Courting the Countess Paperback – September 13, 2016

Had to reread this series for a lift during these chaotic times. Harry & Annie and all their friends in the next books make me laugh, cry, sigh and wait anxiously for the next chapter. Such PERFECTLY swoon worthy pairings. Jenny Frame gives us such amazing Butch/femme pairings. Read this series!

I had this one downloaded for a while now and I have to say I loved it! I downloaded the sample and was hooked and pretty much devoured it in one sitting. I'm a quick reader and this comes in at 295 pages so a good decent read.I really enjoyed the story and the interaction between the main characters Henrietta (Harry) and Annie. Harry is pretty damaged by her parents dysfunctional relationship and this really destroys her ability to trust and love those around her. In fact at the beginning of the book you're not liking her very much but as you come to understand why she is the way she is and how she changes and grows in to someone actually worth knowing, you find yourself going from wanting to kick her in the pants to hoping that she'll get her act together before she loses her chance at life long happiness.Annie is a housekeeper and a damn good one too. She works tirelessly to provide a decent life for herself and her daughter Riley. She's well sort after and takes a new post at Axedale Hall. Her welcome didn't go as well as she hoped and Countess Henrietta Knight (Henry) isn't exactly the most wonderful employer that she's ever had and Harry just doesn't seem to want her daughter anywhere near her and precious artifacts. It makes her wonder how long this posting can really last.However she sees potential at Axedale Hall both in the Hall that's undergoing extensive renovations to bring it back to its former glory and its owner, who really needs some serious renovation herself. Deciding that Axedale Hall and the surrounding village and its inhabitants are the perfect place to raise her daughter Ms Annie Brannigan sets about bringing her Ladyship's life and Hall into the immaculate order that it should be.I seriously loved this story. It did two things I love. It made me care about the characters and it made me cry. I couldn't stop reading... I wanted, no I needed the happily ever after! I enjoyed the storyline and character building and the change that Harry underwent throughout. Do yourself a favour and download the sample... it costs nothing and I'm pretty sure you enjoy it as much as I did.

Spoilers ahead! You’ve been warned.My first impressions? I was appalled. I’m probably one of the biggest romantic saps out here in the lesfic community able to suspend reality a bit and escape into the land of fiction. However, even I have my limits! Even I know when it’s too much too soon. Having Harry and Annie falling for each other less than 30% into the book? too fast. Having Harry and Annie lusting after one another less than 15% into the book? too soon. The “eye sex,” and the “will we” “won’t we” was way too fast, even for me.Dear reader, there is a difference between erotica, and romance. If the author wanted this to be erotica, she should have wrote it as such and titled it that way. If this is supposed to be romantic, can we get more of a buildup please? Can the two leads show each other something of substance that at least justifies all those feelings? Things happened so fast here I pretty much lost interest after the first 5 chapters. Their feelings for each other actually disgusted me after a while because it was so utterly unrealistic and unbelievable.I would say this; this book is nearly similar to Radclyffe’s Love’s Melody Lost. I use the phrase “nearly similar” loosely. At least the mean “Lady of the manor” in that story had some depth of character; she had emotions and passion that ran deep. That, and Radclyffe just wrote it right. Jenny Frame is nowhere near her league with this story. This is just bad all around, the sex scenes were okay. I’ll give her that. Those of you out there singing the 5 start praises for this crap need to check yourselves. Dig very deep and explain to me how this is worth 5 stars?Next issue, neither character is really very likable. Lady Harry is mean, arrogant, narcissistic, selfish, and petulant, what kind of grown woman goes stomping around the grounds like a five year old? Oh please, other than her looks, what could have possibly endured Annie to her? It certainly wasn’t her treatment of Riley that’s for sure, because Harry didn’t start being nice to Riley until about 20% into the book, and by then, Harry and Annie already wanted to rip each others clothes off.Annie is silly and naïve, and not very intelligent. Where and how can a housekeeper afford to have artificial insemination in this day and age!? Raise the child on her own, and live in London of all places?! This is completely unrealistic. I think the saddest part of all is that I hadn’t even finished the book and I already had the review typed in my mind. After finishing it, I still feel the same way. Sure, everyone got what they wanted in the end, and the story wrapped like a perfectly wrapped gift on Christmas day. I felt like I was taken for a ride, not worth 9.99 at all.This is only getting 2 stars from me because I didn’t find any grammatical errors, and in this day and age that’s a plus.

Such a romantic story with trouble in the water. This is definitely a interesting journey to true love. Well done.

Both main characters have very opposite personalities. One is an ice queen and the other is loved by everyone. One doesn't believe in love and forever and the other longs for a "forever" love. There is a mutual attraction and despite this attraction, Harry does not want to give up control. Both life changed in ways neither of them anticipates. A amazing tale of love with a captivating plot and fascinating characters. The writing is beautiful and I was hooked from page one. I highly recommend this book.

Courting the Countess is a gorgeous, perfectly paced romance with a delicious burn to it. As Harry warms up to Annie, she wants to race straight to the bedroom, and Annie’s having none of it. She knows her worth, she’s waiting for true love, and she knows Harry’s the woman for her. But how can it work when the woman for her doesn’t believe in love? Therein lies the angst bomb that had me texting the friend who recommended the book to me, possibly with a lot of caps and exclamation marks. Harry truly transforms by the end of the book, and every second of her journey had me transfixed.

Love this whole series. We've read them all at least three times!

I enjoyed this book. It was well written and short enough that it didn't become tedious to read. It was one of the first lesbian romances I've read where the author wasn't afraid to stick with the more unfavorable traits of the characters instead of making everything happy and neat within first three chapters.

Good read thoroughly enjoying this book worth a look.

This was the first book I have read by Jenny Frame and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought it was written well and described the characters emotions beautifully.Annie was probably my favourite. She was warm and loving but knew her own mind and was a nothing but supportive to the lovely Riley (Annie’s young Daughter). Annie believes in a ‘Fairy Tale’ romance and leaves you feeling like in life you shouldn’t settle for anything less.The relationship between Harry and Riley was what showed the softer side of Harry at first. I only began to warm to Harry when she and Riley struck up the loveliest of friendships.The sexual tension in this book was off the charts. You could have sliced it with a butter knife. I loved that element and it left me understanding the want these women had for one another.I don’t want to spoil the ending but I will say this… The love these women find in each other is not only about them (don’t get me wrong their love is very present and emotional) but it’s about family and doing anything you can for the people you love. It’s very sweet actually.All in all a lovely read and will definitely keeping my eye out for what’s next from Jenny Frame. I’m secretly hoping that this is a series and that The Vicar and the handsome farmer find love… Maybe not with each other but that would mean two books! Yay!4.5 stars

Dieses Buch hat mich sehr positiv überrascht und ich kann es nur empfehlen. Ich mag den Schreibstil und auch die Handlung war einmal was anderes.