"Four Fabulous Summer Reads"
Dancing in the Duke's Arms
By: Carolyn Jewel
Genres: Romance Anthology | Romance Historical
Posted: July 10, 2015
He has a soft place in his heart for his nephew and he is more than a little bit in like with Ellen MacHugh, his nephew's governess. The Duke is feeling pressure from his friends and relatives. His Grandmother is insisting that he find a suitable wife.
Ellen has given her notice which has upset his routine and made him uneasy. And to make things worse, Hardcastle's best friend, the Duke of Sedgemere, has invited him, his nephew and Ellen MacHugh to a two - week house party.
Ellen is asked to attend the house party as a guest and Hardcastle's reaction is fabulous--he requests or rather demands that Ellen and he pretend that they are interested in each other.
Loved, loved these two main characters their passionate romance. And the ending of the story was fabulous--it brought tears to my eyes! Just perfect!
I read author Shana Galen's Waiting For A Duke Like You in one afternoon. The unlikely romance between the handsome Nathan Cauley, the Duke of Wyndover and the indifferent Princess Vivienne held my attention.
I loved that the two main characters are a different from most regency novels. Nathan is the beautiful, handsome Duke who longs for a duchess who will love him; not just his handsome face.
Princess Vivienne is a fascinating character. She is a survivor and very politically astute and trusts no one.
This fast paced opposites attracts story is extraordinary! Fans of Ms. Galen will love the elements of suspense and humor she has infused into this passionate and adventure filled story! Loved, loved the ending and the epilogue is marvelous!
A scheduling error has created a problem for Bentinck Travers, the Duke Linton and Althea, his wife in Miranda Neville's Duchess of Scandal. The couple ,who have been separated for five years, are forced to spend time together at the Duke's country estate.
Their story appealed to me and drew me in immediately. I wondered if the couple could get past their past mistakes and misconceptions of each other and make their marriage whole.
Loved the piano duet scene where Linton notices that his wife has matured and Althea silently reveals her true feelings for her reserved Duke. Another stand out scene was the cleverly written card game where Nigel, Nick, Linton and Althea play whist. Several of the characters true feelings and motivations were revealed in this scene.
Loved the novel's noble and reserved hero and his appealing Duchess, the minor characters of Althea's brother Nick and Nigel Speck and all of the events leading up to the Dukeries Cup race. Enjoyed reading every word in this novella and the ending was awesome!
Carolyn Jewel's An Unsuitable Duchess is a wonderful story which blends the opposites attract and second chance at romance themes.
Stoke Teversault, the Duke of Teversault has a reputation for being cold, shrewd and calculating. Stoke was attracted to vivacious Georgina "George' Lark several years ago. He hesitated and missed his chance as George married a friend. George, now widowed, and her sister are staying at Stoke's home for two weeks to attend the Dukeries Cup race and ball.
Teversault is very attracted to George and needed to come to terms with his feelings for her before deciding to pursue her. Loved the scavenger hunt scene when Stoke finds a copy of the scavenger hunt map, outwits the rest of the group and finds and hides the fact that he has found the golden apple that George has offered as a prize. George explains why she offered the golden apple as the gift and Stoke's reaction is priceless.
I wondered if these two very different people could find happiness with each other. Enjoyed the many scenes with Stoke, George, William and Kitty--great dialogue and insight to the characters and their motivations. There were several surprises along the way as the story reached it's conclusion --- and the ending was wonderful!
DANCING IN THE DUKE'S ARMS is a true collaboration. Each author was true to their own writing style within the anthology format. What stands out the most to me is that each author contributed an original story written for this anthology and that there was continuity within each of the four novellas. Characters appeared throughout each of the stories and there was a common setting and theme which added to the feel of the stories. Kudos to the authors!!
Book Summary
Why Do Dukes Fall in Love? Every summer the cream of society gathers at the Dukeries, named for the ducal estates concentrated in one small corner of Nottinghamshire. While the entertainments include parties, balls, and a famous boat race, the ducal hosts and their guests find adventure, passion, and happy ever afters.
Four heartwarming stories from four bestselling authors of historical romance.
MAY I HAVE THIS DUKE? by Grace Burrowes The trouble with houseparties... Gerard Hammersley, Duke of Hardcastle, is dragooned by an old friend into attending a house party, though Hardcastle refuses to fall prey to the matchmakers who relish such gatherings. He recruits his nephew's prim, prickly governess, Miss Ellen MacHugh, to preserve him from being compromised by the conniving debutantes, and offers in exchange to deflect the drunken viscounts who plague Ellen.
Is that they must end. Ellen agrees to Hardcastle's scheme for two reasons. First, she's been attracted to His Grace since the day she laid eyes on him, and knows that behind Hardcastle's lack of charm lies a ferociously loyal and faithful heart. Second, she's departing from Hardcastle's household at the conclusion of the house party, and two weeks safeguarding His Grace's bachelorhood is as much pleasure--and as much torment--as she can endure before she leaves him.
WAITING FOR A DUKE LIKE YOU by Shana Galen There's no such thing as the perfect hero... Nathan Cauley, tenth Duke of Wyndover, is so handsome ladies swoon--literally swoon. His blond hair and blue eyes certainly draw attention at the Duke of Sedgemere's house party, but Nathan doesn't want a fawning young miss for his duchess. He stumbles upon a bedraggled woman sleeping under Sedgemere's bridge, and his protective instincts stir. When he recognizes her as the princess he fell in love with eight years before, he's determined to win not only her affections but her heart.
Or is there? After revolutionaries massacre Princess Vivienne's family, she and the head of her guard flee to England. Before they can reach London to beg asylum, assassins kill the last of her defenders. Vivienne is alone and on the run when the Duke of Wyndover comes to her rescue. She barely remembers meeting him years before, and isn't comfortable with gentlemen who are more attractive than she is. Nathan is more than a pretty face, though, and when the assassins return, he might just prove to be the duke Vivienne has been waiting for.
DUCHESS OF SCANDAL by Miranda Neville Too Many Scandals After months of marriage, the Duke of Linton agreed to live apart from his wife. Thrown together due to a scheduling error, Linton finds Althea still has the power to make his heart race. Linton seems different from the critical, indifferent man Althea married. But though she burns for him as a lover, can she trust him to be the husband she needs?
AN UNSUITABLE DUCHESS by Carolyn Jewel
Is she an unsuitable duchess, or the perfect lover?
The Duke of Stoke Teversault has well earned his reputation for bloodless calculation. Indeed, recently widowed Georgina Lark has no idea he's loved her since before her late husband swept her off her feet. Stoke Teversault means to keep it that way. The cold and forbidding duke and the blithe and open Georgina could not be less suited in any capacity. And yet, when Georgina and her sister arrive at his home, his ice-bound heart may melt away.
Georgina Lark has never thought of the Duke of Stoke Teversault as a man capable of inducing passion in anyone. He's long disapproved of her, but she will be forever grateful to him for his assistance after her husband died. It's been a year since she's realized he's not the man she thought. Can she find a way to convince him to open his heart to her?
Read an Excerpt
by: Carolyn Jewel
Self Published
July 1, 2015
On Sale: June 23, 2015
Featuring:
330 pages
ISBN: 1514165406
EAN: 9781514165409
Kindle: B00YK9AOBC
Paperback / e-Book