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The Duke Is Mine (Fairy Tales #3)

by Eloisa James (Goodreads Author)

3.75 of 5 stars 3.75 · rating details · 3,151 ratings · 438 reviews

This Duke is Mine

He is a duke in search of a perfect bride.

She is a lady--but a long way from perfect.

Tarquin, the powerful Duke of Sconce, knows perfectly well that the decorous and fashionably slender Georgiana Lytton will make him a proper duchess. So why can't he stop thinking about her twin sister, the curvy, headstrong, and altogether unconventional Olivia? Not only...more

Mass Market Paperback, 367 pages

Published December 27th 2011 by Avon

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May 07, 2012 Wicked Incognito Now rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, one-of-my-favorite-authors, auto-buy-author, my-special, read-w-a-buddy

**note** a few other reviewers, who didn't read the book beyond a few first pages, suggest that EJ's MC treats a disabled character with a lack of respect. This is not how the novel shapes up. Actually, the MC is amazingly kind and respectful. I hope those of you contemplating reading this book don't give so much credence to those reviews that you end up missing out on an entirely lovely novel.***

I loved every second of this book (except for, perhaps, the ending which was an episode of over-the-...more

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Dec 30, 2011 Jennifer rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-it, historical

A bit much. I loved loved loved When Beauty Tamed the Beast, but this was more along the lines of A Kiss at Midnight. The heroine was relentlessly snarky, you know this person in real life: she is super annoying, because she NEVER takes a break and ALWAYS has to be the center of attention. There was no real connection between the leads beyond lust. I follow Eloisa on FB, so I was not surprised by her homage to Justin Bieber, but all the silly names and pop culture references were exhausting.

Hav...more

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Dec 13, 2011 Katie(babs) rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: dnf-award

I ended up DNFing The Duke is Mine a quarter of the way through because of something I found disturbing in regards to how a character is portrayed and handled, including the insensitive comments and actions of the heroine toward this character. I’m actually shocked that Eloisa and Avon would allow this character and the way he’s treated as a form of comic relief. Because of this, The Duke is Mine is a big fail of a historical romance and one I wouldn’t recommend to any historical romance reader....more I ended up DNFing The Duke is Mine a quarter of the way through because of something I found disturbing in regards to how a character is portrayed and handled, including the insensitive comments and actions of the heroine toward this character. I’m actually shocked that Eloisa and Avon would allow this character and the way he’s treated as a form of comic relief. Because of this, The Duke is Mine is a big fail of a historical romance and one I wouldn’t recommend to any historical romance reader.

First of all, when an author creates a heroine who acts more like a spoiled brat and is better suited as a villain of the story, that’s where I have to raise some questions. The heroine here is Olivia Lytton. She’s engaged to be married, which she thinks of as a curse. The reason is because she can’t stand her fiance, Rupert, heir to the dukedom. Olivia has been engaged to the Duke of Canterwick’s son, Rupert, since the age of five. Olivia is five years older than Rupert and he’s now just turned eighteen. Olivia isn’t as beautiful as her younger sister Georgiana, and she should be grateful to her parents because she’ll end up a Duchess, which will excuse her faults. Olivia is far too sarcastic, witty and not at all gracious. Olivia also enjoys talking about sex and the male anatomy with Georgina. It seems that's all the two sisters talk about with each other.

Olivia can’t stand Rupert. She thinks of him as a “beardy-weirdly bottle –headed chub” and she and Georgie has nicknamed Rupert the “FF” which means foolish fiance, “HH”, which means half-wit husband and “BB”, which means brain-less betrothed. From all these descriptions of Rupert, I wondered how dim-witted and a fool Rupert really was that Olivia and Georigiana would makes such cruel remarks about him.

What we come to find out about Rupert is that he’s indeed dim-witted and fool because he’s mentally handicapped.

Olivia thinks back to what Canterwick had said to her when she was fifteen and Rupert was eleven. He tells her his son is a “buffle-head idiot”. Rupert has a mind more of a boy, I’d say around a ten year old, because when he was born, he wasn’t breathing at birth and the doctors believed it had an effect on his brain. Canterwick, Olivia, Georgia and their parents all think Rupert is an idiot and that Olivia is making a great sacrifice marrying this man who has a mind of a boy because he’ll become a duke at one point. Canterwick is glad Olivia is marrying Rupert because Olivia has never made from of him. Of course he doesn’t have any clue the cruel and heartless things Olivia says about Rupert behind his back.

To make certain that Olivia and Rupert’s marriage will definitely happen, Olivia and Rupert are forced into a room to consummate their relationship in the hopes that Olivia will get pregnant. This scene was disgusting and I was completely shocked by it because keep in mind Rupert doesn’t have a mind of an eighteen year old, but more of a boy because of his handicapped mind. Olivia lies on a sofa, lifts up her skirts and expect Rupert to know how to have sex. Rupert doesn’t understand the technicalities of sex. He can’t get hard because he’s not sexually attractive to Olivia, because again he has a mind of a boy. Olivia is somewhat pleased by this and all is well because their parents assume they consummated their relationship (I found this scene and the actions of the parents very strange because from every historical romance I’ve read, if a single woman like Olivia has sex before marriage, her reputation is ruined and she’s labeled a loose woman). Olivia tells Georgiana the next day that Rupert’s celery stick was lacking and he apparently needs more than a captive woman and a sofa to get the job done.

At this point I almost stopped reading because of how a mentally disabled man has been used as a butt of many jokes from the heroine, forced to have sex when he has no idea what sex involves and is supposed to be used as a moment of comic relief in this otherwise slap-stick type story.

I read until we meet Tarquin, Duke of Sconce the hero, who’s mentioned as being more like the villain of a fairy tale than the hero and has coal-black hair and stern eyes. But this is completely at odds at what we see the moment he meets the heroine and acts the complete opposite.

I was so turned off by this story not only because Olivia is a heartless bitch and the hero Quin is a complete jackass, but mainly because of Rupert and his damaged mind is used for comedy. I found this beyond offensive.

Some may say I’m overreacting and I might as well be. As someone who was the butt of many jokes and was called stupid and dumb by more than a few people in my life, including having a few family members and friends with mental handicaps, my reaction is completely subjective. Others may not have an issue with the way Rupert is portrayed or treated. I just don’t find the humor in making fun of a mentally handicapped character in this way for laughs or for a heroine who will ridicule and put down a weaker or fragile minded person because of a handicap like Rupert’s.

Disappointed isn’t a strong enough work to describe how I’m feeling about The Duke is Mine, the author who wrote it and the publisher who had no qualms about publishing it.(less)

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Dec 31, 2011 Nikki rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Eloisa James fans.

Shelves: historical, holiday-reads, own-ebook, delicious-hero, perfect-heroine, 4-stars

4 stars.

This started out so promising and was heavily laden with all the fabulous tongue-in-cheek humour that EJ does so well. It was a good read, great story, gorgeous H/h but it just didn't hit the spot completely for me.

I can't describe exactly why it left me slightly bemused; perhaps because there seemed to be a lot of nonsensical goings on in the latter part of the book and it really wasn't needed.

As per the blurb, Olivia Lytton has been betrothed to the son of a duke since before birth - n...more 4 stars.

This started out so promising and was heavily laden with all the fabulous tongue-in-cheek humour that EJ does so well. It was a good read, great story, gorgeous H/h but it just didn't hit the spot completely for me.

I can't describe exactly why it left me slightly bemused; perhaps because there seemed to be a lot of nonsensical goings on in the latter part of the book and it really wasn't needed.

As per the blurb, Olivia Lytton has been betrothed to the son of a duke since before birth - never mind the fact that he is 5 years her junior and slightly (but adorably) dimwitted. Olivia and Rupert are being forced to marry by their parents and are therefore obediently doing what they must. The plot thickens when (prior to the betrothed pair being married) Olivia is sent with her sister, Georgiana, to the country estate of the Duke of Sconce (aka the hero, Quin), as Quin is seeking a wife and Olivia's future father-in-law has put in a good word for Georgie. Confused? It may seem a stretch but it all worked marvellously in the book.

Of course Olivia and Quin start to fall for one another and while this would normally sound alarm bells for me, I found it refreshing that any tired romance formula that could have reared its ugliness in this scenario, didn't.

Quin wandered among the guests feeling like a ghost: a human shell with a semblance of a face but no other distinctions than incredibly bad luck when it came to women.
He danced with Georgiana after dinner. He tracked Olivia from the corner of his eye, saw how she passed from man to man, how they ogled her and laughed with her and generally fell in love with her and into envy of the marquess. [...]
He walked from room to room, because if he kept moving, people didn't try to stop him and talk of the marquess. "Envy" was a pale word to describe the emotion he felt: it was more like rage, pure hatred, livid, bone-deep jealousy.

But as I said, instead of digging a bit deeper and focussing on the characters and the emotions and what was happening, it just seemed that EJ took the setting to a place where it just didn't really need to be. That's my opinion anyway.

I don't want to take away from the fabulous, witty writing or these entrancing characters, though; this was a lovely holiday read and I look forward to more stories in the Fairy Tales series.(less)

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Feb 08, 2012 Jess the Romanceaholic rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: steam-level-steamy, love-at-first-sight, realistically-sized-heroine, kidnapped, classics-retold, 2012-read, adultery-or-infidelity, second-or-more-marriage, widower, courting-scandal, holy-crap-shes-a-virgin, bad-first-marriage, major-character-death

This is a Quickie Review. For the full review, please visit The Romanceaholic.

Expected Release Date: December 27, 2011 (Available Now)
Publisher: HarperCollins
Imprint: Avon
Author’s Website: http://www.eloisajames.com/
My Source for This Book: Wal-Mart
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 3, Fairy Tales
Series Best Read In Order: Worked well as a standalone
Steam Level: Steamy

Cute and sweet and funny and exciting and sexy and occasionally heartbreaking, I loved Quin, and of course was all about Oliva, with her...more

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Dec 24, 2012 Book Chick City rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance-historical

Reviewed by Gemma for www.BookChickCity.com

Having ready both of the other books in the series, I have to admit that I liked this more than 'When Beauty tamed the Beast', but slightly less than 'A Kiss At Midnight'. The characters seemed to be more well rounded in "The Duke is Mine" and their actions were not out of character, as they were in the second book.

The hero and heroine of the book are a delight to read. Olivia has been betrothed from the age of five, to the son of a family friend. She k...more Reviewed by Gemma for www.BookChickCity.com

Having ready both of the other books in the series, I have to admit that I liked this more than 'When Beauty tamed the Beast', but slightly less than 'A Kiss At Midnight'. The characters seemed to be more well rounded in "The Duke is Mine" and their actions were not out of character, as they were in the second book.

The hero and heroine of the book are a delight to read. Olivia has been betrothed from the age of five, to the son of a family friend. She knows she has to conform to the expectations of society for a woman of marriageable age. She has a rather dry and vulgar wit, which is a pleasure to read. I found myself laughing at the conversations she has with her sister, though it's usually at the expense of her betrothed. Some people may find this in bad taste, especially when we find out that her betrothed, Rupert seems to have the mentality of a person much younger than his eighteen years due to an incident that happened during his birth.

However, Olivia is redeemed from seeming as cruel due to two reasons. One is the heart to heart that she has with Rupert's father, where he gives her this information. From here we see a significant softening of Olivia and she becomes Ruperts protector and champion in many ways.

What must be remembered is that during this time period, the medical understanding and dealing with any sort of mental illness was very primative. Anyone who was seen as mad or below average intelligence were normally hidden away from society, in an asylum if you were poor or in the country if you were well off. So for Rupert to have this afflication and be the only heir to his fathers estate was unusual and I couldn’t help but feel for his character.

All he would like to do is to take care of his dog and to bring family honour by fighting Napoleon. He knows that it is his duty to marry Olivia, but he manages to keep putting it off.

Quinn, our hero in the story has a very strong resemblence to Mr Darcy, except he knows he must marry as his duty. He just decides to let his mother pick for him, hence the gathering of young ladies at his estate. There isn’t much to say except he is your typical alpha male. I neither liked him nor disliked him. Though at the end he does come through.

And now I come on to the part of the book I disliked the most. The conclusion to the story. It shifts to France for reasons that I won't divulge so as not to spoil it for those who want to read it. All I will say is that it seemed very contrived and only used as a device to get the hero and heroine together as quick as possible. This is what changes the book from a brilliant book to just a very good book.

VERDICT:

The book was an excellent regency romance, only let down by the last few chapters, which were very out of place and only used as quick way to conclude the story.
(less)

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Jun 23, 2012 Sharyn rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

I did not like this book, which is disappointing since I absolutely loved When Beauty Tamed the Beast. I think the issue was I did not like the heroine, Olivia, at all. She was too brash and loved to make fun of everyone, mostly to annoy her mother. I actually liked, and identified, more with her sister Georgiana. Which is not good when the hero is deciding between Olivia and Georgiana as his next wife (I kept thinking "Pick Georgie!").

Also, Olivia has been promised to Rupert, a mentally challe...more

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Jan 15, 2012 Anna rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairytale, romance, unfinished

Dear Eloisa James,

What the hell were you thinking? You start your story by having the "heroine" ruthlessly mock her fiancee who turns out to be mentally handicapped. You then proceed to place these individuals in a situation that boarders on sexual abuse, as the man in question is barely 18 and clearly has the mental capacity of a much younger person. It's clear that you see his lack of understanding of sex as funny and the scene as comedic, but it's sad and horrifically cruel on your part. The...more

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Dec 14, 2011 April rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, historical-romance, vine, for-review

In a sea of stuffy regency virgin novels The Duke Is Mine by Eloisa James stands out. Olivia Lytton, more prone to bawdy humor than propriety, is betrothed to the Duke of Canterwick. Marrying the Duke Of Canterwick will raise her family’s social standing and provide Olivia’s twin Georgianna with a substantial dowry. When the dowager of Sconce invites Georgianna to visit to see if she is suitable for son, Tarquin, the Duke of Scone, Olivia accompanies as chaperone. Unfortunately all does not go a...more

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Apr 09, 2012 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-regency

OK, again I'd like to reiterate that Ms. James does not, EVER, make light of her character with mental illness. In fact, by the end of the book, this character ends up being more of an actual "hero" than the other duke. Please don't stop reading only to post hateful comments that are ignorant of the actual book. Let me explain.

Olivia is betrothed to one duke and secretly yearns for another who is supposed to be checking out her sister for a wife. Blah, blah, blah....read the back.

This book is ac...more OK, again I'd like to reiterate that Ms. James does not, EVER, make light of her character with mental illness. In fact, by the end of the book, this character ends up being more of an actual "hero" than the other duke. Please don't stop reading only to post hateful comments that are ignorant of the actual book. Let me explain.

Olivia is betrothed to one duke and secretly yearns for another who is supposed to be checking out her sister for a wife. Blah, blah, blah....read the back.

This book is actually very good if completely inaccurate as far as historical writings go. It was fun, funny, and light. Imagine if Mel Brooks wrote a romance and you have this book. The heroine says things a lady of that time period would not have said without demolishing her reputation, and the other characters are about the same.

I loved how the two lovers didn't spend the whole book denying their feelings for each other as that can get old very quickly. I also liked how you got to see below the surface of the mother in law. The situation gets resolved easily, and admittedly, a little absurdly, but the whole book is absurd so why be surprised?

Now about the "sensitive" issue -

Yes, Olivia's fiance is mentally retarded. And in the very beginning of the book, Olivia reacts as any lady would have back then: with scorn and dread. Please realize that part of her scorn arises from the fact that they have been betrothed since birth, and he is very young, having only just turned 18 and she is around 26ish or so. Back then, this was a huge age difference, and she is dreading marrying "a boy" NOT disgusted by his mental issues. She dreads marrying a man she does not love, has nothing in common with, and will end up "mothering" because he can't really be a full "duke" with full duties. To be fair, they haven't really spent a lot of time alone together, and both sets of parents approach the subject with Olivia in very vulgar ways. When Olivia actually spends a few hours along with her fiance she starts to see his wonderful joy and innocence. From this point on, she becomes his one and only defender. She doesn't tell people not to poke fun, she tries to make them see that he is so much better than them because of his deficiencies. She saves him from pity when she can, and absolutely demolishes others when she cannot. She becomes his biggest ally. I won't go on, but just know that Ms. James is not a bully to people with mental issues.

***Edited to add:
I'd also like to ask all of those women who are so outraged over her treatment of this character to ask themselves if they would be so morally pure if they were suddenly engaged to someone with mental deficiencies. Imagine, all of your young life you dream of marrying your prince, of being a wife, a partner, an equal in your marriage. Then you find yourself engaged to a man who, while he may be sweet and kind and even handsome, is "not all there". Now you've gone from being a partner to being a mom for the rest of your life, not really having a partner to share it with, but in actuality, another child to care for. I don't think they would be so self righteous, at least in their thoughts, if they were in that position. So maybe jump down off your high-horses, and give the book a chance since we are all human, and therefore, subject to all the frailties and faults included.

Rant over. Go read it and form your own opinion at least, please. (less)

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Jan 19, 2013 Lauren rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, regency, strong-silent-hero, tortured-heros, twins, virgin-heroines, pregnancy, fairytales-retold

The Duke is Mine
4 Stars

Warning: This review contains spoilers as it is impossible to express my appreciation for the romance and characters without them

As with the other books in this series, it is necessary in The Duke is Mine to see beyond surface appearances.

Olivia initially comes across as spoiled and hateful, and many reviewers despise and condemn her treatment of the mentally disabled Rupert. This is ultimately revealed to be a harsh and incorrect assessment of her character. Once Olivia...more The Duke is Mine
4 Stars

Warning: This review contains spoilers as it is impossible to express my appreciation for the romance and characters without them

As with the other books in this series, it is necessary in The Duke is Mine to see beyond surface appearances.

Olivia initially comes across as spoiled and hateful, and many reviewers despise and condemn her treatment of the mentally disabled Rupert. This is ultimately revealed to be a harsh and incorrect assessment of her character. Once Olivia learns of the reasons for Rupert's disability, she becomes his most ardent supporter and by the end of the book is is obvious that she is one of the few characters who actually appreciates his gifts, and is a true and loyal friend to him.

These same reviewers revere Georgie for her intelligence and grace forgetting that she actively participates in ridiculing Rupert and is shown as being preoccupied with appearances and unable to accept people for who they really are.

Tarquin also appears at first to be cold and calculating but he has suffered a terrible betrayal and a crippling loss that makes him afraid to love again. The complaints that he leads Georgie on while lusting after her sister are woefully inaccurate. He is never betrothed to Georgie and makes it clear that he has no intentions of marrying her - it is Olivia who feels guilty about betraying her sister and is willing to give up the love of her life for her sister's happiness. It is to Georgie's credit that she reassures Olivia and convinces her to take a chance at love.

There are, however, a couple of problems with the book. First and foremost is the scene in the library between Olivia and Rupert, which almost made me throw the book against the wall and DNF it. Thankfully, it did not progress in they way I feared and the story turned into an engaging romance.

Second is the unnecessary excursion to France, which is a contrived and idiotic subplot with farcical characters.

In sum, The Duke is Mine is a lovely romance with some intensely emotional and poignant moments. One must approach the story with an open mind and read to the end in order to fully appreciate its message. (less)

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Jan 07, 2012 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: european-historical, historical, retellings, romance, regency-era, fairytales, favorite-heroines, 4-and-a-half-stars, reviewed-on-blog, autobuy-authors, comedies-funny-stuff

Original review can be found on my blog: http://feministfairytalereviews.blogs...

Fairytales have fascinated me ever since I was a little girl. I love everything about them from the princess heroines to the knights in shining armor to the seemingly endless adventures. That's why I was pumped when Eloisa James, one of my favorite romance writers, started her series of fairytale retellings in a historical romance context. So far, she has taken the popular tales of Cinderella and Beauty and the Be...more Original review can be found on my blog: http://feministfairytalereviews.blogs...

Fairytales have fascinated me ever since I was a little girl. I love everything about them from the princess heroines to the knights in shining armor to the seemingly endless adventures. That's why I was pumped when Eloisa James, one of my favorite romance writers, started her series of fairytale retellings in a historical romance context. So far, she has taken the popular tales of Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast and given them wonderful twists. I was intrigued when she chose The Princess and the Pea as her next retelling mostly due to the fact that it appears difficult to accomplish with the whole true princess idea. But, I can gladly report that James took this classic story and turned it into a unique, fascinating historical with vibrant characters, sweet romance, intriguing research, and a creative plot.

Olivia Lytton is the daughter of an untitled English gentleman who had made a deal with the Duke of Canterwick during childhood. The terms of this pact were that Canterwick's eldest son would marry Lytton's eldest daughter. Olivia is the aforementioned daughter and she has been betrothed to Canterwick's only child Rupert since she was a young girl. The only issue with the match is the fact that Rupert is not your typical duke's heir due to the fact that he suffers from mental issues which I will explain later.

Olivia is a fabulous character that just jumps off the page. She is one of those heroines that makes you want to be her best friend. Her loyalty and intelligence are admirable qualities and I loved the fact that she was not a stick figure. But, what makes Olivia stand out in the historical romance world is her sense of humor. She is extremely bawdy and has a definite appreciation for puns which provided some wonderful laugh-out-loud moments for me. She is not without flaws though and this helped make her relatable to me as a reader. Olivia is a bit on the sheltered side and this is evident with how she views Rupert at first. She is also self-conscious about her body despite her seemingly flippant attitude about it at the beginning.

Tarquin is a unique character in his own right. He is a duke and has been for many years. This has caused him to have a responsible nature that can only come from caring for people and lands. But, Tarquin is different than other Regency-era heroes in that he favors logic over emotion which goes beyond simple choice. He truly has problems understanding how to go beyond outward appearances at first which resulted in his disastrous first marriage. The scars that his late wife left are obvious from the beginning and it takes time for him to trust himself when it comes to emotions. Despite this baggage, Tarquin is a very sweet-natured man who completely devotes himself to whatever he cares about.

Olivia and Tarquin are just fiery once they meet. The sexual tension is written perfectly and had me flipping the pages looking for their interactions. These two both have issues they need to resolve (internal and external) and they help each other do that. One thing I love in romances is when couples bring out the best in each other and this is very evident in The Duke is Mine. The only issue I had with the love story was how quickly the relationship moved. I would like to have seen more interactions between Olivia and Tarquin before the whole "I love you" aspect.

There are also some vibrant secondary characters in this story. My absolute favorite was Rupert, Olivia's "dim-witted" fiance. I loved how the author portrayed him and slowly revealed the reasons behind his "slowness." He is not your typical stupid side character, but a heartbreakingly beautiful person. His personality and outlook on life proved to be a great inspiration for both Olivia and Tarquin. I won't go much deeper into his story arc (to avoid key spoilers), but I can say it is very poignant and just makes this book that much more thought-provoking.

Two other side personalities I enjoyed were Tarquin's mother, the Dowager Duchess of Sconce, and Olivia's twin sister, Georgiana. Like most of the characters in this book, neither the dowager or Georgiana is exactly as they appear at first. The dowager is a force of nature and is thought to be the typical controlling matron, bu there is so much more to her. She saw the aftereffects of Tarquin's first marriage and is willing to do anything so her son avoids that type of pain again. Georgiana began as a boring contrast to Olivia's vivaciousness, but she slowly came into her own. I personally would love to see Eloisa James do a book focused on Georgiana.

In addition to the fabulous characters, the plot of The Duke is Mine is also a great asset for Ms. James. It is easy to follow and full of hilarious moments. I really enjoyed the way some key parts of the original fairytale were portrayed in the book especially the mattress scene. Also, Ms. James is notorious for the wonderful research she does and I love seeing the fruits of her labor in fun little tidbits. The ending of the book is full of adrenaline and is perfectly suited for the fairytale feel of the series. Wonderful job, Eloisa! I can't wait to read more of your retellings!(less)

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Jan 11, 2012 Cat rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

This book did not seem to be as enjoyable as all the others in the series. I really hope Eloisa James writes another fairy tale to redeem herself, this tale seemed very confusing. It was not a question of the romance being faked, though it did seem a bit too cut and dry for the two knowing each other for only three days. It seemed they exchanged greetings and BOOM! they were in love and trying to plan how to dupe the hero's mother and the heroine's sister. The heroine also got on my nerves a bit...more

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Jan 12, 2012 CJ - Secret Charm rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, just-plain-good, faerie-tale-with-a-twist, family, familyconflict, flooze

4.7

I admit that if I hadn't read much more of the book, I would have been left with the impression that the author was poking fun at a topic that is sensitive to others and it would have soured the whole book for me. As it is, it left me with a bad taste in my mouth for a period of time until I begin to see where the author was going with this(view spoiler)...more

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Oct 13, 2012 Kat rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, review, covers-i-adore, romance, read-2011

Recommended Read

My review cross-posted from Joyfully Reviewed: http://www.joyfullyreviewed.com/recom...

Olivia Lytton gave up believing in fairy tales at a young age. No Prince Charming is in her future; only the son of the Duke of Canterwick, to whom Olivia has been betrothed for years. Resigned to her fate, Olivia focuses on helping her twin, Georgiana, win a proposal from Tarquin, Duke of Sconce. Olivia knows that Quin is perfect for Georgiana in every way…now if only she didn’t wish she could...more Recommended Read

My review cross-posted from Joyfully Reviewed: http://www.joyfullyreviewed.com/recom...

Olivia Lytton gave up believing in fairy tales at a young age. No Prince Charming is in her future; only the son of the Duke of Canterwick, to whom Olivia has been betrothed for years. Resigned to her fate, Olivia focuses on helping her twin, Georgiana, win a proposal from Tarquin, Duke of Sconce. Olivia knows that Quin is perfect for Georgiana in every way…now if only she didn’t wish she could have him for herself! Olivia’s desire for Quin is matched by his attraction to her, but duty, honor, betrothals, and family stand in the way of any happiness they could have. With nary a godmother in sight, Olivia and Quin will have to work their own magic in order to get their own fairy tale ending.

I love this book! The Duke Is Mine is buoyant, charming, sexy, and just plain fun! Eloisa James has outdone herself in this not-quite-fairy tale romp through Regency England. Quin and Olivia are no picture perfect fairy tale protagonists. Olivia’s curvy, saucy, straightforward, and has a penchant for memorizing limericks. Quin, in turn, is brilliant and almost detached from the rest of the world. He’s capable of great passion, as evidenced by his desire for Olivia. To all outward observers, the two couldn’t be more different. Yet they fit one another like lock and key. I was highly entertained watching Olivia and Quin try to fight the inevitable. They’re both good people and Olivia is engaged to another while Quin knows that he “should” marry a woman like Georgiana, who would make the perfect duchess. Neither Olivia nor Quin want to break their promises or hurt anyone, so the multiple obstacles Ms. James puts in the pair’s path had me eagerly turning the pages of The Duke Is Mine to see how Olivia and Quin would get around them.

The Duke Is Mine is third full-length book in Ms. James’s Fairy Tales series, but like the other books, The Duke Is Mine is a standalone story. The fairy tale Ms. James loosely based The Duke Is Mine on is The Princess and the Pea. Those who have read the fairy tale will see bits and pieces of it in The Duke Is Mine, but Ms. James doesn’t overwhelm the book with references to the tale.

The Duke Is Mine sparkles with energy and good humor from the first page to the last. I was smiling almost the entire time I read Quin and Olivia’s book and I cannot wait to re-read it again and again and again. Ms. James has been one of my favorite authors for years and The Duke Is Mine joins many other books written by her on my keeper shelf. Don’t miss out on this delightful gem of a tale!(less)

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Dec 02, 2011 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: eloisa-james, historical-romance, netgalley, favorites

Olivia Lytton has been betrothed since before she was born to the also yet unborn son of a duke, Rupert. Thanks to a promise made between her father and Ruperts father when they were friends in Eton, she has been 'duchified' since she was a child, along with her twin sister Georgiana. Olivia knows all the proper rules and etiquette but it is just not her personality. Olivia is bawdy, sarcastic, and far too witty to truly be contained in a perfect duchess box. But as she was born seven minutes ea...more Olivia Lytton has been betrothed since before she was born to the also yet unborn son of a duke, Rupert. Thanks to a promise made between her father and Ruperts father when they were friends in Eton, she has been 'duchified' since she was a child, along with her twin sister Georgiana. Olivia knows all the proper rules and etiquette but it is just not her personality. Olivia is bawdy, sarcastic, and far too witty to truly be contained in a perfect duchess box. But as she was born seven minutes earlier than Georgiana, who is exactly what one looks for in a duchess, she has accepted her fate to marry the five years younger Rupert. Olivia knows she will bear the marriage to the much simpler Rupert as she plans to dower Georgiana right away so her perfect, beautiful sister can find her true happiness. As the betrothal papers are signed, as Rupert is finally eighteen, and scandalous promises are made by Ruperts father, one of the funniest scenes in this book happens. As Rupert heads to war to achieve the glory he so desires, Georgiana is invited to the home of Tarquin Brook Chatfield, Duke of Sconce by his mother as a potential new wife for Tarquin. Georgiana, with Olivia at her side, heads to his home with hope alight in her heart.

After his disastrous and heartbreaking first marriage, Quin knows it is his duty to remarry and he is more than willing to turn the process of choosing a wife over to his mother. She invites out two prospective women and is intent of putting them through a series of tests. It becomes clear quickly that Georgiana is the obvious choice but his mother continues on with her tests and in the process, asks Quin to entertain Olivia who is not in the running being betrothed already and totally unsuitable. The slight problem with that is Quin is quite attracted to Olivia but knows it can never be but the more time they spend together sparring and trading wits she slowly uncovers Quins hurtful past and together their hearts know they belong together. But the road to happiness has quite a few hurdles to overcome including Rupert, Georgiana, Quins mother and even Olivias belief that she is not good enough.

This is a fun, quirky, delightful retelling of the fairy tale, The Princess and the Pea. I adored the beginning, it had me laughing quite a bit. Olivia is smart, sassy, and unconventional but honest, fierce, and protective at the same time and it was a delight to meet her. Quin is a bit proud and stuffy but he suffered a great loss and Olivia is the perfect balm for his heart and she, along with some words from Rupert, makes him complete again. I am sure there will be a bit of discussion about the situation that Quin and Olivia find themselves in. She is engaged to Rupert who is off at war and Georgiana thinks that Quin will be the perfect husband. But, I have to say in my opinion, Eloisa James handled the delicate situation well and the resulting actions are something that I could believe happening. I do not want to say to much because I don't want to give away to much of the storyline and I want you to be able to judge for yourself, but I believe fans will be happy with the situations. And then we get to the ending and it ties it all up perfectly. I was wondering how a pile of mattresses would fit in with this story but Eloisa James found a perfect solution so fairy tale fans will be pleased. Overall, a true delight that will make you laugh out loud. sigh, and root for this couple. 4 1/2 stars

I received this ebook from Avon via netgalley.com (less)

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Dec 28, 2011 Kathy rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, lords-dukes-etc, 2011, dnf

I was so excited when the UPS guy dropped off my package of new release books. This is the first book I grabbed for. My excitement was short lived. What the hell happened here? Did Eloisa James really write this? Really?

In the dedication section she writes of having to throw out 175 pages and having to "start over". I wonder where she started over because it can't be at the beginning of the book, which is a total cluster.

I had hoped there might be some redemption as far as what I was reading....more

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Feb 25, 2013 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loved this book - Olivia was hilarious and snarky, and the pop culture references (particularly the Justin Bieber one, which I only realised when I read the acknowledgments, and then couldn't stop smiling and recommending it to my belieber friends!).

A lot of people are saying that TDIM treats a mentally handicapped character poorly and disrespectfully, but I think it was done well, and I have respect for Eloisa James for (view spoiler)...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Olivia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: nook

Anyone complaining about Ms.James treatment of the disabled character was really not paying attention to the words that were written. I had so much respect for Olivia for being loyal to Rupert and not letting others make fun of him. She saw his good qualities and showed them to the reader. Olivia describes Rupert's nose as bulbous with protruding front teeth, but that's not snarky nor mean, just descriptive. Olivia never gave an editorial comment like "ugly" or "repulsive".

I absolutely adored O...more

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Jan 21, 2013 Kris rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance

3.5 STARS "For Olivia Lytton, betrothal to the Duke of Canterwick - hardly a Prince Charming - feels more like a curse than a happily-ever-after. At least his noble status will help her sister, Georgiana, secure an engagement with the brooding, handsome Tarquin, Duke of Sconce, a perfect match for her in every way . . . every way but one. Tarquin has fallen in love with Olivia. Quin never puts passion before reason. And reason says that Georgiana is his ideal bride. But the sensual, fiery, stron...more

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Jan 21, 2013 Nan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book as a test case for me, to see if I really did like Eloisa James. The cover did nothing for me, and the cover copy wasn't interesting either. The fact that this was a retelling of "The Princess and the Pea" didn't do anything for me, either. I'd always disliked that story. According to James' afterward, there's apparently a pun in the story that I missed as a child and never considered as an adult. (With the pun, Andersen's story does improve.) Susan Palwick's version of the story, "The...more This book as a test case for me, to see if I really did like Eloisa James. The cover did nothing for me, and the cover copy wasn't interesting either. The fact that this was a retelling of "The Princess and the Pea" didn't do anything for me, either. I'd always disliked that story. According to James' afterward, there's apparently a pun in the story that I missed as a child and never considered as an adult. (With the pun, Andersen's story does improve.) Susan Palwick's version of the story, "The Real Princess," asks readers to question what "sinister motives" might lie behind a man's search for a woman so delicate that a pea beneath so many mattresses could bruise her. Once that story was in my head, I was never able to let it go, and I came to hate "The Princess and the Pea." (Palwick's story is collected in Ruby Slippers Golden Tears.)

You can see I came to this story will all sorts of baggage. I used that baggage to determine if I liked James well enough to trust her with material that did not initially seem appealing. She did a wonderful job with it. James wove the fairy tale in and out of the story expertly, and she did it in such a way that it rarely felt forced. Her language was typically fun and engaging, mixing anachronisms like the phrase "wardrobe malfunction" in with references to contemporary fiction like The Castle of Otranto. Her heroine was expertly drawn. Olivia was in a difficult position, betrothed to a man that she could not love, but her honor forced her to accept her fate. When she has a real chance at love, rather than chasing it down, she tries to make everyone else happy. Her self sacrifice is almost absurd, but she's been trained all of her life to be a representative of the best sort of nobility. While her parents believe that the training has not stuck, they cannot see just how deeply it is ingrained in her.

I've now come to the conclusion that James is awesome. Not all of her books are five stars for me, but I can trust her to create heroines that I care about, to be playful with anachronisms and allusions, to be the sort of romance writer that I wholeheartedly enjoy.(less)

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Jan 19, 2013 Elis Madison rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: era-regency, he-loves-me-she-loves-me-not, made-me-laugh-in-a-good-way, ru-kidding-me, use-your-words

Once upon a time, a duke befriended a mere Mister at Eton, and the two young men made a pact that the duke’s heir would marry the daughter of his friend. The young Mister hopped right to it, got hitched, and promptly produced (well, his wife did) twin daughters, the eldest of whom is Olivia. The happy parents, armed with a really stuffy etiquette book written by the Duchess of Scone, proceeded with a “Duchification” program (intensive training to make their daughters, both the elder, and—"just i...more

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Dec 17, 2012 Lege added it

Shelves: dnf

I ended up not finishing this book. Whole Fairy Tales series was somehow tumbled for me. First I read Beauty Tamed the Beast,book #2, because of House M.D. references... And I liked it a lot.
Then I saw Ilona Andrews (who I admire and adore), praising on blog A Kiss At Midnight and I was sold. First book in series, which I even liked more that BTTB, made me think that I was missing a lot not picking Eloisa James before....
Few months later Ugly Duchess was released, reviews were outstanding, ever...more I ended up not finishing this book. Whole Fairy Tales series was somehow tumbled for me. First I read Beauty Tamed the Beast,book #2, because of House M.D. references... And I liked it a lot.
Then I saw Ilona Andrews (who I admire and adore), praising on blog A Kiss At Midnight and I was sold. First book in series, which I even liked more that BTTB, made me think that I was missing a lot not picking Eloisa James before....
Few months later Ugly Duchess was released, reviews were outstanding, everyone was loving it... Of course, I had to read it to see what's all the fuss about. And that's how I went straight to book #4. Ugly Duchess was ok, I read it in one breath, but I was not loving it. I can't even tell why exactly, characters were loveable, conversation was witty not overbearing... but story was bland for me.
Since I'm a bit OCD with reading all the book in series and disturbance in order bugged me to no end, I picked up The Duke is Mine. I tried. I read 3/4 of book, but I didn't liked it after 1/4 read. I really didn't like heroine. First, I was bored with Olivia's and Georgiana's long, very long, pun-induced talk. It went for pages, I wanted chapter to end. Then we met hero, his introduction was interesting, and I thought we were back on track. And then, like one big f*ckfest, it came:
1. fiance, who was ridiculed and called stupid by heroine and her sister, actually has mental disorder. He wasn't breathing when he was born so doctor concluded it left some consequences. It was said he was lucky to learn reading. He is 18 year old boy, who is from their pov boring, snivelling and incapable of anything. For God's sake, his father tells her at one point, that he will educate her how to be a Duke, 'cause his son is lost case. I leave my personal outrage for this kind of treating out of this review.Yes, I took lack of medicine knowledge and close -minded thinking of that era in considration, but it was so out of order. Everything I knew about ton and peerage opposed to this. A nobleman wants a woman of common background to be duke instead of his only son.WTF? This has nothing to do with her being a woman-Hell, I am girl, and I love to read HR where heroines menage estates or have skills with money. But reasoning of old Duke was absurd. I'm not buying it.
2. I wrote that fiance is 18 and with his particular problem, their attempt of sex was very painful to read ( Witness little glimpse: his penis is compared with celery and it bent in two). Our hero, Quinn had no such problem.He, who is 32 and was previously married, was in constant state of arousal. He could only look at Olivia cleavage and get an erection. In front of his mother, at lunch, everywhere- this "inexperienced" man had no control of his emotions. I'm not buying it.
3. Quinn is mathematician- he loves equations. So, he lost himself in square roots explanations. Heroine's sister who is loves science,is listening him with interest and understanding. Our heroine find his story boring, she trows bad puns in every sentence. In immortal words of Ty Grady- she deserved pun penalty. But hero finds her- not her sister-charming and, you guessed-"arousing", because of this. Oh, yeah, I'm not into someone who share my interests; when they make fun of me and think what I do is stupid- I want to spend my life with them. I'm not buying it.
Story of Olivia, " The Bad Pun" heroine in pictures:

Story of Quinn," The Hydraulic Man" in pictures:

(less)

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Dec 02, 2012 Shelly LeCompt rated it 5 of 5 stars

Another great addition to the Fairy Tale series. Somwhere between a 4-4.5 stars. 'When Beauty Tamed the Beast' is still my favorite book in the series but this one was incredible all the same. It happens, sometimes when we are going through life, taking care of others & our responsibilities; that someone magical enters our heart without permission or reason and steals our breath away. Love leaves aftermath. This love story is an even balance of love & tragedy. Before reading this book in...more Another great addition to the Fairy Tale series. Somwhere between a 4-4.5 stars. 'When Beauty Tamed the Beast' is still my favorite book in the series but this one was incredible all the same. It happens, sometimes when we are going through life, taking care of others & our responsibilities; that someone magical enters our heart without permission or reason and steals our breath away. Love leaves aftermath. This love story is an even balance of love & tragedy. Before reading this book in the series, I thought there was no way I would love a book with this premise. People betrothed to others, falling in love with another. Nah, not my cup of tea; but I like Mrs James & the series so I'll give it a try. Glad I did. In the beginning, my heart was breaking. I was loving each character, despite their flaws. I just kept thinking, "I am going to hate someone when all this deception starts". As it began to unfold though, I only felt heartbreak. The love stories were written in such a way that you had no choice but to realize what was meant to be despite this situation & the players. Then all I could think was, "my heart is going to break for someone as this love story unfolds". Somehow, Ms James does it. She brings it altogether & gives the reader what you are hoping for without the complete destruction expected. Not without some tears though, I must add. During one part I was actually shedding some tears. But as always, Mrs James gives us our "Fairy Tale" happily ever after.

The hero is wonderful. Pure sexiness in ink. Quin is intelligent, reasonable, realistic, logical & yet, passionate. He emanates the hot, brooding alpha male SEXINESS that would ignite any woman's fires. Poor Olivia doesn't stand a chance. Although our heroine is loyal, respectable & responsible to a fault; their perfect fit & need for one another is too much to resist. I love when authors paint beauty that is more in tune with a real woman. Olivia is beautiful in that nontraditional way. She is curvy, sexy, smart, funny, loyal, strong, independent, outgoing, witty and although she does not see her self as beautiful she is still a confident woman. She is not classy & elegant like her sister but she still carries herself as a dutchess in other ways. She is the perfect embodiment of what Quinn needs to overcome his pain & loss; unfortunately for the other players involved. When these two come together the pages ignite. The story carries us through a realistic love story; where love hurts, love heals, love laughs & love cries. It is beautiful written & has charming characters you can't help but root for; all of them. I didn't just love the hero & heroine, I loved the sister, the betrothed (mostly I loved him because Olivia loved him & saw him in a precious & endearing way), Lucy and etc. You will find yourself wondering, "Who was it I was suppose to dislike?". This is a great read!(less)

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Nov 22, 2012 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads

Apparently the third time's the charm for James' Fairy Tale series, about which until now I've had fairly lukewarm feelings. I attribute that to the much, much looser adherence to the Princess and the Pea source material here than in her previous Cinderella or Beauty and the Beast retellings - she uses it more for jumping-off points than for plot points. There seems to be a fair contingent of readers who find the heroine unpalatable. I quite liked her, perhaps because (to paraphrase the critics)...more

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Nov 13, 2012 Huma Rashid rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

*SPOILER* I criticized Eloisa James on Twitter for:

- having her heroine constantly mock a mentally disabled man (her fiance, later, ex-fiance)
- writing an almost-sex-scene between the heroine and the mentally disabled fiance that bordered on sexual abuse
- having the heroine be a spoiled fucking brat
- having her steal her sister's fiance
- having a hero that's a jackass
- having a hero that leads one woman on while trying to bang her sister
- having a character refer to an erection as "go diddly did...more *SPOILER* I criticized Eloisa James on Twitter for:

- having her heroine constantly mock a mentally disabled man (her fiance, later, ex-fiance)
- writing an almost-sex-scene between the heroine and the mentally disabled fiance that bordered on sexual abuse
- having the heroine be a spoiled fucking brat
- having her steal her sister's fiance
- having a hero that's a jackass
- having a hero that leads one woman on while trying to bang her sister
- having a character refer to an erection as "go diddly diddly up"
- absurdly model a character off of Justin Bieber (yeah, if you are a grown ass woman lusting after Bieber, I judge the hell out of you)
- basically writing a weak, lackluster, boring and at times cringe-inducing novel

and she blocked me on Twitter.

And I wasn't even mean in my tweets! All I said was that this book was offensive as hell, which it was, and that she should be ashamed of herself, which she and Avon absolutely should be. This book is DISGUSTING. If you know or love someone who is mentally disabled, you will be seeing red within the first twenty-five pages, I can guarantee it.

I've read other Eloisa James books - The Ugly Duchess and Beauty Tamed the Beast - and they were okay. Not too bad. The Ugly Duchess was oddly paced and dragged, and the fashion was just god-awful (fashion was kind of a major motif in that story) and the romance part was uncomfortable at times, and Beauty Tamed the Beast just read like bad House fanfiction, but overall, they weren't terrible. I wouldn't have recommended them to anyone, but they weren't atrocious, and I've read some atrocious books.

Still, I could never have imagined that the author of those admittedly unremarkable books could stoop so low as to write this offensive trash. Eloisa James is a weak writer in general, and with this book she just ... blows it completely.

She has permanently lost a fan. (Well, after I review the ARC of that pirate book of hers. Hopefully it doesn't suck pondscum. It should be okay. I hope.)

But yeah. Eloisa James is a weak writer who obviously can't handle criticism. A shame, since this books deserves nothing but. (less)

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Nov 07, 2012 Lexie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Okay you guys know the problems I had THE UGLY DUCHESS and how it would have helped if the main characters weren't married to kind of smooth my ruffled feathers? This book (which chronologically and publishing wise came before THE UGLY DUCHESS) proves me point. Amongst other things.

Olivia is engaged to Rupert (reluctantly), who is her opposite in every way. She'd really be more of his caretaker if they were married, as he's mentally more of a child. Initially Olivia reacts the same way anyone wh...more Okay you guys know the problems I had THE UGLY DUCHESS and how it would have helped if the main characters weren't married to kind of smooth my ruffled feathers? This book (which chronologically and publishing wise came before THE UGLY DUCHESS) proves me point. Amongst other things.

Olivia is engaged to Rupert (reluctantly), who is her opposite in every way. She'd really be more of his caretaker if they were married, as he's mentally more of a child. Initially Olivia reacts the same way anyone who doesn't know the whole story would react--why am I marrying this louse? You can be damn sure his family wasn't going to let the fact he's mentally handicapped become fodder for society's gossipmongers so how else do you expect a young woman to react? Her stance changes once she learns the truth and she becomes his biggest supporter and champion.

Quin meanwhile lost his son because his first wife was a Capital B, so he's understandably wary of everyone. He's considered a coldhearted bastard because he couldn't cry at his son's funeral (though again, this is a case of everyone (in society) needs to shut the frell up because if you don't know the whole story about WHY he's so coldhearted don't go spouting vicious rumors like he didn't love his son) and is initially irritated by Olivia.

They meet because he needs a suitable wife (cause don't you know, he's a Duke so he needs a heir, never mind his feelings on the matter) and he figures Olivia's sister Georgiana is perfect as she's amiable, reasonably intelligent and not likely to make his life chaotic (or kill his kid). Unfortunately his heart is like 'OLIVIA' and unlike most historical romance heroes (or any genre of romance hero) he figures it out frist and goes out of his way to prove it to her.

Olivia was pretty much everything I ever wanted in a romance heroine and then some. Yes she's sarcastic, prone to singing inappropriate songs and speaking her mind. She's not perfect, she doesn't claim to be perfect and if she was perfect? I don't think her engagement to Rupert would have worked. Assuming Quin never came into the picture, she would have been content as Rupert's wife. She cared about him, understood him to a certain extent and more importantly didn't judge him for what he couldn't help. She encouraged him in other ways and while she'd never have the marriage most folk wanted, she'd be free to be herself.

It wouldn't have been a bad ending, but this is a romance and romances require Happily Ever Afters and thus did Olivia get hers without being the B who broke Rupert's heart. It was pretty contrived and sappy-dappy when her and Quin finally end up together, but Eloisa doesn't cut Rupert short. Rupert is a hero, a real hero and Olivia doesn't let anyone forget that fact.
(less)

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Oct 30, 2012 Cj rated it 3 of 5 stars

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

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Oct 27, 2012 Beno salvator rated it 3 of 5 stars

i started reading this series a little over a month ago and when i got to this book i stopped read a couple of other books by other Arthurs cuz i have a thing about cheating, and they kinda of cheat on everyone in this book, both of them.

but in my head i had an idea of how they would be justified and the cheatee would get awarded but what happened to the sister is this *
* yep that. nothing her feeling were wrote off literally one second she really really wants to marry him the second she is an...more

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Sep 20, 2012 Crista rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2-star, historical, series

After reading the stunning and hugely memorable When Beauty Tamed the Beast , I couldn't wait to read this book. I've always loved fairy tales, and Eloisa James's series that is loosely based on fairy tales has been incredible...up till this book.

This Duke is Mine missed on many levels. It didn't sit right...almost from the opening chapter, and it never really improved.

Olivia Lytton was my problem. She is described as a plump, loud, and somewhat crass lady. Although I believe her character was m...more

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About Eloisa James

New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James writes historical romances for HarperCollins Publishers. Her novels have been published to great acclaim. A reviewer from USA Today wrote of Eloisa's very first book that she "found herself devouring the book like a dieter with a Hershey bar"; later People Magazine raved that "romance writing does not get much better than this." Her novels have repeat...more

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Books by Eloisa James

When Beauty Tamed the Beast (Fairy Tales, #2)

Duchess By Night (Desperate Duchesses, #3)

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Quotes from The Duke Is Mine

“He rarely saw a doorway without advancing through it as if he owned it. Since he owned a good many doorways, he would have pointed out that this was a reasonable assumption.” — 3 people liked it

“The only part of the evening I really enjoyed was when Lord Pomtinius told me a limerick about an adulterous abbot.”
“Don’t you dare repeat it!” her sister ordered. Georgiana had never shown the faintest wish to rebel against the rules of propriety. She loved and lived by them.
“There once was an adulterous abbot,” Olivia teased, “as randy-“
Georgiana slapped her hands over her ears. “I can’t believe he told you such a thing! Father would be furious if he knew.”
“Lord Pomtinius was in his cups,” Olivia said. “Besides, he’s ninety-six and he doesn’t care about decorum any longer. Just a laugh, now and then.”
“It doesn’t even make sense. An adulterous abbot? How can an abbot be adulterous? They don’t even marry.”
“Let me know if you want to hear the whole verse,” Olivia said. “It ends with talk of nuns, so I believe the word was being used loosely.” — 1 person liked it

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