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Cecilia Grant
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Lady Awakened: Blackshear Family Book 1 Paperback – October 1, 2012

by Cecilia Grant (Author)
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 1,273 ratings
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In Cecilia Grant’s emotionally rich and deeply passionate Regency romance debut, a deal with a rumored rogue turns a proper young woman into . . . A Lady Awakened.

Newly widowed and desperate to protect her estate and beloved servants from her malevolent brother-in-law, Martha Russell conceives a daring plan. Or rather, a daring plan to conceive. After all, if she has an heir on the way, her future will be secured. Forsaking all she knows of propriety, Martha approaches her neighbor, a London exile with a wicked reputation, and offers a strictly business proposition: a month of illicit interludes . . . for a fee.

Theophilus Mirkwood ought to be insulted. Should be appalled. But how can he resist this siren in widow’s weeds, whose offer is simply too outrageously tempting to decline? Determined she’ll get her money’s worth, Theo endeavors to awaken this shamefully neglected beauty to the pleasures of the flesh—only to find her dead set against taking any enjoyment in the scandalous bargain. Surely she can’t resist him forever. But could a lady’s sweet surrender open their hearts to the most unexpected arrival of all . . . love?
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Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 3
    Blackshear Family
  2. Print length
    362 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Eternal Romance
  5. Publication date
    October 1, 2012
  6. Dimensions
    5.12 x 0.94 x 7.72 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    0755396774
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0755396771
  9. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Eternal Romance (October 1, 2012)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 362 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0755396774
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0755396771
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.12 x 0.94 x 7.72 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 1,273 ratings

About the author

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Cecilia Grant

Cecilia Grant

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Cecilia Grant makes her home in the Pacific Northwest. She likes semicolons, chocolate-covered raisins, and historical sites with costumed reenactors. Her books have earned starred reviews from Booklist and Library Journal, Seal of Excellence and Reviewer's Choice awards from RT Reviews Magazine, and Desert Isle Keeper designation from All About Romance.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
1,273 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Ellie Reads
5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating historical romance!
Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2016
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I have had this series on my radar for a while now and somehow it was never the right time to start it. Now when I finally did it I'm so happy with my choice.

I loved this story so much. The plot may not be the most original in historical romance but it read and new and intriguing for me. The writing won me over completely, it is elegant and beautiful, very thoughtful and engaging.

Martha and Theo were fantastic characters - complex, rich, well developed. The deal they make seemed outrageous but it turns out not to so out of the ordinary for the times. The fact that it grew into something more can be expected but the way this happened, slowly bringing out the true nature of the characters was fascinating to read.

I liked how the romance developed slowly (despite the sex taking place early on, though you can hardly think of it in sensual or romantic terms at the beginning), how they actually got to know each other and their lives got more and more merged as the story progressed.

The romance was not part of plan for either of them had for their future but by the end the of the book it seemed inescapable and the way the story developed did leave the reader convinced of it.

Martha and Theo are nothing alike - he is a bohemian and she is all about being proper and dutiful. Yet, it's she who proposes their deal, she who risks everything to help others in need, she who takes action, who moves on with her life as a widow on her own terms as much as possible. I loved the contrast between her opening her heart to love and sensual pleasure and his opening to caring about people, to making something with his fortune, to creating. She was the driving force behind his entrepreneur activities.

In a way they both brought out the best in each other and their interaction. I loved their dynamics and the complexity of their relationship.

It was a very sweet, very tender and very captivating feel-good historical romance which I can recommend to everyone.
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Rachel Neumeier
4.0 out of 5 stars This just became one of my favorite romances ever
Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2018
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This just became one of my favorite romances ever.

The recently widowed Martha Russell, nee Blackshear, is the most responsible, least seducable lady who has ever starred in a Regency romance. Nor is she seduced. She definitely does not swoon over the male lead, Theo Mirkwood, when she first sees him. Nor when she sees him a second time, or a third. Martha has a pressing need to become pregnant, as it happens:

<em><strong>Women could only pray for mercy</strong> . . . That wasn’t true. Women could do more. A desperate woman could do more.

<strong>Women could only bear what came.</strong> But a chance had come. A chance had come and looked her in the eye that very morning. . . . She could wait for Providence to come to these women’s aid, or she could make use of what Providence had already put in her path.</em>

If Martha is pregnant, she will remain mistress of Seton Park, well-placed to see to the welfare of the estate and everyone who lives in the area. Also, all the women among the staff and tenants will remain safe from her late husband’s brother, a sexual predator. So, as I say, she has a pressing need to become pregnant. Mr. Mirkwood is conveniently placed to make that happen. As you can see, this is not a very romantic romance – not on Martha’s side, not for a good long time.

Theo Mirkwood is not the least bit like his name. He’s a dissolute young man, sent to the country by his father because he keeps getting into trouble in London. He’s warm and affectionate by nature, extroverted, good-hearted, and also quite ready to rise to meet someone’s higher expectations, if only higher expectations should be offered. He naturally takes Martha’s unseducability as a challenge. It only gradually dawns on him that she might after all be seduced, by a man who is thoughtful, kind, responsible, and most of all effective in taking action on behalf of others.

<em>A Lady Awakened</em> is a unusual romance in how long it remains swoon-free. The eventual romance is satisfying partly because of the long lead-up; the final resolution isn’t one that Martha or anyone else expected and could only have arisen from the synthesis of her strengths with Theo’s. It's an elegant resolution to a well-put-together story. I'll definitely be reading more by Grant in the future.
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Tam S.
5.0 out of 5 stars Fall in Love!
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2024
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I read A Lady Awakened when it first came out. It has remained an exemplar of everything a romance novel could be. Cecilia Grant’s writing is “exquisite; extremely beautiful and intensely felt.” You will savor every word and turn of phrase, and fall in love, like the characters, who come alive on the page. I recommend all of her books and I yearn for the day when she writes again.
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Susan D
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 7, 2023
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A Lady Awakened is an extremely well written, wonderful book of beautiful prose and descriptive passages - it is romantic, sensual, emotive, humorous and so much more. A remarkably evocative book about two disparate people who change, grow and connect despite their differences.

Martha is highly intelligent, practical, moralistic and governed by duty. Her complete opposite is the fun loving, irresponsible rake and profligate Theo. She is somewhat cool, standoffish and doesn’t make friends easily, while his warmth charms and befriends everyone he meets.

At first Martha thinks that Theo is frivolous, indolent and, like most men, governed by his sexual urges; therefore, he is the ideal candidate to impregnate her so she can retain her home. Theo has never known a female like Martha, she is completely outside his comprehension but, as he has been rusticated and refused funding by his father, he is quite happy to be paid to have sex with her, not least because he finds her physically attractive.

Over time they come to recognise each other’s positives and begin to value each other.

Martha begins to appreciate that Theo is adopting a sense of responsibility and isn’t as idle as she had at first thought, seeing him on the roof helping to thatch and mend his labourers cottages/carrying his sick elderly tenant to the main house for medical treatment/his agreement to talk his labourers into sending their children to school.

Theo values Martha listening with interest to his vague ideas and coalescing them into viable projects, he is in awe that she takes him seriously - she is the first person to do so. He admires her loyalty and support of all her employees and recognises that she is bound by duty and resolve. He also values and takes great pleasure in her esteem of him.

I love this book - its unique story, the beautiful writing and the main characters just drew me in. It was very difficult to put down when I had other demands on my time. It is a book I will go back to frequently.
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Ana Costa
5.0 out of 5 stars Gostei
Reviewed in Brazil on November 18, 2018
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É um romance lento, e os protagonistas melhoram um ao outro. A protagonista é rígida, então sei que não será universalmente amada, mas pessoalmente achei a personagem coerente e até refrescante. Leio muitos romances históricos e as personagens principais tem a tendência de serem garotas inexperientes facilmente seduzidas. Gosto quando essa tendência se perde.
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Monique Harpignies
5.0 out of 5 stars A deeply satisfying story narrated with marvelous grace
Reviewed in Italy on October 24, 2017
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Surrey and the concerns of its landed gentry are woven through this tale of unfolding passion as it overcomes propriety and self-interest, rendered with brilliant insights. Treading lightly over heavy ground, the author displays a welcome talent for cultured prose of high literary stamdard.
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dgatte
5.0 out of 5 stars An unusual and interesting tale
Reviewed in Canada on November 27, 2015
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An interesting tale of two very different people who unite to try to conceive a child out of wedlock with no further obligation to each other. In the process, they bring out the best in each other and, against all hope or planning, fall in love. The main characters' personal growths are enormous, unexpected and interesting. It is an unusual love story that gives one food for thought.
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J. Schnell
5.0 out of 5 stars Unusual historical romance
Reviewed in Germany on November 6, 2015
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To summarize what I agree with other reviewers: I liked, but did not love the prequel novella. The heroine here has a too strong, flawed character -- but so much of the book is devoted to learning what a better life is. The couple falls in love very slowly, in a very believable way, in part because there was a lot of excellent character development of both the hero and heroine! What's more, you get to really meet and learn about their tenant farmers and labourers, and lower classes are too often ignored in Regency Romance. Overall: This is a unique, well-written novel; the characters are interesting, atypical, but realistic; and the plot has a taut conflict with a resolution that was quite masterful. Talented author.
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