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Noble Passions #1
Dark Fancy
The sizzling prequel to Folly
When Lady Helena Simpson flees an unwanted marriage to a revolting lord, she finds refuge with James, a charming, handsome man unlike any she’s ever known. Helena concocts the perfect solution to her problem. She asks—begs—James to ruin her. Surely her betrothed will repudiate her if she is no longer pure. And if all her efforts fail and she still ends up married to a horrid man until the end of her days, she will at least once have known true passion.
But James is not all he seems. He is, in fact, a wicked lord with a dark fancy. When Helena awakens his desire, he becomes determined to take everything she has to offer and more. No matter the cost.
Inside Scoop: Whether they’re making love outdoors at a grand estate or getting naughty in a secret sex club in the city, James and Helena put the erotic back in erotic Regency romance.
A Romantica® historical erotic romance from Ellora’s Cavend no one can survive the torturous pleasure unscathed.
When Lady Helena Simpson flees an unwanted marriage to a revolting lord, she finds refuge with James, a charming, handsome man unlike any she’s ever known. Helena concocts the perfect solution to her problem. She asks—begs—James to ruin her. Surely her betrothed will repudiate her if she is no longer pure. And if all her efforts fail and she still ends up married to a horrid man until the end of her days, she will at least once have known true passion.
But James is not all he seems. He is, in fact, a wicked lord with a dark fancy. When Helena awakens his desire, he becomes determined to take everything she has to offer and more. No matter the cost.
Inside Scoop: Whether they’re making love outdoors at a grand estate or getting naughty in a secret sex club in the city, James and Helena put the erotic back in erotic Regency romance.
A Romantica® historical erotic romance from Ellora’s Cavend no one can survive the torturous pleasure unscathed.
155 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 22, 2013
96 people are currently reading
1013 people want to read
About the author
Sabrina York
99 books1,493 followersNew York Times and USA Today bestselling Romance Author
To check out coming books visit www.sabrinayork.com
Amazon Page: amazon.com/author/sabrinayork
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SabrinaYorkBooks
Twitter: @sabrina_york
To check out coming books visit www.sabrinayork.com
Amazon Page: amazon.com/author/sabrinayork
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SabrinaYorkBooks
Twitter: @sabrina_york
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 98 reviews
November 15, 2025
Note: Some of my goodreads shelves can be spoilers
Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋 (Something about this one grabbed me ¾ of the way through)
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡ (they dive in pretty easy with each other)
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A touch
Perspective: third person from both hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: chapter 1
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, pretty soon in the future
Format: listened to a bought audiobook
Why I chose this book: I bought the audiobook awhile ago and was looking for something on the shorter side in my audible library and this came up
Mains: James and Lady Helena Simpson – This is a M/F relationships between a cishet hero and heroine
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
This is the first in York’s Noble Passions.
Basic plot:
Lady Helena is escaping her arranged marriage when she meets a gardener who shelters her in a cabin.
Give this a try if you want:
- historical romance
- secret identity
- ruin me
- Earl hero
- close proximity at the gardener cottage
- he feeds her
- shorter page count
- higher steam – 5 full scenes in a shorter page count with with some bondage, spanking, D/s elements
Ages:
- didn’t catch either, would guess 20s? Probably younger heroine
First line: (Taken from audio, probably butchered)
James Tully, Earl of Darlington, ignored the blaze of panic in his gut as he scratched his name on to the document, sealing his doom.
My thoughts:
This novel was more kinky than the prior Sabrina York novel I read (but also really liked!) and this has made me want to read all of her books!
This one falls into the intimacy pretty fast – and I can get behind that especially in a shorter novel. But what surprised me about this one was how much I got pulled in emotionally in the latter half. I loved how obsessed James was and how Helena was a bit of a brat to him and kept him on his toes.
But I REALLY fell in love with Edward, a side character here and the hero of the next book. Definitely going to be diving into that one soon because I have to know his HEA.
The narration by Lottie Lush I really loved. I thought she put some great inflection into certain moods and tone of the book and it really made me enjoy it more.
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 2
Average rating from me: 5 stars
Favorite book: Probably this one
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Extra stuff like what my review breakdown means, where to find me, and book clubs
Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋 (Something about this one grabbed me ¾ of the way through)
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡ (they dive in pretty easy with each other)
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A touch
Perspective: third person from both hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: chapter 1
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, pretty soon in the future
Format: listened to a bought audiobook
Why I chose this book: I bought the audiobook awhile ago and was looking for something on the shorter side in my audible library and this came up
Mains: James and Lady Helena Simpson – This is a M/F relationships between a cishet hero and heroine
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
This is the first in York’s Noble Passions.
Basic plot:
Lady Helena is escaping her arranged marriage when she meets a gardener who shelters her in a cabin.
Give this a try if you want:
- historical romance
- secret identity
- ruin me
- Earl hero
- close proximity at the gardener cottage
- he feeds her
- shorter page count
- higher steam – 5 full scenes in a shorter page count with with some bondage, spanking, D/s elements
Ages:
- didn’t catch either, would guess 20s? Probably younger heroine
First line: (Taken from audio, probably butchered)
James Tully, Earl of Darlington, ignored the blaze of panic in his gut as he scratched his name on to the document, sealing his doom.
My thoughts:
This novel was more kinky than the prior Sabrina York novel I read (but also really liked!) and this has made me want to read all of her books!
This one falls into the intimacy pretty fast – and I can get behind that especially in a shorter novel. But what surprised me about this one was how much I got pulled in emotionally in the latter half. I loved how obsessed James was and how Helena was a bit of a brat to him and kept him on his toes.
But I REALLY fell in love with Edward, a side character here and the hero of the next book. Definitely going to be diving into that one soon because I have to know his HEA.
The narration by Lottie Lush I really loved. I thought she put some great inflection into certain moods and tone of the book and it really made me enjoy it more.
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 2
Average rating from me: 5 stars
Favorite book: Probably this one
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Extra stuff like what my review breakdown means, where to find me, and book clubs
July 13, 2016
I'll let the book speak for itself;
"His crisis loomed. His balls pulled up tight into his scrotum, semen snarled for release. His cock, engorged and full, jerked inside her, warning of the impending explosion."
I may not be an expert, but I have never heard of snarling semen. Just in case I was ill-informed, I asked my husband if he ever has snarling semen. He replied by hysterically laughing, then asking 'who writes this shit?'
"His come was hot and spewed from him in snarling waves of agony."
Oh look! More snarling bodily fluids!
"His cock stood up like an angry warrior, helmeted and armed for battle"
So hawt. No, not really. I dare you to imagine that, and not laugh with what your brain conjures.
"He held her close against him in the shadows of a fragrant bush as a team of Darlington gardeners tramped by on their way to work—and he slowly insinuated his hand beneath her skirts. Found a fragrant bush of his own."
Referring to lady-bits as fragrant means one of two things; 1.) The author has no idea that that imagery isn't sexy. or 2.) Someone needs to see a doctor.
The book felt like the author had a thesaurus on her lap the entire time she wrote. Instead of lending credibility, it made things seem contrived and awkward.
In summation, this book is a giant NOPE.
"His crisis loomed. His balls pulled up tight into his scrotum, semen snarled for release. His cock, engorged and full, jerked inside her, warning of the impending explosion."
I may not be an expert, but I have never heard of snarling semen. Just in case I was ill-informed, I asked my husband if he ever has snarling semen. He replied by hysterically laughing, then asking 'who writes this shit?'
"His come was hot and spewed from him in snarling waves of agony."
Oh look! More snarling bodily fluids!
"His cock stood up like an angry warrior, helmeted and armed for battle"
So hawt. No, not really. I dare you to imagine that, and not laugh with what your brain conjures.
"He held her close against him in the shadows of a fragrant bush as a team of Darlington gardeners tramped by on their way to work—and he slowly insinuated his hand beneath her skirts. Found a fragrant bush of his own."
Referring to lady-bits as fragrant means one of two things; 1.) The author has no idea that that imagery isn't sexy. or 2.) Someone needs to see a doctor.
The book felt like the author had a thesaurus on her lap the entire time she wrote. Instead of lending credibility, it made things seem contrived and awkward.
In summation, this book is a giant NOPE.
February 26, 2013
Sabrina York is one of my new favorite authors since I got my Kindle. Her books are so much fun to read. The characters are always fresh and pretty damn funny. The writing style is witty and playful. You just fall in love with her characters and her books.
We first meet Helena and James in Folly where they are a newly married couple that cannot keep their hands off each other. I loved them as secondary characters, especially Helena, because of how concerned they were for Eleanor. So of course I was over the moon when Sabrina announced Dark Fancy was the prequel to Folly and the story of how Helena met James. I loved Helena in Folly, but I fell for James in this book. He meets Helena and instantly thinks she is either a child or a teenager. He's sweet and compasionate towards her until he gets her into the gardner's house. His feelings towards her go through the roof. His reaction to Helena's proposition was hysterical. In the few uninterupted days they spend together, James focuses on Helena's lessons and draws her out of her "obedient" shell she was forced into at school for girls. We see a lot of Helena in Folly and in this book, her reactions towards Eleanor are reinforced. Helena is a sassy woman. She knows that she wants James and she wants to feel passion towards a man, so she gets it. Boy, does she ever get it. But when she finds out that James has been keeping a pretty big secret from her, she fights him tooth and nail when he tries to claim her. Of course, everything works out in the end.
Since Dark Fancy in the prequel to Folly, there are two ways you could read the series. I enjoyed the books better by reading this book after Folly. I get to meet James and Helena as secondary characters in Folly and I loved them together. And then when I read Dark Fancy, I got to know them on a deeper level and fall for them all over again. Plus you get chuckle at the end of the books when you learn just why James and Helena named their son Edward.
Speaking of Edward... Sabrina, you are such a tease! Here I thought this would be the last time we see these characters, then we meet Edward. As a friend of James, Edward sort of helps (...in his own little way) James "win" Helena back. Edward is a cad... And of course, I want more of him. :)
We first meet Helena and James in Folly where they are a newly married couple that cannot keep their hands off each other. I loved them as secondary characters, especially Helena, because of how concerned they were for Eleanor. So of course I was over the moon when Sabrina announced Dark Fancy was the prequel to Folly and the story of how Helena met James. I loved Helena in Folly, but I fell for James in this book. He meets Helena and instantly thinks she is either a child or a teenager. He's sweet and compasionate towards her until he gets her into the gardner's house. His feelings towards her go through the roof. His reaction to Helena's proposition was hysterical. In the few uninterupted days they spend together, James focuses on Helena's lessons and draws her out of her "obedient" shell she was forced into at school for girls. We see a lot of Helena in Folly and in this book, her reactions towards Eleanor are reinforced. Helena is a sassy woman. She knows that she wants James and she wants to feel passion towards a man, so she gets it. Boy, does she ever get it. But when she finds out that James has been keeping a pretty big secret from her, she fights him tooth and nail when he tries to claim her. Of course, everything works out in the end.
Since Dark Fancy in the prequel to Folly, there are two ways you could read the series. I enjoyed the books better by reading this book after Folly. I get to meet James and Helena as secondary characters in Folly and I loved them together. And then when I read Dark Fancy, I got to know them on a deeper level and fall for them all over again. Plus you get chuckle at the end of the books when you learn just why James and Helena named their son Edward.
Speaking of Edward... Sabrina, you are such a tease! Here I thought this would be the last time we see these characters, then we meet Edward. As a friend of James, Edward sort of helps (...in his own little way) James "win" Helena back. Edward is a cad... And of course, I want more of him. :)
August 12, 2020
Not that bad.
September 22, 2020
I've never read any of Sabrina York's novels and this was a first for me. Yes, it is filled with plenty of sexual erotica that it somehow for me took away from the plot of the story. It just okay but think it could have been better.
October 26, 2014
Overall: 4.5 Stars
Wow, for a novel of 170-ish pages, this packs in alot!
The plot is tight and not predictable...it features James, who has recently become Earl of Darlington, and he has signed a marriage betrothal agreement to a young lady whose name he forgot, H-something, because he wants her lands and stables. His forebears would be proud of him. The lady was educated at a finishing school and is very young. He decides he MUST do something to have some fun before he is tied down.
He runs across a woman on the run, who is being fed by dotty Uncle Andrew, and he finds her very desirable. She is on the run, and wants to be ruined so that her old, gross fiance' will not want her.
So they begin this hot hot affair in the gardener's shed on Darlington grounds. James is posing as the Gardener. The erotic scenes were very steamy and had alot of variety. This is not a typical regency romance, it is more! The scenes feature bondage, spanking, very few euphemisms, food play, rear door play, a high end sex club where voyeurism occurs (and where an acquaintance of James' has a private room).
Overall Rating: 4.5 stars
Plot: 4 Stars
Hero Rating: 5 stars
Heroine Rating: 5 stars
Erotic Tension Rating: 3 Stars
Erotic Descriptiveness Rating: 5 stars (lite BDSM, spanking, rear door, etc.)
Erotic Frequency: 5
Writing Style/Flow/Grammar: 5 Stars
Denouement: 5 Stars
Great for fans of HR and Erotica! I hope there are more books in this series. I think the cover makes it seem Dark or Taboo or Moody or something but it was an optimistic, fun story. I guess maybe since it had some BDSM (lite) they made the cover dark...
Wow, for a novel of 170-ish pages, this packs in alot!
The plot is tight and not predictable...it features James, who has recently become Earl of Darlington, and he has signed a marriage betrothal agreement to a young lady whose name he forgot, H-something, because he wants her lands and stables. His forebears would be proud of him. The lady was educated at a finishing school and is very young. He decides he MUST do something to have some fun before he is tied down.
He runs across a woman on the run, who is being fed by dotty Uncle Andrew, and he finds her very desirable. She is on the run, and wants to be ruined so that her old, gross fiance' will not want her.
So they begin this hot hot affair in the gardener's shed on Darlington grounds. James is posing as the Gardener. The erotic scenes were very steamy and had alot of variety. This is not a typical regency romance, it is more! The scenes feature bondage, spanking, very few euphemisms, food play, rear door play, a high end sex club where voyeurism occurs (and where an acquaintance of James' has a private room).
Overall Rating: 4.5 stars
Plot: 4 Stars
Hero Rating: 5 stars
Heroine Rating: 5 stars
Erotic Tension Rating: 3 Stars
Erotic Descriptiveness Rating: 5 stars (lite BDSM, spanking, rear door, etc.)
Erotic Frequency: 5
Writing Style/Flow/Grammar: 5 Stars
Denouement: 5 Stars
Great for fans of HR and Erotica! I hope there are more books in this series. I think the cover makes it seem Dark or Taboo or Moody or something but it was an optimistic, fun story. I guess maybe since it had some BDSM (lite) they made the cover dark...
August 23, 2016
Dark Fancy by Sabrina York is a steamy Regency Historical Romance. Book 1 in her steamy "Noble Passions" series.
Well written, fast paced, steamy romance from the beginning to the end.
Lady Helena Simpson(Eloise) flees an unwanted marriage, right into the arms of the James, the newly Lord of Darlington, her newly betrothed, although, neither is aware of whom the other actually are. The rest they say is history....
Filled with witty banter, a spark of humor, spankings, bondage, sexually explicit, coarse language, passion and the power of true love. Very much, an Erotic, steamy Regency Romance!
I felt Helena was a bit childish, and she lies about her true identity, she finally shows she Spunk at the end. James is a typical Lord, a bit selfish, however, he does tell a bit of a lie, as to who he is, Helena thinks he's the gardner. Helena asks him to ruin her, of course, James agrees.
Then there's cute, Uncle Andrew, a bit eccentric, he thinks Helena is a fairy princess, running from the fairy king, he's hilarious. I absolutely adored him.
A nice escape from reality.
Can James and Helena find they way to a HEA? Or lose all due to the games they played?
A great steamy Regency Romance! I can't wait to read Book 2, "Dark Duke".
*Contains explicit content, suitable for adults only, 18+. Contains bondage, dominance, spankings, and coarse language.*
Received for an honest review from Net Galley. However, all opinions, insights and thoughts are my own personal opinions.
Rating: 4
Heat rating: Hot /Steamy/Sizzling
Reviewed by: AprilR
For your convenience. ...(from Amazon )
"This book was originally published in 2013 and has been re-edited, re-covered and re-published.
Check out all the stories in the Noble Passions Series:
Dark Fancy, Book 1
Dark Duke, Book 2
Brigand, Book 3
Defiant, Book 4
Folly, Book 5"
Well written, fast paced, steamy romance from the beginning to the end.
Lady Helena Simpson(Eloise) flees an unwanted marriage, right into the arms of the James, the newly Lord of Darlington, her newly betrothed, although, neither is aware of whom the other actually are. The rest they say is history....
Filled with witty banter, a spark of humor, spankings, bondage, sexually explicit, coarse language, passion and the power of true love. Very much, an Erotic, steamy Regency Romance!
I felt Helena was a bit childish, and she lies about her true identity, she finally shows she Spunk at the end. James is a typical Lord, a bit selfish, however, he does tell a bit of a lie, as to who he is, Helena thinks he's the gardner. Helena asks him to ruin her, of course, James agrees.
Then there's cute, Uncle Andrew, a bit eccentric, he thinks Helena is a fairy princess, running from the fairy king, he's hilarious. I absolutely adored him.
A nice escape from reality.
Can James and Helena find they way to a HEA? Or lose all due to the games they played?
A great steamy Regency Romance! I can't wait to read Book 2, "Dark Duke".
*Contains explicit content, suitable for adults only, 18+. Contains bondage, dominance, spankings, and coarse language.*
Received for an honest review from Net Galley. However, all opinions, insights and thoughts are my own personal opinions.
Rating: 4
Heat rating: Hot /Steamy/Sizzling
Reviewed by: AprilR
For your convenience. ...(from Amazon )
"This book was originally published in 2013 and has been re-edited, re-covered and re-published.
Check out all the stories in the Noble Passions Series:
Dark Fancy, Book 1
Dark Duke, Book 2
Brigand, Book 3
Defiant, Book 4
Folly, Book 5"
September 1, 2016
'Scuse me while I fan myself. Wawaweewa! This book was gnaw-tee! Naughty naughty naughty. Having read Sabrina York's Untamed Highlanders series, I wasn't quite expecting to delve into a saucy bit of historical erotica. I may have not started reading it on my lunch break if I would have known ahead of time. Awkward!
James Tully, Earl of Darlington has just signed a marriage contract, agreeing to marriage a bride sight unseen in exchange for the Trueglove stables and estate, which were part of his ancestral lands. Shortly after the betrothal documents are signed, James comes across a tiny elfin girl hiding in his potting shed. Lady Helena Eloise Simpson has just run away from home after learning that she was to be married off to a decrepit and grotesque neighboring earl. Wanting to escape the betrothal, she asks James to ruin her. And, well from that point it it devolved into sex over substance. But what delicious debauchery it was. James has dark desires and Helena is drawn to him like a moth to a flame. While he was worried about introducing her to his baser instincts, Helena had a natural curiosity and bloomed under his tutelage.
After a good amount of sexytime, there is some relationship drama and we are introduced to secondary characters who will have their own books in the series. I am particularly excited about the Duke of Moncrieff, known as the Dark Duke... and may have immediately grabbed the next book off Kindle Unlimited for some late night reading.
I know this is a short review, but its a novella with lots of steam. The non-steamy parts of the plot are minimal so I can't say too much without giving spoilers. I received a copy of this book at no cost via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 3.5 stars / 4 flames.
James Tully, Earl of Darlington has just signed a marriage contract, agreeing to marriage a bride sight unseen in exchange for the Trueglove stables and estate, which were part of his ancestral lands. Shortly after the betrothal documents are signed, James comes across a tiny elfin girl hiding in his potting shed. Lady Helena Eloise Simpson has just run away from home after learning that she was to be married off to a decrepit and grotesque neighboring earl. Wanting to escape the betrothal, she asks James to ruin her. And, well from that point it it devolved into sex over substance. But what delicious debauchery it was. James has dark desires and Helena is drawn to him like a moth to a flame. While he was worried about introducing her to his baser instincts, Helena had a natural curiosity and bloomed under his tutelage.
After a good amount of sexytime, there is some relationship drama and we are introduced to secondary characters who will have their own books in the series. I am particularly excited about the Duke of Moncrieff, known as the Dark Duke... and may have immediately grabbed the next book off Kindle Unlimited for some late night reading.
I know this is a short review, but its a novella with lots of steam. The non-steamy parts of the plot are minimal so I can't say too much without giving spoilers. I received a copy of this book at no cost via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 3.5 stars / 4 flames.
January 10, 2014
What did I just read? O.o
The heroine was so childish and spoiled I can't even...gah never mind. The story itself is very short and fast-paced perhaps the only reason why I finished.
The sex scenes were boring and a bit unrealistic.
Do regret buying this one.
The heroine was so childish and spoiled I can't even...gah never mind. The story itself is very short and fast-paced perhaps the only reason why I finished.
The sex scenes were boring and a bit unrealistic.
Do regret buying this one.
March 21, 2023
From reviewers, you either liked this book or didn't like it. I appear to kinda like it but it definitely needs work. Helena was childish and annoying at times and I didn't much care for James either but it was entertaining enough that I read it. 3 ⭐.
April 10, 2019
This was ok for me. The story was good enough, though even slightly more unbelievable than your typical romance. I struggled with the heroine, she was supposed to be a sheltered virgin who ran away when she overheard she was being bethrothed then ended up bossing people around. Her personality contradicted itself over and over. That might have been emphasized by the narrator, but it was also how it was written. This was my first by the author and I'm not opposed to reading more, but I'm not in a rush to either.
October 31, 2016
This July 2016 re-release by Sabrina York is historical romance meets light bondage play. When a young girl runs away from her guardian to avoid marrying a disgusting older man, she finds refuge at a nearby estate. Once Helena is discovered by a man on the estate, they strike up an acquaintance and she requests that he ruin her so that she may avoid marriage…or so that she will have the experience of pleasure at least once in her life prior to being given to her intended. The young man, James, is also set to be married. He is prepared to have one last escapade prior to taking on his duties, though, but he ends up falling for Helena.
I received an advance reader copy of this title through NetGalley. The story is amusing, but I did not find the depth of character I wanted in these two. A lot of the story is centered around the two of them having sex, which is fine but I need more of the characters or the story to accompany the steam. At 160 pages and a novella in length, there are going to be some sacrifices. A lot of authors can pull the novella off quite well, and Sabrina York is definitely an epic name in romance – I have enjoyed quite a lot of her works. Dark Fancy was unfortunately not a favorite for me, and this is a prime reason I am a little more selective in my novella and anthology reading.
Check out my full review here: https://romancereviewsbyruckie.wordpr...
I received an advance reader copy of this title through NetGalley. The story is amusing, but I did not find the depth of character I wanted in these two. A lot of the story is centered around the two of them having sex, which is fine but I need more of the characters or the story to accompany the steam. At 160 pages and a novella in length, there are going to be some sacrifices. A lot of authors can pull the novella off quite well, and Sabrina York is definitely an epic name in romance – I have enjoyed quite a lot of her works. Dark Fancy was unfortunately not a favorite for me, and this is a prime reason I am a little more selective in my novella and anthology reading.
Check out my full review here: https://romancereviewsbyruckie.wordpr...
September 30, 2013
OMG! This was FABULOUS! I loved it! The almost instant connection that happens between James and Eloise is so HOT! Thank goodness the air conditioner was working well. And then to find out that it is really Lady Helena Simpson and The Earl of Darlington! WELL, the sparks do fly! This is a very fun, erotic read. Highly recommended for anyone who likes erotic historical romance, especially if you are a fan of HRH. This is one of her best yet! Don't miss it!
November 24, 2017
This was a really good quick and easy read. It wasn't the most original but the characters were good.
The main characters are Elenor and James; two stangers that meet and start a physical relationship. It comes at the perfect time for James an earl who has recently signed a marriage contract to a girl he has never met. Elenor is running away from a proposal to a stranger after beng taught the horror stories of such an engagement. The two run into each other in a potting shed and James moves him into the ground keepers cottage on his grounds.
There are a few secondary characters but I expect they will be explored more in the other books in the series.
The storyline was quick and easy to read although it wasn't the most original book in this genre. The pacing is good and I look forward to reading more of the books in the series.
4.5 stars
The main characters are Elenor and James; two stangers that meet and start a physical relationship. It comes at the perfect time for James an earl who has recently signed a marriage contract to a girl he has never met. Elenor is running away from a proposal to a stranger after beng taught the horror stories of such an engagement. The two run into each other in a potting shed and James moves him into the ground keepers cottage on his grounds.
There are a few secondary characters but I expect they will be explored more in the other books in the series.
The storyline was quick and easy to read although it wasn't the most original book in this genre. The pacing is good and I look forward to reading more of the books in the series.
4.5 stars
November 20, 2017
The little bit of story was good, the rest was sex. (audible review)
So yeah, I think Audible put this book in the wrong genre. It should be in the erotica section for sure.
There is a little bit of story here in between the sex. The Story was great but it only covered about 20% of the book, the rest was sex. I absolutely loved the characters. Especially Helena. A potentially 10 star story ruined by the author sexcapades. I am sooo glad this was only 5 hours long.
As for the narration, it was good. I enjoyed it. I think Lottie Lush did a good job on the male voices. And she read with emotion and had a nice reading voice.
So yeah, I think Audible put this book in the wrong genre. It should be in the erotica section for sure.
There is a little bit of story here in between the sex. The Story was great but it only covered about 20% of the book, the rest was sex. I absolutely loved the characters. Especially Helena. A potentially 10 star story ruined by the author sexcapades. I am sooo glad this was only 5 hours long.
As for the narration, it was good. I enjoyed it. I think Lottie Lush did a good job on the male voices. And she read with emotion and had a nice reading voice.
September 14, 2025
I bought another book from my to-read list instead of reading one of my library books or the book I bought from The Ripped Bodice that I'm currently reading since I want to get the number down.
Lady Helena runs away from the disgusting, old lord she's supposed to marry into the arms of another lord. She begs him to ruin her, thinking he's a gardener. I loved the plot twist: & the sex scenes were good.
If you don't like erotica, give this one a miss as it was mainly an erotic romance.
I'm so glad I finally read this; it had been languishing on my GR shelves too long...
Lady Helena runs away from the disgusting, old lord she's supposed to marry into the arms of another lord. She begs him to ruin her, thinking he's a gardener. I loved the plot twist: & the sex scenes were good.
If you don't like erotica, give this one a miss as it was mainly an erotic romance.
I'm so glad I finally read this; it had been languishing on my GR shelves too long...
November 16, 2025
So Enjoyable!
Lady Helena Simpson and James Tully, Earl of Darlington lit up the pages of this page-turning, heated story which had one of the most interesting subject matters, that of not one, but two hidden identities playing out at the same time.
This story had me engaged and reading till I finished the book.
Lady Helena Simpson and James Tully, Earl of Darlington lit up the pages of this page-turning, heated story which had one of the most interesting subject matters, that of not one, but two hidden identities playing out at the same time.
This story had me engaged and reading till I finished the book.
July 13, 2016
Dark Fancy is the first book in the Noble Passions series by Sabrina York. The whole series has been released previously, but now they are re-edited, re-covered and re-published. I am new to the series though.
The story is about Lady Helena Simpson. She overhears her Uncle talking about making her marry an Earl. The Earl being a horrid, repugnant old man. She is determined not to marry him so she runs away. She ends up being found by a sweet old man who believes she is a fairy running away from the fairy king. He takes her to his son's estate. His son is James, a Lord.
When James discovers Helena in one of his out buildings he thinks she is a lost little girl, but it doesn't take much more than a slip of her bodice for him to realise she is a woman, a very attractive woman. She explains her situation to him, and he decides he has to help her. He doesn't tell her he is a Lord, not knowing how much she despises them, so he masquerades as one of the estate's gardeners.
Helena doesn't let on who she is either, she thinks the less James knows the better. She is instantly attracted to him, and decides that if she is going to spend the rest of her days married to an old man, she wanted a taste of passion with James. She hopes that maybe losing her virginity will stop her betrothed from wanting to marry her after all too.
It doesn't take much to convince James to 'take' Helena and there starts their very hot, passionate, sexual affair. Helena knows she can't be with him permanently, and James knows that he has a commitment to marry some prim proper 'Miss' in order to have access to her horses and their thoroughbred line. It makes their passion all the more exciting, knowing it's all they'll ever have of each other.
Will Helena be found by her betrothed, will she be forced into the marriage she definitely doesn't want, even more now that she has discovered love and lust with James? Will James break off his engagement and lose the horses, or should he marry but see if he can get Helena to be his mistress?
The storyline of this book was really great, I especially loved Uncle Andrew, the sweet old man who himself was away with the fairies. A lovely bit of light hearted writing in amongst the love and lust of the couple.
The sex between James and Helena was hot, hot, hot. I am not a fan of BDSM though, so when that was brought mildly into play it did put me off a bit. It really isn't my cup of tea and I think the book would have been even better without it. That said, it was all well written and I certainly won't drop my rating of the book because of personal preferences. It had a happy ever after, and that to me is the most important part of a book.
If you like your hero to be a hunk, and the sex between the hero and heroine to be sizzling hot, then this is a book, and series for you. I've already bought the second in the series and look forward to reading it soon.
The story is about Lady Helena Simpson. She overhears her Uncle talking about making her marry an Earl. The Earl being a horrid, repugnant old man. She is determined not to marry him so she runs away. She ends up being found by a sweet old man who believes she is a fairy running away from the fairy king. He takes her to his son's estate. His son is James, a Lord.
When James discovers Helena in one of his out buildings he thinks she is a lost little girl, but it doesn't take much more than a slip of her bodice for him to realise she is a woman, a very attractive woman. She explains her situation to him, and he decides he has to help her. He doesn't tell her he is a Lord, not knowing how much she despises them, so he masquerades as one of the estate's gardeners.
Helena doesn't let on who she is either, she thinks the less James knows the better. She is instantly attracted to him, and decides that if she is going to spend the rest of her days married to an old man, she wanted a taste of passion with James. She hopes that maybe losing her virginity will stop her betrothed from wanting to marry her after all too.
It doesn't take much to convince James to 'take' Helena and there starts their very hot, passionate, sexual affair. Helena knows she can't be with him permanently, and James knows that he has a commitment to marry some prim proper 'Miss' in order to have access to her horses and their thoroughbred line. It makes their passion all the more exciting, knowing it's all they'll ever have of each other.
Will Helena be found by her betrothed, will she be forced into the marriage she definitely doesn't want, even more now that she has discovered love and lust with James? Will James break off his engagement and lose the horses, or should he marry but see if he can get Helena to be his mistress?
The storyline of this book was really great, I especially loved Uncle Andrew, the sweet old man who himself was away with the fairies. A lovely bit of light hearted writing in amongst the love and lust of the couple.
The sex between James and Helena was hot, hot, hot. I am not a fan of BDSM though, so when that was brought mildly into play it did put me off a bit. It really isn't my cup of tea and I think the book would have been even better without it. That said, it was all well written and I certainly won't drop my rating of the book because of personal preferences. It had a happy ever after, and that to me is the most important part of a book.
If you like your hero to be a hunk, and the sex between the hero and heroine to be sizzling hot, then this is a book, and series for you. I've already bought the second in the series and look forward to reading it soon.
September 9, 2016
Meet Helena, a young lady of some consequence and possessed of a near-paranoid fear of the ‘peers of the realm’. Years at a rather uptight boarding school have filled her head with all of the worst case scenarios, and her discovery of impending nuptials to an Earl known only for his profligate ways cause her to run away to her friend staying in London.
Found by a kindly, if not entirely cognizant old man, she is stashed in a potting shed and hidden from her own family. Unfortunately, she is hidden on the grounds of her affianced: while neither know the other by face nor name. Typical of the time, she is mere chattel to be traded for advantage, although her comely face and figure would have made her the talk of the ton at her debut.
James is the new earl, struggling to make amends and adjustments to reclaim the estate from his old, and deceased uncle’s lack of care. Not particularly fond of the idea of marriage, he is looking to extend the lands and acquire some prime breed stock for his stables.
When discovered by James, the two enter into an uneasy accord at first, when Helena thinks up a way to avoid the most offensive of all states: marriage. Propositioning James to ‘despoil’ her and ruin her for marriage, she feels this is her only choice. James, meanwhile, cannot contemplate the tasty morsel: reactive, attractive and responsive he is soon falling for her.
With incredibly sensual detail, James initiates Helena into some mild Master/sub scenes: expecting instant obeisance, spanking and some mild bondage. When Helena’s responsiveness nearly proves to be his undoing, his thoughts turn to holding her as mistress. What he fails to see is the love that she holds for him, and he for her. Through several twists, turns and a chase to London the two manage to find one another and express their emotions honestly. Despite her diminutive size, Helena is possessed of strong will and passions, and she won’t take less than all she wants from James. James, for his part, is not used to choosing his words or contemplating the consequences of his actions on the more delicate feelings, so often he puts his foot into his mouth. Thankfully he does manage to make things right for Helena and himself, and the reader will close the pages with another happy ending.
I purchased a copy of this title for my own library. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Found by a kindly, if not entirely cognizant old man, she is stashed in a potting shed and hidden from her own family. Unfortunately, she is hidden on the grounds of her affianced: while neither know the other by face nor name. Typical of the time, she is mere chattel to be traded for advantage, although her comely face and figure would have made her the talk of the ton at her debut.
James is the new earl, struggling to make amends and adjustments to reclaim the estate from his old, and deceased uncle’s lack of care. Not particularly fond of the idea of marriage, he is looking to extend the lands and acquire some prime breed stock for his stables.
When discovered by James, the two enter into an uneasy accord at first, when Helena thinks up a way to avoid the most offensive of all states: marriage. Propositioning James to ‘despoil’ her and ruin her for marriage, she feels this is her only choice. James, meanwhile, cannot contemplate the tasty morsel: reactive, attractive and responsive he is soon falling for her.
With incredibly sensual detail, James initiates Helena into some mild Master/sub scenes: expecting instant obeisance, spanking and some mild bondage. When Helena’s responsiveness nearly proves to be his undoing, his thoughts turn to holding her as mistress. What he fails to see is the love that she holds for him, and he for her. Through several twists, turns and a chase to London the two manage to find one another and express their emotions honestly. Despite her diminutive size, Helena is possessed of strong will and passions, and she won’t take less than all she wants from James. James, for his part, is not used to choosing his words or contemplating the consequences of his actions on the more delicate feelings, so often he puts his foot into his mouth. Thankfully he does manage to make things right for Helena and himself, and the reader will close the pages with another happy ending.
I purchased a copy of this title for my own library. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
February 6, 2017
Although I've shelved this an historical romance, the romance part is really very thin. Definitely more of an 'insta-love' to justify the erotica. Not that I have anything against erotica - not in the least. The erotic bits are good, and a bit kinky. They are also the most well-developed part of the narrative and if there had been a bit more, this would qualify as straight up erotica. As it is, the plot is pretty limited and the character development for James and Eloise/Helena is so thin that I skimmed the last third of this short novel just to see if anything would surprise me. All I found was the sudden introduction of a handful of new characters who did little to enhance the story. It does have an HEA, qualifying it for the 'romance' category.
August 27, 2016
***********MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*********
James is not the brightest person when it comes to Helena, “yes. We’ll go to London. Today if you wish. I will buy you a house. Jewels, silks. Anything you desire. Name it and it shall be yours.” It sounded reasonable. It sounded like a wonderful proposition. Apparently she did not agree." It really is apparent that James will ha e his hands full with Helena, "the tips of his ears went red. “You will not seduce a footman. Do you hear me?” I loved this book, I cant wait for the next one in the series.
James is not the brightest person when it comes to Helena, “yes. We’ll go to London. Today if you wish. I will buy you a house. Jewels, silks. Anything you desire. Name it and it shall be yours.” It sounded reasonable. It sounded like a wonderful proposition. Apparently she did not agree." It really is apparent that James will ha e his hands full with Helena, "the tips of his ears went red. “You will not seduce a footman. Do you hear me?” I loved this book, I cant wait for the next one in the series.
March 1, 2013
Sabrina York is one talented lady! Dark Fancy was a great Erotic(with a capital E) historical..probably the best ones I have ever read! She wrote it with humor and steam...lots and lots of steam!! What a great story! <3 And Yes I wore the Tiara while I read this book...It is MY fancy!! although it's not a dark one like James and Helena's! ;)
August 22, 2013
Dark Fancy by Sabrina York, a very hot and sexy story. You can't always go by what someone says about people you don't know. Dark Fancy
November 14, 2013
loved it, it was amazing i couldn't put it down....
August 26, 2016
***I received this arc from netgallery in exchange for an honest review***
I enjoyed this book for the smut it delivered. The writing left much to be desired.
I enjoyed this book for the smut it delivered. The writing left much to be desired.
August 28, 2016
Amazing!
May 11, 2017
This was a nice and hot regency romance.
Neither James nor Helena are looking forward to their upcoming marriages. James has agreed, sight unseen, to marry a woman he has never seen before in order to gain a stable and a large amount of land. He's not really looking forward to the thing and assumes that his future wife will be ugly and won't be able to fulfill his sexual desires, but he wants those horses and the land used to belong to his family, and he wants it back. Helena is also horrified by her engagement because her betrothed is supposedly a gross, old man who enjoys ruining young women. Disgusted by the thought of marrying him, she runs away and meets Arthur, James's uncle. He hit his head a few years ago and hasn't been the same since. He thinks that Helena is a fairy queen but does provide her with shelter and food. James finds out what is happening and moves her out of the shed she is in and into the gardener's cottage. He's also instantly aroused by her and decides to make her his. Helena also wants James and figures that throwing away her virginity on who she believes to be a gardener will be just the thing to get her out of her marriage. Of course, once their true identities come out, things get complicated, but they are able to resolve their problems to the satisfaction of everyone involved.
The sex in this book was hot. James was worried about both women being accepting of his sex preferences. He liked things rough, including spanking and tying Helena up, but she enjoyed everything he did and encouraged him to go further. Helena was experiencing a sexual awakening, and James met his perfect sexual partner. The love was definitely of the insta-love variety and spurred on by their mutual sexual desires, but everything was well-written enough that I could buy it.
The major thing I didn't like about this was when Edward spanked Helena. He said that it was to punish her for kneeing him in the balls, but I have issues with, essentially, a stranger spanking her, plus they both received sexual pleasure from it, so it was a bit too much like cheating for me. Edward also had issues with James seducing his former fiancee, but said that that was in the past and they were friends again, so I don't understand why he would do something so sexual with his friend's fiancee when he knows how awful it is to be cheated on.
Also, Helena's title was wrong. Her father was baron, so she would only have been a 'miss,' not a lady, but that's a small thing.
Overall, an enjoyable and erotic read that I would recommend.
Neither James nor Helena are looking forward to their upcoming marriages. James has agreed, sight unseen, to marry a woman he has never seen before in order to gain a stable and a large amount of land. He's not really looking forward to the thing and assumes that his future wife will be ugly and won't be able to fulfill his sexual desires, but he wants those horses and the land used to belong to his family, and he wants it back. Helena is also horrified by her engagement because her betrothed is supposedly a gross, old man who enjoys ruining young women. Disgusted by the thought of marrying him, she runs away and meets Arthur, James's uncle. He hit his head a few years ago and hasn't been the same since. He thinks that Helena is a fairy queen but does provide her with shelter and food. James finds out what is happening and moves her out of the shed she is in and into the gardener's cottage. He's also instantly aroused by her and decides to make her his. Helena also wants James and figures that throwing away her virginity on who she believes to be a gardener will be just the thing to get her out of her marriage. Of course, once their true identities come out, things get complicated, but they are able to resolve their problems to the satisfaction of everyone involved.
The sex in this book was hot. James was worried about both women being accepting of his sex preferences. He liked things rough, including spanking and tying Helena up, but she enjoyed everything he did and encouraged him to go further. Helena was experiencing a sexual awakening, and James met his perfect sexual partner. The love was definitely of the insta-love variety and spurred on by their mutual sexual desires, but everything was well-written enough that I could buy it.
The major thing I didn't like about this was when Edward spanked Helena. He said that it was to punish her for kneeing him in the balls, but I have issues with, essentially, a stranger spanking her, plus they both received sexual pleasure from it, so it was a bit too much like cheating for me. Edward also had issues with James seducing his former fiancee, but said that that was in the past and they were friends again, so I don't understand why he would do something so sexual with his friend's fiancee when he knows how awful it is to be cheated on.
Also, Helena's title was wrong. Her father was baron, so she would only have been a 'miss,' not a lady, but that's a small thing.
Overall, an enjoyable and erotic read that I would recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2020
It's not that the writing is bad or anything, it's just a pretty boring story. Helena is the cliché annoying, TSTL heroine. She sounds like a moron whenever she opens her mouth, and it's pretty clear her only redeeming quality is that she is a porn-star virgin. You know, the sweet, innocent girl that can't say "kiss" without blushing, but the second she gets a dick stuck in her, she's totally down with getting banged in public and sticking her finger in the guy's ass.
Anyway, in addition to our terribly off-putting heroine, James is a pretty boring hero. There are all these hints that he's into dark stuff, and he's afraid of scaring Helena off with it. And what is this master of seduction's dark fancy? Spanking. Yup, that's it. That's how "dark" this book goes. Isn't this like a common thing in regency romances? I swear every Johanna Lindsey book I've read has one or two spanking scenes, and those were written 30 years ago.
I don't know, maybe I'm missing something, but I would in no way, shape, or form describe this book as "dark" or even really as "erotica". It seems like a pretty typical regency romance with a few extra not-super-interesting sex scenes. Not terrible, but not really good either.
Anyway, in addition to our terribly off-putting heroine, James is a pretty boring hero. There are all these hints that he's into dark stuff, and he's afraid of scaring Helena off with it. And what is this master of seduction's dark fancy? Spanking. Yup, that's it. That's how "dark" this book goes. Isn't this like a common thing in regency romances? I swear every Johanna Lindsey book I've read has one or two spanking scenes, and those were written 30 years ago.
I don't know, maybe I'm missing something, but I would in no way, shape, or form describe this book as "dark" or even really as "erotica". It seems like a pretty typical regency romance with a few extra not-super-interesting sex scenes. Not terrible, but not really good either.
July 2, 2024
This was a just bit of steamy fluff! Good job it was a short bit steamy fluff. I think it's meant to be a comedy?
I can't believe the author is a serious historical romance writer. This is one of those books where the story is written around the sex. There is no depth to the characters and the plot is weak. However, it did make me laugh in places.
Helena, daughter of a baron, runs away from home because she's being forced into marriage with a fat, old, pot bellied Earl. Helena is found by James, who she thinks is a gardener, but he's not, and then quickly, very quickly, probably 30 minutes after meeting, they strike up a very steamy slightly BDSM relationship. Did I mention that she is an innocent untouched virgin, who is only shortly back from finishing school, where she has been since she was 4 yrs old. Therefore, has had no interaction with the opposite sex?
Anyways, then we go into a little misunderstanding, angsty bit, where she accuses him of lying, even though she lied as well. She accuses him of sleeping with her although he was engaged to someone else, even though she was also engaged to someone else ... and it's all extremely sweetly far fetched and silly.
Good for a short escape. One of those stories I'll forget about a little while after reading. Hence my writing this while still listening 29 mins from the end.
I can't believe the author is a serious historical romance writer. This is one of those books where the story is written around the sex. There is no depth to the characters and the plot is weak. However, it did make me laugh in places.
Helena, daughter of a baron, runs away from home because she's being forced into marriage with a fat, old, pot bellied Earl. Helena is found by James, who she thinks is a gardener, but he's not, and then quickly, very quickly, probably 30 minutes after meeting, they strike up a very steamy slightly BDSM relationship. Did I mention that she is an innocent untouched virgin, who is only shortly back from finishing school, where she has been since she was 4 yrs old. Therefore, has had no interaction with the opposite sex?
Anyways, then we go into a little misunderstanding, angsty bit, where she accuses him of lying, even though she lied as well. She accuses him of sleeping with her although he was engaged to someone else, even though she was also engaged to someone else ... and it's all extremely sweetly far fetched and silly.
Good for a short escape. One of those stories I'll forget about a little while after reading. Hence my writing this while still listening 29 mins from the end.
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