Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.63 AVERAGE
3.63 AVERAGE
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Lady Grace Mabry has been blessed with a large dowry. At least, the other girls in her come out season seem to think it's a blessing. She's not so sure. Her parents had a love match and she is willing to settle for nothing less. But how can she separate the charmers and the con men from the men who truly want her for herself? She needs to enlist some help.
The Duke of Lovingdon, is a family friend and, as this is a romance novel, I don't think it's a spoiler to say that he's the one Grace has her eye on, or, at least he's her ideal. He experienced a Great Tragedy when his wife and daughter died. Now he never wants to love again. But Grace is determined to get married and is insisting he help. If she can't have him, at least he can help her find a good guy.
The Duke of Lovingdon, is a family friend and, as this is a romance novel, I don't think it's a spoiler to say that he's the one Grace has her eye on, or, at least he's her ideal. He experienced a Great Tragedy when his wife and daughter died. Now he never wants to love again. But Grace is determined to get married and is insisting he help. If she can't have him, at least he can help her find a good guy.
Spoiler
An interesting addition to have Grace having breast cancer. Of course, things like that occurred even in those times. It was dealt with in a kind and loving manner, where the hero was shocked but then took it in stride. Strange since his first wife died so young but at that point he wasn't really thinking of marrying the heroine.
This book was a good romantic romp, with an interesting world, and well rounded characters. I cannot say that I should give this book a higher rating because that is mostly for myself. I do however, think it deserves a higher rating but I am always swayed by how things end. This book was refreshing. The characters felt real. (If irksome in their naivety like our hero.) The hero and heroine of this book had lives, and those lives had consequences. Which given that's how life generally works is nice to see. Both the hero and the heroine were sweet, and charming. I very much enjoyed the book until it shifted toward the end. It felt like the last few chapters of the book got lost, and something had to be written in an hour so the story had an ending. Its still worth the read, and I will no doubt be visiting this world again if only to explore the lives of the other characters I only got a taste of in this book.
Spoiler
Who is really not much of a rake. He went from blushing virgin to bedding everything that moved without gaining so much as a gram of insight into how people's emotions works. Seriously he has the emotional maturity of a teenager. It's impressive how well the author manages to sell him as a likeable intelligent man, and pull that off.
4.5/5 stars
I think the hero's reluctance to believe he can live again after his wife/daughter's deaths went on a little too long. But I loved how angsty this was. And I inhaled this book in one day!
I think the hero's reluctance to believe he can live again after his wife/daughter's deaths went on a little too long. But I loved how angsty this was. And I inhaled this book in one day!
A love so achingly beautiful it took my breath away and made cry. Highly, highly recommended!
This book was fine. It dragged on for longer than necessary with nothing really happening and the characters really just in denial. I skimmed the back third or so but it still hit the spot when I was craving a regency romance.
What really stood out was how terrible the names in this book are:
Grace when the love interest in a Duke (a.k.a. His Grace)
Lovingdon when the main theme and what the characters spent all their time speaking about was love.
What really stood out was how terrible the names in this book are:
Grace when the love interest in a Duke (a.k.a. His Grace)
Lovingdon when the main theme and what the characters spent all their time speaking about was love.
The middle part of the book could have been a bit shorter. Otherwise, it was ok.
With Lady Grace's inheritance she isn't in want of suitors, but she wishes to find a man who would love her for her not the financial security that their match would provide so she enlists the help of a family friend and the first man she had ever loved to help her sort out the blackguards from the man who should truly deserve her affections.
Since he lost his wife and his daughter the Duke of Lovington has fallen from grace, enjoying many of the wicked whims a gentleman does in secret, but as the lovely Lady Grace asks for his help he's struggling between honoring the memory of his wife and leaning into the passion this young woman inspires. Grace has seen him at his worst and doesn't shy away and only asks for a man who will appreciate her just the same and there is only one man that the Duke of Lovington can accept with Grace, himself.
I knew what this was about and it was a bit darker than I had expected and there is mention of cancer which if this is a trigger for anyone, I would stray away from this book. It was all done with a lot of care and Grace's scars are those of having breast cancer. I didn't know that much was done back during this time to treat it, but apparently Lorraine Heath did her research and added the knowledge in the author's note at the end of the book.
Grace wanted what every woman wants, a man who would love and appreciate her and her plea isn't different than a modern woman especially one with the means to take care of herself and little need of a man beside her. She carried herself well as a woman who went through as much as she did and I really liked that about her. She was naive about certain things, but if I were like her and had a brush with death so to speak I would probably have indulged with more than drinking and smoking the occasional cigar.
The Duke of Lovington, I honestly doubt we learned his Christian name, I think he was called Lovington the entire book which I mean, if they were friends for so long she should have been able to call him by his first name. I'll just ignore that. Anyway you can tell he's a man carrying a ton of guilt and pain from something that wasn't even his fault. He lost the love of his life and didn't feel like he could ever be happy or if he deserved to be as such, but both of the characters are so flawed or they saw themselves as such that they fit together perfectly.
The chemistry was there but seemed to falter, I have read better steamy scenes, but they were very tender and sweet.
Not sure if I'm completely sold on the author yet so she'll remain on my maybe list until I read more.
Since he lost his wife and his daughter the Duke of Lovington has fallen from grace, enjoying many of the wicked whims a gentleman does in secret, but as the lovely Lady Grace asks for his help he's struggling between honoring the memory of his wife and leaning into the passion this young woman inspires. Grace has seen him at his worst and doesn't shy away and only asks for a man who will appreciate her just the same and there is only one man that the Duke of Lovington can accept with Grace, himself.
I knew what this was about and it was a bit darker than I had expected and there is mention of cancer which if this is a trigger for anyone, I would stray away from this book. It was all done with a lot of care and Grace's scars are those of having breast cancer. I didn't know that much was done back during this time to treat it, but apparently Lorraine Heath did her research and added the knowledge in the author's note at the end of the book.
Grace wanted what every woman wants, a man who would love and appreciate her and her plea isn't different than a modern woman especially one with the means to take care of herself and little need of a man beside her. She carried herself well as a woman who went through as much as she did and I really liked that about her. She was naive about certain things, but if I were like her and had a brush with death so to speak I would probably have indulged with more than drinking and smoking the occasional cigar.
The Duke of Lovington, I honestly doubt we learned his Christian name, I think he was called Lovington the entire book which I mean, if they were friends for so long she should have been able to call him by his first name. I'll just ignore that. Anyway you can tell he's a man carrying a ton of guilt and pain from something that wasn't even his fault. He lost the love of his life and didn't feel like he could ever be happy or if he deserved to be as such, but both of the characters are so flawed or they saw themselves as such that they fit together perfectly.
The chemistry was there but seemed to falter, I have read better steamy scenes, but they were very tender and sweet.
Not sure if I'm completely sold on the author yet so she'll remain on my maybe list until I read more.