Category: Tracy’s Reviews

It’s Hard Out Here for a Duke by Maya Rodale

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

It's Hard Out Here for a Duke (Keeping Up with the Cavendishes, #4)It’s Hard Out Here for a Duke by Maya Rodale
Tracy’s rating: 3/3.5 of 5 stars

Series: Keeping Up with the Cavendishes, #4

Release Date: November 28, 2017

While I liked this book, I didn’t love it and I was a bit disappointed.

Anyone who has read the previous books has for all intents and purposes, read 75% of this book. I knew before I started this book that James and Meredith had a past and that there was a strong attraction between them. And after the antics of his sisters, I fully expected James to have an equally entertaining book, but that is not how this story played out.

James and Meredith love each other, but are convinced they cannot be together because he is a Duke and she is a commoner. The entire book is them wavering between love and duty. I understood the difficulties they would have if they married, I understood the social ramifications and even the need to protect his sisters by not causing a scandal, but that was the entire book – they are attracted to each other, but he must choose duty over love.

There is a a lot of rehashing the events from the previous books, a lot of longing, some steamy-ish love scenes, a lot of heartache, a little bit of a surprise at the end and finally a HEA. I also found it a bit ironic that while pounding into James head the necessity of knowing formal address – the examples they used were wrong and used incorrect formal address – now to be fair, this was an uncorrected ACR and that may be corrected by publication (fingers crossed). Overall the writing was good, but I felt like this story was already told in the previous books and nothing really new or exciting happened in this story.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an UNCORRECTED eARC provided to me by Edelweiss and the publisher*

A Duke In Shining Armor by Loretta Chase

On By TracyIn Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's Reviews2 Comments

A Duke in Shining ArmorA Duke in Shining Armor by Loretta Chase

Series: Difficult Dukes, #1

Release Date: November 28, 2017

Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hugh Ancaster, the Duke of Ripley, one of a trio of dukes referred to as the “Dis-Graces” has just returned from a year abroad and has already found trouble. Nothing new for the Dis-Graces, but not what he was expecting on his first day back.

His friend Lucius Beckingham, the Duke of Ashmont is getting married – tomorrow and has demanded that Ripley makes sure everything goes off without a hitch. So when Ripley finds the bride to me making a run for it, he has no choice but to follow her.

Lady Olympia Hightower, bride to be and voted the ton’s “most boring” seven years straight is having second thoughts, empowered by brandy, she decides to get some air, in the park, in the rain, while wearing her wedding gown. After climbing out the library window and running through the garden, she is confronted by Ripley and demands that he boost her over the wall.

Ripley, never one to turn down an adventure or a chance to pull a prank, agrees to help Olympia run. He thinks he can convince her to return to her groom or at the very least, deposit her with a female relative and have Ashmont retrieve her.

What ensues is a very amusing road trip, involving dips in the Thames, dogs, kisses, two more dukes chasing them (one of which is slightly drunk), more kisses, twisted ankles, a hero trying to do the right thing and a bride who wants the wrong right one, interfering relatives, a matter of honor and more kisses.

This book is well written, with non-stop action from the first to the last page, laugh out loud moments, steamy moments and a truly beautiful love story.

I loved this story and highly recommend the book, it has been much too long since I read a Loretta Chase book and now I can’t wait for Blackwood & Ashmont’s stories!!!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC provided to me by Edelweiss and the publisher*

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