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bookloverchelle's review
4.0
A really fun start to The Hope Diamond Trilogy by Jessica Peterson, a new-to-me author. Bored with the ton, Lord William is blessed with fortune but wants to shake things up. He’s given the chance when banker Thomas Hope throws a ball to celebrate the most legendary gemstone, The French Blue. William has just the plan to ‘acquire’ this gem for his own, if only for a short time. Lady Violet is stunned when Mr. Hope allows her to wear the precious gem at his ball but the opportunity to dance with William is even more breathtaking. When the necklace disappears from around her neck Violet knows that she has to track down the thief to save her family’s fortune. With the help of William and the additional cast of fun characters, Violet will stop at nothing to save her family. I really enjoyed how intelligent Violet was, how she may be a lady but she had no problem speaking her mind and doing what she needed to save her family. There was a great connection between William and Violet and I loved how dumbfounded he was when he realized that what he felt was more than just physical. The remainder of the series will tell the story of the additional couples introduced in this book but telling their story of romance while the gem is hunted. Can’t wait to continue!
buuboobaby's review
I don't know how to rate this one - parts of the book are a hot mess, and almost all of the protagonists' woes are due to the selfish actions of the hero. The courtship was fun, though, and I really liked the heroine. The efforts to retrieve the stolen jewel were way, way out there, and the duel? There is nothing like the hero challenging his sister's lover for doing EXACTLY what he just did to another woman. He should have been the one who was shot, so maybe he would have learned his lesson sooner. If you enjoy madcap adventures - think Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom times 10 - you will enjoy this romance. If you don't, you will long to strangle William every few chapters, when his thoughtlessness almost ruins everything that Violet holds dear.
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