The Way to a Duke’s Heart is the third book in a trilogy (The Truth About the Duke) and is best not read as a standalone. The romance is self-contained, but the B-plot is very much a continuation of a mystery that has developed over the course of the series. Mild spoilers for the prior two books may follow. Charlie de Lacey, eldest of a trio of brothers and heir apparent to the title Duke of Durham, has a blackmail problem: someone is threatening his […]
So many dresses get ruined in historical romances
The cover for this book is preposterous, but also… foreshadowing? So, I really liked this book. Both of the leads were wonderful, and I enjoyed how well the romance was integrated with the non-romantic plot. It goes something like this: Edward de Lacey, the second son of a Duke, has always been the responsible one. After his father dies, leaving behind whisperings of a possible first marriage that could invalidate the legitimacy of his and his brothers’ birth and claim to the title, Edward sets […]
Another Historical Romance Novella (I forgot that last part while reading.)
I read Caroline Linden’s best book first. It’s One Night in London from the trilogy “The Truth About the Duke”, but I haven’t gotten around to reviewing it yet, although it is on my “Re-Read and Review List. (Linden books I have gotten around to reviewing can be found here.) Having enjoyed that first book so much, I bought the trilogy and now everything else she writes, but her most recent efforts took a turn that has left me wanting something more from her. It’s […]
A Scandal to Love
In Love in the Time of Scandal, Caroline Linden pulls off a rare feat — making you fall for a character who was set up as a bit of an arse in an earlier book. But don’t worry! He gets redeemed and totally earns his HAE. (While some romance series don’t necessarily need to be read in order, I highly recommend at least starting with the second book in the Scandalous series, It Takes a Scandal, so you get the full backstory for this book. The whole series is […]
A Historical Romance Novella with, Appropriately, My Half Cannonball
I enjoy Caroline Linden and have read many of her books, but I haven’t gotten to the point where I’d call her an autobuy author yet. I Met My Duchess was originally published as one of four overlapping novellas in the romance anthology At The Duke’s Wedding. Having read it as a standalone story, I can’t tell you about the quality of the other three, but I appreciate the cross-marketing the effort represents as it’s a great way to try new writers. Gareth, Duke of […]
Another Historical Romance. Who Else Is Sensing a Theme?
The first chapter of the historical romance It Takes a Scandal is akin to seminar on how to successfully create a sympathetic hero. Sebastian Vane has been stripped of everything he held dear and that will help him make his way in the world. Seriously injured fighting Napoleon (not personally), his mentally ill father is sinking daily into greater and more unmanageable derangement, but not before selling portions of the family estate for a pittance. Sebastian loses everything except his dignity and even that he […]