Get Your Hands On Much Ado About Jack (Shakespeare In Love, #3) Devised By Christy English Provided As Textbook

still my pounding heart! What a fabulously sassy, sexy read

Picking up a Christy English book is like going for lunch with a longtime friend: I know Ill thoroughly enjoy it.
I so enjoyed Christys Love on a Midsummer Night in her Shakespeare in Love series, so I was keen to read this novel, focusing on Angelique and James, And what a pleasure it was!

I love the connection to Much Ado About Nothing: nothing, at the time of Shakespeare, was pronounced noting and meant gossip, and its gossip that lies at the heart of this novel the source of the conflict.
In fact, I found the book to be a real eyeopener in terms of making me consider just what it was like to be in the ton how crass and judgmental its members could be.
Stifling!

The writing style is great, full of pace and wit, I love the humour that shines through, such as in:

He swallowed hard, and it was as if he could hear his mothers voice shrill in his ear.
He could not skewer an earl at a dinner dance, It would be unseemly.

The setting is convincing, and I love the era and the customs and costumes it entails, The passion sits beautifully in this world and such passion! This is a book to make you blush indeed, and yearn, perhaps, for a Scottish sea captain Goodness me is James Jack swoonworthy! I love how the author alternates points of view in the book, allowing us to really get inside James and understand him.


For me, the standout element of the book is Angelique, I dont think Ive ever encountered such a strong heroine and Ive read a lot of romantic fiction, and as I turned the pages I was in awe of her.
Shes the very epitome of feisty and headstrong, and I love that she doesnt need James in the sense of being rescued by him as a damsel in distress, I was rather floored by the climax of the story I wont give a spoiler, but once I got over the shock I was left with a wide smile and an urge to vote Angelique Romantic Heroine You Least Want to Cross.


Fantastic, exciting, gripping historical fiction, Heartily recommended!
A witty pair of stubborn lovers! An enjoyable conclusion to the series, Christy English continues her Shakespeare in Love series, with her latest book, Much Ado About Jack, A historical romance series with a nod to one of the greats is reason enough to read this book, but English also gives readers an adventurous love story between a Widow who has no wish to wed and a sea captain who wants to find something or someone that has a greater pull than the sea.
Fans of the series know that English, once a Shakespearean actress, uses her experience with the work of the bard to temper her stories, She has a knack for taking Shakespeare and making it her own!

What I liked:

Shakespeare is one of my all time favorites and any series, no matter the genre that pays homage to Shakespeare's work is worth the time to read in my book.
The first two books in this series were very good reads and I thought that English had a real grasp of the Regency world and what made readers want to read about it, but I think she has really outdone herself with this novel.
Much Ado About Jack has all the right qualities that make stand apart from others in the genre, Strong characters, a simple, yet intriguing plot and strong romantic chemistry,

Angelique was a heroine with some spunk, She was a confident woman, who knew what she wanted out of life and what she didn't want and in this case that was another husband, Being a widow in the ton provided her with the independence she craved, the wealth to do as she pleased and the opportunity to engage in romance without entanglements, Giving that up was not in the plan, I loved her. She was snarky and sassy and knew how to put a man in his place, She understood the rules of the ton and how to play the game well, She didn't mind being the one they all talked about, she reveled in it, My kind of girl.

James was a wonderful hero as well, A sea captain by trade, is not often known to stay long on the shore, The lure of the sea was often to great to keep them bound to the land and you could see that in his character, He had a sense of restlessness about him and an air of command that was undeniable, When he met Angelique he had certainly met his match, It would take a strong man to love a woman like that, and James fit the bill,

I loved the banter between these two characters and the struggle for control which ensued, She was use to being in command and so was he, I think she treated him with disdain and aloofness partly because she knew he could be her downfall, I loved the way that English allows the reader to be spectator in this battle of wills, The ending was perfect for the two of them and I thought English was able to make everything flow naturally, no one had to give up anything they didn't want to and it felt like a winwin all the way around for characters and readers alike.


This one has spicy moments to be sure and I think it was important that those times be organic and not forced, English knows how to bring the heat without overwhelming the reader, She proves that good love scenes don't have to be raunchy to grab the reader and not let go, I appreciated her use of language and description throughout the book, but it really was showcased in the interactions between Angelique and James whether in the bedroom or out,

What I didn't like:

Angelique was really mean to James in the beginning, I understood the reasons for that, but still thought perhaps the author could have lightened up a bit on him, James was a great character and took it all in stride, it probably even made him want her more,

Bottom Line:

This is an excellent series and great nod to one of literature's most celebrated authors, English does justice to Shakespeare and provides readers with a captivating love story between two very strong personalities, I look forward to English's next offering, to come I'm sorry to give this book such a middleoftheroad rating, I really waffled on what kind of rating to give it mainly because I'm an admirer of Shakespeare, I remember reading Much Ado About Nothing in college, but that was a handful of years ago and I'm not really wanting to go back and read it so I can keep up with the parallels in this book.
With that being said, I've never read a book by this author before, I didn't read the other two books that preceeded this one, Ms. English writes a compelling story and I did enjoy the plot, What I didn't enjoy were the characters, Other than James Montgomery, I didn't

much care for anyone else in this book, Especially Anthony Carrington, the heroine of this Much Ado About Jack's former lover, I realize that Anthony was the hero in the first book, but I disliked him so much in Much Ado About Jack that I, respectfully speaking, have no urge to go back and read his story.
I'm all for characters that are flawed and aren't saintly individuals, but my reading taste is such that I'm not really fond of characters from two different books having once been lovers.
On top of that, they didn't part on amicable terms, Or so it seems. Perhaps I'm assuming a lot since I didn't read Anthony's story and I'm judging his character too harshly, Frogive me for that, but I found Anthony's behavior distasteful and I'm not sure reading his story will change that,

However, I digress, Much Ado About Jack was entertaining, I did enjoy the writing, the story and the happilyeverafter, The love scenes were wellwritten, If there is one thing I did enjoy, it was the steel backbone of Angelique, With all the regency books I've read, I realize it's unusual for a women in her position to be so independent, However, as Ms. English reminds us with the villain and his evil ways, she has notmanaged to protect herself from the unfairness of society rules, I personally appreciate that. There is no fun in a character that isn't a little bit vulnerable, And I say this because it makes it more enjoyable to see them in the end triumph despite all the odds,
At present I would hesitantly say I will read future books by Ms, English. I only hope not all of her characters will be so, . . ahem, wellacquainted and scandalous as the characters in the Shakespeare in Love trilogy ARC received for an honest review

This was a great read and thoroughly enjoyable! First time reading Christy English, but not the last! Angelique Beauchamp was a fantastic heroine! She was her own woman! She was ahead of her time and she protected both her independence and her power very carefully.
It was exciting to see a heroine who was in charge of herself and who had such confidence,
Captain James Montgomery presents the best challenge to Angelique, He sees her as a challenge and wont be swayed or deterred, James was a fun character and it was interesting to see a woman in power and a man try to gain control instead of having it,
Angeligue and James had excellent chemistry and they were a perfect match for each other, Only a strong and deserving man would be able to conquer Angeliques heart, Reading about a woman and her handling of a ship was also very impressive and it tied in perfectly with Angeliques personality, I plan to read more of Ms Englishs novels and will go back and read the previous books in the “Shakespeare in Love” series, Great fun and adventure with James and Angelique!
Inspired by Shakespeares' Much Ado About Nothing, the dashing Captain James Montgomery and the widowed and respectable Angelique Beauchamp, Countess of Devereaux, indulge in a torrid, brief affair.
Unfortunately for Ange, Captain Jack decides one night is not enough and begins his pursuit in earnest,
Fun, funny and sweet, this regency is perfect to take you out of your now and into a different place and time, Easy read, made me laugh and aww! An apparently wealthy widow holding onto the last of her money which is bound up in a trade ship, Angelique, Countess of Devonshire, is not pleased to find a stranger standing on deck at Southwark docks.
He's James Montgomery, a Scot just out of the Navy after Napoleon's defeat, He examines the prospect of purchasing the trim little ship, but Angelique is determined that her independence will never be for sale,

MUCH ADO ABOUT JACK deftly entertains as Captain James then decides to pursue the lovely widow, Angelique is quite the lady about town, disliking the usual drawingroom fops who band around the Prince of Wales, The selfpossessed seaman is another matter, Angelique has more urgent concerns like getting her ship under way for better cargo than mouldy cotton, and dealing with her late husband's byblow, who has just come to light.
I then thought it unrealistic that she left the ship in port and went halfway across the country to meet a girl who was perfectly safe, She's insulted by Prinny's supposition that she's easily available, A lady's reputation may still be ruined, and acknowledging a lovechild is scandalous,

Carlton House, where the Regent lived and entertained his friends, is well described, There is a charming contrast with Angelique's country house, James had to go to sea aged twelve to learn enough about threemasted ships to become a captain, He's a good strong character and proceeds as in the Strauss operetta 'The Merry Widow',

A previous book features a Lady Arabella, who reappears in this one, The names Arabella and Angelique are too similar, with an Anthony and an Anton as well, and mentions of Aberdeen, While readers of the first book will enjoy the furtherance of that story, it may confuse those wishing to read this as a standalone, This is a lively adult romance with a good deal of research, MUCH ADO ABOUT JACK by Christy English is an exciting Regency Historical RomanceEngland,in the "Shakespeare in Love" series, but can be read as a stand alone,

From the author's note: "Much Ado About Jack" begins one month prior to "Love on a Midsummer Night"

Than the excitement begins, . . similar to Shakespeare's play: "Much Ado About Nothing", but with added fun, more danger, and passion, Follow Angelique Beauchamp, widowed Countess of Devonshire, and Captain James Montgomery on a journey of rekindled passion, unexpected love, a bit of danger, and the lure of the sea, Can a temporary liaison turn into true love One loves the sea the other was burned by love and determined no man will NEVER touch her heart again, nor will she be betrayed by a man again.
But things change after Angelique has a dalliance with Captain James, who Prinny calls Captain Jack, A fun read with lots of passion and danger thrown into the mix, If you enjoy historical romance, sea adventures,lots of passion and a bit of mystery, than you will enjoy "Much Ado About Jack", Oh, did I mention a dysfunctional family, a meanspirited brother, and a wounded lover The characters are engaging as well as realistic, The storyline was intriguing as well as interesting, An enjoyable read. Received for an honest review from the publisher,

RATING:

HEAT RATING: HOT

REVIEWED BY: AprilR, Courtesy of My Book Addiction and Mor This book is third in the "Shakespeare in Love" series.
Characters from the first two make an appearance in this novel, The heroine of this novel is Angelique Beauchamp, the widowed Countess of Deveraux, Angelique has vowed never to remarry after her disastrous marriage and has no issue with taking lovers as she sees fit, That is until she meets Captain James Montgomery,

Another well written and hot book by Christy English,

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley,

Read my full review including rant on my local library at my blog,
sitelink blogspot. com/m The third book in Christy English's playfully sexy Shakespeare in Love series this is my second favorite after How to Tame a Willful Wife,

This story features an admirable heroine with backbone, as ruthless as any man,

Angelique Beauchamp, the Countess of Devonshire and a French sea captains daughter, is a notorious woman, independent of any mans power, with very profitable business interests, Married young but left heartbroken by both her promiscuous late husband and then Anthony, the Duke of Ravensbrook, her longterm protector, she has vowed to never fall in love or marry again.
Until an arrogant Scottish sea captain captures her heart desiring nothing more than to take care of her and love her, Angelique has pushed love away,

But not pleasure as a widow, she discreetly takes lovers,

For my full review on my historical romance and history blog: sitelink ly/TTbfvN.