Fallen

By: Celeste Bradley

Narrated by: Susan Ericksen

Destined for spinsterhood, Isadora "Izzy" Temple can only dream of finding a husband - of feeling his touch in the dark, his lips on her neck, his passion building with each kiss. Imagine her surprise when she awakens to find she's not dreaming at all! Lord Julien Blackworth, has mistaken Izzy's room for his - and he's fallen into her bed and into her wildest dreams.... When the household discovers a man in her boudoir, Izzy pretends that Julien is her fiancé. Once he spends time playing the part, Julien finds himself falling for the fiesty beauty. But how can Izzy trust that this notorious rake's feelings are for real - and that she won't end up being branded a "fallen" woman?

©2012 Celeste Bradley (P)2013 Tantor

A good read..

Any additional comments?

But it did seem to go on forever. So many misunderstandings that went on and on. I loved Julian and he was a great hero considering all that he went through with his horrible father and grandfather. Izzy had some really funny lines and was a wonderful character. Loved Eric and Celia, such great friends. What I didn't like so much was that the greater part of the sex was between Betty (the maid) and Timothy (the stableman.) Julian and Izzy made love once at about 50% and again at about 90%.
Too much time was spent on Betty and Timothy, IMO..
I really liked the second part of the book best, after they went to Dearington. Everything came to a head there and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.

SPOILER BELOW!!!

What I really didn't like was the epilogue. I'm sure it's just me but I just hate reading about the hero and heroine growing old, reading about their hair going grey. I just like to remember them how I pictured them throughout the book.

As to the narrator: She did a really terrific job. She has a voice that's just made for narrating. I wouldn't hesitate to listen to her again and again.

Fallen

Fun to listen to the dialogue in this book at times between the two main characters. It does show the precarious positions that women hold in life.

I enjoy Susan Ericksen's narration of J D Robb's In Death series and she was good with this author's work too.

Just one of my favorites!

I loved the book but the audio is to die for. I rarely write reviews but this is a must listen. Humor, love , romance heartache and a HEA this has it all! Enjoy!

Plot Twists and sense of humor

What did you love best about Fallen?

I loved that in the end the man falls in with the woman's dream and his life is the better for it. I also like the female's sense of humor

What did you like best about this story?

That both the man and the woman got what they wanted and more. The sense of humor lessens as you get into the book, but I enjoyed that a lot too.

What does Susan Ericksen bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I've decided that Susan Ericksen is my current favorite narrator. She does a really professional narration - clear voice, emotional coloring without overdoing it, consistency from one book to the next. And basic stuff like breath control. (Some narrators sound like their sucking wind constantly.) I didn't know the author, but when I saw the narrator's name I was willing to use my points for this book.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Sometimes life and love give you so much more than you bargained for.

I am not disappointed, but….

This book would have been absolutely fabulous, but at about 3 hours left I wanted to put it on high speed to get it over with! For goodness sake! We get that relationship angst is a popular vice in a romance, but to drag it on for 3 hours was too much. I also thought she could have done more with the storyline. Had one, or even 2, particular characters be the bad guy. But, there were a bunch of “bad guys” that had little pieces. Like 4 or 5.
I realize it sounds like I’m complaining, and I guess I am. But, its not because the story was necessarily bad, but more because there was ssoooo much more potential in it that could have risen it to the top lists.

As to the narration. I absolutely LOVE Susan Ericksen. She reads phenomenally and has such character and verve. If you have the chance, listen to the House of Rohan Series by Anne Stuart. Ruthless Is the first one.

I purchased this on sale for $3.77 and it was absolutely worth that.

I get it!! They don't realize they love each other

It started off great.Fantastic plot, characters, witty dialogue with a touch intrigue.

Julien Blackworth is caught in bed with the wrong woman, a spinsterish woman named Izzy. He was drunk, he went to the wrong bedroom, he got caught... Voila ! He has to marry Izzy. But Izzy, doesn't want get married, she wants to move out of her wicked cousin house, collect her inheritance left to her by her late mother, and go to America...
So Izzy convinces Julien to agree to a mock engagement (or so she thinks), and then in 4 months they can break it off. She will be of age to get her money and sail to America.

While Julien "agrees" to the plan, he has a plan of his own... He will marry Izzy, inherit the Dukedom, and set her up in the country all while continuing the way he is (a man-whore) with no thought for his wife.

But as he spends more time with Izzy, he begins to see her in a different light. He wants to spend time with her, he thinks about her when he is with other women, blah,blah, blah.
When his best friend Eric begins to show interest.... What a shock! Julien doesn't like it.
In fact while at a garden party with Izzy, Julien is in the library making his way up another woman's skirt. all the while Eric is escorting Izzy around the park. Julian happens to look out the window, while with this other woman ( that's nice). He is so furious he runs out of the library, runs into the garden and grabs Izzy away from Eric.
(Oh Please!!, What an ass!!)
Eric is a little shocked by his behavior because, he knows of Julien's plan for Izzy.
This is when it started to fizzle for me.

He loves her, but doesn't want to.... she loves him but she doesn't think he loves her.....
He thinks she is in love with his best friend Eric... she thinks he's in love with her best friend Celia...this went on for about 3 hours, with a few other things happening in between.
Ugggh, seriously! These people are supposed be be intelligent???

I really would have loved to see Izzy's maid Bette, take a brick upside both their heads....LOL

Susan Ericksen's narration saved this book for me, as did the authors writing style.
I just think that maybe another editor should have been given the original manuscript, and cut out about 3 chapters.

If your not sure whether to download it, if your local library has it, read it first, it may not bother you.
I would recommend downloading it when it goes on sale.

Wonderful Story--Exceptional Narration!

Fallen is one the best books I've heard in quite some time. It has it all: great cast of well defined characters, story-line beautifully written as to be believable, and read with such feeling by a very accomplished narrator. I always enjoy Susan Ericksen, but "Fallen" seems to be written for her.

Fallen is not the light read, as it appears to be in the beginning, but a story with depth. The collection of secondary characters play a big role in the story's development. It is a well-rounded historical romance story depicting life in England 1831.

I don't want to be spoiler, so will not expound further.

I highly recommend Fallen, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Wonderful Story!

Sometimes lighthearted,funny, even tugs on your heart strings a lot. The story of Izzy's love for Ephingham is all of the above. I'm not going to ruin the mystery of lessons learned and the loving ending for you but many of the learned lessons were mine. The only negative I have about the story is, I cannot find a sequel. I hope Celeste Bradley is busy working on her series of books. Perfect historical fiction romance novel but, I am seriously needing another fix.

Disappointing

Is there anything you would change about this book?

the begining was very good but then the she rambles on page after page about what is happening in the two main character's mind with fierce repetition. Page filler is what I call it. It could have been a much better book without.

So disappointed

I don't know what to say Bout this book except that take into consideration all the reviews before you purchase. I didn't but I certainly realized it part way through the first half. I agree with one of the other review when it was mentioned as "filling space". My goodness I don't have a problem with the help but in this book, they were more entertaining than the the hero/heroine! What a waste!! They had more action and passion going on than the actual couple. Why did the story drag on so long?? Why all the repetition?? Not sure if I would read or listen to another book from this author. Than god for the narrator otherwise I would have stopped listening and never finished. So VERY disappointing!