It's HaBO-Thon time! HaBO stands for “Help a Bitch Out,” and is a segment wherein folks write in looking for books that they cannot find, usually becuase they remember many details about the plot, but not the title or author. This is, by the way, how I remember most books.
Our first request comes from GoldenDarter:
After the latest round of HaBOs, and another fruitless internet search, I have decided to ask the Bitchery if they might know of this book… I read it several years ago, in the infancy of my romance obsession, but I have no idea when it was actually released.
I believe it is a historical, and if I had to guess I would say it is set in England (really, where else could it be?). I am certain he is a lord of some kind or at least obscenely rich (could he be anything else?). There is really only once particular scene I remember, and it bothers me to not remember the whole story behind it. It takes place near the end of the book and the H/H have been sleeping together for a while, though I have no idea if they are married or if she's his mistress.
Apparently the Hero's bedroom has several strategically placed mirrors which make for amazing sexy-times. I believe he has the mirrors because he is a rake (of course he is). I believe the Heroine has some sort of psychological issues (from childhood?) and she is using the mirrors to escape living. By this I mean, she is watching their sexy-times in the mirrors as if it were a movie and creating a barrier that prevents her from truly interacting with the Hero. Fairly certain this is overflowing to their relationship outside the bedroom as well. The Hero notices her withdrawal and becomes (understandably) upset. The scene I most remember involves him trying to make her connect with him during sexy-times (make her look at him, not the mirrors). She won't do it, he gets upset, much crying ensues, she finally looks at him, much weeping, hugs and make-up sex ensue. Ta-da, magically a HEA.
I have searched for this books because it bothers me to not know what in the hell made her retreat that way. Really. Bothers me. I have spent more time trying to google this book than is strictly healthy, I am sure. Hoping for some help so I can finally lay this to rest.
Anyone remember this book – and how many mirrors in a bedroom qualify a person as a “rake?”
Wow! I need to know what book this is and no one’s responded yet!
HaBO is not healthy for me, I end up buying those books as I get so intrigued by other readers descriptions of them!
I believe it is Madeline Hunter’s Lord of Sin.
Yep, there are definitely mirrors in the love scene in chapter 20. She (Bride) is using the mirrors to keep the hero(Ewan) at a distant because she got hurt in the past by a man who ran off with the money prints she and her sisters where making in Scotland.
Mirrors make a rake? Wow, did not know that. And I’m also curious on the how many mirrors per rake equation so someone please come up with the answer soon.
OMG, I knew this HABO sounded familiar! I actually read that book (though I never would have called it). That was good.
I’d have thought a lot of mirrors in the bedroom is more of an indication of narcissism, so I’m going to say it’s not the number but the placement. Mirrors around and specifically over the bed are meant to be a sign that this is a guy for whom sex is an event – a performance, a game, what have you – and ordinary hijinks are insufficient. It doesn’t simply mean that his bedroom was decorated in the 1970s, because usually the 1970s hadn’t happened yet.
@Jaye – The details are coming back to me now! I remember him having some wild parties…? And he had a ton of erotic art (engravings specifically) as well as a ::ahem:: special swing… If this is the one I’m remembering, they go to live with him for a while and she is trying to shield her younger sisters from everything in his house.
Yay! Going off to see if I still have my copy of this. Thank you!!
Yep! That’s it exactly! For the most part I enjoyed the seducer series, especially The Romantic. The Charmer and The Saint were good too. Some of the other ones didn’t do much for me.
Happy I was able to help.
Engravings?!? Ha – there’s an original one 🙂 Sounds like a fun read, though.
Damn, whenever I know one someone else always gets there first.
15 mirrors, 14 and he is still a gentleman.