Someone to Watch Over Me (Bow Street, Book 1) Mass Market Paperback – August 25, 2009

This book is so full of everything that's exciting I couldn't put it down. I read it until the early morning hours. It's one of 22 books I have purchased by this author.

I read way too much, sadly to the point it is impacting my life. I am getting too little sleep and after many months of feeling neglected my husband is starting to voice complaints at the lack of attention. Therefore to keep my 27 plus years of marriage a good one I am trying to reduce the amount that I read. Therefore in effort to slow down the amount that I am reading, I am only allowing myself to read paperback books as opposed to the electronic versions during the work week. Even though I prefer contemporary romances I find that there are more paperback historical romance books that fit my personal criteria that then any other type. Why am I tell you all of this? Really it is to give a disclaimer. My knowledge about history is lacking and therefore when I review historical romance books I am not going to comment on how historically accurate the book is. I just will not nor would someone want me too.For the most part I enjoyed reading this story that is a mix of romance, drama and mystery. While he sometimes acts like a jerk I liked that the Grant is a jealous and possessive alpha hero who falls hard and fast for the heroine. While I occasionally found the heroine annoying I didn't dislike her. While they come later in the story there are hot sexy times. This is a forced seduction story and so if that bothers you then I suggest skipping this story. It was not a mystery to me as to why the heroine had a personality transplant and probably is not to the majority of the readers either. The whodunit is not known but much later in the book when the readers are given enough information

I followed this series years ago and this was the one title in the series that I didn't get to read. I'm ecstatic that I got to read it and wasn't disappointed in the storyline. The novel got off to a gripping and suspenseful start with a body washing up on the banks of the river. What the hero, a Bow Street runner, modern day cop, thought was a corpse turned out to be his nemesis, a well-known London courtesan whom he disdains. Or is she really a courtesan? As the book unfolds and the heroine baffles the hero with her uncharacteristic behavior and personality, like the hero, I also began to doubt her true identity. The heat between them is immediate and unquenchable from the get-go, even though he's fighting his passion for her. The intimacy is all I could hope for in a romance. The mystery and suspense kept me on the edge of my seat, and the conclusion left me wishing the book had never ended. An astounding read that I recommend to romance lovers everywhere.

Great hero. Pretty good heroine. She has amnesia so it's hard to judge her. Good ending.Story brief:Someone tries to drown Vivian. Grant finds her and tends to her at his home. She is a famous courtesan who spread false rumors about Grant, so he intends to get some revenge. Instead he falls for her. She has amnesia and doesn't know her name. Below are a couple of parts I didn't like and one part I did like.CAUTION SPOILERS:Page 161, Grant thinks to himself as he falls in love with her, "No one must ever find out how he (Grant) cared for her." I didn't understand what the problem would be.On page 193, one of Vivian's former lovers tells her that she was pregnant before the attempted drowning. She doesn't tell this to Grant, which made no sense to me. She was trying to learn about her past, Grant was helping her, why keep this a secret? It would have moved things along better. When Grant later learns of this and asks why she didn't tell him, she says "if you thought I had deliberately ended the pregnancy you would have despised me" (page 225). I still didn't buy it. If he were going to despise her, it would be for her other actions such as spreading false rumors about him or her courtesan activities. This was weak.I was delighted with the scene on page 245, where Grant (a Bow Street Runner) goes to a private club to talk to Lord Lane. The butler refuses to admit him. Grant shoves his foot in the door and says to the butler "Forgive me, I've given you the wrong impression. You seem to think I was asking for permission. The fact is, I'm going to see Lord Lane. Tonight. Here. Now --- will you tell me which room he's in, or shall I search the place myself? Mind you, I'm not always tidy in my searches. Things sometimes get broken." The butler gasps, lets him in and says some things including "If you are capable of exercising the least amount of discretion, I beg you ---" "I'm the most discreet man I know," Grant assured him with a flashing grin.Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: six. Setting: About 1839 London. Copyright: 1999. Genre: historical romance.For a list of my reviews of other Lisa Kleypas books, see my 4.5 star review of "Sugar Daddy" posted 8/19/08.

This book was excellent! It kept me turning pages until the end. So far I have loved all the Bow Street Runners books that I have read. If you are looking for some mystery with your romance definitely give this one a try.

A thoroughly enjoyable read, though I felt the author tried too hard in places (and feeling this took me out of the otherwise interesting story, for which I took a star off). Great plot, with believable dialog, behavior, and action. Plenty of sexual tension, though no love scenes until after the characters developed a mutual attraction. A little more description than I care for, though it reflected obvious research and set the scenes clearly. Grant Morgan was a wonderful alpha hero, to the point where he felt more like an archetype than a natural. Maybe that was because he had to overcome a pretty nasty attitude for a “hero.” I enjoyed the heroine a bit less, though there wasn’t anything wrong with her. Just somewhat missish, although it did give me more hope that the couple were compatible for the long run and was perfectly in keeping with her character. Oh, and I did appreciate the epilog, as I was wondering what would happen there. The next book in the series in on my TBR.