Lily Mine: A Historical Fantasy Paperback – June 30, 2011

Overall a “Happily Ever After” story that has an interesting storyline. The characters are well developed and the book was carefully edited, unlike many. Easy quick read that holds your interest

I wanted to really love this story, but when I came here to write a review I ended up debating a long time whether to give this book a three or four star. I ended up choosing four stars because the book is really well-written and there are a lot of things to like about it.Unfortunately, I also had some reservations about the book. I really wanted to love this story - I like spanking and BDSM books - but this one just sort of misses the mark.Why? Because one of the big factors in spanking/BDSM is the fact that there is an edginess between the hero and the heroine and this conflict typically resolves with the heroine over the hero's knee with a red tail. This book doesn't give us this. "Happily ever after" is basically established by chapter two, and the external plot devices that are supposed to give us the conflict here (What happened to James' real wife? Will she return? What will happen to Lily then?) seem contrived.The spanking / BDSM in this book is almost 100% erotic play - no "tame that brat" here. Lily is sweet and loving and good and kind and cooperative from the start of the book. And James is no dom. He just likes to tie his partners up and spank them. If you're looking for a dom, this is probably NOT the book for you.I also found some of the historical material a bit "off." This is a Regency, but it didn't really feel like one - just modern people in funny clothes. The opening event (we learn immediately that Lily is NOT a virgin, she's been raped by the son of her father's employer) also seemed contrived. Her father, upon learning that she's been "ruined," throws her out of the house. I'm sorry, but being "ruined" was a fact of life for lower class women in this time period. Her father might have been angry, might have beaten her, but throw out a strong working pair of hands? I don't think so.The author tells us that Lily can't read and it seems to be a plot point that James teaches her to read, but then within an extraordinarily short period of time (not specified but it seems like no more than a couple of weeks) she's reading Shakespeare and an impressive collection of pornography. As anyone who has ever taught an illiterate adult to read knows, that's just not possible. I really didn't know why the author felt she had to include this It would have been a lot more plausible (and not hurt the story at all) if Lily could already read, and just not made a point of it.Other reviewers mentioned the ending which I won't give away (though others have) but I found it ridiculously contrived.I also did not like the overall way the author handled Lily's relationship with her family. Again, I don't want to be a spoiler, but we find out something about Lily's parents that make the idea that her father threw her out completely implausible. And Lily's remaining family who she has left behind is "resolved" in a way that seemed jolting and unnecessary to me in a book that is other wise very mild and sweet.Yet I gave this book four stars. Why?First, it is very well written, with clear enjoyable prose.Second, I liked the fact that Lily did not treat the fact that she was raped as the end all of her existence. It was a dreadful event that was now in the past and she simply had to move on.Third, if you are not going to be disappointed by the fact that there is no authentic BDSM or "real" spanking, the sex is very hot, very well written, and explicit without being overly anatomical. The scene where Lily is introduced to her first orgasm is one of the hottest things I've read in a long time.Fourth, there's enough going on that you definitely want to keep reading to find out what happens. (When you get there, I think you are going to a bit disappointed but it does hook you.)If you're looking for a sweet read with a little mild BDSM and spanking, Lily Mine is for you. If you want an edgier book, with a more adventurous plot and a real dom, you'll probably want to pass.

Pretty good story. Interesting moments. A little sad in the end, but it all wraps up nicely. I'd buy it.

Lily mine is so romantic. There is the obvious, almost overuse, of the word Lily, but it is so beautifully crafted that the reader does not feel it overly corny.The story begins with Lily Kendall, who is a commoner searching for work as a horticulturalist, after her father throws her out for what he believes to be her being promiscuous. She was raped by the Master of the manor's son, Horace. It cost her father his job.Lily tries to find work but has no luck until she arrives in Lilyvale. At first she is looked at in a shocking manor, and we later learn it is because she so resembles the Lord of the Manor, Lord Ashbourne's fiance, Lilliana, who jilted him and ran off with a commoner right before their wedding. He had been living in seclusion so that society, specifically the ton, doesn't find out what really happened. After they both discuss their needs, he gets Lily to pose as his wife in order to not have society shame Lillian's family and ruin her younger sister Claire's chance at a proper season. Lily agrees to the deal in name only because he promises her a beautiful horticulture shop of her own to start her own business after the ruse is complete.As the sham goes on, the two begin to discover they have intense feelings for each other and begin to explore them. Later in the story he takes her to London in order to fool society and not appear as some jilted fool. After they meet his mother, who receives her with the warmest regard, they continue off to Lilianna's parents's home, where she is treated with contempt by the mother, Evangelina. Evengelina knows that they are perpetuating a hoax, and is in on it, but dislikes Lily's affection for Lord Ashbourne right away, believing that she is an opportunist.Later on in the story, Liliana returns, ashamed of her behavior. Lily believes that Lord Ashborne,(James), will try to make amends so that society doesn't shun her family, so she runs off leaving him a note that she can't say goodbye to him in person because the pain would be unbearable. She tries to find her father and sister's, only to discover that they burned to death in a fire. Heartbroken and deperate she turns to a woman of an Inn who gives her room and board and she helps as a chambermaid in order to earn her keep.James goes on a search for her. He has big news to tell her of what he discovered about her mother's background that was hidden until now. He wants to marry her and the heck with society and their view of him. He finds she has run off and he goes over a month in search for her. He runs into Horace and gets his revenge on the man who hurt the woman he loves. Horace happens to know where she is and he forces him to takes him there.SPOILER'S BELOW***Upon their reuniting, he tells Lily he found out about her family and is so sorry for her loss. He also tells her who her mother REALLY was, the daughter of a Duke and she changed her real name and her sister is Evengelina. That explains why both Lily and Lilianna so resemble each other. He makes her aunt give Lily the inheritance that is rightfully her's. The only reason Lily's mother never got it is she ran off with a commoner and her father, the Duke disowned her.Of course in the end we have our happily ever after as James and Lily marry and he now calls her Lily mine. Never to be separated again.

Loved this book, some aspects were a stretch of my imagination however it was enthralling all the same. I did think the detectives should have been sacked! Given their inability to discover the tragedy with her family, locating sorry not locating lily or lilliana for that matter. Well worth 5 stars regardless.

Pour ceux qui ne connaissent pas Annabel Joseph, je recommande Lily Mine.Une belle histoire, facile à lire (je l'ai lue en une journée).Sur certains aspects, elle me fait un peu penser à Fifty Shades of Grey, même si les histoires sont bien différentes. Le BDSM mentionné ici n'est pas plus choquant que dans les Fifty, voire moins. Les scènes érotiques sont aussi très sympathiques.Les personnages sont attachants, ce qui ne gâche rien!!C'est pourquoi Lily Mine est un bon livre pour commencer dans le genre!Attention, tous les livres d'Annabel Joseph ne sont pas aussi "soft"!

Great book

Very well written and I liked the story but I would recommend Disciplining the Duchess as a 5 star if you like Joseph's work