Tag: Anna Bradley

The Duke’s Christmas Bride by Anna Bradley

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Christmas, Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820)Leave a comment

The Duke's Christmas Bride (Drop Dead Dukes #3)Barbara’s rating: 4.4 out of 5 Stars
Series: Drop Dead Dukes #3
Publication Date: 9/24/24
Period: Regency, Gloucestershire, England
Number of Pages: 400

Scrooge meets Pollyanna and they find love, laughter, the Christmas spirit, and their HEA. This was a most delightful, uplifting, feel-good story – even if there was a tad of angst. I loved both main characters immediately even with Max being obsessed with revenge – even against a man who is now deceased. Ah! Poor Max – he has met his match. For every sour note Max plays, Rose plays three happy ones.

At the age of twelve, the bottom finally fell out of Max’s world. His mother had passed away and his father wagered away the only home Max had ever known. The man who won the home was a man Max admired greatly and looked up to almost as a father. Max was never back in his home again and his father never met a bottle he didn’t like. Before he died, his father had lost every farthing and every unentailed property belonging to the Dukedom. Max had grown to hate the vile Ambrose St. Claire to the point he could think of nothing but vengeance. Max, now the tenth Duke of Grantham, has spent the last several years acquiring all of the properties his father lost. He is now one of the richest, most powerful, and reviled peers in the realm – and there is only one property left to acquire. His childhood home, Hammond Court, the crown jewel of the dukedom will be his at last.

Rose St. Claire, is a wonderfully happy and joyful young woman who always chooses to see the happy side of everything and everyone loves her. Even with the only home she has ever known falling down around her ears, she is still joyful. She still sees the best in everything and everyone even though her father, Ambrose St. Claire, the kindest, most loving, best man she’s ever known has just died and left her destitute.

Sparks fly between Rose and Max from the moment he breaks into her house and she almost shoots him, through the surprises at the reading of Ambrose’s will, and right through to the end. Max is brilliant and has schemes within schemes to get his way and Rose is – well – just Rose who blithely goes on about her business. Max never celebrates Christmas and has no clue how to do so, while Rose adores everything about Christmas and wants ALL of the traditions. No cause for clashes there. 😊

If you are looking for a book to make you smile and feel good, this is it. I love the way Rose always foils Max’s schemes without even knowing she is doing so. This is most definitely an entertaining read. Although it is part of a series, you can read it as a standalone.

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Damned If I Duke by Anna Bradley

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

Damned If I Duke (Drop Dead Dukes)Barbara’s rating: 3.3 out of 5 Stars
Series: Drop Dead Dukes #2
Publication Date: 3/26/24
Period: Regency
Number of Pages: 368

Prudence Thorne has been raised differently than most females of her time. Her mother died when Prue was very young and she was then raised by her father – who allowed her to pursue skills that were different than other young ladies. While fashionable young women were restricted to dance, music, embroidery, etc., Prue learned to shoot, ride like a demon, and handle a rapier. She was strong-willed and not afraid of anything or anyone – even a duke. I liked Prue and was rooting for her and her HEA.

Jasper Vincent, Duke of Montford, lost both of his parents early in his life and was raised by his grandfather – his mother’s father. Jasper has a different view of himself than his friends and family do. Jasper sees the fearless rake who is always finding some new way for excitement, while his friends see through to the caring man with a good heart. They also see the rake and troublemaker – but believe that is his way of protecting his heart. So, what is he to make of a woman who goes toe-to-toe with him and even attempts to blackmail him? Strangely, I liked him from the beginning and that usually isn’t the case. I was rooting for his redemption and HEA.

For me, this was the typical ‘daughter/sister does whatever to save father/brother, etc from ruin after gambling debt trope. It was well written and a nice read, but nothing so attention-grabbing that I’d want a second read. For me, that isn’t unusual, so you might feel entirely different. I enjoyed the sniping/banter between Prue and Jasper, and I thoroughly enjoyed the scene where she shot him in the rear with buckshot. What I didn’t enjoy was where Prue acted totally out of character and ran away sniveling. I know the author needed a scene where there was a conflict – but – this was just too unbelievable given all we’d been led to believe about Pru. What I would have preferred was for her to stand up to the antagonist, then confront Jasper, and the two of them work together to exact revenge. One of the antagonists paid a price – but that was just the lackey – I wanted the real aggressor to pay – big time. The bottom line for me – I liked the characters, I liked the story, but wouldn’t care for a second read. However, I will read the next book in the series.

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

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