How to Romance a Rake (Ugly Ducklings #2)

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How to Romance a Rake (Ugly Ducklings #2)

by Manda Collins (Goodreads Author)

3.9 of 5 stars 3.90 · rating details · 451 ratings · 69 reviews

You can lead a wallflower to the ball, but you can’t make her bloom—unless one daring young bachelor turns up the heat…

What’s a nice girl like Miss Juliet Shelby doing at a place like Lord Deveril’s ballroom? With her shy demeanor, she’s a total stranger to the dance floor and a source of mockery for the ton. So imagine her surprise when Deveril gallantly comes to her defe...more

Paperback, 336 pages

Published July 31st 2012 by St. Martin's Paperbacks (first published January 1st 2012)

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2012 Historical Romance Novels

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Aug 13, 2012 Joy (Cheery♡Reads) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance-highlanders, i-own, july-2012, manda-collins

It is just soooooo good and I'm so sad to have finished it in one seating. I was really impatient for the release of How to Romance a Rake and pre-ordered it in Amazon Kindle. Doesn't matter that it's priced the same as a paperback because by the time the paperback arrives, I think I've already wilted from the waiting.

How to Romance a Rake was a really sweet, cute and romantic read. I always have a penchant bluestocking heroines and Juliet was one along with her other two cousins. What more tha...more

2 likes · like · see review

Nov 12, 2012 Susanne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: genre-regency-romance, best-heroes, giggles, perfect-for-me, comfort-reads

Delightful! This book was really delightful! Sometimes you get lulled into thinking that books with lower ratings can't possibly be good and that was the way I thought about the Ugly ducklings series. I was recommended this book when looking for books with damaged heroines and picked it up. It was great in that respect and it was great in all other aspects.

Juliet is crippled and a wallflower but her friend married Alec's friend so now they move in the same circle. Juliet's friend goes missing an...more

4 likes · like · see review

Oct 18, 2012 Jaclyn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, favourites

I really enjoyed reading the second book in Manda Collins Ugly Duckings series. I had just finished the first book and I was on the fence about the series but I really wanted to read Juliet's story, so I ended up buying the ebook when it turned out that my library did not have a copy. And I was not disappointed. The romance between Juliet and Alec was adorable, and the whole book was just a lighthearted read; there wasn't a lot of drama between Alec and Juliet and how they finally got together,...more

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Aug 06, 2012 Laura the Highland Hussy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Review posted on Demon Lover's books and More

***Quick Note: If you read the author’s note at the beginning of the book, it may spoil something for you. But on the other hand, it will also let you know what happened to Juliet before the characters in the book know. Just an FYI for you guys.***

I found I quite enjoyed this book. Juliet Shelby hasn’t danced at a ball, she’s a self-confirmed Wallflower, and she’s even been dubbed by one of the other debutantes as one of the “Ugly Ducklings.” The “Ugl...more Review posted on Demon Lover's books and More

***Quick Note: If you read the author’s note at the beginning of the book, it may spoil something for you. But on the other hand, it will also let you know what happened to Juliet before the characters in the book know. Just an FYI for you guys.***

I found I quite enjoyed this book. Juliet Shelby hasn’t danced at a ball, she’s a self-confirmed Wallflower, and she’s even been dubbed by one of the other debutantes as one of the “Ugly Ducklings.” The “Ugly Ducklings” include Juliet, and her two cousins. Not one of the girls is ugly, of course, but that doesn’t stop the mean gossips. No one knows what happened, or why she limps, but they have no problem speculating and making rude comments.

At one particularly trying ball, Juliet tries to find a peaceful place to sit down and avoid everyone else, but the Mean Girls Ladies Amelia and Felicia are in there gossiping about her. She overhears all, is completely humiliated, and then Lord Deveril comes to her defense! She was amazed and awed that he, the perfect Lord Deveril, would come to her aid. Then he asks the unthinkable- might he teach her to dance?
Alec has spent his life fixing his family’s reputation-his father had been known as Devil Deveril, and for good reason. One of the things Alec figures he should do is find a bride. He’s been thinking of proposing to Lady Madeline (Juliet’s cousin), yet it’s Juliet who he can’t get off his mind.

After Juliet’s injury, the one thing she used to overcome the horror and trauma was her music. She plays the piano beautifully and even composes her own music (secretly of course). So when she finds out her friend and music teacher Ana has gone missing, Juliet must find out what happened.

Alec is surprisingly protective and supportive of Juliet, and one thing I really enjoyed was their romance. It was sweet, and sexy, and so wonderful. I couldn’t believe how evil Juliet’s mother was, and I was shocked at the twist at the end. The bad guy was bad all right, but man, her mom was just as bad. And her father?! He didn’t even know!!! (< ---I can’t tell you without a huge spoiler).

But the ending and action were fantastic. I can’t wait for the next book in this series.

***ARC courtesy of the author and St. Martin's Press
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Sep 16, 2012 Christina rated it 4 of 5 stars

I LOVED this book. Alec is by far one of my favorite romance heroes ever...he's in my top 5, which is great considering Mr. Darcy from Pride & Prejudice & Captain Wentworth from Persuasion are in that list. While I enjoy the heroes in romance novels & as titilating as I find the Alpha males, I much prefer the hero that is kind, gentlemanly, protective, does NOT shy away from his feelings, but is still manly without being overbearing. Alec is a PERFECT example. While he never intended...more

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Sep 30, 2012 Amy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-books-of-2012, romance

One of the BEST ROMANCES that I have ever read! I liked it so much that I read it twice!

Juliet Shelby and Lord Alec Deveril are the lead characters in this story, but the supporting characters of Winterson and his lovely bride, Cecily, Lady Madeleine and Colonel Lord Monteith are fabulous.

What makes this story work is that both characters are flawed in some way and they "rescue" each other. They also have good friends to support them.

Juliet has a physically crippling ailment. I HIGHLY recommend...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Pj Ausdenmore rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2012, romance-historical

Miss Juliet Shelby lives on the fringes of the ballroom, a wallflower who does her best to go unnoticed. She wasn't always that way. As a young girl, she was the most animated of the three cousins who have been dubbed the Ugly Ducklings by a spiteful young woman of the ton. But, as a young teen, while living in Vienna with her parents, Juliet was critically injured in an accident, resulting in amputation of her left foot - an injury that left her self-absorbed mother horrified and embarrassed by...more Miss Juliet Shelby lives on the fringes of the ballroom, a wallflower who does her best to go unnoticed. She wasn't always that way. As a young girl, she was the most animated of the three cousins who have been dubbed the Ugly Ducklings by a spiteful young woman of the ton. But, as a young teen, while living in Vienna with her parents, Juliet was critically injured in an accident, resulting in amputation of her left foot - an injury that left her self-absorbed mother horrified and embarrassed by her now "crippled" daughter. Juliet returned to London two years later a changed person; quieter, more subdued, telling no one of the severity of her injury, not even Maddie and Cecily, her cousins and two best friends.

Juliet isn't the only one who has grown up with a less than perfect parent. Lord Alec Deveril has spent the past several years trying to undo the damage done to his family name by his reprobate of a father in order to insure a good future for his younger sisters. A gorgeous man, he is a leader of the ton's young fashionable set but, as of late, as grown weary of it and knows it's time to find a wife and settle down. His criteria is simple: find someone likable but for whom he feels not one iota of passion. His late parents offered him a front row seat to the devastating consequences of a passion filled marriage. He briefly considers Maddie as a potential candidate but it's the quiet, self-possessed Juliet who continues to draw his eye.

When Mrs. Turner, Juliet's beloved music teacher, a woman who, over the years, has been more a mother to her than her own mother goes missing, it's Alec who offers his help in the search. As Juliet and Alec spend more time together, they forge a friendship and gradually a fondness for one another that then blooms into desire and, finally, love. But there are many obstacles to a happy ending for these two. Juliet's mother is determined to marry her off to a slimy older man Juliet has good reason to fear, her mother has done her best to convince Juliet that no man will ever find her desirable once he knows of her amputation and Alec fears the reprehensible actions of both his father and his uncle will make it impossible for him to love a woman passionately and bring her happiness. Then there's the mystery of Mrs. Turner's disappearance with twists and turns aplenty and a lurking danger that could put both Juliet and Alec in harm's way.

I loved this story so much. I've read it three times and have no doubt I will read it many more times in the future. I applaud Manda Collins for creating Juliet, a physically imperfect heroine who is absolutely perfect in the eyes of her hero. Collins knows the subject well and brings to her character the realistic physical and emotional challenges as well as the quiet strength and determination that make Juliet one of my favorite heroines ever. Watching her grow throughout her journey and finally come into her own was wonderful. I cheered for her, hurt for her, feared for her and wanted to do unspeakable things to her witch of a mother for her but not once did I ever pity her.

I usually prefer my heroes dark but Alec just may have won me over to the blond side. He's a wonderful man with a kind heart who champions Juliet, protects her, desires her and, ultimately, loves her with every breath of his being. The scene when they first make love is so exquisitely beautiful it brought tears to my eyes and the declaration he makes about Juliet after the villain is vanquished shows how much he respects and understands her and made me want to stand and cheer.

The passion sizzles in this book and while Collins delves into deeply emotional issues she also infuses her stories with plenty of humor along with a terrific secondary cast. One of my favorite scenes is between Alec and Maddie while they wait for Juliet to be fitted for new gowns at the dressmaker's. I won't give away any spoilers other than to say it gives the reader a peek into the inner workings of Maddie's mind, something that has Alec pondering how useful she would have been to Wellington during the war, and has me anticipating her book even more. I have the feeling she's going to lead Monteith a very merry chase!

If you haven't read Manda Collins yet, now's the perfect time to start. How to Romance a Rake is going straight to my keeper shelf. I highly recommend it!

~PJ
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Jul 31, 2012 Romancing the Book rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, romance

Posted on Romancing the Book's blog
Reviewed by Laci
Review Copy Provided by Netgalley

How To Romance A Rake really surprised me. It had plot points and characterizations that I have never experienced before or come across, and I was pleasantly surprised. I was really shocked, but the way the various scenarios turned out really made me happy. Manda Collins’ second book in her series didn’t disappoint in any way. She integrated new characters in with ones from the first book flawlessly and used them...more

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Oct 24, 2012 Cynthia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: retro-romance, romancer

So utterly cute and charming! Both Juliet and Alec were dealt pretty crappy cards in the parents department, but I'm so glad that that didn't ruin their good view on life.

Juliet is a shy wallflower, an "ugly duckling" with a limp and Alec spends his whole life under an illusion of a fashionable rake. And they make just the cutest couple because Juliet is actually stronger than she seems and Alec is actually a totally cheerful and sweet guy (no brooding!).

"I still think you deserve a lifetime of...more

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Sep 25, 2012 Netha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

Miss Juliet Shelby, putri viscount shelby mengalami kecelakaan saat muda.
kecelakaan itu terjadi di perancis saat sang ayah menjadi ambassador disana. karna kecelakaan itu terjadi di luar negeri, tidak ada satu pun orang di london yang tau apa yg sebenarnya terjadi.
keluarga shelby pun menutup rapat2 rahasia itu.

mungkin karna kecelakaan yg mengakibatkannya limp, juliet tidak terlalu percaya diri di kalangan ton.
juliet lebih memilih menjadi wallflower & tidak berdansa & menjadi pelengkap da...more

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Oct 02, 2012 Jetches (My Not So Vacant Shelf) rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have to say I love it when the Wallflower gets the guy. Juliet is not like Cecily. She is shy and not argumentative, and its from a life of being put down. So you have to love it when a guy (THE guy of society) falls for her. Then there is the romance. The first novel was filed with passion. I loved it. Cecily and Lucas are meant for each other. This one has romance. It has Alec and Juliet getting to know each other and Alec marrying her for reason other than he “ruined” her. I found the first...more

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Oct 13, 2012 Jessi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, 2012-challenge, appealing-characteristic-story, historical, part-of-a-series, romance

This is an interesting mix of old and new tropes. Old-heroine with some sort of physical disability. Generally it's something to do with a leg, something that means that the heroine becomes a wallflower because she can't dance. The same is true for Lady Julia Shelby. She is one of three female cousins whose mothers were known as the Three Swans. An unkind debutante has nicknamed our heroines the Ugly Ducklings. In the first story, [name?] stole the dance card of said debutante and used it to dan...more

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Aug 17, 2012 SidneyKay rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance-regency

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Three's a Crowd

With her second book, How to Romance a Rake, author Manda Collins has stepped up her game and created a very special heroine. This book has a polish about it that wasn't present in her debut novel and she has created some memorable characters - even the stinkers!

Let's take a look at the main reason this book is so good - the heroine, Juliet. Juliet has a couple of problems to overcome: her absent, inattentive father; her cruel, detestable mother. And, by the way this mother should...more Three's a Crowd

With her second book, How to Romance a Rake, author Manda Collins has stepped up her game and created a very special heroine. This book has a polish about it that wasn't present in her debut novel and she has created some memorable characters - even the stinkers!

Let's take a look at the main reason this book is so good - the heroine, Juliet. Juliet has a couple of problems to overcome: her absent, inattentive father; her cruel, detestable mother. And, by the way this mother should get the 2012 Mommie Dearest award. What a horrible woman. Juliet is shy, hides herself away from society. But you see she has a very good reason for doing so, for the biggest of all of her problems is her physical disability. Now, this disability isn't your standard Romanceland scar across the eyebrow - no siree. Due to an accident, a portion of her leg was amputated, so this lends itself to all kinds of struggles, both physical and mental.

Juliet was an interesting character to watch. She appears to be weak, but she's not. She is a very strong woman, unsure of herself one moment, blossoming the next. The only thing I would have liked to have seen was her punching her mother in the face.

Then we have Deveril, who seems to be a Beta hero and I'm not sure why the title infers that he is a rake. He didn't seem to have those qualities in this book. He was sweet, kind and supportive of Juliet. His easy acceptance of her disability was wonderful. The one quibble I have with his character was his guilt over his mother's death. So many heroes in romance novels seem to have this enormous guilt over something that happened when they were children. I'm finding the "I killed my brother/mother/father/sister/cousin/friend blame game and I was only 3" a little tiresome.

There is a mystery in this story and it pretty well written. In fact, I didn't see the villain coming. Well done!

I have one more quibble. As much as I love continuing/sequels/prequels/whatevers, I need a break from the "group rescue" scenes. Yes, I know we want to see the characters from the last novel and we must be introduced to the personalities from future books, but all those people barging into a room to save someone is a tad bit silly.

Overall, this was a wonderful addition to the Ugly Duckling series and as to date my favorite. I knew Manda Collins had a strong voice and How to Romance a Rake proves it. I'm really looking forward to the third story. Good job, Ms. Collins!(less)

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Mar 22, 2013 CJ - Secret Charm rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: just-plain-good, dark-themes, familyconflict, family, historical-romance, historical-fiction-mystery, london-england, review-to-be-posted

4.6

Loved the main characters, especially Alec. Also really liked how Collins kept Cecily and Winterson around and didn't just make them cogs in the plot wheel.

More to come.

/edit

This one was by my far my favorite. I'm ashamed to admit that the third one with Maddie didn't even get finished because I just couldn't stand her as a main character.

However, I'm not reviewing that book. I'm reviewing this one.

Juliet, oh poor poor Juliet. If I were her, I would've had a lot more moments of self-pity. I...more

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Dec 17, 2012 Gevera Bert rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 03, 2013 Claudia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, keeper

I absolutely adored the first book and was eager to read the second one ... and it was better than expected (and my expectations were high)

Alec and Juliet are not the perfect persons and each one has a secret which could destroy them in the eyes of the ton. but both of them are very brave and decent people with real characters behind them.

the story in this book is not about misunderstandings between Alec and Juliet but about outside events. although they need their time to find and confess thei...more

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Aug 10, 2012 Donna rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is 4+ stars for me......I liked it better than the first book, but didn't quite love it, primarily due to the ending. I started out just loving everything about it. I loved both Alec and Juliet and thought their romance was absolutely charming. They were the perfect match for each other. I loved the interactions with the other "Ducklings". The ending was a bit of a let down. Not only was it sad that Annie ended up betraying a caring Juliet,the entire scenario was silly and unbelievable and...more

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Aug 04, 2012 Huong rated it 3 of 5 stars

Much more enjoyable that #1 Ugly Ducklings!

(view spoiler)...more

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Sep 02, 2012 Kate Forsyth rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

I was a little disappointed in this romance novel. It has a great title, but basically the hero wasn’t a rake, he was almost cloyingly good, and the heroine didn’t ‘break all the rules’ as the tagline said, but was a fairly run-of-the-mill Regency romance heroine except for having lost her foot in an accident, which did add a dash of interest – it’s not a spoiler to say this because I’d guessed her ‘secret’ by the end of chapter one. That said, I still enjoyed the book, primarily because of some...more

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Sep 19, 2012 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, read-in-2012

After I gave the previous book in this series a try and found it disappointing, I had no plans to read another book by this author. Too many books, so little time! However, I was intrigued by the blurb and decided to give Collins another try and ended upenjoying every minute of this book. In fact, it made me glad that I had read the previous book since the two are actually fairly connected and I would definitely recommend reading them in order.

Really fun, simple romance with a great main couple...more

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Feb 24, 2013 Megan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

After receiving a note from her friend and piano mentor, Mrs. Anna Turn, Miss Juliet Shelby, becomes distress at what happened to her friend. When Lord Alec Devenish, the Viscount of Deveril, comes upon her and sees her distress, he offers to help her find her friend. In her desperation, she agrees to allow his assistance, and in the process she tries to hide the feelings she has for him...
Alec is drawn to Juliet in a way he is quite unsure of. He has this urge to keep her protected and when he...more After receiving a note from her friend and piano mentor, Mrs. Anna Turn, Miss Juliet Shelby, becomes distress at what happened to her friend. When Lord Alec Devenish, the Viscount of Deveril, comes upon her and sees her distress, he offers to help her find her friend. In her desperation, she agrees to allow his assistance, and in the process she tries to hide the feelings she has for him...
Alec is drawn to Juliet in a way he is quite unsure of. He has this urge to keep her protected and when he sees some of her mothers abuse towards her, he wants to keep her safe from her mother. After agreeing to help find Mrs. Turner, him and Juliet looks for clues to find her whereabouts. After both of them a thrown together, they are unable to deny the attraction that is between, though they both have secrets that they want to remain hidden from each other. After Alec discovers the plans her mother has in store for her, he offers to marry her and when she agrees, they find themselves on their way to Gretna Green to keep her safe from her mothers machinations...
This was a fun book to read, though I did enjoy its predecessor, "How To Dance With A Duke" a little better. As I was reading it, it just didn't seem to have the same feeling to it, but it was still an enjoyable book to read.
Both Alec and Juliet grew up with a very domineering parent, that had some way left their mark on them. I loved reading how they both were able to overcome what they thought were fatal flaws, and they both helped each other to overcome it. I enjoyed how their relationship began as partnership that had developed into feelings for each other.
Though Cecily, Winterson, Maddie, and Montieth were mentioned in their story, they didn't really have much involvement with Maddie and Deveril like they had in the first book of the series. I did enjoy however, how both Cecily and Maddie insisted on helping the gentleman save Juliet in the end and that the author still shown the girl's stubborn nature of not leaving it just to the men.
The book was an enjoyable read, which did leave me wanting to read the book for Maddie and Montieth, so I can read what mischief they will all get into next and how this so far fun trilogy comes to an end.(less)

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Sep 13, 2012 emmegail rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, kindle-only

Originally posted here.

4.5/5 Stars

Again, I’m in love with The Ugly Ducklings! I adored the first in the series – How to Dance with a Duke – a great combination of romance and mystery. The same is true with book two. This time it’s duckling Juliet’s turn to find a husband, but she would have never guessed who it would turn out to be. Her mother has a husband picked out for her, but Juliet cannot stand the sight of him! But she and her cousins have a few tricks up their sleeves to get around her m...more

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Jan 02, 2013 Sue rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, regency-romance, romance, passionate, sexy, disabled-heroine

I enjoyed this book. I loved the way Alec and Juliet fell in love -- slowly and neither wanting to admit their love for the other. Juliet is one of the "Ugly Ducklings" so labled by a spiteful, jealous young woman. None of the Ducklings (Cecily, Juliet and Maddie) are ugly at all. In fact they are quite lovely. Juliet is crippled and is usually found with the other wallflowers at any balls. Her cousins -- Cecily, now the Duchess of Winterson and Maddie are her best friends and confidants, but ev...more

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Jun 16, 2012 Rae M. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, historical-romance, adult-fiction, disabled-or-disfigured-protag, imperfect-heroine, arcs, first-reads, own, review-or-comment, read-in-2012, regency-romance, 03-stars, female-authors, own-arc-galley-or-proof-copy

The thing that bothers me about this book is that Manda Collins has a tendency, an over-tendency, to explain things. I can see and infer things on my own, you know? Explaining everything the way she does is a good way to talk down to the reader and insult their intelligence. I spent most of the time going "yeah, I got that." For example, she'd say something like 'the girls had a tendency to dismiss social conventions.' and I think about all the social conventions they dismissed, and I agree with...more

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Aug 15, 2012 Carol *Young at Heart Oldie* rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 4-star-books

This is the second book in Manda Collins’s Ugly Ducklings series and I was totally captivated by this sweet romance. I knew when I read her debut novel, How to Dance with a Duke, that Ms Collins was definitely a rising star in the world of Historical Romance and this book has only served to confirm that opinion.

I really admire her courage in writing a unique heroine with such a severe disability. She uses some of her own experiences to imbue Juliet’s character with realism on both an emotional a...more

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Aug 06, 2012 Cocktails and Books rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, author-provided, blog-tour, 2012-reading-challenges, netgalley

I always enjoy when an author takes a character who seems likes the least likely to obtain what others so desperately want, but ends up with that and much much. This story has the added twist of the heroine not only being a wallflower who was ridiculed by her peers within the ton, but having the worst parents imaginable.

Juliet Shelby was one tough cookie. Injured in a carriage accident when she was fourteen, she's left with a limp and a secret. That secret seems to suck the life out of Juliet. N...more I always enjoy when an author takes a character who seems likes the least likely to obtain what others so desperately want, but ends up with that and much much. This story has the added twist of the heroine not only being a wallflower who was ridiculed by her peers within the ton, but having the worst parents imaginable.

Juliet Shelby was one tough cookie. Injured in a carriage accident when she was fourteen, she's left with a limp and a secret. That secret seems to suck the life out of Juliet. Not because of what the secret it, but because of the stigma her own mother puts on it and Juliet's worth as a person. So it's no wonder that when Alec stands up for Juliet and befriends her that she questions why he's doing it. Despite what she thinks Alec's motives are, she relishes having someone other than her cousins appreciate her for who she is and support her. She may have to fight against her mother, but even then she knew Alec would always stand behind her.

Alec is a man who suffered unimaginable cruelty at the hands of an alcoholic father. Because of what he was subjected to, he doesn't think he's worth much as a man. Sure, he's cleaned up the tarnished name of Deveril, but what his father was and what he did still loom over Alec as an adult. Alec finds himself needing to protect Juliet from the evil gossips and help her as she tries to find out what happened to her music teacher. But Alec soon discovers that what he thought was friendship for Juliet was much more. He has a hard time reconciling himself to the fact that he could care so deeply for Juliet while still harboring the nightmares of his youth. But Juliet proves to Alec that despite what he may think, the sins of his father do not rest at his feet.

I loved this story and I loved the underdog heroine. Despite her physical limitation and her perceived shortcomings, she absolutely shined when she met the man who saw her as the person she is and not just the girl with the limp. An absolute treasure.(less)

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Aug 07, 2012 Kat ~ Forever Book Lover ♥ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, from-author, historical

You can find this review and more at Forever Book Lover.

Once again, Manda Collins proves to me that she is an author to watch! This was a heart warming book I really enjoyed!

The cousins are at it again, once again getting deep into solving a mystery. This time Juliet is spotlighted. Her piano teacher is missing, and not only did she disappear in the night, she left behind her most precious possession- her baby daughter. With not much to go on, Juliet makes it her mission to find the missing woma...more You can find this review and more at Forever Book Lover.

Once again, Manda Collins proves to me that she is an author to watch! This was a heart warming book I really enjoyed!

The cousins are at it again, once again getting deep into solving a mystery. This time Juliet is spotlighted. Her piano teacher is missing, and not only did she disappear in the night, she left behind her most precious possession- her baby daughter. With not much to go on, Juliet makes it her mission to find the missing woman. Don't try to guess this one, I thought I knew exactly who was behind the missing woman, but Manda fooled me!! In addition to penning historical and steamy, hot romances, she now can add mystery/suspense to her writing genres. LOL

Prior to an accident at age fourteen, Juliet was the most animated of her cousins. After the accident, she was left with a pronounced limp. Juliet would have been the belle of any ball, had it not been for the injury to her foot. Sure society knew of her disability but not the extent of her injury. She kept that to herself, even from her two cousins, the infamous "Ugly Ducklings". To make matters worst for Juliet, her own mother wished her to remain in her current position "at the edges of the ton", little by little her mother whittled down her self esteem and took her out of society's eye as to not draw attention to herself.

One night, Juliet gets a verbal lashing from her mother as she catches her daughter doing the unthinkable, "learning to dance". Deveril witnesses the attack and comes to her rescue. Upon learning the Julie didn't dance, he took it upon himself to be her dance partner. I immediately fell in love with Deveril. He comes to her aid more than once during this book, a true hero.

This was more than a love story, it had grit, determination, mystery, laughter, or my!! I don't know that I have adequately expressed my thoughts on this book. It was a loving romance, a perfect romance on loving unconditionally. It makes me believe there are knights in shining armor out there for everyone. And can we be so lucky to find one of our own?
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Oct 16, 2012 Aislynn (Stitch Read Cook) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-s-to-review, historical-romance, read-in-2012, ebook, netgalley-read

Juliet isn’t your typical debutante; she’s shy, doesn’t dance and is frequently mocked by the other unmarried ladies in the room. Nicknamed one of the “Ugly Ducklings” along with two very close friends (one we’ve already met in “How to Dance with a Duke”) the girls have bonded and been by each other’s sides through out whatever comes.

Very few people know what really happened to Juliet when she spent time in Europe with her family. While her father was deeply engaged in politics as part of the em...more Juliet isn’t your typical debutante; she’s shy, doesn’t dance and is frequently mocked by the other unmarried ladies in the room. Nicknamed one of the “Ugly Ducklings” along with two very close friends (one we’ve already met in “How to Dance with a Duke”) the girls have bonded and been by each other’s sides through out whatever comes.

Very few people know what really happened to Juliet when she spent time in Europe with her family. While her father was deeply engaged in politics as part of the embassy, she decided she’d had enough. While I don’t want to giveaway what happens to Juliet and the events leading up to it, she manages to get badly injured and is never quite the same afterwards. We learn just how much she’s suffered and what she’s had to overcome to get to where she is.

With an extremely controlling mother, Juliet has been a wallflower most of her life. When Alec suddenly notices her and brings her into the limelight, she’s unsure of what will happen. New dresses, learning to dance, and having many more friends; her mother fears that someone will find out about her “affliction” and it will look poorly on her. She wants her to blend in and marry the man she chooses – which has it’s own set of crazy problems.

All in all this was an amazing read. I loved learning more about Juliet and reading more about Cecily and what happened to her after her “Happily Ever After”. That’s one of the great things about a series - you get to see past characters! This was the type of book to pick up on a lazy sunny afternoon and curl up under a shady tree with. I was so engrossed in the story, I didn’t even notice the sunburn creepying up my leg!

Will I recommend this book? Oh yes, I loved Manda’s debut novel, and was thrilled when I saw it come up on NetGalley. I wasn’t disappointed either, the story was just as fantastic as her first, and I totally loved Juliet! I can’t wait to see what the next book holds for Madeline (“How to Entice an Earl”). Will I read more by this author? That’s an absolute affirmative! Manda has easily earned a place in my “Auto-buy” list and a permanent home in my e-reader or bookcase. (less)

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May 31, 2012 Danielle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: review

Review originally posted at Ramblings From This Chick

I really enjoyed this book. The romance between Juliet and Alec was just so sweet. I won't lie, I may have a slight crush on Alec. He was just so great. From the beginning he looked out for Juliet and was concerned for her welfare. She was in need of a knight in shining armor and I liked that he was a savior for her.

When Juliet was fifteen, she was involved in an accident that resulted in a permanent injury to her foot. She now walks with the...more Review originally posted at Ramblings From This Chick

I really enjoyed this book. The romance between Juliet and Alec was just so sweet. I won't lie, I may have a slight crush on Alec. He was just so great. From the beginning he looked out for Juliet and was concerned for her welfare. She was in need of a knight in shining armor and I liked that he was a savior for her.

When Juliet was fifteen, she was involved in an accident that resulted in a permanent injury to her foot. She now walks with the use of a cane and has a slight limp. Because of this, she has spent the last three years a perpetual wallflower. She does what she can to blend in and not draw attention to herself.

Lord Alec Deveril has spent most of his adult life trying to right the wrongs of his father. His father was a wastrel and a brute of a man. Alec has tried to become nothing like the man he has despised for most of his life. He knows that he must marry but he definitely doesn't want to marry anyone that he feels attracted to. He just wants someone from a good background that he won't have to worry about falling for. He also knows that Juliet Shelby is definitely not that woman. He knows that she is shy and not a "fashionable miss" but he can't help but feel a spark whenever she is around. She is witty and smart and he soon finds himself doing anything he can to be near her.

When a close friend of Juliet's suddenly disappears she turns to Alec for help and advice. Together they both try to solve the mystery of her friend's disappearance while at the same time both continue to fight the growing attraction they have for one another.

I loved the relationship between Alec and Juliet. I liked that they were both able to truly be themselves with one another. I also loved that Alec is continuously battling for Juliet. He sticks up for her when no one else (with the exception of her cousins) does. I loved that. I honestly don't know how Alec was able to refrain from throttling Juliet's mother. Oh my goodness that woman is horrible. I wish Juliet would have stood up for herself more when it came to her own mother. I feel like their relationship was slightly unresolved and I would have liked the closure of Juliet finally standing up to her.

I also really enjoyed the scenes with all of the secondary characters. I loved seeing Juliet interacting with her cousins and Alec interacting with his friends. There were many scenes that had me giggling out loud.

All in all this was another winner from Manda Collins. Manda is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Whether it be her historicals or her erotica shorts, they are all good! So good that I always find myself unable to put my Kindle down until I've finished the book. Then I'm ferociously checking her site for any info I can find on upcoming books. Seriously, Manda Collins is not an author to be missed.

**ARC copy provided by Author/NetGalley**(less)

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Jul 31, 2012 Suzanne the Mighty ~Satin Seductress~ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, friends-to-lovers, plain-jane-blue-stocking-spinster, netgalley-arc, pdf-kindle, mystery

Review Under the Covers

Miss Juliet Shelby has had a tendre for the dashing Lord Alec Deveril since she first met him, but as one of the "Ugly Ducklings" she knows he is well above her social standing and despite his gentlemanly manners and friendship she knows he will never want anything more. As well as being on a lower social rung, she is also crippled and cursed with a selfish overbearing mother who is ruthlessly intent on her marrying a man she finds repulsive and a little scary. But with on...more

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About Manda Collins

Manda Collins spent her teen years wishing she’d been born a couple of centuries earlier, preferably in the English countryside. Time travel being what it is, she resigned herself to life with electricity and indoor plumbing, and read lots of books. An affinity for books led to a graduate degree in English, followed by another in Librarianship. By day, she works as an academic librarian at a small...more

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Books by Manda Collins

How to Dance with a Duke (Ugly Ducklings, #1)

How to Entice an Earl (Ugly Ducklings, #3)

Happy Christmas At Last: A Very, Very Short Snippet of a Story

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How to Romance a Rake (Ugly Ducklings #2)

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