever-after ending. I really enjoyed her 3rd book in The Dukes of War series.

This is book three in the series and can be read alone. I actually laughed a bit reading this one. I also found myself looking up the meaning of bluestocking (which considering the amount of historical romance I have read you would think I would know it, but nope didn't ).  having read the definition and knowing some of the names of the biggest women in the movement made reading this a richer experience. I enjoyed the romance, I loved the unveiling of each character as they realized they each only knew but so much about each other.  Jane was tired of being plain forgettable Jane and decides that she doesn't want marriage but she will take a wonderful affair with the Captain.  She's built him up as a hero because of his service in the war, not taking into account what really happened there and how it affected or changed him from the man she knew before he went to war  I really enjoyed their conversations, and Xavier's attempt to remain an honorable man despite what Jane wanted. As they got to know each other and corrupted each other, challenged each other, and made the other laugh, I had such a good time reading. Especially when Jane tried to read certain books in the library while pretending to be reading the Odyssey.  They were funny together and separately.  I loved reading from both of their points of view, which helped to make the story a more rounded one.  I laughed at the stupid cat, who as Xavier pointed out, the person who gave it to them really hated them, because boy that cat was a trip. It's another great addition in the series and I'm going to continue marathoning the others that I have.  It was a quick read and I found myself wanting to see how they would end their battle of wits. And I most say I couldn't have predicted Xavier's actions at the end.  Which made this a great read.   ¿¿¿¿¿ it's a good quick read my loves with a few laughs, and a bit of happy romance. I hope you enjoy it.  Happy Reading

I love this series, it's so enjoyable. Xavier steals your heart with his brokeness, Jane is a wonderful, intelligent, warm woman. I'm glad they find each other, they bring out the best in each other.

She had it all planned out. He might resist at first, might deny he wanted her, but he'd come around. She was certain of that. Her heart was never factored into the equation, neither was the possibility of love. Yet, standing on the threshold that separated lust from love, Jane had no idea how to move forward. The deed was done, she experienced what she thought she wanted, but there was an emptiness she hadn't anticipated when she walked away. And it wasn't because of Xavier's lack of attention or lack of skill or anything like that. It was because their lovemaking had been heightened because he knew her and saw her. I don't mean physically see her. He saw her. Jane hardly existed to the members of the ton, which was sad because she really was a woman worth knowing. Who cares about age when she possessed an incredible heart, mind, and passion? Xavier didn't because the Jane he knew was all of those things and more. Jane and Xavier's story isn't just about an on-the-shelf miss and a PTSD-suffering soldier. It's about seeing your value through someone else's eyes. It's about making a connection that's deeper than lust. It's about discovering a love and a passion for that one person who really, truly, unconditionally accepts you. It takes courage to not only love but to accept someone else's love for you. There's the possibility of being hurt and of being rejected, but it's worth the risk. I almost thought Xavier wouldn't understand that. I thought he'd let her go after all they shared, thought he would just ignore what he felt for her instead of acknowledging it. He didn't and the way he went about proving his love for her was completely sigh-inducing and perfect for them. The ton may have forgotten Jane one too many times, but they wouldn't anymore. A lovely story and a great addition to Ms. Ridley's Dukes of War series, fast-paced and engaging, I promise you'll love this story as much as I did. 4.5* (Received from author for an honest review)

This is book 2 in the Dukes of War series. Having established herself firmly on the shelf, spinster Jane Downing has decided that she wants to take a lover if only for one night of pleasure. Having spent years not being seen, she would like one night where someone "sees" her and who better than Xavier Grey one of the few man that has intrigued her. Learning that he is leaving for his cottage in Essex, Jane follows him with seduction on her mind. Xavier wants nothing more than to be out of the spotlight and to forget what he did during the war. He can't believe that Jane has followed him and is intend on seduction. As attracted to Jane as he is, she doesn't know all the terrible things he has done. He doesn't feel like he deserves to be the one to take Jane's special gift. Can Jane talk Xavier into one night of passion? Loved this story! Ever since Xavier spoke up in The Earl's Defiant Wallflower, I thought he had a wicked sense of humor (what a time to finally speak!!). As with the other books in the series, Ridley has me laughing out loud and so engrossed in the story that I couldn't put it down until it was finished. This series is definitely in the top 5 of my all time favorite reads! I can't wait to see what Ridley has in store for us when the next book in the series, The Major's Faux Fiancee, comes out in June! Thanks go out to Intrepid Reads via NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.

Romance is timeless, but when Erica Ridley takes us back in time across and ocean and into the Regency Period, I know I am going to be caught up in the world she creates. The Captain’s Bluestocking Mistress pits one determined woman looking to feel the passion she has only ever read and heard about against one damaged officer’s resistance to her attempts. The horrors of war, watching comrades and friends die while you are spared; have warped Captain Xavier Grey’s perception of himself. To Spinster Jane Downing, is he everything her secret, yet oh so sinful fantasies could desire and just once, before she dies or recedes back into her forgettable life, she is going to feel the passion of love, lust and the heat from a man’s body. Does the good Captain think he is unworthy of her or is she doing things wrong in her attempts to seduce him? She isn’t asking for him to marry her, she would be happy to be his mistress and come hell or high water, she will have her way. Well, tease us a little, why don’t you, Erica? From the façade of a prim society to the voracious imagination of one brilliant young woman, there is heart, humor and that giddy feeling of anticipation as we wait to see if Goliath will be felled by a novice seductress. Ms. Ridley’s tale flows with ease, never too sinister, never too dark, but her handling of the rules of etiquette and propriety would cause bosoms to heave and a few vapor spells, indeed! Jane is a character well ahead of her time, probably too smart for the ton, and a totally delightful rebel lay under those stays and petticoats. Sadly, Captain Grey suffers the aftermath of war, something not truly recognized at the time, but I think Jane just might know the first step to healing, if only he would listen. Wonderful writing, delightful reading, gotta love a woman with guts! I received this ARC edition from Intrepid Reads in exchange for my honest review

Erica Ridley has done it again! I Loved the characters, the situation they both found themselves in and the outcome!  Miss Jane Downing is more than a wallflower, she is invisible! Everyone is kind and polite, when they are introduced, again. They act as if they don't know her! This can be a blessing and a curse! She does some outrageous things to try to be remembered or even noticed, but to no avail. She is destined to be a spinster that no one remembers. At least she has her books. She loves reading and any subject will do. But Miss Jane has a secret crush. Has had this crush for quite some time. Captain Xavier Grey. Captain Xavier Grey is unaware of Miss Jane Downing. He knows her brother but has not really paid that much attention to the sister. Captain Gray has been battling demons of his own. After returning from war, he is in a catatonic state but his friends try to bring him out. He finally decides that hiding inside his own mind is doing no good at all. He decides, instead, to leave London for the county. He has a small cottage where he can be alone with his pain. Which is what he is busy doing when he hears a knock on his door! His servants haven't arrived yet so he must deal with things himself. How shocked he was to find a woman on his doorstep, with baggage no less! No carriage in site either.  Miss Jane decided that if she is going to be a spinster, she would like to know what passion feels like. Maybe she can keep this memory to play over and over in her head for the rest of her days! Her choice is the crush she never got over! Captain Xavier doesn't know what her is on for!  I always say I don't give spoilers no matter how badly I want to!  The story is a good one! You will love the struggle they both go through! An unfortunately timed about storm is the least of the Captains worries! I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did!

Jane has no expectations of ever getting married and is content with her books and friends. However, the one thing she does want to experience is passion and has a plan to get what she wants. Xavier has been a changed man since coming home from the war. His memories haunt him, he just wants to be left alone. Little does he know Jane has other plans for him. Wonderfully entertaining story. I enjoyed the interaction between Jane and Xavier, both sweet and sexy. An all-around entertaining historical romance.

I received an ARC of The Captain's Bluestocking Mistress by Erica Ridley. This story contains a strong romance with a heartwarming twist. Xavier is a soldier plagued by the things he has witnessed and could not prevent. Jane is a spinster with limited options. Both are searching for something. Maybe they can find what they seek with each other. Am a fan of Erica Ridley.

I have always enjoyed reading Regency romances but Ms Ridley has taken the genre to new heights. Her characters are not just the usual fluffy female with gorgeous guy to fall for but instead both Jane and Xavier are complex, intelligent people with interesting issues they must deal with. Even though the storyline may not be new there are elements to this story that make it fresh and vibrant. This is one story that I will enjoy reading again – although – I do hope that the cat Egui and his master, Jane’s brother, will eventually find a woman that can get along with them both…maybe they will star in an upcoming Regency romance…I kind of hope so.

Snowstorm, check; stubborn woman, check; a handsome soldier, check; you know where this is going, right? Wrong! Jane Downing is learned, independent, but has resigned herself to being invisible and remaining a spinster. She would not settle for just anyone, if she were given the choice, besides no one ever asks anything from her anyway. On the other hand, Captain Xavier Grey would rather not be seen; a war hero, everybody notices him. He never fully recovered from what he had to do during the war, and only wishes to forget; if only he could disappear. Jane wants to be remembered, to be loved, if only for one night, she wants to experience the pleasures of the flesh at least once and she has chosen Xavier to be the one. When she learns he is soon leaving for his cottage in Essex, she takes off with her brother’s cat, and intends to seduce Xavier. Jane is also very perceptive, and as their conversations go from playful and seductive on Jane’s side, to sombre and gloomy from Xavier’s, they eventually learn a lot about each other, but most of all about themselves, and their attitudes begin to change. THE CAPTAIN’S BLUESTOCKING MISTRESS is quite different from the usual trope about people being stuck together during a snowstorm. The story is original, fresh, and Ms. Ridley’s prose is at the same time elegant and lively, and the dialogues are the best she’s ever written. Jane and Xavier are mesmerizing, unusual, and multifaceted, and even more so as they discover each other. A fabulous love story you will not soon forget! Erica Ridley’s wonderful Dukes of War series keeps getting better and better; do not miss THE CAPTAIN’S BLUSTOCKING MISTRESS!