Category: Tracy’s Reviews

Kiss of a Duke by Erica Ridley

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Novella, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Kiss of a Duke (12 Dukes of Christmas #2)Kiss of a Duke by Erica Ridley
Tracy’s rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: 12 Dukes of Christmas, #2

Release Date: November 6, 2018

Penelope Mitchell is Christmas’ resident chemist and newly minted celebrity – she created a cologne for men called “Duke” and it is wildly successful – based on science, Penelope formulated the scent to attract women and by all accounts it works. So well, that she has decided to create a scent for women and will call it “Duchess” – she has a base formula, she just needs to test it.

Mr. Nicholas Pringle, known by all as Saint Nick, is an unrepentant rake. He never spends more than one night with a woman and has no desire to settle down, he doesn’t believe in love and has only agreed to come to Christmas to keep his brother Christopher company. While attending a party at the castle, Chris mentions that the creator of “Duke” is there and immediately Nick wants to confront her. He wants her to stop production of “Duke”, it is unfair to real rakes.

He meets Penelope and offers to buy the formula, she has no intention of selling it to him, but tells him she will think on it and tells him to return the next day. Penelope decides that Nick is the perfect test subject for “Duchess”, she will wear it and see if it works on men as well as “Duke” works on women. A kiss from him should be all the proof she needs, but to make things fair, she will make herself as dowdy as possible.

When he returns, she learns that Nick loves cookies, she feeds him and she is sure the perfume is working, just a kiss is all she needs. When she finally gets that proof, she decides that it is not enough and will need further research to be sure. They spend time together and Nick begins to question himself, he likes Penelope and his relationship with her has taken him to uncharted waters, he wonders if she might be the woman who finally breaks through the wall and meets the real Nick – not sure he is ready for that step, he tries to keep her at arm’s length and fails.

Is it love or is it “Duchess”, Penelope knows she has fallen for him, and he seems to care for her, but is it real or will it end when he learns the truth?

This was a very cute story with two very likable people, lots of cookies, secrets, chemical reactions, warmish love scenes and some corny Christmas references. The book is well written, flows nicely and is extremely entertaining. It is the second book in the series, but can easily be read as a stand alone and while there are references to Christmas, this is definitely a year-round read.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*

Wicked with the Scoundrel by Elizabeth Bright

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Tracy's Reviews1 Comment

Wicked with the ScoundrelWicked with the Scoundrel by Elizabeth Bright

Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Wicked Secrets, #3

Release Date: February 11, 2019

Colin Smith is back in England, much to his disgust, after 10 years in India and Egypt. He hopes to sell treasures he found and find a patron that will enable him and his business partner Debananda “Deb” Mukherjee to return to Egypt and hopefully discover even greater treasure. His hope is to capture the attention of the Marquess of Chatwell, who is a collector of antiquities and rich.

Lady Claire Harrison, daughter of the Marquess of Chatwell, has accompanied her father to see Colin’s treasures, Claire has an eidetic memory and remembers everything, every boring, mundane moment of her life. She longs for excitement and adventure, but is resigned to her quiet life – until see lays eyes on Colin and falls in love at first sight. Claire is not stupid, she knows that Colin is not suitable as a prospective groom and that her father will never approve, so she comes up with a plan – she will help him find the lost treasure of Scipio which includes the Cleopatra emerald – he will be rewarded and recognized by the crown and then her father would allow him to marry her! Now all she has to do is convince him to “help” her find the treasure and marry her.

Colin is interested in the treasure, but not Claire – or any lady in the “ton”, he has no love for the nobility. His mother was a ladies man and was raped by her employer’s husband and cast out when she learned she was pregnant. Colin reached out to his father when he was a young man and was told in no uncertain terms, that he was not going to help him. Colin’s bitterness against the nobility runs deep, but Claire is different and he likes her – but he still won’t help her.

Claire’s father requests a meeting with Colin and makes him an offer he can’t refuse. Help Claire find treasure – fake treasure – and the Marquess will become his patron. Colin agrees, but underestimates Claire’s determination to have Colin find the treasure and marry her.

This is a well written, amusing, uncomplicated, quirky story with very likable characters, warm love scenes, treasure, secrets, lies, wonderful secondary characters and a sweet HEA, complete with an epilogue. This is the 3rd book in the series, but I have not read the previous books and had no issues whatsoever.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review of an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*