I agree with your comments Janine but the book does get better and you get easily hooked. I wanted to hate Gabriel’s brother and tried to find the untrustworthy nature about him but couldn’t and at other times I wanted Quilla to be with Gabriella’s brother. I loved that this wasn’t a typical romance and it actually hooked me in reading to the end to find out what happens and who she sleeps with and falls for.

I would not have read P and P if I had read No Greater Pleasure first. In this case smart marketing and a great cover did a good job for the author.

I am glad you enjoyed Pleasure and Purpose more. I haven’t heard from many readers about it and I think it is worth reading.

I thought that was an interesting disclosure because the differences in the two books show just how much (in My opinion) Ms Hart has grown as a writer.

I would not have read P and P if I had read No Greater Pleasure first. In this case smart marketing and a great cover did a good job for the author.

I enjoyed all three stories in Pleasure and Purpose although I agree that the first story in was the best one. But all three novellas engaged me much more than No Greater Pleasure. I do wonder if I would have been more interested in No Greater Pleasure had I not read Pleasure and Purpose, because then at least the world of handmaidens would have been new to me.

But I agree, their situation isn’t particularly romantic. And Gabriel’s attitude doesn’t change much until the very end. As a hero he’s not only distant and aloof, but quite unlikable. Not that I like heroes who fall madly in love with the heroine in the blink of an eye, but still…
It was a strange book, the first half is so slow and it seems to be getting nowhere. The second half gets better, but one would expect more romance.

Maybe it would have worked better as an erotic romance, or it might have been more interesting with a secondary romance. Jericho, Gabriel’s brother, was such an interesting character, he deserved more that the fate the author gave him (*sigh*). Also, some MM or MMF would have been nice… Anything, instead of the boring “my-life-as-a-maid” routine described in the book, LOL.

I had loved the first story from Pleasure and Purpose, while the other two had been disappointing in comparison. I’m not sure I’ll read the next novel in the series (if there’ll be one, that is).

This story was a roller-coaster ride. Throughout the first half I was getting a very Bronte-ish feeling of Jane Eyre & Rochester when allofasudden
we were in the middle of a Jules Verne novel with a giant thing (no, not that thing, a monster) attacking. Then allofasudden we were back at Thornefield when
allofasudden we’ve caught sight of the Marquis de Sade then allofasudden
it’s a Harlequin Presents.

Oh my! I thought it was great fun, and although it’s not a keeper nor would I ever re-read it, it has all the essentials of ‘something different’ and I really enjoyed the story.

I can see where readers may wonder WTF is going on but even with my dislike of adultery in fictional couples it, for me, was definitely a romance. I loved the characters and the feeling that it was all written (well) with a wink and a smile.

I don’t enjoy giving out DNFs but I’ve come to the conclusion, based on self-knowledge, that I’m better off to stop reading at the point where I recognize that my frustration with a book will only turn to crabbiness and make it difficult to write a thoughtful post if I keep reading.

And BTW I want to try one of your books again (my friend Meredith Duran is a major fan of your work), but I’m waiting for the steampunk series because I’m anal about reading series in order. Any news about when the first book in that series will be out?

I hope you enjoy No Greater Pleasure.

I’m really intrigued by this setup. I might try this one first, then the novellas, so that the worldbuilding info is fresh while I’m tackling the longer book — and count me in as another one who is loving the cover.

I also logged in to WordPress so now my posts will appear in green, unlike my earlier ones in this comment thread.

@Jill Sorenson: You’ve got me blushing. Thanks! I hope you enjoy the novellas, and this one too if you pick it up.

I’m interested in the previous novellas, so I might pick this up if those work for me. Agree that the cover is spectacular. Thanks!

Do you think it was the word count ‘thing' rearing it's ugly head and causing all the previously given background to be repeated in this story? It wouldn't be an excuse but I just wondered.

I doubt it. I felt that it was done to bring the readers who hadn’t read Pleasure and Purpose up to speed, but for me, it felt too familiar.

Now I wonder if they’ll just send me that gorgeous cover and I can simply re-read Pleasure and Purpose. I will give it a try when it comes and see if I enjoy it —or at least can get through the whole thing.

Do you think it was the word count ‘thing’ rearing it’s ugly head and causing all the previously given background to be repeated in this story? It wouldn’t be an excuse but I just wondered.

I also, fair or not, expect a certain amount of sex from a Megan Hart book. At least in a couple of her Spice books, the sex sometimes gets a little repititve, so that I find myself wanting a little less, so it may seem contrary for me to say that with the first half of this book I wanted more. But that was the way I felt.

Please do let me know what you think of Pleasure and Purpose when you read it, and this one too if you continue with the series.