To Tame A Countess Reviewed

a review of To Tame A Countess by r_seitz

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I love historical romance and I love erotica, so put them together and I am one very happy reader. Add in the fact that the author is Annabel Joseph, and you have the recipe for a fantastic book.

To Tame a Countess takes all the typical historical romance plotlines (arranged marriage, innocent maiden, reformed rake) and turns it all just a little bit to the left to create something original and endlessly endearing.

This book is the second installment in Ms. Joseph’s Properly Spanked series. The series follows a group of titled gentlemen who are well known for their lascivious pursuits and their determination to avoid matrimony. When the Earl of Warren heads off with his sister to a house party, he has no plans on marrying. But after meeting the beautiful and mysterious Lady Maitland, he finds himself intrigued. Then through a series of unexpected circumstances, the two find themselves married. Now they must learn about each other and find their way amongst the conventions of the ton.

I have loved every book of Ms. Joseph’s that I have read and To Tame a Countess is no exception. It’s Ms. Joseph’s ability to create characters with depth and emotions that speak straight to my heart that captivates me with each page. Warren is an absolutely fascinating character who grabbed my attention from the first pages. We first see his softer side as he deals with his younger sister who is a handful. He managed to be forceful, yet gentle, with her while letting her know how much he cared for her. He was the same with Josephine. Of course the fact that he was handsome, rich, titled and alpha certainly didn’t hurt.

Josephine had a difficult childhood which had serious repercussions on her as an adult. As her story was revealed, my heart couldn’t help but break for her pain. I was so pleased to see her find confidence and poise as Warren’s wife. Ms. Joseph was able to showcase the often difficult emotional journey that Josephine was experiencing while still keeping the story upbeat. Josephine blossomed under Warren’s hands and I loved that despite her husband’s bedroom practices, she was able to maintain her sweetness and innocence.

It wouldn’t be an Annabel Joseph book without steamy, hot erotica; and even though To Tame a Countess is an historical romance, Ms. Joseph didn’t skimp on the spice. Warren introduced his wife to a wide variety of kink. Who knew that lords and ladies of the past were so kinky? It was a joy to see Josephine embrace all the bedroom antics and find such pleasure and joy in her husband’s arms. Warren appreciated his luck in finding a woman who could not only accept but enjoy his style of lovemaking.

To Tame a Countess can stand on its own without reading the first book in the series, but why not read both? Then you can have double the fun and double the entertainment. Luckily, there are two more gentlemen who need to find their soul mate. And since Ms. Joseph continues to impress me with each book she writes, I can’t wait to read the next book in this delightful series.

The perfect blend of historical romance and erotica