When Beauty Tamed the Beast by Eloisa James

Book Description:
Miss Linnet Berry Thrynne is a Beauty . . . Naturally, she's betrothed to a Beast.

Piers Yelverton, Earl of Marchant, lives in a castle in Wales where, it is rumored, his bad temper flays everyone he crosses. And rumor also has it that a wound has left the earl immune to the charms of any woman.

Linnet is not just any woman.

She is more than merely lovely: her wit and charm brought a prince to his knees. She estimates the earl will fall madly in love—in just two weeks.

Yet Linnet has no idea of the danger posed to her own heart by a man who may never love her in return.

If she decides to be very wicked indeed . . . what price will she pay for taming his wild heart?

Quickie Review:
An original and well done rendition of the Beauty and the Beast tale. Piers, a brilliant doctor has a crippled leg and... umm... a crippled something else as well. He refuses to marry Linnet, the gorgeous redhead who has to come to his castle in Wales with his estranged father, a duke who made a series of mistakes in his past which terminated his marriage and caused the crippling injury to his son. Linnet is considered damaged goods amidst the ton in London, unfairly for she has done nothing to deserve it.  (This part of the story was a bit much and unbelievable, but it served it's purpose by making Linnet the victim of the impression that everyone thinks she is pregnant by a prince and hence needs to marry to save her reputation.)  Piers' father is also under the impression she is carrying a prince's child. A good thing, as far as he's concerned for he had given up hope his ducal line would continue due to his son's... umm... injury in his nether regions.

And so begins the story of how Linnet and Piers are thrown together, both refusing to marry yet both unaccountably attracted to the other which leads to some sexy scenes between them as they become playmates in every sense of the word.   It turns out that Piers has manufactured the tale that he cannot sire children in order to make his father feel guilty from his past behavior as an opium addict when Piers was a child.  I had trouble with Piers, I liked him yet I also disliked him for he was extremely gruff and I felt he should have forgiven his father much sooner.  Thankfully, Linnet's entry into this damaged family is like a breath of fresh air.  From her perspective she thinks they're all mad and the games and pretending they use against each other are ridiculous. They should all just get on with their lives and forgive and forget.  Not so easy.

This was much more than just a simple romance. I loved many of the details and developments in the storyline including a natural ocean pool (very cool) where Piers swims everyday for therapy and teaches Linnet how to swim.  The relationship between Piers divorced parents was a nice side story that I really enjoyed and the outbreak of Scarlet Fever and it's consequences to Linnet was compelling and kept my interest until the very end.  Overall an engrossing story and one of the better Eloisa James' romances I've read.

4/5

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A Kiss at Midnight by Eloisa James (audio)

Book Description:
Miss Kate Daltry doesn't believe in fairy tales . . . or happily ever after. 

Forced by her stepmother to attend a ball, Kate meets a prince . . . and decides he's anything but charming. A clash of wits and wills ensues, but they both know their irresistible attraction will lead nowhere. For Gabriel is promised to another woman—a princess whose hand in marriage will fulfill his ruthless ambitions. 

Gabriel likes his fiancée, which is a welcome turn of events, but he doesn't love her. Obviously, he should be wooing his bride-to-be, not the witty, impoverished beauty who refuses to fawn over him. 

Godmothers and glass slippers notwithstanding, this is one fairy tale in which destiny conspires to destroy any chance that Kate and Gabriel might have a happily ever after. 

Unless a prince throws away everything that makes him noble . . .
Unless a dowry of an unruly heart trumps a fortune . . .
Unless one kiss at the stroke of midnight changes everything. 

Eloisa James is a hit or miss author for me.  This was a miss, so I'll limit this to a short review.

On audio this romance was almost excruciatingly painful to listen to. The narrator, Susan Duerden was all right from a technical standpoint, but her choice of accent on the hero to the breathy helplessness of the heroine in the throes of passion had me rolling my eyes.  I came near to chucking the whole thing, yet I persevered and finished it.  If I had been reading it instead of listening, I never would have finished it.  The plot itself did nothing to make the book more endurable either.

Beautiful cover, though.

This Cinderalla romance starts off with a convoluted plot - typical of what I've previously read by this author.  It takes a while to get used to who is who and there are always too many side characters to keep track of.  Kate Daltry, our heroine, is the daughter of a deceased wealthy gentleman who remarried shortly after the death of Kate's chronically ill mother.  We find out he never loved her, and his second wife turned out to have been his mistress for many years.  It turns out that Kate's stepsister (who is a nice girl - she isn't evil) is really her half-sister.  Their father left all his money to his wife, who in turn gave it to her daughter as a dowry.  The evil and vain stepmother winds up treating Kate like a servant, but Kate bears up well and is good and kind and all the usual stuff like in a fairy tale.

Kate's half-sister, Victoria, is engaged to be married to a very young man, Algernon - Algie, who has gotten her pregnant.  She isn't the brightest, but she is nice - though she cries a lot.  She is considered very beautiful though a bit eccentric.  She wears wigs all the time (this takes place during Regency times, I believe) in all sorts of odd colors.  She also brings her three little yappy dogs with her wherever she goes.  Due to an unfortunate infection on her lip (ew gross), Victoria cannot join Algie to be presented at a ball to meet his cousin, Prince Gabriel Albrecht Fredrick William von Aschenberg - who is a prince from some small country in Europe that is now living in a castle in Lancashire.   It's still a bit unclear to me about why he is living in England in the first place.  Gabriel is short on money and engaged to a Russian princess with a huge dowry.  By marrying her he can take care of all his many relatives who live with him in the castle - as well as a menagerie of animals, including a lion that eats dogs.  There was no end to this bizarre tale.

Marianna, Kate's evil step-mother decides to send Kate instead, posing as Victoria.  This is the first of many implausible plot points.  No one is going to realize they are two different people?  Algie is in on the ruse, but once they arrive at the castle, there are going to be plenty of people there at the ball who have previously met Victoria, won't they notice a difference?  Kate is reed thin - as we are told over and over in the book, to the point where I imagine she must look starved.  Victoria, on the other hand, is on the rounded plump side.  These people may be snobby aristocrats but they're not blind or dumb!  Sure enough, there is one person there who sees through her disguise...her fairy godmother - of course!

At the castle Kate meets the Prince who takes an instant fascination to her.  Why?  She's nothing much to look at, none of her clothes fit because they're all borrowed from Victoria, she wears false wax boobs (because she is flat chested and Victoria isn't) and she's always wearing these ridiculous wigs!  Why in the world would Gabriel drop everything and risk scandal and an advantageous marriage for this ... this... nobody?  He finds out soon enough she's not really Victoria Daltry, and he assumes she's some illegitimate child to a nobleman.  He keeps trying to seduce her, even though he knows she's a virgin.  Does Kate ever tell him who she really is?  No.  She keeps hemming and hawing and wringing her hands about what to do! He promises he'll take her to paradise - do everything to her except deflower her.  *rolls eyes*  After much protestations and shocked sensibilities she eventually decides to let him - all on the night of this big ball in which his fiancee is being introduced to Society (having just arrived from Russia.)  Kate waits upstairs in his room, taking a bath, reading magazines, doing her nails, blah, blah, blah (okay, I'm exaggerating) while he runs upstairs during breaks to ravish her!  What a joke!

The next night she attends another ball at the castle and this time she goes as herself.   She's finally wearing something that fits and her own hair!  She is the most beautiful girl there.  The Prince can't take his eyes off her, it's obvious they love one another when they dance, yet... he's engaged to the Russian Princess.  At midnight Kate flees after a kiss...

Deflowered and no longer a virgin, she leaves the castle and the Prince forever since she knows he can't marry her because he needs the money for his family and castle.   It's a hopeless situation, except her godmother, who just so happens to be at the castle and recognizes who she is immediately, (even though she hasn't seen her since she was an infant,) takes Kate into her care and lo and behold - it turns out Kate's really an heiress!  How convenient!  

Some weeks later Gabriel shows up, unmarried (he couldn't go through with it with the Russian princess) and asks Kate to marry him - and she has money too!  Now they don't have to worry and be poor!  But, he planned anyway to support them with his bestselling book on ancient archeology and the legend of Dido and Aeneus. *cough*

And so you have it, I'm leaving loads of this outlandish plot line out, but I found it hard to like any of the main characters in this book (I did actually like the godmother).  Gabriel was selfish for most of the story until the very end, Kate was an idiot to go along with this dumb plan to begin with and then give into the Prince, Victoria was TSTL, same with Algie.  Two of Gabriel's friends weren't bad, I liked them, one being his illegitimate half brother and the other someone named Toulouse.  A side plot with a girl who was accused of molesting a nobleman was diverting, but basically this was one unbelievable story!

2.5/5

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A Duke of Her Own by Eloisa James

Book Description:
Leopold Dautry, the notorious Duke of Villiers, must wed quickly and nobly - and his choices, alas, are few. The Duke of Montague's daughter, Eleanor, is exquisitely beautiful and fiercely intelligent. Villiers betroths himself to her without further ado.

After all, no other woman really qualifies. Lisette, the outspoken daughter of the Duke of Gilner, cares nothing for clothing or decorum. She's engaged to another man, and doesn't give a fig for status or title. Half the ton believes Lisette mad - and Villiers is inclined to agree.

Torn between logic and passion, between intelligence and imagination, Villiers finds himself drawn to the very edge of impropriety. But it is not until he's in a duel to the death, fighting for the reputation of the woman he loves, that Villiers finally realizes that the greatest risk may not be in the dueling field ...

But in the bedroom. And the heart.

Last of the Desperate Duchesses' series, this is Villiers' much awaited story. The Duke must choose a wife. It's obvious to the reader who he should choose (Eleanor) but I found it hard to believe he took so long in figuring it out for himself, since her rival, Lisette, was so obviously unstable. How could Villiers have even considered her? Despite this obvious flaw of logic, it was a good story and it ended well - for once an epilogue I liked!

Leopold has been a favorite of mine throughout this entire series.  He's not your run of the mill duke.  In the previous books we learn of his obsession with the game of chess.  Considered one of the greatest chess players in England, chess is a  main thread through the whole series.  Not only is chess an obsession, he's a clothes horse as well.  But he's no effeminate dandy.  He has fought duels (and nearly died from them), loved other (duke's) wives and fathered several bastard children - hence his need to settle down with a wife that can help corral his unwieldy brood.

Eleanor, daughter of the Duke of Montague is no slouch when it comes to noble birth.  But unfortunately, it wasn't good enough for the one man she loved and gave herself to (in the bibilical sense) thinking they would marry.  Things didn't go the way she'd hoped and her love had to marry another.  Since then, she has been pining for the man she lost.  A duke himself, he was forced to marry another woman in an arranged marriage.

Now, several years later Eleanor is being considered by the Duke of Villiers. With six illegitimate children he needs a firm and feminine hand in his household.  Basically, he needs someone to oversee their upbringing.  Not an easy task, but as we learn very soon Eleanor would be perfect for the role.  Unfortunately, it's not as obvious to the duke who is considering another woman as his wife, the daughter of a duke, Lisette.  On the surface it looks as if Lisette loves all children and would make a wonderful mother.  She has no preconceived notions about bastards and what have you.   Yet, Lisette is a wild sort of creature, careless, flighty and unconventional - a little off balanced.  My gripe about the gist of the story is, it's seems so obvious to us that Lisette is unbalanced.  Why would Villiers even consider her?  Particularly if he plans on having more children and an heir to the dukedom, does he want his future heir to have a mother who isn't completely all there?  Eleanor in comparison is strong, sensible and beautiful in her own right.  Villiers is attracted to her yet his prime reason for a wife is for his children.  His dilemma?  Choose for love and his undeniable attraction to Eleanor, or choose a wife that will be a good mother to his brood?  It took the stupid idiot forever to realize Eleanor could be both!

Meanwhile, to further complicate matters, Eleanor's old love comes back onto the scene.  Now a widower, he has come to declare his love to Eleanor and beg her to be his wife (of course after his mourning period is over.)  But... but... Eleanor is not so sure about him now.  He pales in comparison to Villiers.  Her old love has lost his lustre.  Should she step aside, leave Villiers to Lisette or stay in the game?  As she gets to know Villiers and his children the decision becomes harder for her to make and she finds it impossible to let go - especially when she sees for herself how unsuitable a bride Lisette would make for him.

Although I really enjoyed this romance, it did not live up to my expectations.  I was a bit let down that Villiers came across as such a clod when he had always been so charismatic in the previous books.  The old Duke of Villiers stole every scene he was in!  He was too smart a man to have been so dense when it came to choosing between Eleanor and Lisette. I felt he was behaving uncharacteristically here, although maybe you can chalk it up to the fact he was in love and wasn't thinking clearly, having to choose between passion and duty.  Still, I don't buy it.  Where was the shrewd and calculating duke from the previous books that could have figured this dilemma out in a matter of minutes? 

Despite his density in personal matters I was glad to see that when it comes to good taste, no one can match him.  This is the same man after all, who buys his bride-to-be a simple yet elegant engagement ring.  He knows instinctively this would appeal to her un-ostentatious desire to remain in the background.  Yet - he is a duke after all.  His future duchess must have nothing but the best.  There's more to the ring than meets the eye - and I loved it!  Who would have known? 

Although the book has it's flaws, it's a good story and I enjoyed it very much.  Villiers is a fascinating character and deserving of a happy ending!  This should be called "A Duchess of his Own" for it's really his story and a nice wrap up to the series! 

4/5

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This Duchess of Mine by Eloisa James

Book Description:
No man can resist Jemma's sensuous allure . . . Except her own husband!

Wedding bells celebrating the arranged marriage between the lovely Duchess of Beaumont and her staid, imperturbable duke had scarcely fallen silent when a shocking discovery sent Jemma running from the ducal mansion. For the next nine years she cavorted abroad, creating one delicious scandal after another (if one is to believe the rumors).

Elijah, Duke of Beaumont, did believe those rumors.

But the handsome duke needs an heir, so he summons his seductive wife home. Jemma laughs at Elijah's cool eyes and icy heart—but to her secret shock, she doesn't share his feelings. In fact, she wants the impossible: her husband's heart at her feet.

But what manner of seduction will make a man fall desperately in love . . . with his own wife?

I loved this book, the best by Eloisa James I've read to date.  I was told the Desperate Duchesses series gets better as it goes along and I agree.   Upon the advice of various reviews I'd read, I skipped the first two books altogether and started with the third in the series.  It caused a bit of head scratching here and there, but not too much.

This Duchess of Mine is the fifth in the series and Jemma's story, which I've been dying to get to.  In the last book, the side story is dominated by Jemma, to the point where her story with her estranged, but now no longer estranged husband was more interesting than the main story!  (This is a common occurrence in Ms. James' novels, I've noticed).  Set during Georgian times in the 1780's, Jemma is the Duchess of Beaumont who has lived apart from her husband for the first nine years of their marriage.  After witnessing him with his mistress, the newly married Jemma hastens to Paris - for nine years!   Elijah, her duke, let her remain there.    Guilt ridden, he felt he deserved what he got, and he didn't think she'd ever forgive him. (A poor excuse if I ever heard one!) Instead she became the most beautiful Englishwoman in Paris.  Although she had an affair or two, nothing compared to her duke who she secretly pined for.  Jemma is a multi-faceted heroine.  She's quick witted and extremely intelligent - she's also a master chess player.  The game of chess is a dominant occurrence throughout this entire series.  In the previous books, she came across as sort of a know-it-all, but here we really get to know Jemma and I wound up loving her! 

Elijah, the Duke of Beaumont has a secret.  He is dying and needs an heir before he succumbs to the heart disease that is slowly killing him. The duke calls his duchess back from Paris informing her that he wants an heir - he wants to make an heir.  Jemma has loved him all along, but due to their lack of communication and the fact they've barely seen each other in the last several years, they have to basically start over again with their marriage.  Even though she is eager to make an heir too, she insists they get to know each other first - she wants him to woo her - and she wants to woo him!  She doesn't know about his illness, so she's in no hurry to make a baby.  They have all the time in the world!  Instead, she wants him to be able to choose her (some crazy advice she got from a male friend) and sics her biggest rival from Paris on him, hoping that if someone else pays attention to him and flirts with him (he's known for his staid and Puritan-like ways and is not your typical Georgian dandy) he'll be flattered by all the attention and will appreciate by being able to choose Jemma over another.  It really didn't make sense to me and it was highly convoluted, but it served it's purpose - it prevented them from sleeping together immediately and created some diverting moments at Vauxhall.  Not much time goes by, their marriage is heating up and just when it seems they are finally going to do the deed - he has one of his frightening fainting spells (otherwise he seems fine) and Jemma finds him.  Knowing how his father died of the same heart failure, she is no idiot and instantly realizes what's wrong with him.  He comes clean with her and they must come to terms with it.  He may very well die at any moment - how can they fix this problem?!   Jemma refuses to just let him die and will not give up on finding a cure.

The rest of book revolves around how they deal with this dilemma, searching for a doctor they have heard about that has been experimenting with a drug that can regulate the heart - a derivative of the poisonous flower, foxglove.  Meanwhile, they are becoming closer and learning more and more about each other. Discovering new places, likes and dislikes - and falling in love.  It makes their plight all the more bittersweet - for time is a wasting.  They fear the next time he faints it could kill him.  Elijah does have one remedy that seems to work!  Physical exertion helps keep his heart pumping regularly.  Physical exertion, as in the sexual kind, particularly.  In addition they've taken to playing chess together again, both are equally matched.  One particular chess game is masterfully described - in bed - blindfolded.  I must admit, it was a novel approach to the game and very well done!  Even if you don't play chess, you'll appreciate the setting! ;)

One of the things I loved about this book was all the detail that went into it, particularly the clothing.  Georgian fashion was one of opulence, large panniers, everything powdered, wigs, beauty marks, jewels, silks and satins - it was sensuous and rich.  Jemma fit right in and I enjoyed reading about everything she wore and how she chose what she'd wear, it was fascinating to imagine and evocative of the era. 

Elijah on the other hand, eschewed the glitter of the era which is reflective of his personality.  Upon the death of his father, who died  in the most scandalous fashion in a brothel, Elijah felt he needed to make up for his father's notorious reputation.  His clothes remain dark and conservative, his hair is plain and unpowdered as befits a serious member of the House of Lords, which Elijah considers himself to be.  He is in stark contrast to the Duke of Villiers who is his oldest friend and, at one time, a major rival for Jemma.  Villiers and Jemma are both fanatics when it comes to chess and their ongoing chess match threatened to ruin her marriage once and for all.   Besides chess, Villiers other obsession is his attire - he is a clotheshorse.  Villiers is known for his excessive attention to his clothing.  Everything must be perfection, although he manages to keep his masculinity about him.  No one can accuse of him of being "light in the instep."  He's the father of five bastard children, which makes up the side story in this novel and is the natural lead in to the next.  I really like Villiers, he's a very interesting man and all of his scenes have a sparkle in them, I can't wait to read his story - which is the next in the series.

So are you wondering what happens to Elijah and if they find a cure?  I can assure you this book ends happily, but it does have it's poignant moments.  I really enjoyed it and it was a worthwhile read - a beautiful cover too!  Enjoy it - I know I did!

4/5

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When the Duke Returns by Eloisa James

Book Description:
THE DUCHESS OF COSWAY YEARNS FOR A MAN SHE HAS NEVER MET... HER HUSBAND.

Married by proxy as a child, Lady Isidore has spent years fending off lecherous men in every European court while waiting to meet her husband. She's determined to accept him, no matter how unattractive the duke turns out to be. When she finally lures Simeon Jermyn back to London, his dark handsomeness puts Isidore's worst fears to rest -- until disaster strikes.

The duke demands an annulment.

Forsaking his adventuresome past, Simeon has returned to London ready to embrace the life of a proper duke, only to find that his supposed wife is too ravishing, too headstrong, and too sensual to be the docile duchess he has in mind. But Isidore will not give up her claim to the title - or him - without a fight.

She will do whatever it takes to capture Simeon's heart, even if it means sacrificing her virtue. After all, a consummated marriage cannot be annulled.

Yet in forcing Simeon into a delicious surrender, will Isidore risk not only her dignity - but her heart?



***

"If you love your sewer, it'll love you back."

Instructive words of wisdom from an expert to the Duke of Cosway who, among other things, is preoccupied with getting rid of the stench of uncleaned sewers from his ducal estate. That's not the only thing he's trying to get rid of.

As I began to read this Georgian romance, fourth in the Desperate Dutchesses series, I never would have imagined I would learn so much about eighteenth century water closets and who cleans them! I learned what the Dead Watch means and all sort of interesting things about hygiene - or lack thereof. In fact, for a part of the book, I became so preoccupied with Simeon's water closets, they became more important to me than the actual story itself between the hero and heroine! I'm not so sure this is such a good thing or what the author intended. So romantic and sexy!

There is more to the story than just the elimination of bathroom stench. Italian born, Isidore has been married to Simeon, the Duke of Cosway since she was a young teenager. He's been off in Africa for ages and they haven't met in years. Married by proxy, he has no idea what a beautiful young woman she has grown up to be. Saving herself and her reputation for the day her duke finally returns, she grows desperate waiting, waiting and waiting. She spreads some scandalous stories about herself that she is certain will eventually get back to her wayward husband in Africa, and sure enough they bring him home. He is remarkably handsome and a virgin - very different than what she imagined. Living in Africa and India he has picked up their customs, he's a runner and wears shorts to run in - highly unusual! In fact, his own mother, the dowager duchess is aghast by his behavior, referring to him as running around in "nappies!"

Simeon is inundated with unpaid bills that his mother had not taken care of while he has been out of the country, though there is no shortage of money - she just didn't pay for anything, so there is tons to do to fix up the place. Meanwhile, his young wife is determined to seduce her husband and help him with the estate. She wants to consummate their marriage. He has this mixed up notion that they'd be better off getting an annulment. I didn't quite understand his reasoning, why didn't he just go for it with her? He's put off by her beauty, so he avoids her as much as he can. Eventually, they give in and consummate the marriage, but it still doesn't solve their marital problems, there's the usual misunderstanding though they are falling in love, she leaves him, etc., but it was a fun read to see how everything was resolved - especially the water closets! Still, I didn't bond with either one of their characters which were one-dimensional. I've noticed that Ms. James' books have a lot of different characters in them, to the point where they're spread too thin, hence, none of them get the attention and character development they deserve.

As in her other novels, another side story is going on in addition to the main one in regard to Isidore's friend, Jemma, the Dutchess of Beaumont and her husband, Elijah, the Duke. As compelling as their story is, in fact it was better than the main story, I found it detracted from the story of our main hero and heroine, Simeon and Isidore. I wished Jemma and Elijah would just have their own book, rather than living on the outskirts of Isadore and Simeon's. Looks like I'll get my wish in the next book in the series. Jemma and Elijah and their mutual good friend, the Duke of Villiers are the most interesting part of this book!

Overall, this was not bad, but not great. A diverting read, it had it's hot and sexy moments, but I didn't find much chemistry between the hero and heroine, and I found it tiresome after a while that the Duke of Cosway was constantly running away from his wife, especially since I didn't quite buy his reasoning behind it. I didn't have much sympathy for him, except - ahem - in regard to the water closets *cough*

3.5/5

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Duchess By Night by Eloisa James

Book Description:
A Mischievous Charade...

Harriet, Duchess of Berrow, is tired of her title and the responsibilities that come along with it. Enough with proper tea parties and elegant balls; what Harriet really wants is to attend an outrageous soiree where she can unleash her wildest whims and desires. But to attend such an event - especially if the event in question is Lord Justinian Strange's rollicking fete, filled with noble rogues and rotters, risque ladies and illicit lovers - would be certain scandal. That's why she must disguise herself...

Looking forward to a night of uninhibited pleasure, Lord Strange is shocked to discover that beneath the clothes of a no-good rake is the most beautiful woman in the room. Why is a woman like her risking her reputation at his notorious affair? And can he possibly entice her to stay... forever?

This book wasn't bad, but not great. It got off to a slow start while the reader is trying to figure out who all the main characters are. Harriet is a widowed duchess, a somewhat dowdy figure who never felt truly loved by her dead husband that had a passion for... chess. He killed himself over a chess game.

Harriet has a couple of close girlfriends, who are all duchesses as well and one of them (who has her own set of problems that comes out in the next book in this series) wants to go to this scandalous Lord Strange's house party in the country, to try and make her own husband jealous. Harriet accompanies her - dressed as a young man, a Mr. Cope. Harriet loves the freedom being a young man gives her and she enjoys wearing britches instead of long skirts. She no longer has to worry about elaborate hair do's, she can just wear her hair in a quieu now. But, she didn't count on how difficult it would be to pull off this sham in front of all the other men. She has to act like a man, just as much as look like one.

Once they meet the host of the party, the book starts to really get better. Lord Strange is a paradox. He holds these scandalous non-stop parties at his estate, yet he has an eight year old daughter that he keeps hidden away in the West Wing of the house under lock and key, so none of the nefarious guests he hosts can get close to her. WTF? I had a real problem with him, I didn't really like him all that much because to me this was his fatal flaw - he was completely clueless when it came to taking care of his daughter, who winds up being bitten by a rat (in her bed - eww!)and gets "rat bite fever" and nearly dies!

His daughter is extremely intelligent and advanced for her age and she seems happy enough but as Harriet gets to know the Lord and his daughter better she has trouble with the way he takes care of her as well. Mr. Cope and Lord Strange become friends, though Lord Strange aka Jem can't help feeling unnervingly uncomfortable around her/him. He finds himself attracted to Cope, yet cannot reconcile the idea that he may be attracted to another man - a young, beautiful young man that has large brown eyes that turn violet with long, lush lashes. What's getting into him? All the other guests assume that Harriet's young man is a "molly" (a gay man) and rumors start to fly that so is Lord Strange and he's taken a fancy to Mr. Cope.

Meanwhile, Strange has taken Cope under his wing to make him more of a man - he teaches him how to fence and ride and before long Harriet is finding herself falling for him. Their mutual friend, the Duke of Villiers, who is in on the whole charade of Harriet's, lets onto Strange what Harriet really is, but he does not let him know she is a duchess. Strange enjoys teasing Harriet along, making her think, he thinks she's a man (confusing, I know), but it was one of the best scenes in the book. Eventually, the truth comes out (but not to the rest of the house party) and Harriet and Jem begin an affaire. She is long due for something like this and as we find out, so is he.

But, can they continue their affair when he finds out that she's really a duchess? Will his feelings change for her once he finds out she's not some little nobody country squire's widow? He has some dark family secrets that he is afraid to admit to and both of them are too afraid to admit to them and the affair ends and Harriet packs up and leaves. I found it so frustrating that they didn't try and make it work harder. Both just gave up!

It all ends happily, but not quite as I expected. I enjoyed this little romp in the country, but it was nothing that I'll think back on as very memorable. As I said before, I was not won over by Lord Strange, but I did like Harriet, we do get the impression that she whips him into shape and changes his priorities and mores - which he is sorely in need of. There are a few sensual moments in the book that were well done, but overall I found the element of "romance" a bit lacking. It was more like these two people came together who hadn't had any romance in their life for a long time and it was suddenly, "wow!" for both of them, yet I couldn't get past Strange's lifestyle and his profound stupidity in bringing up his daughter in a house full of roues and orgiastic type parties in which he has to keep her bottled up for fear one of his guests may come upon her and rape her! Uggh! Yet, he was so intelligent in other matters like mathematics and architecture and money and business. Such the stereotype of a man, when it comes to "manly" things he's great, but anything domestic - forget it! Pfft!

I'm reading this series, starting on the third book, since I heard the first two were really not very good. The latest book in the series is supposed to be great, so that's why I picked this up in the first place. I do look forward to the next book in the series about Harriet's friend, Isidore who wanted to make her husband jealous at the house party. I hope I like it better than this one! This is my 2nd book by this author, the last one did not endear me to her, but I'm still willing to give her a chance - but she's not making it easy!

3.5/5

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Much Ado About You by Eloisa James

Book Description:
When you're the oldest daughter, you don't get to have any fun!

Witty, orphaned Tess Essex faces her duty: marry well and marry quickly, so she can arrange matches for her three sisters -- beautiful Annabel, romantic Imogen and practical Josie. After all, right now they're under the rather awkward guardianship of the perpetually tipsy Duke of Holbrook. But just when she begins to think that all might end well, one of her sisters bolts with a horse-mad young lord, and her own fiancé just plain runs away.

Which leaves Tess contemplating marriage to the sort of man she wishes to avoid -- one of London's most infamous rakes. Lucius Felton is a rogue whose own mother considers him irredeemable! He's delicious, Annabel points out. And he's rich, Josie notes. But although Tess finally consents to marry him, it may be for the worst reason of all. Absurd as she knows it to be, she may have fallen utterly in love…

I wanted to like this book, I really did! But, it fell short of my expectations, I thought it was a pretty ho-hum regency romance. I've decided not to read further about the exploits of the Essex Sisters (there are two sequels out there). The characters were undeveloped and the romance was lacklustre at best - there wasn't even much humor in the book to make up for the lack of passion! The sex scenes were in that vague sort of manner - nothing explicit but they still had a hint of raciness in them. Overall, they were wanting in feeling.

This book was about a family of four sisters who are orphaned when their horse-mad father dies. He was a nobleman who was addicted to horses and racing, although he had the good sense to ensure they'd be cared for by the Duke of Holbrook, a horsey friend of his. At first, I was thoroughly confused by which sister was who. Who was the pretty one? Who was the oldest? Who was the mercenary one - who was in love with Lord Maitland? I just couldn't keep them straight, there seemed to be so many of them! After I settled into the book I got them straight, and I can't say I liked any of them except Tess, who was the main heroine of this book.

The setting of this book centers on horse racing. All the men in the book are really into it and will do almost anything to get a good racehorse - including marrying. Each of the sisters has a horse for her dowry and naturally they are all great equestriennes themselves. I must admit, I'm not that interested in horseracing and Lord Maitland, one of the men that younger sister Imogen is madly in love with, is hopeless when it comes to horseracing - the worst of the lot. He has a one track mind and comes across as shallow a bit stupid. He was just annoying to me and I didn't have any sympanthy for him until the very end (I don't want to spoil it.) I felt sorry that Tess' sister, Imogen, was so in love with him.

I also had a problem with our hero, Lucius Felton. Good looking, blonde and rich as anything, I found him annoying because he kept on insisting he was incapable of feelings - well, maybe he was right! Why would someone want to read about an emotionless romance hero - we barely got inside his head so we could tell what he was really feeling. There wasn't enough to interest me. It's one thing for a Mr. Darcy to come across as someone who's emotions are always in check - but Pride and Prejudice is not a romance novel and we don't get Mr. Darcy's point of view in it either. In this book we do, but it was sadly lacking - sometimes he'd do something unexpected, but not until the end did he finally come to life and show some passion - but that was the point - he finally came around. It was just kind of dull getting to that point. And whatever happened to his valet? We see him in the beginning bemoaning the fact that his master is in a houseful of unmarried women on the marriage market, and then we never see or hear from him again. Not even much later in the story - I think he became a lost thread.

Tess, the eldest of the quartet, seems to be the only normal one of the lot and the only character I liked. She has a romantic streak in her and learns how to get her way with her husband eventually. Is she witty as the description above suggests? Maybe, but I don't recall any real indication of it. She's got a good head on her shoulders - though she has her lapses of reason. She seems to think she should marry Lord Mayne, even though the handsome Mr. Felton had asked her to marry him and she keeps kissing him (what is it with some of these nit-wit regency romance heroines who continue to kiss the men they don't want to marry?) I was so relieved when Lord Mayne ran off - sketchy about why he did, though we sort of get our answer at the very end of the book. Which reminds me, the ending really seemed to read as if it was just tacked on, kind of a family related, money doesn't buy happiness sort of thing. It ends satisfactorily - but it's not totally resolved and the epilogue is predictable. Mr. Felton still has his family problems and Tess' sisters are still up in the air - leaving room for the sequels - of which I have no interest in reading.

Another little gripe I have is that I felt this book was disjointed - there were so many different characters and their little plotlines going on, some of became lost threads - Tess and Felton, Tess and Mayne, the Duke and Maitland's mother, Imogen and Maitland, young Josie, the youngest sister still in the schoolroom, Miss Pythian-Adams (Maitland's fiancee) and the fact she really doesn't want to marry Maitland - it was such a jumble - and not in a good way like a Shakespeare comedy (which I guess the Much Ado title is supposed to allude to.)

I didn't dislike this book, but I felt it was a waste of my time. There are much better regency romances out there than to read this disjointed, dull and passionless *code for not enough sex* romance novel. Much ado? Hardly.

2.5/5

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