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annerollins's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
rellimreads's review
4.0
12/3/2022 - This is my first time reading Charlie Lane and it won't be my last. Daring the Duke was so much fun!
Tabitha and her friends are bored with the ton and decide on little dares to preoccupy themselves. When one is at the expense of the Duke of Collingford (Arthur), Tabitha finds herself on the path to becoming a Duchess. Arthur and Tabitha both have a list of what would make the perfect spouse, and neither list includes love. These two were a great contrast to each other - both trying to fulfill family obligations in different ways, denying who they are for the sake of appearances, and reclaim losses.
It's obvious this marriage of convenience is going to turn into so much more. The situations these two find themselves in, sometimes of their own doing, are such fun. A little angst as they face some of Arthur's judgmental family, but overall just a delightful and swoony read.
I like that the secondary characters are more than just dropped in to tease future books. They are integral to the story and a lot of fun as well. This is a series I'll definitely be continuing.
9/14/2023 Narration Note:
This was a fun book when I read it last year and I was excited to see it come to audio. Unfortunately, I didn’t click with Susan Duerdan’s narration. It had a repetitive cadence that distracted from the story. Especially grating if there were conversations with shorter sentences. I finally gave up at 30%.
Tabitha and her friends are bored with the ton and decide on little dares to preoccupy themselves. When one is at the expense of the Duke of Collingford (Arthur), Tabitha finds herself on the path to becoming a Duchess. Arthur and Tabitha both have a list of what would make the perfect spouse, and neither list includes love. These two were a great contrast to each other - both trying to fulfill family obligations in different ways, denying who they are for the sake of appearances, and reclaim losses.
It's obvious this marriage of convenience is going to turn into so much more. The situations these two find themselves in, sometimes of their own doing, are such fun. A little angst as they face some of Arthur's judgmental family, but overall just a delightful and swoony read.
I like that the secondary characters are more than just dropped in to tease future books. They are integral to the story and a lot of fun as well. This is a series I'll definitely be continuing.
9/14/2023 Narration Note:
This was a fun book when I read it last year and I was excited to see it come to audio. Unfortunately, I didn’t click with Susan Duerdan’s narration. It had a repetitive cadence that distracted from the story. Especially grating if there were conversations with shorter sentences. I finally gave up at 30%.
1000_books_1000_lives's review
5.0
This was such a joyful read which had me smiling in several places. An amazing heroine who was brilliantly witty and a reformed brute of a duke- ahh perfection! A great enemies to lovers romance with one bed… totally here for it!
jillmlong's review
2.0
This book was very repetitive. How many times do we need to hear the word "perfection"? How often is it mentioned about her "perfect" memory? These things felt silly to me and with the plot centered around them I felt a disconnect with the story.
killerwhaletank's review
1.0
I’ve read books that I thought suffered from silly plots, mediocre writing, and less-than-stellar characters… but this book had all three.
It was the most inconsistent, pointless book I’ve ever read. This book actually made NO SENSE. Not one part of it. Things happened on one page that suddenly didn’t matter two pages later. Other big dramatic things came out of nowhere and then were never referenced again.
The writing was also not very good. I felt like the author had a thesaurus open next to her and was trying to come up with every imaginable word whether it made sense or not. The dialogue between characters is painful in its awkwardness.
I only finished this book because I promised myself I’d read it all, and now I never have to read another thing in this series or by this author every again.
Here’s an example of the prose you can expect in this book. If this is your thing… have at ‘er. There’s a lot more of this to look forward to in this book:
This gif sums up how I feel about this book:
It was the most inconsistent, pointless book I’ve ever read. This book actually made NO SENSE. Not one part of it. Things happened on one page that suddenly didn’t matter two pages later. Other big dramatic things came out of nowhere and then were never referenced again.
The writing was also not very good. I felt like the author had a thesaurus open next to her and was trying to come up with every imaginable word whether it made sense or not. The dialogue between characters is painful in its awkwardness.
I only finished this book because I promised myself I’d read it all, and now I never have to read another thing in this series or by this author every again.
Here’s an example of the prose you can expect in this book. If this is your thing… have at ‘er. There’s a lot more of this to look forward to in this book:
“His warm hands on her shoulders, steadying her, were like two hot coals. No. They were more like foot warmers, for coals promised pain whereas foot warmers provided only pleasure. Ridiculous thought! Her brain was dissolving into gruel. And now that gruel could not extricate itself from the idea that his hands were similar to a device used to warm one’s feet in bed because it put him in proximity to the idea of bed.”
This gif sums up how I feel about this book:
aishareadsnrambles's review
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
3.8stars. Cross-class Lovers. Perfect Duchess. Fast-paced
1. I liked both of the characters until they start harping on and on about perfection.
2. I really liked the FMC's direct nature, I admired it.
3. I liked the ending
4. The book was okay
5. I liked the FMC's friends
1. I liked both of the characters until they start harping on and on about perfection.
2. I really liked the FMC's direct nature, I admired it.
3. I liked the ending
4. The book was okay
5. I liked the FMC's friends
andrea_author's review
3.0
Lady Tabitha must marry well to save her family from ruin. Arthur needs a perfect wife in order to inherit the family home. Can the irreverent bluestocking transform into the duchess he needs?
I enjoyed the banter and the writing style in the book. This is something of romp, the plot not particularly believable but a lot of fun.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
I enjoyed the banter and the writing style in the book. This is something of romp, the plot not particularly believable but a lot of fun.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
emiliew's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ladynightwolf's review
4.0
Tabitha has an incredible memory, and some of those memories she would rather forget, like when she made a bad investment with her family's savings and lost it all. Arthur is in need of a duchess and Tabitha has caught his eye. After all, she's been introduced to him multiple times under different names, something that is a little beyond the pale in the Ton. Unfortunately,. he needs to find the perfect duchess in order to finally inherit his childhood home in the country and the rules of his inheritance are strict! However, when he does confront her about her about her deception, she makes a counter proposal. She will act as his duchess to be, which will allow her a position to take care of her family's needs. Naturally, Arthur is skeptical. How is this daring bluestocking supposed to become a demure duchess overnight?
To Arthur's surprise, she's actually pretty good at. To his further surprise--and hers--this ruse begins to become less of a ruse as they begin to lose their hearts against the better judgement of their heads!
This book was really good. I finished in in two nights while on vacation and it was a totally different take on Ton life than I'm used to. I loved the characters and their families. I look forward to further adventures in Lane's take on the Ton. It was sweet, fiery, and funny, and that's everything you want in a light-hearted historical romance read!
To Arthur's surprise, she's actually pretty good at. To his further surprise--and hers--this ruse begins to become less of a ruse as they begin to lose their hearts against the better judgement of their heads!
This book was really good. I finished in in two nights while on vacation and it was a totally different take on Ton life than I'm used to. I loved the characters and their families. I look forward to further adventures in Lane's take on the Ton. It was sweet, fiery, and funny, and that's everything you want in a light-hearted historical romance read!
bookishmya's review
4.0
Lady Tabitha Hampton, a Bluestocking who has destroyed her family’s finances must marry well to save them. Always on the sidelines at balls, she and her friends create their own fun with a series of dares. One dare will lead to her future and create the opportunity to discover all she is capable of.
I loved Tabithas spirit, and the journey of self-realization. Having to overcome everyone’s expectations to find that she is already perfect in her imperfections. A few of these revelations seemed a little rushed, like we missed some little piece. But overall, I really enjoyed this tale of love for Tabitha & Arthur.
I loved Tabithas spirit, and the journey of self-realization. Having to overcome everyone’s expectations to find that she is already perfect in her imperfections. A few of these revelations seemed a little rushed, like we missed some little piece. But overall, I really enjoyed this tale of love for Tabitha & Arthur.