Libertine's Kiss

This book is so awesome!!!!!!!! I finished the book last night, and I can not stop thinking about it. Judith James is my new favorite.

i have read her previous books, and she does NOT disappoint, this book was very good - i wont' go into the story line, other reviewers did that, but, in my opinion, you miss out if you don't read Judith James. A wonderful author (she reminds me a little of Madeline Hunter's earlier stories - good historic detail)her stories are out of the ordinary and there is more than enough romance, go for it.

Romantic Times 4.5 stars Reviewed By: Kathe Robin James' unusual love story is one of emotional impact. While set against a historical backdrop, full of tumult and betrayal, her complex characters are both emotionally ravaged yet highly sensual. Readers will find this poignant love story enthralling and unforgettable. William de Veres and Elizabeth Walters were childhood friends separated because of their fathers' greed. William was sent to school, then joined the military; Elizabeth was forced to marry an abusive man. Years later they encounter one another under dangerous circumstances, but neither acts as if they recognize one another. Two years later, when Elizabeth is trying to see the king, William uses his position as the king's bard to secure her an appointment. Once they acknowledge their feelings for each other, Elizabeth must reconcile William's behavior in the intervening years when he was in the king's personal service. They also must deal with the political intrigue of the court and its viciously greedy and jealous attendees. [...] The Season Top Pick! Rating: 9 Top Pick! Heat Level: 5 (Scorching) Libertine's Kiss is a passionate story full of the real stuff of romance - the difficult decisions and sacrifices one makes for love, and the power two people can claim for themselves when they have the support of the right person. One thing I've learned in my time as a reviewer is that I'm stingy with my praise. To get a 9 out of me, an author has to give me characters I can relate to - people who have problems that they face with bravery, honor and humor. The characters need a setting so vivid I feel like I'm there. The plot must avoid easy romance clichés, and the author has to use English in ways that make each sentence a pleasure to read. Judith James' latest novel is most definitely a 9. William and Lizzie were childhood friends, even though their families were on opposite sides of a political divide that would lead to the English Civil War. Lizzie's family is Puritans and supports the Parliamentarian revolt, while William's family is Royalists. When war breaks out, William leaves to fight for the monarchy, and he follows the executed king's son into exile. It's years before they meet again, this time in a semi-anonymous encounter when Lizzie saves William's life. She recognizes him, but he doesn't know who she is; he only knows the comfort he feels around her. The war years have not been kind to Lizzie. She was married off to an abusive husband, and after she's widowed, all her land is seized by Oliver Cromwell because he discovers she helped an enemy - William. At times, it's only the fantastical stories William told her as a child that keep her going. She doesn't see William again until the monarchy is restored and she goes to the royal court to plead for her lands back. When he realizes who she is, he uses his influence with Charles II to have her land restored. Unfortunately, the king is a true libertine, and Will

I truly thought that Judith James could not write a better book than her "BROKEN WING" one, but I was so wrong. This is one of those books, that you CAN NOT put down and then do something else. A reader is compelled to finish it in one heart renching swoop...unless this particular reader is so darn lucky to have her husband point to a TV screen and catch an IFC movie with Johnny Depp as he plays "THE LIBERTINE" ([...])! So, I put the book to the side, and watched this tragic story of 2nd Earl of Rochester, to which the character of William is based. I finished the book early this morning, and I have to agree with A. Bergeron in her review of the character of William. I would add one thing to her review. Will would make our Rock Stars blush! We follow his life first as a young boy, then as a cavalier, and finally as a courtier in Charles II's Court. Have you ever read a story that you could literally HEAR the voice of the protagonist? I mean, REALY hear it? Really feel what they feel? To the point that you're going through their emotions? It is a rare thing for me, and I must say that Judith James has done an excellent job of taking me to this point! I FELT William. I HEARD William (Toby Stephens [...]). Oh, and what a wonderful character Lizzy was. I was there with her on that tree, when she first meets Will, and I was there with her when she sits on the bed with Charlie and with her as she tries so hard to except her love of Will as Lord Rivers. I have so much more to say about it, but I dare not to, as I might give away too much. And I would hate to do that to you. This story is meant to be savored and enjoyed. I highly recommend it to all readers of historical romance! The period in which this story develops is just facinating. This story will capture you from the first page as we encounter Will on the run from the Law, keep you turning the pages to find out why he's so cynical, and keep you rooting for this man to finally come to terms with his Demons. Please do not pass this one up...trust me, you'll be sorry you did.

In twenty-first century terms, William de Veres would probably be labeled an alcoholic and a sex addict. Fortunately for him, he inhabits the seventeenth century where he is known to Charles II's court as a libertine. In Libertine's Kiss, Judith James has turned him into a romance hero. And damn, if she doesn't make it work. Deep inside, William is actually a romantic, idealistic man, but he hides it beneath a veneer of cynicism. He shows his true self to only one person, Elizabeth Walters. As children, they spent an idyllic year and a half acting as each other's escape from the harsh realities of their world. They pretend to be characters from Spenser's "Faerie Queene" while William teaches Elizabeth to defend herself from bullies. Their friendship comes to a poignant end when William is sent away to school. Years pass before they see each other again, and on that occasion, William does not recognize his childhood friend. Taking him in one night, when he arrives, wounded, on her doorstep, she heals his physical wounds and offers him comfort of a more baser sort. In the morning, she sends him on, and as a result of this one night, she loses all her properties. William, it turns out, is a proponent of Charles II, at this point in exile in Europe, and he is hunted by Cromwell's men. They miss William but arrest Elizabeth, who stands trial and pays a heavy price. The pair do not find each other again until Cromwell is overthrown, and Elizabeth goes to King Charles' court to petition for the restoration of her lands. William has progressed from the "tax collector," a highway man whose proceeds go maintaining the exiled king's lifestyle, to court poet, whose pointed verses insult the king as often as they flatter. He drinks to excess and beds women at random in an effort to forget his past. This time, when he meets Elizabeth, he recognizes her instantly, both as his childhood friend and the woman who took him in three years previously. He makes her his mistress while he teaches her the ways of the court so she can successfully petition the king. Their road to happily ever after is paved with twists and turns as each must learn to have faith in the other. I greatly enjoyed this book for its rich, evocative setting, well rounded characters--and thank goodness for a story set in an unusual time period. I will warn against two things: if having the hero and heroine spend lengthy periods of time apart or reading about the hero having relations with someone other than the heroine are deal-breakers for you, you might want to give this book a pass. Neither scenario bothered me, as I felt they were well motivated within the story. If you're willing to cut a highly damaged man a little slack, enjoy the story.