Category: Barb’s Reviews

A Matchmaker for A Marquess by Christi Caldwell

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Regency Era (1811-1820)1 Comment

A Matchmaker for a Marquess (The Heart of a Scandal Book 3)My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: The Heart of A Scandal #3
Publication Date: 6/25/19
Number of Pages: 210

Barry Aberdeen, Marquess of Tenwhestle – future Duke of Gayle – isn’t who society thinks he is, but he’ll keep that to himself. He is six and twenty and has years before he’ll be ready to marry. Little does he know; his parents have other plans for him. Now that his sister, Emilia, has married (Book #2 – A Lady’s Guide to a Gentleman’s Heart) their full attention has turned to Barry.

Meredith Durant’s father was the man-of-affairs and best friend to the Duke of Gayle and she was raised on the estate along with the duke’s children. She had a happy life there until she was twenty years of age and her ailing father was ‘retired’ and they were turned out. That was ten years ago, and now her father has died and she’s been supporting herself as a matchmaker for the last eight-and-a-half years.

Meredith was shocked to see Barry Aberdeen sitting in the gardens at the Royal Horticultural Society as she was there with one of her charges. She didn’t know it was him at first, but she saw a man and admired his looks – and then he started reading poetry aloud in the most mellifluous voice and she was mesmerized. Then, he turned, and it was her childhood nemesis, the brother of her best friend, the boy who had comforted her in a stable before she had to leave the estate – and he was all grown up.

Several weeks later, Barry was at their country estate for his parent’s annual two-week house party. Oddly enough, he usually enjoyed those events and was looking forward to the entertainments, fishing, riding, etc. Then, his sister finds him where he is fishing and tells him that their mother has turned her attention to his marital status. He doesn’t believe her – but then, she shows him the list of attendees – and it isn’t the usual group who is in attendance, it is almost exclusively young marriageable young ladies and their chaperones.

I love his reactions when he realizes that the reason Meredith is at the house party is that his mother has hired her to matchmake for him. He decided he’d just show them and then promptly lead Meredith on a journey of discovery, healing, growth, and love. Barry is a wonderful hero and just the man Meredith needed. Their journey was such a sweet one – and when Meredith sacrifices all for Barry’s wellbeing – it just makes your heart beat faster and faster.

This is an excellent, fast-paced, can’t-put-it-down kind of read filled with wonderful characters and two main characters that you can’t help but love. One thing I loved about the book is that there isn’t a lot of angst and turmoil – yes, there were some unpleasant memories, but they didn’t take on the angsty colorations that you often see. To me, the only thing that would have made the book better would have been the addition of an epilogue with them at some point in the future – in the experimental gardens – maybe with a baby or expecting one.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

One Night of Temptation by Darcy Burke

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Novella, Regency Era (1811-1820)Leave a comment

One Night of Temptation (Wicked Dukes Club #6)Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Wicked Dukes Club #6
Publication Date: 6/25/19

Goodness! This turned out to be a delightful read. I had been concerned about this one because it concerned a rector – and frankly – I just didn’t want to read a sexy romp starring a clergyman. The author handled it beautifully and the love story was really lovely and the rector was a good and honorable man right to the end. Kudos to the author for managing to do that.

The story was also a good wrap-up for the series. We got to catch up with all of the previous couples in the series as they each played at least a small part in our current couple’s HEA. I would have loved it even more if it had an epilogue. Something 5, 10, 15, however many years into the future – maybe at a gathering at one of the Ducal estates. We could see how all of the couples had weathered the storms of life and how each couple’s family and love had grown. Maybe we could even learn that there were some really nasty things that happened to the villains in the stories – like Penelope’s father (maybe even mother) in this story.

Lady Penelope Wakefield is the child of cold, unfeeling, uncaring and cruel parents. Her only use to her father is to further his aims – since he is already rich, he’ll use her for political gain. He plans to formally betroth her to a lecherous old man who is old enough to be her grandfather. For once in her life, Penelope has had enough and decides to take action to save herself. However, having been sheltered her entire life – with no friends at all – she is extremely naïve and puts her trust in the wrong person. Instead of a ‘fake’ kidnapping, she walks into a real one. Lucky for her, she’s rescued by the most compassionate and caring man she has ever seen. As she tells him her tale of woe, she doesn’t see pity or disdain on his face. There is only compassion there and he agrees not to immediately return her to her home and parents. He’ll assist her in staying away overnight and will then return her the next day. That overnight stay doesn’t go exactly as planned and they spend a lot of time talking and getting to know each other.

Rector Hugh Tarleton comes from a well-to-do family but has absolutely no use for the people in society. Well – except for the dukes and others at the Wicked Dukes Club – but – they are all different. Hugh recognizes Lady Penelope as soon as he sees her and comes to her rescue. He can’t abide the idea that she’ll be forced to marry the man she describes, so he goes along with her staying away from home overnight so she can be ‘ruined’.

Yet, the plan goes awry and her parents manage to keep news of her ‘kidnapping’ from becoming known – even to her ‘betrothed’. That means the marriage is still in the plan. Now, she’s watched constantly, there is no way to escape. She just really wishes the earth would open up and swallow her rather than leaving her to this fate.

You will absolutely adore Hugh. He is the kindest, most caring and honorable man you’ll meet in a book. He’s the real deal. He’s a rector because that is what he chose to be – not because that is something his family expected a younger son to become. His father actually encouraged him to pursue another profession. You will also love Penelope who is kind and caring and you have to wonder how she could have possibly turned out that way given her parentage. She’s never been comforted, held, loved or cared for in any way at all.

I absolutely loved the two of them together. He’s such a hero – and she has finally learned to stand up for herself and what she wants. The wedding scene was wonderful – I won’t tell you about it because it would spoil it, but it really is great.

I highly recommend this read and I hope you love it as much as I did.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.