There's a few Loretta Chase books on sale every now and again, and it can be daunting to figure out if the one on sale is the one you want – or if you want all of them! To quote Jane Litte in a recent podcast, “Loretta Chase can't write a bad book,” and even if the storyline isn't to your liking, you can usually count on the writing to be supremely enjoyable. Chase is skilled and imaginative, and her books often find their way onto many “My Ultimate Favorites No You May Not Borrow It” lists.
So which Loretta Chase should someone start with, if they've never read her? Lord of Scoundrels ( A | BN | K | S ) or something else? Which book would you recommend for a reader who has never enjoyed a Chase novel?
Without a doubt Mr. impossible. I LOVE that book so much. But I really enjoy and have loved all of Chase’s Carsington books. (Especially Not Quite a Lady but I don’t recommend reading that one first as it’s last in the series.)
Miss Wonderful is a favorite of mine, and it is the first of the Carsington Brothers series, followed by Mr Impossible, Lord Perfect, and Not Quite a Lady. Last Night’s Scandal is also part of that series, featuring the next generation.
Your Scandalous Ways was my first Chase as well; it was her most recent release when I started reading romance again (thanks to Sarah and Candy), and her name kept coming up as an author that many readers loved. I was hooked.
Definitely Lord of Scoundrels!!! One of the best historical romances EVER!! Although I will say she’s never disappointed me with any of her books and I’ve read almost all of them.
I’ve only read Lord of Scoundrels because my friend recommended it and I did not like it at all. Unfortunately that has stopped me from trying another Chase book.
Somehow I had gotten a hold of Don’t Tempt Me but after reading LoS, it’s been in the back of my shelf in the dark. Just recently I bought Your Scandalous Ways on the Kindle because it was a bargain yet I still can’t make myself to read it either.
I think this list would help me out a bit in making a decision. Should I give Loretta Chase a second chance?
Carsington Brothers series is great – I really loved Mr Impossible, which I read first & then went back & read the series in order. I am also loving the Dressmaker’s series that is out now, Silk is for Seduction & Scandal Wears Satin.
I really love Knave’s Wager and The Sandalwood Princess. It’s a shame they’re so hard to find – luckily my library had them when I first started reading Chase.
I remember Lord Perfect as the first book. I might be wrong, but that was the one that quickly had me adding every one of Loretta Chase’s books to my pc and kindle library. And I might have a paperback copy as a duplicate!
Lord Perfect was the first that I remember. It was the one that quickly had me adding every one of Loretta Chase’s books I could fine to my PC and Kindle library. I also just might have a paperback copy of these books as a duplicate. LOL! Absolutely Love this Author! Humor, Family, Love could I ask for anything more?
Miss Wonderful was the first Chase I read, so biased in favor of it, and it got me reading more Chase. More! More! However I’ve only read a small fraction of her work so far. *
As a science fiction fan I especially liked how much of the problems were driven by the disruption new technology (canals) would wreak on the local area, and that the solution also involved clever use of technology.
I especially liked that, unlike the saying that “3/4ths of Opera could have been prevented if the main characters stopped for a nice cup of tea, a walk in the garden and talking things over,” these peeps DID stop for hours of quality walking and talking and trying to brainstorm solutions. Didn’t—but it wasn’t because of stubborn refusal to talk about problems.
* I’m reading Chase in order of “What I find in the library and bring home that doesn’t get buried in other stuff I find in the library.” My sweetheart and I usually try to firmly observe the rule “Don’t check out more books than you can carry” but sometimes slip.
Actually “Mr. Impossible” is the only Carsington book I’m totally in love with, so I would recommend that or LoS. I also loved “Your Scandalous Ways”. I love the way Chase subverts at least one standard trope of the genre in each book, but somehow never goes over the line in a way that would turn romance readers off.
Mr. Impossible (Carsingtons), Lord of Scoundrels (standalone), Last Night’s Scandal (more Carsingtons) and Your Scandalous Ways (standalone). More or less in that order. I really like Don’t Tempt Me (also standalone), but I seem to be the minority with that.
I have to confess to an unmanageable fondness for The English Witch (Albania! Hero is former villain dispatched by godmother!) and The Mad Earl’s Bride (hero has migraines, heroine has common sense)