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mollywetta's review
I realized I hated another book in this series, but I enjoyed this one (perhaps because I was terribly sick and needed to spend the day in bed not thinking too terribly hard?) The characters were layered and spent time actually getting to know one another.
iskanderjonesiv's review against another edition
5.0
When does proper behavior deserve a deliciously improper reward?
The scandalously unmarried Lady Margaret Sawford is looking for adventure—and is always up for a challenge. Her curiosity is aroused by a dangerous-looking stranger with an eye patch, an ideal companion for the life she longs for, no matter what Society might say. So when the piratical gentleman turns out to be a duke—and just as boringly proper as any other nobleman—she can't help but incite him to walk on the wild side.
Well-heeled, well-mannered, and well beyond any interest in society's expectations, the Duke of Lasham is tired of being perfect. Margaret's lush beauty and gently laughing eyes are an irresistible temptation to embrace the imperfect—and her. But if a little misbehavior is appealing, unleashing his wild side is completely seductive—as long as the lovely Margaret is the object of his passion . . .
**
balletbookworm's review
5.0
Outstanding new entry in Megan Frampton's series, a series that continues to improve as the books go along. A wee bit of insta-lust to start but excellent characterization of heroine (sister of Isabella from Book 2, [b:Put Up Your Duke|23314826|Put Up Your Duke (Dukes Behaving Badly, #2)|Megan Frampton|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1417419962s/23314826.jpg|42869349]) and hero (Duke of Lasham whom I think we met briefly in one of the previous books). Good dialogue and romantic tension. An excellent romance to close out the year (although it drops on the same day as Sarah MacLean's new, fabulously wonderful [b:The Rogue Not Taken|23617709|The Rogue Not Taken (Scandal and Scoundrel, #1)|Sarah MacLean|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1432322251s/23617709.jpg|43222893] - but we can certainly have two new romances for NYE, can't we?)
michellesantiago's review
3.0
Review (originally posted on Undeniably Book Nerdy):
Initial Reaction
A hero with an eye-patch?! Count me in!
Writing Style/Pacing
One-Eyed Dukes are Wild was my first read by Megan Frampton and I found it to be charmingly and wittily written. It's been years since I read them, but her style sort of reminds me of Julia Quinn and Eloisa James. I thought the pacing was even throughout as Margaret and Lasham formed a friendship first before their relationship became something more.
I also enjoyed how each chapter began started with a "Georgiana and the Dragon" passage, which was the ongoing serial Margaret wrote for a magazine and an amusing story on its own. I liked how each passage gave us a little hint of what's to come in the chapter.
Main Characters
Lady Margaret Sawford was a fun character to read about. She's so independent, bold, and unafraid of societal conventions. Her parents disowned her after she turned down a duke her parents wanted her to marry. Since then she's had a "scandalous" reputation and supported herself and her causes (helping less fortunate women) by writing weekly serials for a magazine and playing cards (she has a talent for remembering cards that were in play).
As for Vortigern, the Duke of Lasham, despite his piratical good looks complete with an eye-patch, was very proper, socially awkward, and dull by comparison. He preferred the quiet of his own company and disliked hobnobbing with society, but it was what was expected of him so he does it. What I appreciated most about him was that he wasn't arrogant about his title and wealth. Rather, he's resigned to it--his everyday life was dedicated to his duties and responsibilities as Duke. But after he met Margaret and started hanging out with her (and I LOVED how often they were together--some historical romance couples don't nearly spend enough time together), he started to gradually blossom and be more than the Duke.
Plot
Basically, the plot was pretty straightforward as described in the synopsis. It's just two people who didn't plan on falling for each other but did, and realized that they are better together than not. It's an opposites attract plot, but Margaret and Lasham really complimented each other--the author did a good job developing their characters and both were complex in their own way. There were no big dramatic twists but One-Eyed Dukes are Wild was still an entertaining read. Margaret and Lasham were wonderful together and while their romance was slow-building there was charged sexual tension throughout and some very feverish kissing which kept things interesting.
Eye-Patch
The cover and the synopsis both highlighted Lasham's eye-patch, but surprisingly it wasn't really a big issue in the novel. Instead, the focus was more on societal rules and strictures rather than Lasham's disfigurement. Oh, and we do get to learn how he lost his eye but it wasn't in some dashing way you'd think.
Final Thoughts
I do tend to favor darker historical romances like books by Meredith Duran or Jennifer Ashley but I still enjoyed reading One-Eyed Dukes are Wild. I wanted a lighter read to end the year and it satisfied my book craving. If you enjoy historical romances that are more on the lighter side, but still want a thought-provoking story I suggest you pick up One-Eyed Dukes are Wild.
Initial Reaction
A hero with an eye-patch?! Count me in!
Writing Style/Pacing
One-Eyed Dukes are Wild was my first read by Megan Frampton and I found it to be charmingly and wittily written. It's been years since I read them, but her style sort of reminds me of Julia Quinn and Eloisa James. I thought the pacing was even throughout as Margaret and Lasham formed a friendship first before their relationship became something more.
I also enjoyed how each chapter began started with a "Georgiana and the Dragon" passage, which was the ongoing serial Margaret wrote for a magazine and an amusing story on its own. I liked how each passage gave us a little hint of what's to come in the chapter.
Main Characters
Lady Margaret Sawford was a fun character to read about. She's so independent, bold, and unafraid of societal conventions. Her parents disowned her after she turned down a duke her parents wanted her to marry. Since then she's had a "scandalous" reputation and supported herself and her causes (helping less fortunate women) by writing weekly serials for a magazine and playing cards (she has a talent for remembering cards that were in play).
"The cold truth of it was that she was invited to these events not because she was a good cardplayer, but because she was a scandal, but not too scandalous. So any hostess who invited her would be seen as daring, and she would add color to the festivities, simply because of who she was."
As for Vortigern, the Duke of Lasham, despite his piratical good looks complete with an eye-patch, was very proper, socially awkward, and dull by comparison. He preferred the quiet of his own company and disliked hobnobbing with society, but it was what was expected of him so he does it. What I appreciated most about him was that he wasn't arrogant about his title and wealth. Rather, he's resigned to it--his everyday life was dedicated to his duties and responsibilities as Duke. But after he met Margaret and started hanging out with her (and I LOVED how often they were together--some historical romance couples don't nearly spend enough time together), he started to gradually blossom and be more than the Duke.
"The three ladies gawked at him as though waiting for him to continue to speak, to display more of his wondrous dukeliness for their delight. As though he were more of an object than a person."
Plot
Basically, the plot was pretty straightforward as described in the synopsis. It's just two people who didn't plan on falling for each other but did, and realized that they are better together than not. It's an opposites attract plot, but Margaret and Lasham really complimented each other--the author did a good job developing their characters and both were complex in their own way. There were no big dramatic twists but One-Eyed Dukes are Wild was still an entertaining read. Margaret and Lasham were wonderful together and while their romance was slow-building there was charged sexual tension throughout and some very feverish kissing which kept things interesting.
Eye-Patch
The cover and the synopsis both highlighted Lasham's eye-patch, but surprisingly it wasn't really a big issue in the novel. Instead, the focus was more on societal rules and strictures rather than Lasham's disfigurement. Oh, and we do get to learn how he lost his eye but it wasn't in some dashing way you'd think.
Final Thoughts
I do tend to favor darker historical romances like books by Meredith Duran or Jennifer Ashley but I still enjoyed reading One-Eyed Dukes are Wild. I wanted a lighter read to end the year and it satisfied my book craving. If you enjoy historical romances that are more on the lighter side, but still want a thought-provoking story I suggest you pick up One-Eyed Dukes are Wild.
intensej's review
2.0
The Duke of Lasham and Lady Margaret Sawford had no chemistry in this book. I felt that the characters behaved uncharacteristically for a historical romance. The back stories of the characters were not fully fleshed out, so they felt one-dimensional and flat. I did like the fact that the Duke of Lasham was not your typical rake and womanizer, but the plot and delivery of this book did not work for me.
jcmbank's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
pnwdermnrs's review
2.0
Finished, but just barely. I don't know if it was the lack of coherent plot, undeveloped heroine, or hero with his wishy-washy overthinking and debilitating internal anxiety that made this read such a chore. Perhaps it was all three. I recently read a Megan Frampton novella and loved it. I can't believe this was written by then same author as No Groom at the Inn.
The pace did pick up around page 200, so I skimmed it to the end. But I almost gave up on it several times before then.
The pace did pick up around page 200, so I skimmed it to the end. But I almost gave up on it several times before then.
loverofromance's review
3.0
This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance
One Eyed Dukes Are Wild is the latest release of Megan Frampton's series Dukes Behaving Badly. I will admit I was super excited to pick this one, because I had enjoyed the previous books so well. This one opens up with a daring heroine and a reserved duke. They both have a instant attraction to one another, however love is never simple or easy. The story is well written and at first I enjoyed the verbal interaction sbetween the characters and I really enjoyed seeing the way this story ended up playing out. It was quite fun to see how opposite both Margaret and Lasham are from each other, but how well they seem to fit....and with each chapter we see how well they click.
I did feel that the heroine was a bit too "contemporary" for my tastes though. There were many qualities I liked about her, but she didn't seem to be well fitted for a historical and the hero was a bit tame, the cover tends to be a bit misleading on that score though. Even though I love the cover, it doesn't really match the characters in the story as well as I would have liked. The flow of the story was steady, and even though there were some moments I had trouble connecting with, overall it was a enjoyable read that I would recommend to those readers that like their historical romances lighthearted and fun. Megan Frampton writes a unique story that I found to be delightful and full of charm and a sweetly moving romance.
1844
A London ballroom
Too many people, too much noise
Lasham took too big a swallow of his wine, knowing his headache would only be exacerbated by the alcohol, but unwilling to forgo the possibility that perhaps, for just a few minutes, his perception would be muffled, blurred a little around the edges.
So that he wouldn’t be in a state of constant keen awareness that he was the Duke of Lasham, that he was likely the most important person wherever he happened to be—according to everyone but him—and that he was under almost continuous surveillance.
The ballroom was filled with the best people of Society, all of whom seemed to be far more at ease than he had ever been. Could ever be, in fact. He stood to the side of the dance floor, the whirling fabric of the ladies’ gowns like a child’s top.
Not that he’d been allowed anything as playful or fun as a top when he was growing up. But he could identify the toy, at least.
“Enjoying yourself, Your Grace?” His hostess, along with two of her daughters, had crept up along his blind side, making him start and slosh his wine onto his gloved hand. Occurrences like this weren’t the worst part of having lost an eye—that obviously would be the fact that he only had one eye left—but it was definitely annoying.
“Yes,” he said, bowing in their general direction, “thank you, I am.”
The three ladies gawked at him as though waiting for him to continue to speak, to display more of his wondrous dukeliness for their delight. As though he were more of an object than a person.
But he couldn’t just perform on command, and his hand was damp, and now he would have to go air out his glove before bestowing another dance on some lady he would be obliged to dance with, being the duke, and all. Because if his glove was damp, it might be perceived as, God forbid, sweaty, and sweaty-handed dukes might mean that the duke had gotten said sweat because he was enthralled with the person with whom he was dancing, which would lead to expectations, which would lead to expect a question, and Lasham knew he did not want to ever have to ask that question of anybody.
It was bad enough being the object of scrutiny when he was out in public. At home, at least, he was by himself, blissfully so, and taking a duchess would require that he be at home by himself with somebody else, and that somebody would doubtless have ducal expectations of him as well.
“Excuse me,” he said to the silent, gawking ladies. He sketched a quick bow and strode off, trying to look as though he had a destination rather than merely wishing to depart.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
One Eyed Dukes Are Wild is the latest release of Megan Frampton's series Dukes Behaving Badly. I will admit I was super excited to pick this one, because I had enjoyed the previous books so well. This one opens up with a daring heroine and a reserved duke. They both have a instant attraction to one another, however love is never simple or easy. The story is well written and at first I enjoyed the verbal interaction sbetween the characters and I really enjoyed seeing the way this story ended up playing out. It was quite fun to see how opposite both Margaret and Lasham are from each other, but how well they seem to fit....and with each chapter we see how well they click.
I did feel that the heroine was a bit too "contemporary" for my tastes though. There were many qualities I liked about her, but she didn't seem to be well fitted for a historical and the hero was a bit tame, the cover tends to be a bit misleading on that score though. Even though I love the cover, it doesn't really match the characters in the story as well as I would have liked. The flow of the story was steady, and even though there were some moments I had trouble connecting with, overall it was a enjoyable read that I would recommend to those readers that like their historical romances lighthearted and fun. Megan Frampton writes a unique story that I found to be delightful and full of charm and a sweetly moving romance.
1844
A London ballroom
Too many people, too much noise
Lasham took too big a swallow of his wine, knowing his headache would only be exacerbated by the alcohol, but unwilling to forgo the possibility that perhaps, for just a few minutes, his perception would be muffled, blurred a little around the edges.
So that he wouldn’t be in a state of constant keen awareness that he was the Duke of Lasham, that he was likely the most important person wherever he happened to be—according to everyone but him—and that he was under almost continuous surveillance.
The ballroom was filled with the best people of Society, all of whom seemed to be far more at ease than he had ever been. Could ever be, in fact. He stood to the side of the dance floor, the whirling fabric of the ladies’ gowns like a child’s top.
Not that he’d been allowed anything as playful or fun as a top when he was growing up. But he could identify the toy, at least.
“Enjoying yourself, Your Grace?” His hostess, along with two of her daughters, had crept up along his blind side, making him start and slosh his wine onto his gloved hand. Occurrences like this weren’t the worst part of having lost an eye—that obviously would be the fact that he only had one eye left—but it was definitely annoying.
“Yes,” he said, bowing in their general direction, “thank you, I am.”
The three ladies gawked at him as though waiting for him to continue to speak, to display more of his wondrous dukeliness for their delight. As though he were more of an object than a person.
But he couldn’t just perform on command, and his hand was damp, and now he would have to go air out his glove before bestowing another dance on some lady he would be obliged to dance with, being the duke, and all. Because if his glove was damp, it might be perceived as, God forbid, sweaty, and sweaty-handed dukes might mean that the duke had gotten said sweat because he was enthralled with the person with whom he was dancing, which would lead to expectations, which would lead to expect a question, and Lasham knew he did not want to ever have to ask that question of anybody.
It was bad enough being the object of scrutiny when he was out in public. At home, at least, he was by himself, blissfully so, and taking a duchess would require that he be at home by himself with somebody else, and that somebody would doubtless have ducal expectations of him as well.
“Excuse me,” he said to the silent, gawking ladies. He sketched a quick bow and strode off, trying to look as though he had a destination rather than merely wishing to depart.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
ssejig's review
3.0
I thought the review from Smexy Books had a much brighter view of this book than I did. It was an okay read but didn't really hold my attention.