Special Event Online Read: The Boys’ Club by Amanda McIntyre

Frenchie,

 The Boys' Club is a new Special Event read, starting October 1. :)

i would think that stories like this where the women have no real choice since it's just blatant exploitation of power discrepancies would have been binned by last century latest!

Just found this story and read both chapters at once!  Cathy, I'm with you, she must be projecting the image that her body is for sale or something!  I'm not really into erotica/spice so not sure how long I will continue to read this one, but I'll try a chapter or two more to see how it goes.  I don't mind erotica if the storyline is really good. I just skim through the erotic dialog!

whether i like to read erotica or not, i do agree that women of that era didn't have much choice back then, so if she chooses to improve her level of living by her sexual desires, so be it. I do like the sound of me lord so far, he does sound interesting, and the writing is good. I'm enjoying the spice.

good work.

Sorry I'm late! I'm the guest hosty for this read and my Monday just flat out ran away on me!

First off, I want to remind everyone that while you're defintely welcome to your thoughts, I do want to be sure everyone expresses them in a polite manner. I know how Spice reads can get some folks a little sparked up. :)

Second, this is an opportunity to try reading Spice but if it's not your cuppa, no hard feelings. You can wait for the next online read. We'll be here for you. :) (I like to get that part out of the way for folks who might have missed the warning about the explicitness or think we've forsaken the other lines) But I'm pretty sure there's several people out there who will enjoy this and we want to be as welcoming to that point of view too.

As to the story, I've still got to read Chapter Two (I love being on the west coast!) but I'm rather getting a kick out of this.

It might be a bit much to say that she's got "For Sale" written on her forehead. On the one hand, she could have been the mousiest, scaredy-cat on the job with her boss, he comes across as the kind of man who'd think her being pretty in a starving time as a "for sale" sign. He was just a jerk.

The difference here is the heroine's point of view. She's already done the virginal girl thing and when that went badly, she became pragmatic about her sexuality. She's experienced and savvy enough in her character to figure she's making a choice about what she does, just like the women of today's society. It wasn't the end of the world to her that it would have been to someone else. To her, the end of the world is continued starvation.

Lord Thurgood, on the other hand, probably picked up on her response to his cues. If she'd been insulted or appalled, I get the feeling he'd have been all that was gentlemanly and proper. All in the nuance. (Says the girl who regularly has whole double entendre conversations with the hubby over the heads of three oblivious children, lol)

Back in the morning!!

Dee

Oh yeah, kids are healthy. I'm slowly going a tad nuts, but everyone is good, lol.

Okay, as children refused to let me read Chp 2 last night, I'm even more impressed now. I guess she was just crushing on the street when he mentioned a job, because she really did seem to expect this to be normal work for a hot guy. (And really, how much better would your day job be if that were the case, sigh...)

Sexy wall paper, though. Hmmm. That was unexpected, lol.

Dee

Seems like she knows the job is more than housemaid, but is being coy... 

Wonder how well those uniforms and gowns are going to fit! 

Also wonder if he's going to keep her for himself...  

I will read on...   too bad we have to wait 2 days for the next chapter!

If you don't like erotica then maybe you should read another story, instead of bashing the author and her choice of caracheters, setting and such.

There are books out there for everyone, and if this isnt your cup of tea, then you can respectuflly choose not to comment and read something else. this is after all her career, and something she loves to do. Which is obvious from the passionshe brings to her writing.

jody

and there are some today that probably still don't.

This is definitely getting more and more interesting.  It will be interesting to see how the story progresses.

Amanda is a very good writer, the characters are developing, and she is leaving us wondering what will happen next.

but by giving someone a choice are you really absolving yourself of the blame by presenting them an option?

That depends on the options. Let's take the example of Sophie's choice. Both options were unacceptable, but by giving her a choice, the guard left her feeling that she was to blame.

In the case of this story, he is giving her the implicit choice of being without a home and a job in18th century London, which was like a death sentence, or selling her virtue in order to avoid the death sentence. That's not really a choice, but if she chooses the second over the first, he can always say that she had a choice.

Another example of choices that are not choices is when an employer offers a ridiculously low wage to a person who doesn't have any other options other than to be homeless and starve, and then says you "chose" to take the job, so don't comlpain about the salary or the working conditions.

I love these discussions, don't you, Dee?

I don't know what I'd do if the choice was "dishonor" or death. I've never had to make that choice, and my background hasn't included many people who had to make that choice. So, I may just be whistling dixie. But I think/feel very strongly that when one half of the equation has all the power and the other has no power, then choice is an illusion.

But anyway, it's not the sex that bothers me. Its the power disparity that is presented as equality that bothers me. But you know that. That's one of the things that bothers me about HP. In any case, from what I've read thus far, Amanda writes very well.

BTW, I'm not shocked that you have morality.

to everyone if i came off a bit snarky on my last post. that's what happens when i have a cold and post while under the effects of a very large dose of nyquil.

I just typed what came to mind before kicking my brain in gear. i will do better next time i promise. and as for the power struggle it seems to have always been there throughout history, predominantly to the male which has always aggravated me, i do like historicals but some of the situation are quite aggravating.

as for what dee said, i'm not sure how i would handle a situation like that if it were just myself. but for my son, then all rules are out the window. you do what you have to do. And hope for the best.

good discussion ladies.

jo

Most women do say they doubt they would choose a lifestyle of sexual favors, but there's always been someone providing it for whatever reasons they have. We've even got a category for them in regular romance---the hooker with the heart of gold. (Where would Julia Roberts be without her?) Biblically, Historically, Fictionally. It really makes you wonder what stories in real life are out there that we never hear because the teller wasn't someone who's thoughts and opinions were "acceptable" in her own time.

Probably some really good ones. :)

Dee

She doesn't have a clue. It'll be a very interesting chapter when he tells her about the club...

Harump!

Ditto!

First, there was the mention of the smell of cognac on his breath, which her new employer warned her that Richfield likes to overindulge in.  Second, when she mentioned disturbing "the guest", her unseen lover immediately ceased and left without comment.  Last, her new employer indicated that he would leave her to rest until the next day and advocated that she lock her door, so it's doubtful that he would have tried to slip into her bed.

I would like to see him try to keep her for himself.  I hope that will happen, but I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Sure seems as though it was lord Richfield in her bed.

She clearly understands her contract now.  Wonder how long before Thurgood succumbs...  seems like he's fighting his desire for her awfully hard!

I found it interesting too FF.  Somewhere though the story says she is an avid reader and she is the daughter of a merchant and she was groomed to make an advantageous business marriage, so maybe she picked up the knowledge along the way...

It doesn't seem like you'd find too many members of the Boys' Club willing to act as host under the stipulations of the contract!  It's sort of like preparing a feast every month for your friends without being permitted to eat it yourself. 

Of course, if I remember correctly the contract didn't stipulate that they couldn't indulge -- just that she wasn't required to attend to him.

It had to be Richard since he left so suddenly after she mentioned disturbing their guest, and finds out he's gone when she comes down to breakfast.

She also knows the terms of her contract and what they entail, and she is willing to sign them.

I'm sure that Lord Thurgood is probably groaning about the stipulation that he had in her contract.  I also think he will end up wanting her himself.

I have immensely enjoyed the conversations going on here with regard to Lucille and Thurgood! Things are just beginning to heat up in this unorthodox relationship!  A man obessed with beautiful "things," a woman who sees, at least  at first, a means to garner self-wealth with no strings attached.  She is defintely a rebel of her day but also what I would call a case of survival at all costs--perhaps even that of her heart?

and what of Richard? How will his feelings for Lucy play into this?

Never let it be said that history didn't have its forbidden and titallating, scandalous moments!

Keep your thoughts and theories coming! I love it!! You guys are fantastic at the great "what if" game!! 

A.M.

Got caught behind a lot of paperwork and am just getting over to y'all now! SOOO glad you popped in. I think I love the originality of this story. I basically have no idea what to expect, which is nice given that it's a historical and we can easily get it in our heads how nice and prim and neat it all was back then, lol.

We got some of those stories too, but Mom would kill if I spilled!

Dee

I have to tell you I just laughed out loud at your siggy line ...LOLOL

that is priceless!

Amanda 

Ha! on the law office.  I wish I had the money, but dealing with reprobates and criminals all the time would wear me down.  My one stint on a jury for a criminal trial (that, unfairly, lasted through my darned birthday!) was enough to turn me off to that, what with hearing about druggies doing business on every street corner.  Now, I look at neighbors outside talking in a whole different way.  I tried to avoid being selected by conspicuously reading Runaway Jury during the jury selection process, but no such luck!

April, I don't know about a lot of notoriety in my family history, but if anyone needs weird character names, my family could supply you with them for a long time.  Seems my distant relatives liked to have more names than the average bear with them rhyming like a chant -- and then pick the weirdest one to use to actually call the person.  Go figure!  My husband's step-mother's family seems to like to call everyone by both first and middle names, and 3/4 of the males seem to have Ernest as the middle name after her first husband and, coincidentally, my DH's father.  (She must have a thing for the name Ernest.)