Top 120 Elizabeth Hoyt Quotes (2025 Update)

1. “Just because I don’t deserve her doesn’t mean I won’t fight to keep her.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

2. “It was a strange thing, this feeling of empathy. He’d never experienced it before. He realized that what hurt this woman hurt him as well, that what made her bleed caused a hemorrhage of pain within his soul.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

3. “All her life she’d been warned that men were slaves to their desires, that they held their impulses in barely controlled check. A woman – a lady – must be very, very careful of her actions so she did not put spark to the gunpowder that was a man’s libido.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

4. “There are no heroes on the battlefield, my lady; there are only survivors.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

5. “Your cousin might be a pretty face, but you, my darling, courageous, maddening, seductive, mysterious, wonderful Diana, you are the Duchess of Wakefield. My duchess.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

6. “You say my name like a lover, so soft, so sweet. I want to lick the word from your lips, sip the exhaled breath from your mouth. I want to possess you utterly. Right now. Right here.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

7. “Every word you have ever uttered, is engraved upon my heart. -Lazarus to his mother.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

8. “Still, it was a sad state of the world that people judged others not by the best that they could be but by the worst thought in their own hearts.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

9. “Pay heed: the artichoke is a shy vegetable. She covers herself in spine-tipped leaves that must be carefully peeled away, and underneath shields her treasure with a barricade o’ soft needles. They must be tenderly, but firmly, scraped aside. Ye must be bold, for if yer not, she’ll never reveal her soft heart.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

10. “As for inspiration, I find stark fear of missing the deadline very inspiring.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

11. “He doesn’t deserve to die,” she said. Tears pricked at her eyes. “Does anyone? Whether he deserves it or not is neither here nor there; it’s simply his fate. You can no more change that than you can change the course of the stars.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

12. “I need you.” He licked her bruised lip to soothe it. “I can’t think straight without you. My world is all turned around, and I go through it in pain, wanting to hurt someone.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

13. “He thought he saw her smile waver when she read it, then she was hugging him tightly. “You’re the one who needs to take care of yourself. Your escape is still all the news. They’ll be searching for you.” She drew back to look at him, and to his consternation he saw that she had tears in her eyes. “I couldn’t bear to lose you again.” He bent and kissed her forehead. Even if he could speak there was nothing he could say to comfort her.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

14. “A big, powerful man chained, made helpless. She’d seen boys poke at a chained bear – a beast they’d run screaming from were it free to do as it would. Little boys – and weak men – fancied themselves brave in the face of such helplessness. It made them giddy with false power. And they were apt to wield that power in terrible and cruel ways. Had such a thing been done to her Caliban?”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

15. “When he died, she took her hopes for a child and wrapped them carefully in a box and buried that box deep, deep in her heart. So deep, she thought never to face that dream again. Except, with one sentence, Edward had exhumed the box and ripped it open. And her hopes, her dreams, her need to bear a child were as fresh now as they had been when she was newly wed.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

16. “He’d forgotten, in those long years in Bedlam, through fear and grief and pain, what it was like to simply be with a pretty woman. To tease and flirt and yes, perhaps steal a kiss. He didn’t know how she felt about that kiss – or if she’d let him kiss her again, but he was certainly going to try. He had lost time to make up – much of life itself to live. He’d spent four years in limbo, simply existing, while others found lovers and friends, even started families. He wanted to live again.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

17. “He treasured her, treasured her tears, treasured her love for others. Her heart might even be big enough to fill that empty space in his own chest. Perhaps she could be his heart as well.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

18. “You’re not to go wading in my pond again,” he said. She shrugged and picked up her shoes and stockings where they lay on the path. “Very well, Your Grace, but it’s a great pity. I should’ve liked to go swimming.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

19. “You are my family. If we never have children, I will be disappointed, but if I never have you, I will be devastated. I love you. I need you. Please trust me enough to be my wife.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

20. “Oh, how she wanted this man! She wanted to hold him like this tomorrow and fifty years hence. She wanted to be by his side every morning when he woke, she wanted his to be the last voice she heard before she fell asleep at night.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

21. “Good Lord, His Grace the Ass hiding in the bushes,” Apollo muttered. “Whatever are you doing here?” “Ah, Kilbourne, you’ve regained your voice,” Wakefield drawled. “Pity, but I presume my wife is thrilled. And you are?” He looked pointedly at Montgomery.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

22. “She’d never find another man like him as long as she lived. He was ruining her for any other, and the pleasure of it was beyond bearing.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

23. “He rolled onto her, his body caging hers as if he could cage her heart as well. This woman. His woman. He’d make it all up to her, give her anything she’d wish for, if only she’d never leave him. Behind them, the door to his bedroom opened. “Get out,” he growled to whichever servant had dared disturb him. There was a squeak and the door was hastily shut. Below him, Artemis cocked an eyebrow. “That was ill done.” He scowled. “Would you like her to witness our coupling?”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

24. “I decided long ago that my family absolutely comes first, and I don’t regret that. I do, however, sometimes wish I had an extra five hours or so in the day!”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

25. “The peach gown she’d chosen was the color of the sunrise, the rippling watered silk seeming to subtly change from rose to pink to nearly orange in different lights. She’d fallen in love with it at once.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

26. “A garden always has a point.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

27. “But I intend to make you respectable.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

28. “This was not a man to be swayed by gentleness, beauty, or sweet words. He would bend – assuming he was even capable of bending – only for reasons of his own.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

29. “I believe that you wanted to love Marie – that you’re enamored by the idea of love – but that you have no concept what love is. I think that’s what you’re searching for in St. Giles – some source of emotion, some inkling of what human feeling really is.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

30. “He grinned, but a bead of sweat ran down his temple. “Then with your permission.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

31. “Diana,” he whispered. “My Diana.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

32. “To fight demons, one must assume the guise of a demon.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

33. “One’s own family and situation are all one knows as a child. Therefore they are, by default, normal. I thought everyone had a papa who sometimes stayed awake all night writing philosophical papers, only to burn them all in a rage in the morning. It was only when I was old enough to notice that other fathers didn’t act like my own that I realized the truth.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

34. “You were the one who left for London. You were the one who decided to-to tup another woman. You were the one who turned away from me. From us. Who is the greater sinner? I will no longer – urp!”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

35. “His eyes were dark, dangerous, and not at all cold. He burned with an internal inferno she wanted to touch. She stared into the gaze of a tiger and knew, even as she watched the cat retreat into the camouflage of a gentleman: The Duke of Wakefield was the Ghost of St. Giles.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

36. “I’m afraid I’m rather used to females making themselves shameless for me.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

37. “Seraphine, Seraphine, Seraphine. O most beloved of women, most fiery of saints, never leave me, please. I’ll erect columns of white marble to you, build gardens of delights for you, cause ships to sail and warriors to rise for you, if you’ll only remain by my side.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

38. “Each time it was like a stray bit of glass pressed into the softness of her heart, grinding, grinding, oh so silently until she no longer noticed when she bled.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

39. “What the hell was that?” he hissed at Montgomery. “A question.” The duke reached for another piece of toast. “Did you mean to alert him to our investigation on purpose?” Apollo growled. “Yes and no.” Montgomery shrugged. “I’m bored. Nothing’s happening. Sometimes it’s best to send the fox into the chicken house to see if a snake slithers out.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

40. “Besides, they’ll all know soon enough, won’t they? That I’m your mistress?” He snorted, hitting the bed with one arm as he sprawled. She raised a delicate eyebrow. “That is what you want, isn’t it?” “I can’t have what I want.” “Can’t you?” Her voice was light, nearly careless. “But you’re the Duke of Wakefield, one of the most powerful men in England.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

41. “Artemis let her head fall back, her eyes closed, her lips suddenly trembling. Apollo dying. “Please. Please, Maximus. I’ll refrain from provoking you anymore. I’ll stay in the shadows with my stockings and shoes on and never swim in your pond again, never disturb you again, only please do this one thing, I beg you. Save my brother.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

42. “No, please don’t apologize.” She smiled, warmth spreading through her breast as she gathered her courage. Maybe this was the time. “I wanted the kiss just as much as you. As a matter of – ” “I’m engaged.” “What?” Anna recoiled as if he had struck her. “I’m engaged to be married.” Edward grimaced as if in self-disgust or possibly pain. She stood frozen, struggling to comprehend the simple words. A numbness seeped throughout her body, driving out the warmth as if it had never been.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

43. “She couldn’t very well get up and leave him without causing a scene, but she dearly wanted to. “Well, then, in the interests of fairness, perhaps you ought to know, Your Grace, that I have no intention of yielding the field to you.” Beside her he inclined his head a fraction of an inch. “Then en garde, Miss Greaves.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

44. “He grinned, looking not a little wicked. “Have you looked at my books? Glanced at my titles? Fondled my spines?”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

45. “Lily opened the door. “Maude, would you – ” She cut herself off. Maude was nowhere in sight, but Caliban was across the room, holding a page of her play to the light of the fire. His eyes were intent, his brow slightly creased – and he was quite obviously reading the page.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

46. “Apollo widened his eyes, trying to look harmless – sadly, nearly impossible. He’d hit six feet at age fifteen and topped that by several inches in the fourteen years since. Add to that the width of his shoulders, his massive hands, and a face that his sister had once affectionately compared to a gargoyle’s, and trying to appear harmless became something of a lost cause.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

47. “He pulled back, his chest heaving, and looked at her angrily. “Don’t start something you mean to stop.” She met his gaze squarely. “I don’t mean to stop.” His eyes narrowed. “I cannot give you marriage.” She’d known. She’d never thought he could – she would’ve sworn so had she been asked a minute earlier – but his blunt words were an arrow of pain piercing her heart nonetheless. She bared her teeth in a smile. “Have I asked you to?” “No.” “And I never shall,” she vowed.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

48. “He smiled down at her. “Truly. I think a man may find happiness-or discontent- no matter if he has a full belly or not.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

49. “He looked down the table again and felt an irrational urge to push poor Mr. Watts out of his chair when Miss Greaves tilted her head toward him to hear something he’d said. He caught her eye briefly and she stared back in defiance, her mouth twisting tragically before looking away again. Something was wrong. She was leaking emotion.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt

50. “But like the legless man, I’m unaccountably fascinated by those who can dance.”

— Elizabeth Hoyt