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fictionalkate's review
4.0
Fun. A bit silly but I enjoyed the whole dares concept. The characters are entertaining and it's a good introduction to the series. And always always my favourite part of a marriage of convenience is when the characters realise how inconvenient their feelings are. This one didn't disappoint with regards to Arthur and Tabitha's relationship. Excited to read book 2.
rainelle_barrett's review against another edition
4.0
Among the fun with the ton. Tabetha and Arthur pursue a intimate relationship that blooms into something beautiful. The romance was very sweet and sentimental. As soon as I started reading the book I noticed that the words moved so easily., therefore, I new that this was going to be a fun book to read. I found the characters fun and enjoyable. Tabitha gal pals most definitely were the sunshine in her life. Arthur, brings entertainment to the book that helped keep the pages turning.
glo68's review
5.0
Arthur, the Duke of Collingford, is looking for his perfect Duchess. He needs to marry a woman his family will approve of unconditionally or else... But I won’t spoiler it, of course. Suffice to say that the Season is coming to a close and his task is proving herculean. And a distracting redhead is not helping matters at all… Lady Tabitha is in her first season, even if she’s already seven and twenty. Her family is facing financial difficulties and she has three younger sisters and her father to provide for. With only her prodigious memory to help her and an unfashionable head of red hair to hinder her, her search for an husband seems hopeless. Until a dare pushes her in the path of a handsome duke and she has the greatest idea ever: thanks to her ability to remember and learn everything, she’ll become his perfect duchess. Of course nothing is as easy as it seems…
I loved this charming book by Charlie Lane. She was a new author to me, but I won’t stop following her now. She’s a very talented writer and I found myself captivated by Tabitha and Arthur and their perfect imperfections. I particularly appreciated the way their thoughts and feelings were laid out, a way that was amusing, refreshing and also poignant at times. I smiled quite a lot while reading and enjoyed the banter between the main characters and the side characters very much. The latter are quite interesting as well and I look forward to seeing them again in the following books of the series. All in all, I really enjoyable read worth five stars!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I loved this charming book by Charlie Lane. She was a new author to me, but I won’t stop following her now. She’s a very talented writer and I found myself captivated by Tabitha and Arthur and their perfect imperfections. I particularly appreciated the way their thoughts and feelings were laid out, a way that was amusing, refreshing and also poignant at times. I smiled quite a lot while reading and enjoyed the banter between the main characters and the side characters very much. The latter are quite interesting as well and I look forward to seeing them again in the following books of the series. All in all, I really enjoyable read worth five stars!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
melb876's review
2.0
Ok, but not for me
Started strong, got muddled in the middle, and the ending was a bit disappointing. The story didn't really hold up well enough for me.
Started strong, got muddled in the middle, and the ending was a bit disappointing. The story didn't really hold up well enough for me.
tchien's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
bea_the_bookdragon's review
3.0
* ARC received from Netgalley for an honest review*
I am a huge fan of Historical fiction, especially romance novels and as far as "Daring the Duke" goes, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Tabitha and Arthurs adventure.
Their beginning is hate turning into attraction and then love, and it all starts with a dare.
I won't be revealing much about this wonderful and entertaining novel as I want to avoid spoiler and want the readers to enjoy it, but I will say this much, it has the right amount of bickering, humour, and erotica that we look for in a Historical fiction / Romance novel.
I’m looking forward to reading more about the interesting side characters, especially Lillian and Devon.
I am a huge fan of Historical fiction, especially romance novels and as far as "Daring the Duke" goes, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Tabitha and Arthurs adventure.
Their beginning is hate turning into attraction and then love, and it all starts with a dare.
I won't be revealing much about this wonderful and entertaining novel as I want to avoid spoiler and want the readers to enjoy it, but I will say this much, it has the right amount of bickering, humour, and erotica that we look for in a Historical fiction / Romance novel.
I’m looking forward to reading more about the interesting side characters, especially Lillian and Devon.
annamariahz's review
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
Lady Tabitha and her friends are bored being wallflowers during the London season, so they come up with elaborate dares to keep the society events interesting. But daring Lady Tabitha to introduce herself by different names every time she is introduced to the Duke of Collingford may have been a mistake. Tabitha needs a husband to save her family from financial ruin, and Arthur is not an idiot and knows she is messing with him. But instead of exposing her games and scandalizing the ton, Arthur agrees to let Tabitha use her photographic memory to become the perfect duchess he needs to secure his own future. This book was so sweet and fun! I loved the characters and how they learned from each other! I also loved their friends, and I am so excited to read their stories in the next books! Overall a short but excellent regency romance!
onebookmore's review
4.0
Daring the Duke follows Lady Tabitha Hampton and Arthur Pennworthy, The Duke of Collingford, who find love when they least expect it. A twenty-seven-year-old debutante with a photographic memory, Tabitha must marry to help her family financially and ensure her sisters marry well. Arthur needs to marry the perfect woman to gain his inheritance. When they make an arrangement where Tabitha can prove she is the perfect wife, neither expects to fall in love. Could this potential marriage of convenience lead to something more?
Tabitha and Arthur have a great opposites-attract romance, and I love how their relationship grows over the course of the story. Tabitha and her friends Jane and Lillian pull pranks on their peers, and Arthur is one of the few who doesn’t fall for them. Cool and composed, Arthur insists on a “perfect” wife who plays by the rules of elite society and will meet the strict standards put forth by his family. Far from perfect, Tabitha is one to break the rules. This couple is so different, yet they complement each other well. They have great chemistry, and I really like how they banter with each other. It’s fun and clever and filled with sexual tension. Whether they’re bickering, teasing, or talking, you can tell there’s a spark between the two.
Both characters grow and learn a lot throughout the story, as each becomes more vulnerable and willing to take risks with their hearts. I enjoyed their personal journeys as much as their journey as a couple. I also liked a lot of the secondary characters. They are interesting and dynamic, and I am curious to learn more about them. I can’t wait to read their stories, especially Jane, Lillian, and Arthur’s brother.
This is a fun and entertaining historical romance, and I really liked the characters and the messages about friendship, love, and taking chances. It’s a great start to Charlie Lanes Debutante Dares series, and I’m eager to read the next one!
Tabitha and Arthur have a great opposites-attract romance, and I love how their relationship grows over the course of the story. Tabitha and her friends Jane and Lillian pull pranks on their peers, and Arthur is one of the few who doesn’t fall for them. Cool and composed, Arthur insists on a “perfect” wife who plays by the rules of elite society and will meet the strict standards put forth by his family. Far from perfect, Tabitha is one to break the rules. This couple is so different, yet they complement each other well. They have great chemistry, and I really like how they banter with each other. It’s fun and clever and filled with sexual tension. Whether they’re bickering, teasing, or talking, you can tell there’s a spark between the two.
Both characters grow and learn a lot throughout the story, as each becomes more vulnerable and willing to take risks with their hearts. I enjoyed their personal journeys as much as their journey as a couple. I also liked a lot of the secondary characters. They are interesting and dynamic, and I am curious to learn more about them. I can’t wait to read their stories, especially Jane, Lillian, and Arthur’s brother.
This is a fun and entertaining historical romance, and I really liked the characters and the messages about friendship, love, and taking chances. It’s a great start to Charlie Lanes Debutante Dares series, and I’m eager to read the next one!
readundancies's review
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
2.25
2.25 stars
The first quarter of this novel is the best part of this novel because it is the part that actually contains the dare portion of the story. I believe there’s a dare or two throughout the rest of the book for the most part but it doesn’t really play much of a role after that and that’s disappointing because it was the most entertaining part of the novel.
Which is a not so subtle way of me stating I didn’t really like this.
Firstly because the characters never felt fully fleshed out. They were distinguishable and they had likeable characteristics and decent personalities but on a whole they weren’t doing it for me. The antagonist that was Uncle Brutus especially left a lot to be desired because he was literally just kicked out of the front door as if that’s a suitable way to address one’s problems. Truly, I’m not really sure what I was supposed to do with that whole situation because problems don’t just magically disappear when you neglect to acknowledge them, but I digress. Then the grandmother Duchess dowager whatever you wanna call her showed up at the very end and she just didn’t really feel like a complete antagonist and at no point did I feel that the main characters triumphantly overcoming her dissatisfaction was worthwhile.
I think a lot of it too has to do with the fact that the plot was kind of all over the place. It was not structured in a way that made a lot of sense from a logical perspective which really puts us at a disadvantage because Tabitha has a very logical way of thinking and the fact that the plot just kind of diverges from that entirely, again wasn’t really doing it for me.
Duke Arthur (I think is his name?) was not unlikable but I didn’t really feel for him or his cause. And I also really hated Pippa. I just was not entertained by her bitter attitude towards Tabitha at all.
All in all, I think the premise may be the best part of this novel but it just wasn’t executed in a way that worked for me.
The first quarter of this novel is the best part of this novel because it is the part that actually contains the dare portion of the story. I believe there’s a dare or two throughout the rest of the book for the most part but it doesn’t really play much of a role after that and that’s disappointing because it was the most entertaining part of the novel.
Which is a not so subtle way of me stating I didn’t really like this.
Firstly because the characters never felt fully fleshed out. They were distinguishable and they had likeable characteristics and decent personalities but on a whole they weren’t doing it for me. The antagonist that was Uncle Brutus especially left a lot to be desired because he was literally just kicked out of the front door as if that’s a suitable way to address one’s problems. Truly, I’m not really sure what I was supposed to do with that whole situation because problems don’t just magically disappear when you neglect to acknowledge them, but I digress. Then the grandmother Duchess dowager whatever you wanna call her showed up at the very end and she just didn’t really feel like a complete antagonist and at no point did I feel that the main characters triumphantly overcoming her dissatisfaction was worthwhile.
I think a lot of it too has to do with the fact that the plot was kind of all over the place. It was not structured in a way that made a lot of sense from a logical perspective which really puts us at a disadvantage because Tabitha has a very logical way of thinking and the fact that the plot just kind of diverges from that entirely, again wasn’t really doing it for me.
Duke Arthur (I think is his name?) was not unlikable but I didn’t really feel for him or his cause. And I also really hated Pippa. I just was not entertained by her bitter attitude towards Tabitha at all.
All in all, I think the premise may be the best part of this novel but it just wasn’t executed in a way that worked for me.