Tag: Erica Ridley

One Night of Passion by Erica Ridley

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

One Night of Passion (Wicked Dukes Club #3)One Night of Passion by Erica Ridley

Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: The Wicked Dukes Club, #3

Release Date: May 14, 2019

Thaddeus Middleton has decided that he is ready to take a wife, so like any respectable gentleman of means, he begins his search at Almack’s. Thad is a romantic at heart and is sure that he will recognize the love of his life at first sight – there will be a sign, a spark, a bolt of lightning – something to let him know that he has found “The One”. But this night what he finds is Miss Priscilla Weatherby – most definitely not “The One”, but he asks her to dance is shocked when she turns him down.

Priscilla has a plan and it does not include marriage – her father and grandfather are adventurers and she longs to join them on their journeys, she hasn’t seen her father in years, but when her mother died he told her that he set up a trust for her – ten thousand pounds will be hers on her 25th birthday if she has not married. But there are conditions, she must not avoid the marriage mart, attend 3 events week, no scandal, she can’t ruin herself and she can tell no one of the trust. Priscilla knows exactly what she will do with the money – join her father in Africa – so she has followed the terms to the letter and perfected the art of attending without participating! But if she was looking for a husband, Thad would be exactly what she would want. He is intelligent, kind and handsome. When the meet again in the park and they chat, she really likes him but refuses to risk her heart and again shuts him down.

Thad wonders if insisting on a love match is just prolonging his loneliness, he misses his cousin Diana and when she comes to visit him, he wonders if he has missed “The One” – he does mention Priscilla to Diana and she is surprised that she was rude to Thad – he says it doesn’t matter, because she is not “The One” – Diana askes how he knows that and he says there was no sign. Diana tells him to try to get to know her before he decides that she is not “The One”, he receives similar advice from his friends at the Wicked Duke. And sets out to befriend Priscilla. When he arrives at her house, the weather clears and he sees a rainbow. He thinks he might have been wrong and decides that he needs to get to know her.

Priscilla is surprised to see Thad, she thought she made it clear that she was not interested, but as she gets to know him, her desires become blurred. And when her father returns unexpectantly and offers to take her with him on his travels, she will have to decide if she should go or if loving Thad is the real adventure.

This was a very sweet story, more emotional than I expected, but a true delight to read. The characters are engaging, the love scenes mild and the ending is wonderful. This is the third book in the Wicked Dukes Club series, but it can easily be read as a stand alone title. I truly enjoyed this story and would be happy to recommend it!

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

One Night for Seduction by Erica Ridley

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Novella, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's Reviews2 Comments

One Night for Seduction (Wicked Dukes Club #1)One Night for Seduction by Erica Ridley

Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Wicked Dukes Club #1

Release Date: April 16, 2019

Chandler Sutton, the Duke of Colehaven “Cole” loves a good wager and is currently boasting a 10-year winning streak, so when he joins his friends at the tavern he co-owns and is offered a wager to get Thaddeus Middleton’s “unmarriageable” ward married off – he happily accepts. Thad has some rules – Diana must be married before the end of the season, Cole can’t marry her himself or show any interest in her to provoke others to marry her and she must approve and want to marry the man.

Diana Middleton has no desire to marry, when her parents died, she needed a purpose and began “working” as a weights and measures inspector – not officially, she disguises herself and pretends to be in the employ of a barrister – she is passionate about this cause and wants the government to do more – but without resources, she settles for going to local businesses and checking their scales and reports her findings to a clerk who really does work for a barrister. She has no desire to marry, she is sure that she would have to give up her freedom and that is unacceptable. She doesn’t refuse to attend ton events, but she has perfected being a wallflower because she doesn’t want anyone to notice or recognize her and jeopardize her “work”. So when the handsome Duke of Colehaven comes to her home and makes it clear that he plans to help her find a husband – Diana holds her ground and makes it clear that she will never marry.

Cole will not concede defeat, and when he sees her at a ball, he enlists his sister to help him. Felicity tells Diana of Cole’s plan and Diana is livid – the man must be stopped. She doesn’t care about her own reputation, but she will not let him expose her and possibly ruin Thad!

Val, Duke of Eastleigh is at the ball and mentions to Cole that two committee chairs in Parliament will be up for vote as the Earl currently holding the seats has been injured. Cole wants to chair a committee – desperately – he doesn’t feel worthy of the title and works ten times as hard as other peers to prove he deserves his title – he feels like being in charge of a committee would do that. Later he meets Diana in the Library and they have words – she then learns that he was responsible for the 1815 Weights and Measures act – she still doesn’t want to marry – but maybe Cole could help her stop the corruption!

These two go back and forth – neither willing to back down or give up. They are each attracted to the other, but it can never be – she doesn’t want to give up her “freedom” and he wants to prove himself worthy. Can they compromise? Will love win? Will Cole’s 10-year streak come to an end?

This was a cute story with extremely likable leads, a lot of emotion, funny moments and great secondary characters. It is well written and flows nicely, the love scenes are mild and the ending is very sweet.

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

View all my reviews