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3.34 AVERAGE
3.34 AVERAGE
Dnf 80% in. I swear, if i read any further I might as well throw my phone since I can’t give 0 stars on goodreads. No redeeming characters. Hero and heroine DO NOT suit. And while the heroine’s double life was a slight bit interesting, it all went down when she made stupid decisions. Wasted so much free time I can’t take back
I am a little torn on my rating. I almost want to give it 4 stars. However, like the first book [b:How to Marry a Duke|8541238|How to Marry a Duke (How To Series #1)|Vicky Dreiling|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327882637s/8541238.jpg|13408881] there is just something a little off about this one. I loved the tension between Hawk and Julianne. I think it was really well done, and the added difficulty of his being her guardian for the season added to their lifelong friendship makes their hesitance pretty believable. But, once they got together everything just happened too fast. The last two chapters quickly covered her being compromised, refusing his proposal, the revelation about his son, their reconciliation, lots of sex, and finally their marriage. I think they had sex three times on one page. After most of the book moved at a much slower pace, the conclusion seems a little out of character for the author and for Julianne and Hawk. That being said I did enjoy the story and also the other book I've read by Vicky Dreiling.
I was excited to receive this from goodreads giveaways!
I started out with high hopes with this story, I was in a mood for a historical romance. Unfortunately, I didn't really enjoy the characters, they got on my nerves fairly quickly.
I'm thinking of going back and reading Vicky Dreiling's other book, "How to Marry a Duke" and see how that one was.
I started out with high hopes with this story, I was in a mood for a historical romance. Unfortunately, I didn't really enjoy the characters, they got on my nerves fairly quickly.
I'm thinking of going back and reading Vicky Dreiling's other book, "How to Marry a Duke" and see how that one was.
Much better than the first. The friggin secret dragging annoys me a lot, but this book worked better, specially since I had no clue to what it was. I loved Haw, even is he was severely clueless regarding Julieanne. I admired Julieanne's strong character. Despised Tessa's brother. Wanted to smack Tessa for being so dumb sometimes, and even Amy for being no fun. The pups were fun as was Hester. There were funny moments I absolutely loved...
I would love to know the exact definition of a Scoundrel because Marc, Early of Hawkfield, did not act like a scoundrel in this book. Yes, Hawk was crass at times and bossy. To me, he comes off as a jealous lover throughout most of the book. Julianne has had a crush on Marc, also known as "Hawk", since her coming out 4 years ago. When he is charged with being her guardian during her season, Julianne thinks that this will finally give her the opportunity to get Hawk to see her as a woman and not the young girl that he teases so mercilessly.
I really wanted to enjoy How to Seduce a Scoundrel. I liked that Hawk and Julianne have a history. She's known him since she was 8 years old and he was 18. Hawk likes to tease Julianne and because of her spunky attitude, she teases him back. With that type of history between them, I expected more tongue-in-cheek teasing. There was some but not as much as I expected.
How to Seduce a Scoundrel had very little action. The plot moved very slowly. There was very little going on; just a bunch of chatter. Julianne's waffling back and forth about her feelings for Hawk and her plan to write a pamphlet on seduction got old very quickly. The attraction between Hawk and Julianne was not that steamy. At one point, I wondered about the supposed attraction between the two. I enjoyed the side characters Julianne's friends, Amy and Georgette and Hawk's great-aunt Hester. They provided hilarity and levity into the plot.
How to Seduce a Scoundrel got better during the last 20%. The cat and mouse game between Hawk and Julianne finally comes to a head, Hawk's dark past is revealed and everyone finally comes to their senses. I'm sad that it took so long for the story to become interesting and the pace of the plot to pick up. I didn't buy the sexual attraction between Hawk and Julianne. I believe I would have liked this book more if there was more going on. Like I said, there was too much chatter and not enough action. And I don't mean action as in sex; action that helped moved the plot along. The story dragged too much to hold my interest. I'm sure readers of the previous book will enjoy this one. It just didn't work for me.
I really wanted to enjoy How to Seduce a Scoundrel. I liked that Hawk and Julianne have a history. She's known him since she was 8 years old and he was 18. Hawk likes to tease Julianne and because of her spunky attitude, she teases him back. With that type of history between them, I expected more tongue-in-cheek teasing. There was some but not as much as I expected.
How to Seduce a Scoundrel had very little action. The plot moved very slowly. There was very little going on; just a bunch of chatter. Julianne's waffling back and forth about her feelings for Hawk and her plan to write a pamphlet on seduction got old very quickly. The attraction between Hawk and Julianne was not that steamy. At one point, I wondered about the supposed attraction between the two. I enjoyed the side characters Julianne's friends, Amy and Georgette and Hawk's great-aunt Hester. They provided hilarity and levity into the plot.
How to Seduce a Scoundrel got better during the last 20%. The cat and mouse game between Hawk and Julianne finally comes to a head, Hawk's dark past is revealed and everyone finally comes to their senses. I'm sad that it took so long for the story to become interesting and the pace of the plot to pick up. I didn't buy the sexual attraction between Hawk and Julianne. I believe I would have liked this book more if there was more going on. Like I said, there was too much chatter and not enough action. And I don't mean action as in sex; action that helped moved the plot along. The story dragged too much to hold my interest. I'm sure readers of the previous book will enjoy this one. It just didn't work for me.
Finishing this book was a struggle, and despite having some moments the most I can say is it was okay. The premise is a pretty standard romantic plot. Julianne is in love with her brother's best friend, Hawkfield. After he embarrasses her at a ball, Julianne vows to make him (and any other rakes who have unwittingly led the young women of the ton astray) crawl.
The problem is that Julianne spent the majority of the book as an immature girl than the adult she should have been and Hawkfield treated her accordingly. The "you're not my father/brother, you can't tell me what to do, you're ruining my life" and "I'm in charge so do what I say" bickering that doesn't get resolved until the last 3rd of the book was an absolute chore to get through. And by that point neither character was very endearing.
The highlight was Hester, Hawk's aunt. The relationship she developed with Julianne was fantastic and a delight to read. Unfortunately it wasn't enough to save the book from mediocrity. Such a shame as [b:How to Marry a Duke|8541238|How to Marry a Duke (How To Series #1)|Vicky Dreiling|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327882637s/8541238.jpg|13408881] was a good read, and I was intrigued by Hawks and Julianne's story.
The problem is that Julianne spent the majority of the book as an immature girl than the adult she should have been and Hawkfield treated her accordingly. The "you're not my father/brother, you can't tell me what to do, you're ruining my life" and "I'm in charge so do what I say" bickering that doesn't get resolved until the last 3rd of the book was an absolute chore to get through. And by that point neither character was very endearing.
The highlight was Hester, Hawk's aunt. The relationship she developed with Julianne was fantastic and a delight to read. Unfortunately it wasn't enough to save the book from mediocrity. Such a shame as [b:How to Marry a Duke|8541238|How to Marry a Duke (How To Series #1)|Vicky Dreiling|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327882637s/8541238.jpg|13408881] was a good read, and I was intrigued by Hawks and Julianne's story.
Second in the __ historical romance series set in London. Hey, what can I say?? Dreiling hasn't seen fit to title her series yet.
The Story
Young Lady Julianne has returned to town for the Season only to find that the family who was to chaperone her for it must go out of town to care for a hypochondriacal great-grandmother. Instead, Marc Darcett, the Earl of Hawkfield's aunt, Hester, offers to keep an eye on her and her brother, Tristan, asks Hawk to act as her guardian as he and their mother must remain in the country where his wife, Tessa, is close to giving birth.
At first Julianne is ecstatic for she has been in love with Hawk since she was a child. Now she has to spend time with Hawk! Only she finds there is a world of difference between the Hawk of her childhood and the Hawk known for his rakish ways.
My Take
This was terrible. A cute idea but horrible execution. I can only assume Dreiling got carried away with her initial success in How to Marry a Duke and didn't pay attention to writing well in this story.
The Cover
The cover feels like a dream with Julianne standing with her back to Marc's naked chest as he slides the sleeve of her frothy peach gown down her arm against a softly peach background. The cover actually has more finesse than the story.
The title is very accurate as it reflects the title of the pamphlet Julianne writes with the help of Marc's Aunt Hester. Desperate for Hawk's love, Julianne absorbs the advice she provides and determines that she will share this advice with other lovelorn ladies of the Ton.
The Story
Young Lady Julianne has returned to town for the Season only to find that the family who was to chaperone her for it must go out of town to care for a hypochondriacal great-grandmother. Instead, Marc Darcett, the Earl of Hawkfield's aunt, Hester, offers to keep an eye on her and her brother, Tristan, asks Hawk to act as her guardian as he and their mother must remain in the country where his wife, Tessa, is close to giving birth.
At first Julianne is ecstatic for she has been in love with Hawk since she was a child. Now she has to spend time with Hawk! Only she finds there is a world of difference between the Hawk of her childhood and the Hawk known for his rakish ways.
My Take
This was terrible. A cute idea but horrible execution. I can only assume Dreiling got carried away with her initial success in How to Marry a Duke and didn't pay attention to writing well in this story.
The Cover
The cover feels like a dream with Julianne standing with her back to Marc's naked chest as he slides the sleeve of her frothy peach gown down her arm against a softly peach background. The cover actually has more finesse than the story.
The title is very accurate as it reflects the title of the pamphlet Julianne writes with the help of Marc's Aunt Hester. Desperate for Hawk's love, Julianne absorbs the advice she provides and determines that she will share this advice with other lovelorn ladies of the Ton.
I always hoped Hawk and Julianne would have their story and alas here it is. I loved it. :) The story was a great distraction and entertaining.
Julianne has been in love with her brother’s best friend, Marc (Earl of Hawkfield, Hawk), for years. Not only was he a good friend to her as a child showing her how to climb a tree and helping her to smile again after her father’s death, he was her first dance partner at her first ball. Julianne has held Hawk in her heart for years and when she enters her first season without her brother and mother watching over her shoulder, she’s ready to claim him as her own. But with a careless comment by Hawk at a ball sends Julianne’s dreams crashing and she has to reevaluate what she wants in her life.
I really loved both of these characters. Julianne was a very charming young lady who thought she knew exactly what she wanted. She had a very good combination of determination, heart, and even a little bit of naiveté that made her a very likable character. Hawk was written just as well. Deep down he had a very good, gentlemanly core. He took his duties of being Julianne’s guardian for the season seriously, but he still saw the girl he grew up with, the friend he’s known for years. He did a lot of flip flop between stern disciplinarian and hilarious tease and even with these personality flips he also had the wonderful “tortured hero” that he tries to hid. When he was just 18 Hawk had a traumatic experience that shaped the man he became and the future that he thought himself worthy of. Their windy, bumpy road to love was a very entertaining read.
This is the second in a series and even though I had not read the first book, this story was well written and easy to understand where is stood in the series. There were some reference to how Julianne’s brother met his duchess but that did not hurt this story, it just made me want to go back and read the first in the series. Great read, enjoyable characters, and I really look forward to reading more by this author.
I really loved both of these characters. Julianne was a very charming young lady who thought she knew exactly what she wanted. She had a very good combination of determination, heart, and even a little bit of naiveté that made her a very likable character. Hawk was written just as well. Deep down he had a very good, gentlemanly core. He took his duties of being Julianne’s guardian for the season seriously, but he still saw the girl he grew up with, the friend he’s known for years. He did a lot of flip flop between stern disciplinarian and hilarious tease and even with these personality flips he also had the wonderful “tortured hero” that he tries to hid. When he was just 18 Hawk had a traumatic experience that shaped the man he became and the future that he thought himself worthy of. Their windy, bumpy road to love was a very entertaining read.
This is the second in a series and even though I had not read the first book, this story was well written and easy to understand where is stood in the series. There were some reference to how Julianne’s brother met his duchess but that did not hurt this story, it just made me want to go back and read the first in the series. Great read, enjoyable characters, and I really look forward to reading more by this author.