The Duke and the Lady in Red
o I think this is another in a series of “Beauty and the Beast retelling” esque historical romances that I picked up on a whim, and it is…of moderate success. The book vacillates wildly between wanting to be the debauched tale of a a scandalous, disreputable Duke waiting for redemption and a very 90s-era Special Episode of historical romances.
To give away the secret, of course our peerless (HA what a pun) Rosalind is secretly hiding a heart of gold and supporting a motley crew of ex-circus sideshows [and a brother with a congenital Proteus syndrome-esque disease] with her one-jump-ahead-of-the-law series of cons. Of course our esteemed Duke Whatshisface is going to fall for all of them and find a his own heart of gold and spend his giant fortune to make them happy. All that’s left is whatever ridiculous contrivance will pop up in the third act to keep our two lovebirds apart (temporarily, of course) before the Biggest Grand Gesture in the end that brings them together.
In that way, this book actually reminded me of any series of Georgette Heyer novels the feature willful ingenues forcibly invading and reforming the lives of crotchety older rich men (Frederica, Arabella). It’s Ye Old Manic Pixie Dream Lady, come to breathe vitality and rescue a man who has somehow managed to make it x-and-thirty years without contracting syphilis and can only be renewed with the love of a good, innocent (groan) woman.
But hey, along the way we are treated to a lot of treacle-y sweet montages and sexy times. Can’t complain that much, I guess…
Ravished
I actually found myself really enjoying this one! It’s not entirely historical romance-esque, reminded me very much of Mr. Impossible in that there’s almost as much emphasis on Harriet Pomeroy’s passion…for old dead things.
This is definitely meant to be a Beauty and the Beast retelling, except where the Beauty is more of an above-average looking lady with beautiful interests (that definitely illuminate her cheeks with a rosy flush etc etc) and the Beast is a really tall man with some facial scarring (?? can’t really remember) who has done some DASTARDLY deeds (or…HAS HE?? Dun dun DUNNNNNNNNN).
Okay like clearly from my tone you can tell where this is going. It’s a delightful romp of a book, not much thinking involved but lots of delicious tropes including “well we Must Be Married now” and “hand wringing aunt” and “I suppose we may have a marriage of convenience, I will Sacrifice My Love and let you be free” and “reconciliations? that will NEVER HAPP-oh hi mother.”
There were some fake outs along the way as to who is really responsible for the dastardly deeds (I mean, did anyone actually think that our male lead was that unrepentant? there’s a limit for these sorts of books, and it usually stops at “frequented sex workers, very frequently” with some stretches into “and fathered a child on the wrong side of the blanket” but very rarely any further than that) but I don’t think you’re meant to really be confused as to what’ll happen. There’s a nice give and take that happens with Harriet and the Beast, and it’s semi-comforting to know that they reach a detente by the end that allows both of them to be their best selves. I’ve already forgotten most of this! But I remember waking up the next morning excited to keep reading before realizing I’d finished 🙁