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areadz's review
4.0
First 20% was a bit boring, but once you past that it became a more complex layered story. Thought Rafe could have grovelled more, but a satisfying read.
tessanne's review
1.0
Spoiler alert and CW: this is the second book in less than a week where the heroine is a victim of sexual assault in her past but is able to overcome her intense fear is sexual intimacy and sex extremely quickly. I don’t buy it.
We are told much more than we are shown. We’re told Georgiana is the “ice duchess” but I made it over halfway through this book and have seen no evidence of it. We’re told Rafe is a rake and so freaking handsome that Georgie basically loses her shit, but we don’t see these things either.
The first couple times they meet, we mostly seen them for a few minutes and then are told that the encounter is over. Wtf. We need to see them interacting!
Rafe is basically head over heels for Georgie from almost the start and is mostly super sweet to her. Also, he’s supposed to be a rake but can’t manage to go slowly enough during their first PIV encounter to not actively hurt Georgie by basically ramming his penis into her? GET OUT. DELETE YOUR RAKE ACCOUNT.
Oh, and after this (what must surely be terrible pain and emotional distress), suddenly Georgie is all “yeah baby I love it!” Nope.
DNF at 58%.
I also DNFed a novella by this author, so I guess no more of her books for me.
We are told much more than we are shown. We’re told Georgiana is the “ice duchess” but I made it over halfway through this book and have seen no evidence of it. We’re told Rafe is a rake and so freaking handsome that Georgie basically loses her shit, but we don’t see these things either.
The first couple times they meet, we mostly seen them for a few minutes and then are told that the encounter is over. Wtf. We need to see them interacting!
Rafe is basically head over heels for Georgie from almost the start and is mostly super sweet to her. Also, he’s supposed to be a rake but can’t manage to go slowly enough during their first PIV encounter to not actively hurt Georgie by basically ramming his penis into her? GET OUT. DELETE YOUR RAKE ACCOUNT.
Oh, and after this (what must surely be terrible pain and emotional distress), suddenly Georgie is all “yeah baby I love it!” Nope.
DNF at 58%.
I also DNFed a novella by this author, so I guess no more of her books for me.
sassysmutlover's review
5.0
I was provided a copy by the author in exchange for an honest review.
This was my first time reading something by this author and I loved it from page one. This is a very steamy read, but it doesn't take away from the story. I loved that even though her marriage was a marriage of convenience they both truly cared for each other and were best friends. There is so much in this book to love and to figure out. They were meant to be together and they kept being thrown together until she let down her shield and let the ice duchess melt away. I was shocked when what happened to her years ago was finally told, but it explained so much about her marriage and why she didn't want men around. The ending left me wanting more!
Georgiana is a favorite heroine of mine. She has been through so much but keeps her head up and goes on. Her past has affected to her badly, but also made her a strong woman. I loved how she and her brother were together and took care of each other.
Rafe has his own dark past that has affected him badly, but being a spy meant no one fully knew what happened. You love him for everything he does to protect Georgina from danger and to help her with her past even if his ways are a bit shocking at times.
I loved all the characters epically her brother Jonathon. He had a great personality and would do anything to take care of his sister or make her happy. I also loved that the people that knew about her brother and husband didn't judge them or make a big deal out of it. I look forward to reading more by this author.
This was my first time reading something by this author and I loved it from page one. This is a very steamy read, but it doesn't take away from the story. I loved that even though her marriage was a marriage of convenience they both truly cared for each other and were best friends. There is so much in this book to love and to figure out. They were meant to be together and they kept being thrown together until she let down her shield and let the ice duchess melt away. I was shocked when what happened to her years ago was finally told, but it explained so much about her marriage and why she didn't want men around. The ending left me wanting more!
Georgiana is a favorite heroine of mine. She has been through so much but keeps her head up and goes on. Her past has affected to her badly, but also made her a strong woman. I loved how she and her brother were together and took care of each other.
Rafe has his own dark past that has affected him badly, but being a spy meant no one fully knew what happened. You love him for everything he does to protect Georgina from danger and to help her with her past even if his ways are a bit shocking at times.
I loved all the characters epically her brother Jonathon. He had a great personality and would do anything to take care of his sister or make her happy. I also loved that the people that knew about her brother and husband didn't judge them or make a big deal out of it. I look forward to reading more by this author.
cleheny's review
2.0
I decided to read this because work has kept me so busy I couldn't focus on a more challenging book. Unfortunately, this wasn't that great or much fun. There were a couple of things I liked, the most important of which was that the couple admitted their love to each other well before the ending, and the h, at least, was confident that the H loved her before the mutual declaration. At least the reader didn't have to go through the nonsense of both being desperately in love with each other but neither believing the other felt the same. The story also avoided the cliché of constant misunderstandings leading the h/H to believe that the other has betrayed them/doesn't love them/whatever. Also, the H's past as a British spy is, for once, shown to have had its sordid side.
But the couple had very little chemistry. Georgiana, widowed after a 9-year platonic marriage to a man who was her best friend, survived a pretty horrific sexual trauma. Rafe is routinely described as a rake, but it's not clear why he has that reputation, as most of his sexual history is a mystery to the ton, which is not aware of his spy career. Georgiana is known for being cold and aloof, able to keep unscrupulous men at bay, yet one look at Rafe shatters all of her walls, and she is unable to concentrate when he immediately engages in risque, but banal, flirting. Rafe's supposedly fascinated by her aloof demeanor and reputation, which is why he pursues her and, of course, with one kiss, reveals her passionate nature. We aren't shown most of this; most of the time, the author just tells us, which contributes to the lack of a believable connection between the main characters.
I also hated how the author described characters as loving Georgiana, but they frequently didn't respect her. Although Georgiana's brother, as well as her best friend, are (somewhat) aware of her traumatic past, they don't respect her when she tells them things like, "don't set me up," "I want to go home," etc. The night that Rafe and Georgiana meet, the friend tells Rafe intimate details about Georgiana's past and marriage. And the brother ends up having conversation with Rafe about Georgiana's past and agrees to keep important things (like her life may be in a danger from an old enemy of Rafe's) from her because neither he nor Rafe want to "worry" her. I think what bothered me most about these characters is that the author presented them as being not only well-meaning but, usually, right to ignore Georgina's wishes and autonomy.
But the couple had very little chemistry. Georgiana, widowed after a 9-year platonic marriage to a man who was her best friend, survived a pretty horrific sexual trauma. Rafe is routinely described as a rake, but it's not clear why he has that reputation, as most of his sexual history is a mystery to the ton, which is not aware of his spy career. Georgiana is known for being cold and aloof, able to keep unscrupulous men at bay, yet one look at Rafe shatters all of her walls, and she is unable to concentrate when he immediately engages in risque, but banal, flirting. Rafe's supposedly fascinated by her aloof demeanor and reputation, which is why he pursues her and, of course, with one kiss, reveals her passionate nature. We aren't shown most of this; most of the time, the author just tells us, which contributes to the lack of a believable connection between the main characters.
I also hated how the author described characters as loving Georgiana, but they frequently didn't respect her. Although Georgiana's brother, as well as her best friend, are (somewhat) aware of her traumatic past, they don't respect her when she tells them things like, "don't set me up," "I want to go home," etc. The night that Rafe and Georgiana meet, the friend tells Rafe intimate details about Georgiana's past and marriage. And the brother ends up having conversation with Rafe about Georgiana's past and agrees to keep important things (like her life may be in a danger from an old enemy of Rafe's) from her because neither he nor Rafe want to "worry" her. I think what bothered me most about these characters is that the author presented them as being not only well-meaning but, usually, right to ignore Georgina's wishes and autonomy.
lauraethacker's review
4.0
The beard & the spy
This book seemed well researched. The plot is a bit obvious. The character developed & romance are enjoyable. There is a bit of violence & rape.
This book seemed well researched. The plot is a bit obvious. The character developed & romance are enjoyable. There is a bit of violence & rape.
taisie22's review
3.0
Georgiana is known as the 'Ice Duchess' because of her manner, but she's now a widow and can no longer rely on her husband to protect her from society's rakes. Rafe, Lord Markham, has returned from diplomatic/spy duties on the continent. He's determined to melt Georgy's ice.
I just read Ms. Bennett's last book and loved it, so I thought I'd try another of her books. I think I picked wrong. This isn't a bad book, but it seems to rely on sex scenes to move the story along. It's not surprising based on Georgy's background, I guess, but the rest of the plot is kind of silly (to be fair, I'm not crazy about Regency spy stories). And I really disliked the ending - no spoilers but if the author wants to go that way, it should last about a minute until someone comes to their senses, not a month.
I'm still looking forward to her next book in her current series.
I just read Ms. Bennett's last book and loved it, so I thought I'd try another of her books. I think I picked wrong. This isn't a bad book, but it seems to rely on sex scenes to move the story along. It's not surprising based on Georgy's background, I guess, but the rest of the plot is kind of silly (to be fair, I'm not crazy about Regency spy stories). And I really disliked the ending - no spoilers but if the author wants to go that way, it should last about a minute until someone comes to their senses, not a month.
I'm still looking forward to her next book in her current series.
sreepurna's review
2.0
What a bad ending to an otherwise mediocre book. I think I'll move away to some other genre for now.
carolhoggart's review
4.0
A lovely Regency romance with a dash of intrigue and suspense. Great research, excellent twisty ending, and some distinctly steamy episodes in between!
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