Giveaway, Review, and Excerpt of Say No to the Duke (The Wildes of Lindow Castle #4) by Eloisa James (Blog Tour)

Say No to the Duke 

by Eloisa James

Could she possibly refuse a duke’s hand—in favor of a sardonic, sinful rake?

Lady Betsy Wilde’s first season was triumphant by any measure, and a duke has proposed—but before marriage, she longs for one last adventure.

No gentleman would agree to her scandalous plan—but Lord Jeremy Roden is no gentleman. He offers a wager. If she wins a billiards game, he’ll provide the breeches.

If he wins…she is his, for one wild night.

But what happens when Jeremy realizes that one night will never be enough? In the most important battle of his life, he’ll have to convince Betsy to say no to the duke.

They moved toward each other as if they were following the steps of a very slow, very grand country dance. One that was danced by kings and queens and countryfolk alike.

When they were  beside  each  other, she  squared her shoulders and met his eyes. “I decided to come to you. I hope that is all right.”

“I do believe that you are the bravest woman I’ve ever met,” he replied.

He couldn’t have said anything better; Betsy felt herself begin to glow. “I haven’t been brave to this point, but I have made up my mind to change. I outlawed being nervous, but now I need to outlaw being afraid.” She hesitated. “I have chosen courage, and now I choose happiness.”

“I love you as you are,” he whispered, and then his mouth came down on hers.

Her breath caught in her throat because their tongues met as if they kissed every day, every night. He tasted right, which sent a shiver through her whole  body,  and  pushed  her  against him gently, the way a pebble might roll up a beach when the tide comes in.

One doesn’t fight the tide.

ELOISA JAMES
Check out Eloisa's website - https://www.eloisajames.com/
'Like' her on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/eloisajames

Eloisa James is a USA Today and New York Times bestselling author and professor of English literature, who lives with her family in New York, but can sometimes be found in Paris or Italy. She is the mother of two and, in a particularly delicious irony for a romance writer, is married to a genuine Italian knight. Visit her at www.eloisajames.com.

Title: Say No to the Duke 

Classification: Adult Fiction

Genre: Historical Romance

Series: Wildes of Lindow Castle

Format: Paperback; 432 pages
Publisher: HarperLuxe; Large Print edition (June 25, 2019)
ISBN-10: 006291149X
ISBN-13: 978-0062911490

Author's website: https://www.eloisajames.com/

Notes:  I received an eARC loan for the purpose of a review. This in no way affected my review.

Lady Boadicea 'Betsy' Wilde set her sites at an early age on marrying a Duke, and once she sets her mind on something she usually gets it. To date, she's turned down four peers and fourteen untitled gentlemen. A duke, however, has eluded her until now...

'I spoke to your father, Lady Boadicea, and he agreed that I might ask you for the honor of your hand in marriage..."  

While Betsy has always wanted to marry a duke, something keeps her from accepting...

Lord Jeremy Roden has no plans for ever marrying. He came away from the war a different person--one who's haunted by what happened to his men on the battlefield. Strangely, there is something about Lady Boadicea Wilde that makes him forget the past and focus on the here and now.  She, however, has her sights set on Thaddeus, Lord Greywick, the future duke of Eversley. While he acknowledges the two would make a brilliant match, there's something about it he can't quite stomach...

Sometimes life has a way of throwing you for a loop, and the best laid plans often go awry.

When Eloisa James is at the top of her game, her stories remind you of when you fell in love, and why you started reading romances in the first place. She has a way of capturing the magic of the moment when a person first falls in love and those feelings are reciprocated. In fact, she's managed to do just that with this entire series, and has wrapped each book in a fun, delightful, and alluring romance. This is the fourth book of 'The Wildes of Lindow Castle' series, and while you can definitely read it as a standalone novel, I encourage you to read the entire series. In my humble opinion, it will be well worth your time. The series centers around the Wilde family, and it reminds me a bit of Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series, but with a slightly more scandalous family backstory. The Wildes, as the name implies, are a tad wild and are not your average family of the ton. They are a large family whose patriarch is a Duke who has been married several times. His children seem to acknowledge, yet slightly rebel against many of the society's dictates. They are a family who value loyalty above all else, especially where family and friends are concerned. They are the type who stick together through thick and thin.  

What I liked most about this story was that there were layers to it. There were layers to the characters.  Plus, there was more to the story than initially met the eye. So what started out to be a seemingly superficial story quickly turned into something richer and deeper. I was quickly hooked.

Betsy is very sensitive about the subject of her mother who ran off with a Prussian Count years ago causing a huge scandal. Betsy feels she needs to prove she's nothing like her mother, and has held herself to a higher standard. She has learned to maneuver the ton like a pro and is one of the most sought after debutantes of the season. When a duke proposes, it would appear Betsy achieved what she set out to do. The problem is that Betsy is very spirited, and is beginning to realize what she always thought she wanted might not be what she needs. She needs someone who will accept her as she is and not try to change her. She longs for adventure and, truth be told, she's not exactly the proper English Miss she's lead others to believe she is. She needs someone who will challenge her, and who truly sees her.

Jeremy is suffering from PTSD and survivor's guilt. The Wilde's are discretely helping him deal with all he's been through, but Jeremy has a long way to go. The ton are not kind in their assessment of him, and people question why he was the lone survivor of his regiment. The implications are not nice suggesting he perhaps didn't stay to the last. No one, however, is tougher on him then he is on himself. His thoughts and dreams are haunted with images of what happened, and he questions what he could or should have done differently. He misses those that he lost, but he did all he could have given the impossible position he and his men were put in. He just needs someone to help him realize that and not mince words. He fears something inside him has broken and he's believes he's too damaged to ever be in a relationship again.

I loved this novel so much that I gave it 5 out of 5 roses. The male posturing between Thaddeus and Jeremy was so much fun to watch, especially after Jeremy realized he had feelings for Betsy. Both of these men seemed to be a good match for Betsy, but only one could win her heart. I loved the way Betsy and Jeremy seemed to complete each other, and how each seemed to spring to life when the other was around. Additionally, Thaddeus' mother cracked me up with the way she surprised her son as to her true nature. Plus, I loved the twist I didn't expect or see coming. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one earned a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed. I definitely recommend this one.

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Early Review of Wilde in Love (The Wildes of Lindow Castle, #1) by Eloisa James

Title: Wilde in Love: The Wildes of Lindow Castle
Classification: Adult Fiction
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: The Wildes of Lindow Castle
Format: Paperback; 416 pages
Publisher: Avon (October 31, 2017)
ISBN-10: 0062389475
ISBN-13: 978-0062389473
Author's Website: http://www.eloisajames.com/ 
Notes: I received an eARC loan from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I am also an Avon Addict which means I love the books that Avon publishes enough to volunteer to read as many ARCs and books as they can send my way. So you'll be seeing a lot of books reviewed by me from this publisher. Please note, however, that if I don't like a book, it will be truthfully reflected by a low rating.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Five years ago Lord Alaric Wilde set out to explore the world. Each time he encountered a new or exotic place he wrote about the experience. Unbeknownst to him, over the years, he amassed quite a following--mainly of the female persuasion. So when he finally decided to set sail for home he finds himself swarmed, followed, and propositioned by adoring woman of all ages and walks of life. Adored by all but one--Miss Willa Ffynche--the only one who seems to hold him spellbound.

Willa and her best friend, Lavinia, ruled the ton during this past Season by acting precisely as they had discerned young gentlemen wished them to. They portrayed themselves as young ladies with spirit but docility, spice yet innocence. They came out of the Season with several marriage proposals each, but  as of yet had accepted none. While not quite sure what she is looking for, Willa knows exactly what she's not, and a man who has beautiful woman falling all over him is certainly not the type of husband she wishes to strap herself to. Yet there is something about Lord Alaric which she finds she can't ignore. Dare she take a chance and go against her better judgment?

This is the first book in a new series by Eloisa James and after finishing it, I'm definitely looking forward to reading all the forthcoming stories. This is a lighthearted and charming read that sort of takes a page from the crazed fans of today. It certainly made me speculate as to what kind of individual would cause such a stir during the time period this story takes place, and I wonder how the fans of that era would act. Eloisa James chose for her main character a rakishly dashing young author whose adventures have been romanticized, embellished, and fabricated by some unknown individual in the form of a play entitled, 'Wilde in Love'. Something Lord Alaric Wilde claims never to have been.

Alaric is smart, charming, and has been deliberately staying away from home so as not to have to admit his eldest brother, Horatius, is gone. Horatius died several years ago, and staying away is Alaric's coping mechanism. He's finally decided he needs to face reality and return home. The problem is, his reality has changed drastically because of his fame. Hope of having a normal life may be gone forever.

Willa is a private individual who isn't impressed by Alaric's fame or books. In fact, she's one of the few who has never read one of his novels. She loves reading, but her tastes tend to sway towards nonfiction. While Alaric insists his books are not fiction, the bits and pieces Willa's heard make her believe otherwise. So from the start she hates the fact he stirs something in her that no other man has been able to.

Overall, I gave this one 4 out of 5 roses. It was a very charming, funny, sexy, and lighthearted read with a touch of drama thrown in for good measure. I liked the silliness associated with the play (it reminded me a touch of that silly book often quoted in Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series), the slow seduction of Willa by Alaric, and the antics of all of those around them. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one earned a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.

Review, Excerpt, and Giveaway of A Gentleman Never Tells (Essex Sisters #4.5) by Eloisa James

Available now in eBook format:

A GENTLEMAN NEVER TELLS
A novella by Eloisa James 

~ About the Book ~

A witty, sexy novella about a virgin widow and a rake with something to prove...

Eighteen months ago, Lizzie Troutt’s husband died in his mistress’s bed, leaving her determined to never marry again….and unfortunately virginal.

Eighteen years ago (give or take a few) the Honorable Oliver Berwick blackened his own soul, leaving him hardened and resolutely single.

When the chance for redemption in the form of a country house party invitation comes his way, Oliver is determined to prove himself a gentleman.

Until he breaks all the codes of gentlemanly behavior…once again.

~ Read an excerpt ~

August 13, 1826
Telford Manor
Fontwell, Sussex

“I would prefer to take supper on a tray.” Lizzie didn’t look up from her book, because meeting her sister’s eyes would only encourage her.
She should have known Catrina wouldn’t back down. “Lizzie Troutt, your husband died over a year ago.”
“Really?” Lizzie murmured, turning a page. “How time flies.” In fact, Adrian had died eighteen months, two weeks, and four days ago.
In his mistress’s bed.
“Lizzie,” Cat said ominously, sounding more like an older sister—which she was—with every word, “if you don’t get out of that bed, I shall drag you out. By your hair!”
Lizzie felt a spark of real annoyance. “You already dragged me to your house for this visit. The least you could do is to allow me to read my book in peace.”
“Ever since you arrived yesterday, all you’ve done is read!” Cat retorted.
“I like reading. And forgive me if I point out that Tolbert is not precisely a hotbed of social activity.” Cat and her husband, Lord Windingham, lived deep in Suffolk, in a dilapidated manor house surrounded by fields of sheep.
“That is precisely why we gather friends for dinner. Lord Dunford-Dale is coming tonight, and I need you to even the numbers. That means getting up, Lizzie. Bathing. Doing your hair. Putting on a gown that hasn’t been dyed black would help, too. You look like a dispirited crow, if you want the truth.”
Lizzie didn’t want the truth. In fact, she felt such a stab of anger that she had to fold her lips tightly together or she would scream at Cat.
It wasn’t her sister’s fault. It wasn’t anyone’s fault except her late husband’s, and he was definitely late—i.e., dead.
“I know you feel ashamed to be in company,” her sister continued, energetically digging her own grave, as far as Lizzie was concerned. “Unfortunately, most people are aware the circumstances of your marriage, not to mention the fact that Adrian was so imprudent as to die away from home.”
That was one way of putting it.
Imprudent.
“You make it sound as if he dropped a teacup,” Lizzie observed, unable to stop herself. “I would call the fact that Adrian died in the act of tupping Sadie Sprinkle inconsiderate in the extreme.”
“I refuse to allow you to wither away in bed simply because your husband was infatuated with Shady Sadie,” Cat said, using the term by which the gossip rags had referred to Adrian’s mistress. “You must put all that behind you. Sadie has another protector, and you are out of mourning. It’s time to stop hiding.”
“I am not hiding,” Lizzie said, stung. “I take fresh air and moderate exercise every day. I simply like reading in bed. Or in a chair.”
Or anywhere else, to tell the truth. Reading in a peaceful garden was an excellent way to take fresh air.
“Moderate exercise,” her sister said with palpable loathing. “You used to ride every day, for pleasure. We would practice archery on a fine day like this, or roam about the countryside, not sit inside reading.”
“Adrian’s stables were part of the entail, and went to his cousin,” Lizzie said, turning the page. She hadn’t read a word, but she was hoping that a show of indifference would drive her sister from the room.
“Not the mare that Papa gave you when you turned fourteen!” her sister gasped.
Showing masterly control, Lizzie didn’t roll her eyes. “A wife has no true possessions,” she said flatly. “Under the law, they belong to her husband, and Perdita was, therefore, transferred to the heir."
“Oh, Lizzie,” Cat said, her voice woeful.
“It wasn’t so terrible,” Lizzie said, meaning it. “I went to the auction, and Perdita went to a family with a young girl. I’m certain that she is well cared for and happy.”
“Do you realize that by staying home and wearing black, you give the illusion that you are grieving for your husband?”
Lizzie’s hands tightened around her book. “Do you know what being a widow entails, Cat?”
“Wearing ugly black dresses for the rest of your natural life?”
“It means that I never again need put myself under the control of a man—any man. So, no, I have no interest in joining you at dinner. I know perfectly well that Lord Dimble-Dumble has been summoned to audition as my next husband. I don’t want him. I’d be more likely to come to dinner if you had invited the butcher.”
“I couldn’t do that,” Cat said, in a sudden digression. “Mr. Lyddle has developed a most unfortunate addiction to strong ale, and he’s regularly found lying about in the gutter singing, rather than butchering meat.”
“Who does the butchering now?” Lizzie asked, deciding to take a walk to the village and see this interesting musical event herself.
“His wife. My housekeeper says that she can get better cuts at a lower price these days. You’re trying to distract me with talk of singing drunkards,” Cat said, unfairly. “Let’s discuss your future.”
“Let’s not.”
“We might begin with the fact that you were never in love with Adrian.” Cat began walking around the bedchamber, waving her hands as she waxed eloquent about her late brother-in-law’s flaws.
She was preaching to the choir, so Lizzie stopped listening and just watched Cat pacing back and forth. How could it be that her older sister was positively frothing with life and energy and passion, while Lizzie felt like a tired, pale shadow?
Her hand crept toward her book. It wasn’t the most interesting novel in the world, but it had the inexpressible charm of being new.
Over the last eighteen months, Lizzie had read every novel she owned three times over. She would be quickly bankrupted if she bought more than two books a week, so one of the best things about visiting Telford Manor was access to her sister’s library.
Cat appeared to be hopeless at arranging a refurbishment of the manor—which desperately needed it—but she was very good at ordering novels. And clothing. If Lizzie looked like a black crow, Cat was a chic French peacock.
Lizzie raised her knees, surreptitiously propped her book against them, and slipped back in the story of Eveline, a sixteen-year-old girl being forced to marry an old man. She herself had been twenty when she walked down the aisle.
On the shelf.
Beggars can’t be choosers, her father had told her.
Her book suddenly vanished. “No reading!”
Cat was holding the novel above her head, for all the world as if they were children again. Lizzie used to hope that someday she’d grow up to be as commanding as her sister, but she had given up that idea long ago.
It wasn’t just a question of height. Her sister was the type of person who gathered everyone in a room around her, and Lizzie was the type of person whom they walked over on their way to be with Cat.
That sounded resentful, but Lizzie didn’t actually feel bitter. She would hate to be the center of attention. She wound her arms around her knees and propped her chin on them. “Cat, may I have my book back, please? It was a hard journey, and I’m tired.”
“What do you mean, a hard journey? It can’t have been more than a day and a half!”
“My coach is over twenty years old and the springs are worn out. It bounced so hard on the post road that I couldn’t keep my eyes on the page, and my tailbone still hurts.”
“If your jointure won’t extend to a new vehicle, Joshua or Papa would be happy to buy you a coach.”
Lizzie turned her head, putting her right cheek on her knees, and closed her eyes. “No.”
She heard her sister drop into the chair by the side of the bed. Then she heard a sigh. “Papa is getting old, Lizzie. He made a terrible mistake, and he knows it. He misses you. If you would just pay him a visit . . .”
“No.”
Why would she visit the father who had turned her away when she ran to him in desperation? The father who had known precisely what a disaster her marriage would be, but didn’t bother to warn her?
An hour or so after their wedding ceremony, Adrian had brought Lizzie, still wrapped in her bridal veil, to his mother’s faded, musty house, and informed her that he had no intention of living with her.
Not only that, but he was late to meet his lover for tea.

~ The Review ~

Title: A Gentleman Never Tells (A Novella)
Classification: Adult Fiction
Genre: Historical Romance
Format: eBook
File Size: 852 KB
Print Length: 160 pages
Publisher: Avon Impulse (June 28, 2016)
Publication Date: June 28, 2016
Sold by: HarperCollins Publishers
ASIN: B01DIV0QEM
Notes: This is a Novella and I bought it from Amazon.

Once upon a time a father had a grand plan to marry his daughter off to a titled man. It did not end well. Four years later, the daughter, while titled, emerged from the marriage a widow with low self esteem who was the laughing stock of the ton. Her husband had died in the his mistress' bed whom he'd abandoned her for. She's now resolved to never marry again.

Her sister, Cat, is determined to bring back the young woman who used to love to laugh at a good joke and ride a horse like the wind. At the center of her plan is the Honorable Oliver Berwick. A man she believes is the perfect person to change her sister Lizzie's mind about marriage. She's decided a house party is the perfect way to get the two together.

This was a fun novella that I enjoyed reading from beginning to end. While a short story, it read like a full length book. By that I mean it didn't feel rushed or lacking as some short stories do.

They say the deepest scars are the ones you can't see, and that is certainly true for Lizzie. She's been betrayed left and right by the men in her life and her sister's husband is the only exception. It's her sister's marriage that sparks the only hope that marriage can be something wonderful. Rather than risk getting into another horrible marriage, Lizzie has chosen to hide from the world and lick her wounds in private. The girl who once had such high hopes for life now has none.

Oliver Berwick has a bit of a Knight in Shining Armor complex. Something about Lizzie speaks to him and he finds himself wanting to make her smile, laugh, and eat. He wants to lure the beautiful woman he sees before him into truly living again. He also finds himself having not so honorable thoughts about her as well.

Why is the novella called, A Gentleman Never Tells? It's because of the following:
“Would you mind being seduced by me?” 
“Mind? Of course I’d mind!” He moved so quickly that she couldn’t stop him. He turned his back so she was shielded from the other players and then kissed her hard so that longing rose in her stomach like a storm, making her knees weak and her breath fast. He didn’t stop until she was boneless, leaning against him like a hussy. 
(...)
“Do you consider me a woman of—of ill repute?” she whispered. She meant to scold him by the question, but it came out a simple inquiry. 
“Absolutely not.” 
“You wouldn’t tell anyone?” 
“A gentleman never tells.” 

Overall, I gave this one 4 out of 5 roses. It was a sweet, sexy, and fun story that left me smiling. I wish it had contained a little more drama and had been extended into a full length novel, but it did what it was meant to do--leave the reader wanting more. If you haven't done so already, there are four full length stories associated with this series that you can read. They are listed toward the end of the post. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this novella earned a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.

~ About the Author ~

ELOISA JAMES
Check out Eloisa's website - http://www.eloisajames.com/

Follow her on Twitter – https://twitter.com/eloisajames

'Like' her on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/eloisajames

ELOISA JAMES is a New York Times best-selling author and professor of English literature who lives with her family in New York, but can sometimes be found in Paris or Italy. She is the mother of two and, in a particularly delicious irony for a romance writer, is married to a genuine Italian knight. Visit her at www.eloisajames.com

~ Giveaway ~ 
One lucky winner will receive a complete set of the Essex Sisters series:

To get to the rafflecopter giveaway, CLICK HERE

~ Buy the Novella ~

  A Gentleman Never Tells: A Novella

~ Read the Essex Sisters series ~
Order of the series:

Much Ado About You (Essex Sisters, book 1)

Kiss Me, Annabel (Essex Sisters Series Book 2)

The Taming of the Duke (Essex Sisters, book 3)

Pleasure for Pleasure (Essex Sisters, book 4)

Early Review of Three Weeks With Lady X (Desperate Duchesses, #7) by Eloisa James

Title: Three Weeks With Lady X (Desperate Duchesses)
Series: Desperate Duchesses
Classification: Adult Fiction
Genre: Historical Romance
Format: Paperback; 400 pages
Publisher: Avon (March 25, 2014)
ISBN-10: 0062223895
ISBN-13: 978-0062223890 

Author's Website: http://www.eloisajames.com/
Notes: I received a eARC loan from the publisher.

Tobias 'Thorne' Dautry was looking for a woman who'd warm his bed, have and nurture his children, and was gently bred to counteract the unfortunate circumstances of his own birth. His children would not be treated with the disrespect that society had shown him. He thinks he's found the perfect woman to do just that-- Miss Laetitia Rainsford. He just needs to convince her parents, and he'll do whatever is necessary to gain her hand.

Lady Xenobia 'Lady X' India St. Clair wants to start a family and the thing that scares her the most about marriage is the fact another individual, her husband, would be in charge of every aspect of her life--what she could do, whom she could see, where she could go, etc. She is looking for a man who will let her be in charge and won't try to control her.

One letter, however, will put these two in each other's path and change everything:

"I know how much your are in demand, but I write with the faint hope that you are free. His Grace's eldest son, Tobias Dautry, has recently acquired a country estate just outside London called Starberry Court. It likely needs some refurbishing, although Tobais bought it with its contents intact. He is courting Miss Laetitia Rainsford and he wishes to ensure that the house is in suitable condition before he invites her parents to the country. Naturally, I told him that you were the only person I would trust in such an endeavor." 

Lady X and Thorn will spend the next thee weeks in close proximity of one another at Straberry Court, a residence carrying the previous owner's taint from using it to entertain guests in a most inappropriate fashion (some would liken it to a house of ill repute which guests didn't have to pay for) and transform it into a suitable household for a wife and family.

 Sometimes what one thinks they want is not always what they need.

This is the 7th book in the Desperate Duchesses series. It should be noted that this is not the first we've seen of Tobias. As a young street urchin, he was known as Juby and as such made an appearance in two of Eloisa's earlier novels--'The Duchess of Mine' and 'A Duke of Her Own'. While it's unnecessary to read any previous books in the Desperate Duchesses series, it might be enjoyable to see the before and after versions of Tobias side by side. I believe I've read both the books Tobias is mentioned in, but may have to read them again just for that sneak peek at how he was in younger years.

Lady Xenobia India St. Clair is in high demand not only by the men in society but by the women too. She has spent the past ten years building a career out of refurbishing and reordering the households of London's most elite with the help of her godmother, Lady Adelaide Swift. Over that time, she's received both indecent and respectable proposals from various male members of the ton. She's never been tempted to accept either type of offer. Goodness knows, once she marries, her husband would have total control over all she does and that is a scary endeavor. She'd learned a valuable lesson as a child when she had to rely on her parents for everything. They often forgot to do the little things--like feed her--and she never wishes to be that vulnerable ever again. The whole experience had left her with issues of trust. Now she's decided it's time to face her fears and settle down and start a family. She just needs to find the right man. A man who is malleable and easily manipulated. The one thing I love about Lady X is that she knows her own self worth and has managed to survive on her own terms since the age of 14 or 15 (double check) when her parents left her practically penniless.

Tobias Dautry comes from humble beginnings. He is the bastard son of a Duke and an Opera singer who'd both abandoned him early on in life. He lived a life on the streets for twelve years that very nearly killed him before his father decided to take an interest in his illegitimate offspring. He's grown into the type of man who likes to control all aspects of his life and everyone in it. Being as he's rich as Midas, he usually gets away with it.

While wise in many respects, Tobias' thoughts of women are that they are interchangeable, with the exception of his stepmother, whom he's grown very fond of and whom he feels they broke the mold after she was made. So his requirements for a wife are rather lax in that he only wants three things in a wife--someone who comes from a good family, someone whom he is attracted physically to, and most importantly someone who will never abandon her children as his mother did him. What I don't think he realizes is that he would like a love match like his father and stepmother have. To him, however, it seems like something out of his reach perhaps due to the lack of affection he received as a child. I think his mother's abandonment affected him more than he realizes and  he doesn't have a good grasp on how to show his affection.

What I loved about these two is that both thought they knew exactly the kind of individual they wanted to marry, but were both wrong. I liked seeing these two get to know one another over the course of three weeks. They're first impressions of one another were not very high, but through correspondence and meetings they get to know each other in a way they probably wouldn't have otherwise. Each needs someone who will challenge as well as respect them. I enjoyed seeing Tobias realize a woman could do more than warm his bed, she can be someone he could confide in and have valid opinions worth considering. I admit at times I wondered what each was thinking as they did things which had me shaking my head, but in the end everything gets ironed out. Additionally, the grand gesture Tobias makes at the end while incredibly foolhardy was also incredibly romantic and for this reason I gave this book 4 1/2 out of 5 roses.  On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one scores a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.

Early Review of The Ugly Duchess (Fairy Tales #4) by Eloisa James

• Title: The Ugly Duchess
• Classification: Adult Fiction
• Genre:  Historical Romance
• Format: Paperback, 384 pages
• Publisher: Avon (August 28, 2012)
• ISBN-10: 0062021737
• ISBN-13: 978-0062021731

Author's Website: http://www.eloisajames.com/

Once upon a time there was a young heiress and young Earl who were best friends. They could tell the other anything and everything. Their parents had been best friends, as well, and when Theo's father passed, James' father took Theo and her mother in. They were raised as brother and sister living under the same roof. Then one day James' father, the Duke of Ashbrook, did something that would change everything....

     “You’ll have to marry her. I don’t care if you think of her as a sister: from now on, she’s the Golden Fleece to you.”

     James Ryburn, Earl of Islay, and heir to the Duchy of Ashbrook, opened his mouth to say something, but a mixture of fury and disbelief choked the words.

     His father turned and walked toward the far wall of the library, acting as if he’d said nothing particularly out of the ordinary. “We need her fortune to repair the Staffordshire estate and pay a few debts, or we’re going to lose it all, this townhouse included.”
     “What have you done?” James spat the words. A terrible feeling of dread was spreading through his limbs.

__________________

They say secrets have a way of revealing themselves at the most inconvenient moments and that is what James was afraid of when he decided to go through with his father's plans to marry Daisy (aka Theo). So as you can guess that's precisely what happened. But this secret wasn't revealed in a normal way. It was revealed in such an embarrassing and humiliating way that it could scar a person. It also left James and his father packing and Theo's heart breaking in its wake.

James truly cared for Theo and would never wish to do anything to hurt her. At first he refused to give in to his father's plan, but once he realized the extent of what his father had done, he reluctantly gave in.   He'd planned to disclose all to Theo eventually, but sometimes things don't work out as planned. Additionally, Theodora Saxby didn't live up to the standard mitigated by the ton for beauty--her face was too angular, her chin too strong and her nose too long. It was for those reasons that shortly after their marriage, the papers declared her 'The Ugly Duchess'. So two days into her marriage she felt betrayed, used, humiliated, ugly and abandoned as she lost not only her husband, but her best friend as well.

This was a great story, but I kept wishing the time between the couple splitting and being reunited was shorter. Seven years is a long time. Additionally, some people may take issue with the fact that while married but separated, one of the two has an affair.

I liked how Theodora and James reinvented themselves during their separation, each growing up a little. Theo became a woman to be admired while James became a pirate and gained a better sense of himself and what he wanted. I believe it was his pirate nature as along with other events that finally made him decide to invade Theo's world and try to plunder the bounty of her heart. Let me just say I loved the way he went about it.

I loved the chemistry between Theo and James. It sizzled and scorched the pages as passion encapsulated the two. Hmm...perhaps I should have used a different metaphor that tied in the pirate theme? How about James shivered Theo's timbers. *smirk* I must say the man had me swooning.

While pirates have been around for a long time in romances I can't help but wonder if this marks the beginning of a new invasion of them into our romances?  This is the second or third romance I've recently read with a pirate hero. I'm definitely crossing my fingers.

Overall I gave this one 4 out of 5 roses. The book had me hooked from start to finish and left me smiling in its wake. I loved the way Ms. James tied the Ugly Duckling story into this book and made it her own. I loved both James and Theo and wanted to throttle James' father. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one earned a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.

Order of the series (reading in order not required) :

Paris in Love: A Memoir by Eloisa James

• Title: Paris in Love: A Memoir
• Classification: Adult Nonfiction
• Genre: Memoir
• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Random House (April 3, 2012)
• ISBN-10: 1400069564
• ISBN-13: 978-1400069569

Author's Website: http://www.eloisajames.com/

Cancer, when it rears its ugly head at you or a loved one, shows no mercy. If you're lucky, you can catch it in time and banish it. It is an indiscriminate killer and it can seemingly strike anyone at random. When a person is faced with this disease they can choose to fight or succumb. Luckily, Ms. James caught her cancer in time and fought and won her battle. Her mother however, was not so lucky. Two weeks before her own diagnosis, Eloisa's mother had lost her battle with cancer and passed away. Cancer makes us face our own mortality head on and makes a person get their priorities straight. How did Ms. James deal with the reality check she was given? Well, after getting an okay from her doctor, she basically ran away from home and to Paris, in an attempt to leave all her worries behind. I wish we all could do this as it seems like a very therapeutic thing to do. To take a sabbatical from our daily lives and fully enjoy it for a while. If you could do such a thing, where would you want to go or do? Think about it. Eloisa James did and then she and her family acted upon it.

So the first thing you might wonder about "Paris in Love" is if it is a book about a woman obsessed with cancer who talks about it and her experience with it? The answer is it definitely is not. It's basically a book about living life and enjoying what you have. It's about looking at the wonder of it all (life) and at finding the humor in it. It's also about family and friends and making the time to appreciate  each other.

The book gives you an insight into the daily life of Eloisa James and her family as they attempt to blend in to life in Paris for a year. It gives you a taste of the city itself as well as its people. You get glimpses of places Eloisa traveled to such as Italy, Germany, and London as well. She paints the reader a picture upon her pages with words and humor:

- 'People kiss all the time here: romantically, sadly, sweetly, passionately; in greeting and farewell...I hadn't realized that Anna had noticed until yesterday when I suggested perhaps a single-mother situation in her classroom could be explained by divorce. Anna didn't agree. "They don't get divorced here," she reported. "It's 'cause they kiss so much."'

- 'French chickens come with heads and feet still attached...my butcher cradles the bird like a baby, then waggles its head toward Anna, Turning the bird into a clucking version of Jaws.'

- 'It's raining...The umbrellas look like wildly colorful mushrooms sprouting from the pavement. From down the street, they seem to bloom, low and colorful against the gray buildings.'

-'Venice is like the dream of a sleeping shopaholic--The little, gorgeous footbridges rise into the air and come down into yet other streets of shop windows, shining with gold, velvet, and glass, The streets blend together as if one were wandering in circles, always presented with more to desire, more to buy.' 

Eloisa also lets us follow the drama her daughter faces with an arch rival at school. As she puts it, "Every Peter Pan has his Hook, Harry Potter his Malfoy...Anna's nemesis is Domitilla." Plus, we get to follow the lovelorn meanderings of Florent, Alessandro's language exchange partner--Florent attempts to help improve Alessandro's French while Alessandro helps Florent with his Italian. Alessandro, in case you were wondering, is Eloisa's husband who is originally from Italy. Florent's reason for wanting to learn Italian is that he has a crush on a waitress he met in Italy and would like to converse with her. Eloisa gives us her insight on whether French women truly don't get fat and why they always looks so stylish. Additionally, Eloisa created a list of places to see, things to do, and places to go to buy at the back of the book.

Overall, I found this an enjoyable read. I rated it 4 out of 5 roses. I usually don't go for non fiction books, but when you combine Paris and Eloisa James, I just couldn't resist. I found Ms. James' daily observations charming, witty, thoughtful and humorous. I can't help but wonder if perhaps Eloisa's bad hair year might have somehow reflected a bit of what was going on in her own life. She started out not quite herself, but slowly after a year of healing for both the body and soul, while living in Paris enjoying life, she once again resembles her former self. In the introduction Eloisa states, "I never learned to live in the moment, but I did learn that moments could be wasted and the world would continue to spin on its axis." She brings things full circle at the end when she claims, "We learned to waste our moments--together."

Sneak Peek of Paris In Love by Eloisa James

Paris in Love: A Memoir by Eloisa James, New York Times Best Selling Author chronicles her joyful year in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

With no classes to teach, no committee meetings to attend, no lawn to mow or cars to park, Eloisa revels in the ordinary pleasures of life—discovering corner museums that tourists overlook, chronicling Frenchwomen's sartorial triumphs, walking from one end of Paris to another. She copes with her Italian husband's notions of quality time; her two hilarious children, ages eleven and fifteen, as they navigate schools—not to mention puberty—in a foreign language; and her mother-in-law Marina's raised eyebrow in the kitchen (even as Marina overfeeds Milo, the family dog).

Paris in Love invites the reader into the life of a most enchanting family, framed by la ville de l'amour.

Excerpt: Paris in Love by Eloisa James (an excerpt)

The Duke Is Mine (Fairy Tales, #3) by Eloisa James

• Title: The Duke Is Mine
• Classification: Adult Fiction
• Genre: Historical Romance/Fairy Tale Remake (Princess and the Pea)
• Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Avon; Original edition (December 27, 2011)
• ISBN-10: 0062021281
• ISBN-13: 978-0062021281

Author's Website: http://www.eloisajames.com/

Once upon a time a commoner made a pact with a Duke. The Duke's first born son and the commoner's first born daughter would wed. Sometimes even the best made plans go awry because fate has other plans...

Olivia and Rupert were betrothed before either of them were ever born. Olivia's father and the Duke of Canterwick became best friends while at Eton and made a pact that the Duke's first born son and Olivia's father's first born daughter would wed. Olivia and her sister were raised to be perfect Duchesses studying all the things a proper Duchess should know and then some. Her fiance, however, wasn't quite right in the head. His father stated his son "wasn't breathing at birth, and the doctors believe that had an effect on his brain." That is the true reason the Duke agreed to let the pact stand and allow her to marry his son. He needed someone who could run things for his son and Olivia has the brains and the temperament to do so. Olivia had resigned herself to her fate many years ago and while she might not be ecstatic about it, she had accepted it. That, however, was before she met Tarquin (aka Quin), the Duke of Sconce...

Rupert, Olivia's intended, has decided he will not marry until he has won "glory" for his family name by fighting in the war. He is the type of individual who cannot be reasoned with once he's made up his mind. Before going off, however, the official betrothal contract was signed with the understanding that the said fiances would "shake the sheets" prior to the actual marriage in case the future Duke, his father's only heir, should be killed. Hence, whether the actual marriage ever came to be, if Olivia should find herself with child, her son would be in line for the title of  Duke. While Olivia did not seek out another fate than the one she had been dealt, sometimes even the best laid plans have a way of not working out.

When Olivia meets Quin he is in the market for a wife. Her sister, Georgiana, is one of the front runners for the vacant position. Going by common interests and the like, Georgiana and Quin seem perfect for each other. The only problem is that Quin is instantly attracted to Olivia. The sparks between the two are instantaneous and their first meeting starts off with a very steamy scene. That may partially be due to the fact she was caught in the rain after an accident and the outfit she wore once soaked, left little to the imagination.

Now Olivia is in quite a predicament. She doesn't wish to betray either her sister or Rupert, but the lure of having a love match is much more appealing than her current circumstance. Dare she even hope the Duke could ever be hers?

Where is the fairy tale tie in to the Princess and the Pea? ***Slight Spoiler Alert*** Well, toward the end Olivia becomes a prisoner of sorts and is held in a cell. To keep the damp off of her some of the guards donated their mattresses to her---14. At one point a sympathetic guard leaves a key under one of the mattresses. Hence, it might not be a pea, but key does rhyme with it. lol ***End of Spoiler***

I usually love Eloisa James' books I could only give this one a 2.5 out of 5 roses. Sorry Ms. James. I didn't find the attempted "tryst" with Rupert very funny and while I sympathized with Olivia's plight, I didn't really care for the way the situation was handled. ***Slight Spoiler Alert***Additionally, I thought the turnabout in Georgia's feelings toward the Duke of Sconce a bit too quick. One minute she thinks she's found 'The One' and the next there are no sparks without event a kiss? Seemed a bit too hasty and convenient to me. Perhaps it was a very loyal and perceptive sister's way of letting her sister be happy? I just wasn't sure.***End of Spoiler*** Also, the whole France encounter and mattresses just seemed rather odd. I kind of felt like the author decided at the last minute to try to make the story tie in to a fairy tale. So while I really liked the middle, the beginning and the end just didn't have that special quality I usually find in Ms. James' books. Hence, my 2.5 rose rating. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, however, this one gets a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.