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Hazards of Dukes #3
A Wicked Bargain for the Duke
The author of the “sparkling” and “steamy” (Entertainment Weekly) Never Kiss a Duke returns with the delightful third book in the Hazards of Dukes series as a rigid duke meets his match in a rebellious lady.
Thaddeus, the new Duke of Hasford, holds his new title reluctantly, but his sense of duty is strong. Task number one: find a wife and secure an heir. He thinks he’s found the perfect choice in Lady Jane Capel—until her sister, Lavinia, bursts onto the scene. Vivacious, rebellious, and strikingly beautiful, Lavinia is determined to keep him away from her shy, sweet sister. And she’s also determined not to think so much about his broad chest and strong thighs.
When Lady Lavinia and Thaddeus end up in the most compromising position, witnessed by Lavinia’s mother and nearly everyone at a party, they’re forced to get married to protect their reputations. With no love between them, but with an heir to conceive, they strike a bargain in bed. Only Lavinia demands passion, and Thaddeus complies, with both of them realizing this marriage of convenience may turn into much more...
Thaddeus, the new Duke of Hasford, holds his new title reluctantly, but his sense of duty is strong. Task number one: find a wife and secure an heir. He thinks he’s found the perfect choice in Lady Jane Capel—until her sister, Lavinia, bursts onto the scene. Vivacious, rebellious, and strikingly beautiful, Lavinia is determined to keep him away from her shy, sweet sister. And she’s also determined not to think so much about his broad chest and strong thighs.
When Lady Lavinia and Thaddeus end up in the most compromising position, witnessed by Lavinia’s mother and nearly everyone at a party, they’re forced to get married to protect their reputations. With no love between them, but with an heir to conceive, they strike a bargain in bed. Only Lavinia demands passion, and Thaddeus complies, with both of them realizing this marriage of convenience may turn into much more...
380 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 27, 2021
161 people are currently reading
2193 people want to read
About the author
Megan Frampton
37 books1,051 followersMegan Frampton's love affair with books began when her parents moved her to a remote town in New Hampshire where there was only one television station. And then the TV broke. She devoured every book of fiction in her well-read parents' library, finding special joy in Georgette Heyer and the fairy tales collected and translated by Andrew Lang. Megan majored in English literature at Barnard College and worked in the music industry for fifteen years. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband (her former intern) and her kid.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 232 reviews
April 28, 2021
There were way more sex scenes in this than I expected and they were all mediocre regrettably
July 20, 2023
I'm so delighted with this historical. They had to marry because they were caught in a compromising position, and he thinks he is real good at sex but she just sat him down to tell him he is, in fact, not satisfying her. And bless him he growls and says challenge accepted.
Thaddeus, the Duke of Hasford, is my sort of love interest. He's super tall, he smells like pine, AND he pines so hard for the woman he told himself he'd never love, only get an heir from. Definitely a Captain Ri archetype like character, so starchy yet he'll put on lavender pants to please you.
Lavinia was also amazing, and I adored her straight forward and frank honesty with Thaddeus when he isn't pleasing her in bed. She wants to have fun while doing the heir making! And when she calls both Thaddeus and her dog Precious, I laughed so hard.
A comfy and delightful romance. Plus the parallel of both these hopeless fools running towards each other on horses named Kevin and Crusader, without knowing the other is on their way, at the end is 10/10 would recommend.
Where were you going?
To you. I was going to you.
I was going to you too, he said.
Thank you to Avon for the ARC
Thaddeus, the Duke of Hasford, is my sort of love interest. He's super tall, he smells like pine, AND he pines so hard for the woman he told himself he'd never love, only get an heir from. Definitely a Captain Ri archetype like character, so starchy yet he'll put on lavender pants to please you.
Lavinia was also amazing, and I adored her straight forward and frank honesty with Thaddeus when he isn't pleasing her in bed. She wants to have fun while doing the heir making! And when she calls both Thaddeus and her dog Precious, I laughed so hard.
A comfy and delightful romance. Plus the parallel of both these hopeless fools running towards each other on horses named Kevin and Crusader, without knowing the other is on their way, at the end is 10/10 would recommend.
Where were you going?
To you. I was going to you.
I was going to you too, he said.
Thank you to Avon for the ARC
August 9, 2022
Started out a little rocky but I swear I was laughing out loud so much during this. “Her brief duke”
“Precious” and so many other moments had me rolling.
Basically he is not great at sex but wants to have sex a lot and she has to sit him down and be like buddy…real talk, do you know where the clit is? He took it real well though and it was very fun! I definitely laughed out loud it was a very cheeky book.
“Precious” and so many other moments had me rolling.
Basically he is not great at sex but wants to have sex a lot and she has to sit him down and be like buddy…real talk, do you know where the clit is? He took it real well though and it was very fun! I definitely laughed out loud it was a very cheeky book.
April 12, 2021
This book is a clever, witty and engaging look into the world of those sentenced to a life of royalty. Reading this book helped me understand the lives of the Windsor family. I highly recommend it. Megan Frampton is such a great author.
April 6, 2021
Thaddeus Dutton never wanted or expected to receive his title but now that he is the Duke of Hasford he’s determined to do his duty to the fullest. He’s approaching the task with the same military precision he employed in his former life as an officer and one of the first items on his list is to find a suitably prim, quiet wife. Shy, retiring Lady Jane Capel seems to be the ideal candidate, if only her vibrant sister Lavinia didn’t insist on spoiling his courtship.
Lavinia can acknowledge that the duke is an attractive man, but she’s not interested in him for herself, she’s just determined to keep him away from her reticent sister so Jane can remain free to marry the man she loves. But when Lavinia and Thaddeus accidentally find themselves in a compromising position before many witnesses at a well-attended society soiree, he is forced to propose marriage to the wrong sisters. Theirs is not a love match; they barely even like each other, so he proposes a bargain by which they will both be free to lead separate lives upon conception of an heir. Lavinia agrees to this bargain, albeit reluctantly, but demands passion and patience in the bedroom. Thaddeus acquiesces and soon they both realize their relationship has the potential to become so much more if they’re willing to set their bargain aside and allow it.
This book has so many elements I loved, but also some I wasn’t crazy about. I adored how straightforward our heroine was. No games from her and she forced strait-laced, clueless Thaddeus to broaden his horizons and have some frank and uncomfortable conversations. Thaddeus frustrated me with his ongoing cluelessness and reluctance to communicate and put himself out there, though a lot of this does make sense given how little he’d ever been shown affection or allowed to really express his emotions before. A life of repression isn’t easily undone, and this did make the changes he underwent as a result of his marriage to Lavinia more obvious and meaningful. I wanted to see a bit more of Thaddeus defending Lavinia against her awful mother and would’ve liked a bit more steam between these two as a couple. It made sense that their first awkward scenes were closed door, but I never really felt the spark between them even as things heated up. Otherwise, Thaddeus’ groveling was well done, and the character development exhibited by both Thaddeus and Lavinia was spot on.
I also truly loved the fact that things in the bedroom weren’t an instant success and he had to learn how to please his wife no matter that those conversations were awkward and uncomfortable. This is such a realistic and relatable issue and it’s refreshing and rather charming to find a romance hero who has to learn the ropes as it were. That said, given their ability to have an open discussion about a subject as tension-inducing as bedroom performance, it was frustrating that the conflict of the rest of the book largely stemmed from a lack of communication between these two. They handled the harder subject but not some of the more obvious ones for discussion. This made it seem just a bit like they were merely two lonely people who bonded through lust and proximity and not much else as it took them quite a while to openly communicate and we didn’t get much more time with them after that. I also would’ve loved to see more interactions between them as a couple and the couples from the previous books.
Overall, some of the internal monologues about the conflict got a bit repetitive here, but I enjoyed the story and the tackling of a relationship not having such a stellar start in the bedroom. I find myself much intrigued by developments with the characters of Jane and Percy and wondering if perhaps they’ll get their own stories now.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...
Lavinia can acknowledge that the duke is an attractive man, but she’s not interested in him for herself, she’s just determined to keep him away from her reticent sister so Jane can remain free to marry the man she loves. But when Lavinia and Thaddeus accidentally find themselves in a compromising position before many witnesses at a well-attended society soiree, he is forced to propose marriage to the wrong sisters. Theirs is not a love match; they barely even like each other, so he proposes a bargain by which they will both be free to lead separate lives upon conception of an heir. Lavinia agrees to this bargain, albeit reluctantly, but demands passion and patience in the bedroom. Thaddeus acquiesces and soon they both realize their relationship has the potential to become so much more if they’re willing to set their bargain aside and allow it.
This book has so many elements I loved, but also some I wasn’t crazy about. I adored how straightforward our heroine was. No games from her and she forced strait-laced, clueless Thaddeus to broaden his horizons and have some frank and uncomfortable conversations. Thaddeus frustrated me with his ongoing cluelessness and reluctance to communicate and put himself out there, though a lot of this does make sense given how little he’d ever been shown affection or allowed to really express his emotions before. A life of repression isn’t easily undone, and this did make the changes he underwent as a result of his marriage to Lavinia more obvious and meaningful. I wanted to see a bit more of Thaddeus defending Lavinia against her awful mother and would’ve liked a bit more steam between these two as a couple. It made sense that their first awkward scenes were closed door, but I never really felt the spark between them even as things heated up. Otherwise, Thaddeus’ groveling was well done, and the character development exhibited by both Thaddeus and Lavinia was spot on.
I also truly loved the fact that things in the bedroom weren’t an instant success and he had to learn how to please his wife no matter that those conversations were awkward and uncomfortable. This is such a realistic and relatable issue and it’s refreshing and rather charming to find a romance hero who has to learn the ropes as it were. That said, given their ability to have an open discussion about a subject as tension-inducing as bedroom performance, it was frustrating that the conflict of the rest of the book largely stemmed from a lack of communication between these two. They handled the harder subject but not some of the more obvious ones for discussion. This made it seem just a bit like they were merely two lonely people who bonded through lust and proximity and not much else as it took them quite a while to openly communicate and we didn’t get much more time with them after that. I also would’ve loved to see more interactions between them as a couple and the couples from the previous books.
Overall, some of the internal monologues about the conflict got a bit repetitive here, but I enjoyed the story and the tackling of a relationship not having such a stellar start in the bedroom. I find myself much intrigued by developments with the characters of Jane and Percy and wondering if perhaps they’ll get their own stories now.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...
August 4, 2021
A Wicked Bargain for the Duke is a light and endearing story with plenty of laughs ready for you in waiting. This is an author I have enjoyed over the years, she has a quirky sense of writ, and it displays quite well on the page. I was eager to see what this author would deliver in this one, and I wasn't nervous that it was the third in the series (when I haven't read the first two) although now that I have read this one, I am wanting to pick up the first two books.
In A Wicked Bargain for the Duke, we have a story that features a writer in hiding, Lavinia, who is overprotective of her younger sister. But when the Duke of Hasford, sets his sights on Jane who is in love with someone else. So in her endeavor to protect her sister, she ends up in a comprising position with Thaddeus and they will have to marry. Lavinia isn't the woman that Thaddeus wanted originally, and he has certain standards of what he wants for his family. Lavinia agrees to his certain "standards" but when sparks fly in and out of the bedroom, there is so much more than just this agreement. But with both hearts so prideful, who will fight for the other first and let go of preconceived notions on what marriage should be?
I was deeply saddened to give this book such a rating, but I really needed to. I had the hardest time getting into this book and so the first half was a battle and as this is an author I do endeavor to support and I received this as an ARC, I wanted to see this one all the way through. I will say that I was happy when the second half turned out so much better than the first half. It could have been my mood, not really sure why I struggled so much. But I did enjoy this story and I always love a good marriage of convenience. There was some "modern feminism" thrown into this story, it didn't bother me too much as it wasn't too "soap box", it felt a bit more genuine in the way it was implemented into the story so bravo to this author for that. But it also had me rolling my eyes in some portions. I did love the redemption at the end and seeing a hero fight for the heroine. Just wanted more from the heroine, I was expecting much more than I received from her, I love a lady that will fight for her man just as fiercely as the man will.
Overall while I had some issues, I found this story to be quite enjoyable and kept me entertained, it had a sense of smexy playfulness that I have always be endeared to with this author, looking forward to delving into the other books in the series.
In A Wicked Bargain for the Duke, we have a story that features a writer in hiding, Lavinia, who is overprotective of her younger sister. But when the Duke of Hasford, sets his sights on Jane who is in love with someone else. So in her endeavor to protect her sister, she ends up in a comprising position with Thaddeus and they will have to marry. Lavinia isn't the woman that Thaddeus wanted originally, and he has certain standards of what he wants for his family. Lavinia agrees to his certain "standards" but when sparks fly in and out of the bedroom, there is so much more than just this agreement. But with both hearts so prideful, who will fight for the other first and let go of preconceived notions on what marriage should be?
I was deeply saddened to give this book such a rating, but I really needed to. I had the hardest time getting into this book and so the first half was a battle and as this is an author I do endeavor to support and I received this as an ARC, I wanted to see this one all the way through. I will say that I was happy when the second half turned out so much better than the first half. It could have been my mood, not really sure why I struggled so much. But I did enjoy this story and I always love a good marriage of convenience. There was some "modern feminism" thrown into this story, it didn't bother me too much as it wasn't too "soap box", it felt a bit more genuine in the way it was implemented into the story so bravo to this author for that. But it also had me rolling my eyes in some portions. I did love the redemption at the end and seeing a hero fight for the heroine. Just wanted more from the heroine, I was expecting much more than I received from her, I love a lady that will fight for her man just as fiercely as the man will.
Overall while I had some issues, I found this story to be quite enjoyable and kept me entertained, it had a sense of smexy playfulness that I have always be endeared to with this author, looking forward to delving into the other books in the series.
February 7, 2022
Thaddeus Dutton, Duke of Hasford, decides he's going to Get Married so he picks out Lady Jane Capel as The One but ends up married to her sister, Lavinia, after getting caught falling onto her breasts at a party. They negotiate the terms of their marriage, which results in addendums when Thad's dicking disappoints. Eventually, all that sex turns to love, or something. The end.
1. Someone needs to save me from myself.
2. AHAHA THE SEX THO.
3. I gave it a shot because Marriage! Of! Convenience! and lo, that was relatively fine.
4. BUT THE SEX THO.
1. Someone needs to save me from myself.
2. AHAHA THE SEX THO.
3. I gave it a shot because Marriage! Of! Convenience! and lo, that was relatively fine.
4. BUT THE SEX THO.
July 24, 2022
I must admit. It was VERY HARD to get into this book in the beginning. The writing skipped over scenes and it felt like we were skipping through time. But it's a classic forced marriage where our hero and heroine shouldn't like each other but they do. I enjoyed most of it and curious to see if the rest of the series gets better.
April 27, 2021
Thaddeus, the new Duke of Hasford holds his title reluctantly but with a strong sense of duty he decides to complete his first task as Duke. Marry and secure an Heir. He sets his sights on what he thinks will be the perfect woman for him. But the lady in question's sister thinks otherwise. And she'll do everything in her power to stop this match from happening. Including perhaps, falling for the Duke herself.
I enjoyed this book immensely! Lavinia is a firecracker of a heroine and Thaddeus was such a giant, broody and noble hero. I loved the sisterly bond, the marriage of convenience trope, and that Lavinia is a writer. The couple had great chemistry and I loved the back and forth between them.
I do wish they had gotten over their miscommunication earlier and that the conflict hadn't resolved around that quite so much. But overall I really enjoyed this one!
I received an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I enjoyed this book immensely! Lavinia is a firecracker of a heroine and Thaddeus was such a giant, broody and noble hero. I loved the sisterly bond, the marriage of convenience trope, and that Lavinia is a writer. The couple had great chemistry and I loved the back and forth between them.
I do wish they had gotten over their miscommunication earlier and that the conflict hadn't resolved around that quite so much. But overall I really enjoyed this one!
I received an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.
November 29, 2021
We liked A LOT about this book. It's your basic marriage of convenience paired with a bargain to separate once the requisite heir has been produced. Since Lavinia and Thaddeus don't like each other but wouldn't mind a hate f**k, this seems like it might be the perfect deal. Except... it's not (duh). Lavinia is a little disappointed to discover that the only thing she had to look forward to in her marriage (the hate sex) just isn't that good. If only there were a way for Thaddeus to level up his bedroom skillz. Oh wait, there is! And it's called: communication.
The way the couple moves from married-but-not-happy-about-it to catching feelings to TRUE LOVE is what we expect from a marriage of convenience, but the route Megan Frampton takes is not the conventional one - and we really, really liked it.
42-Word Summaries:
Meg: Lavinia is super charismatic, confident, and whimsical. Thaddeus is not - but his thighs make up for everything else in this marriage of convenience-turns-into-love but with a secret novelist and sex lessons twist. Plus did I mention Thaddeus’s thighs? Cause he’s got some nice ones.
Laine: Thaddeus *no nickname* wants a lady in the streets but a freak in the sheets, but unknowingly and reluctantly marries an extroverted termagant to save her from ruin. "Vinnie" *shouldn't have a nickname* writes sexy books and gets married for her siblings.
The way the couple moves from married-but-not-happy-about-it to catching feelings to TRUE LOVE is what we expect from a marriage of convenience, but the route Megan Frampton takes is not the conventional one - and we really, really liked it.
42-Word Summaries:
Meg: Lavinia is super charismatic, confident, and whimsical. Thaddeus is not - but his thighs make up for everything else in this marriage of convenience-turns-into-love but with a secret novelist and sex lessons twist. Plus did I mention Thaddeus’s thighs? Cause he’s got some nice ones.
Laine: Thaddeus *no nickname* wants a lady in the streets but a freak in the sheets, but unknowingly and reluctantly marries an extroverted termagant to save her from ruin. "Vinnie" *shouldn't have a nickname* writes sexy books and gets married for her siblings.
April 13, 2021
Series: Hazards of Dukes #3
Publication Date: 4/27/21
Number of Pages: 384
Frampton is a hit-or-miss author for me, but I think she hit it out of the park with this book. I loved it! I smiled. I giggled. I wanted to give some people a swift kick-in-the-rear. These two delightful characters just won me over from the beginning. We have an uptight, all-that-is-proper, stick-up-his-rear army officer turned duke looking for a quiet (very quiet) biddable wife. Through totally accidental circumstances, he ends up married to a vibrant, talkative, intelligent, hoyden - and he has no clue what to do with her. She also has no problem speaking her mind and freely speaks to him about his inadequacies - as a lover and other things.
Thaddeus Dutton, the new Duke of Hasford, never expected to be a duke and isn’t particularly happy about it. His cousin, Sebastian, Never Kiss a Duke, was supposed to be the duke until a birth irregularity was discovered. Thaddeus wanted Sebastian to remain as the duke, but there was absolutely no way to make that happen. Thaddeus is a military man through and through. He was raised to know a military career was to be his – and he appreciated the discipline of it – knowing what to expect – giving and/or receiving commands and knowing what to expect from that. Now that he’s been the duke for a few months, he’s reached the next item on his list (he makes lots and lots and lots of lists). It is time to find a bride and he has a list of requirements for that bride (of course he does). She must be quiet, biddable, very proper, attractive, and – he’d love it if she was passionate as well. As he attends his first bride-acquiring social event, he sees Lady Jane, daughter of the Earl of Scudamore, and is sure his bride-search is over. How nice – he was only forced to attend one social function before he could focus on his future bride. She is from a very eccentric and scandalous family, but Jane herself is very quiet, very proper, and he’s sure – very biddable. He can overlook the rest. Well, maybe most of the rest – Jane’s sister Lavinia is just beyond the pale. She’s boisterous, hoydenish in both actions and speech, and she has no problems telling him exactly what she thinks. Thank goodness he doesn’t have to marry her!
Lady Lavinia loves life! She’s vivacious. She’s funny. She’s intelligent. She’s an eternal optimist and sees the world and everything in it in bright, vivid, full-spectrum color. She adores her siblings – all of them – the legitimate and the illegitimate – and she’ll do anything to protect them. Especially Jane – because Jane is the one who needs the most protecting. So, when the larger-than-life, large, formidable duke immediately focuses on Jane, Lavinia knows she has to do something. She doesn’t know what she’ll do, but she will do something if he continues to focus on her sister. When his proposal seems imminent, Lavinia pulls him aside to tell him that he cannot propose to her sister and she intends to tell him exactly why – except – well – stuff happens and she ends up married to the duke instead.
All of that happens early on in the book and the remainder of the book is the two of them dancing around each other and their own expectations. He is at a bit of a loss when it comes to dealing with her very forthright comments on every facet of their lives – even the bedroom portions. He does really well though and instead of shutting her down, he listens and often changes course based on her input. They made a terrible bargain on their first day of marriage and that haunts both of them throughout the story.
I absolutely adored both Lavinia and Thaddeus – they were absolutely perfect for each other. He curbed her excesses and she brought out his spontaneity and humor. The ending was delightfully done and I closed the book feeling very happy about their future. Now, I can’t wait to see Jane’s story in Gentleman Seeks Bride
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Publication Date: 4/27/21
Number of Pages: 384
Frampton is a hit-or-miss author for me, but I think she hit it out of the park with this book. I loved it! I smiled. I giggled. I wanted to give some people a swift kick-in-the-rear. These two delightful characters just won me over from the beginning. We have an uptight, all-that-is-proper, stick-up-his-rear army officer turned duke looking for a quiet (very quiet) biddable wife. Through totally accidental circumstances, he ends up married to a vibrant, talkative, intelligent, hoyden - and he has no clue what to do with her. She also has no problem speaking her mind and freely speaks to him about his inadequacies - as a lover and other things.
Thaddeus Dutton, the new Duke of Hasford, never expected to be a duke and isn’t particularly happy about it. His cousin, Sebastian, Never Kiss a Duke, was supposed to be the duke until a birth irregularity was discovered. Thaddeus wanted Sebastian to remain as the duke, but there was absolutely no way to make that happen. Thaddeus is a military man through and through. He was raised to know a military career was to be his – and he appreciated the discipline of it – knowing what to expect – giving and/or receiving commands and knowing what to expect from that. Now that he’s been the duke for a few months, he’s reached the next item on his list (he makes lots and lots and lots of lists). It is time to find a bride and he has a list of requirements for that bride (of course he does). She must be quiet, biddable, very proper, attractive, and – he’d love it if she was passionate as well. As he attends his first bride-acquiring social event, he sees Lady Jane, daughter of the Earl of Scudamore, and is sure his bride-search is over. How nice – he was only forced to attend one social function before he could focus on his future bride. She is from a very eccentric and scandalous family, but Jane herself is very quiet, very proper, and he’s sure – very biddable. He can overlook the rest. Well, maybe most of the rest – Jane’s sister Lavinia is just beyond the pale. She’s boisterous, hoydenish in both actions and speech, and she has no problems telling him exactly what she thinks. Thank goodness he doesn’t have to marry her!
Lady Lavinia loves life! She’s vivacious. She’s funny. She’s intelligent. She’s an eternal optimist and sees the world and everything in it in bright, vivid, full-spectrum color. She adores her siblings – all of them – the legitimate and the illegitimate – and she’ll do anything to protect them. Especially Jane – because Jane is the one who needs the most protecting. So, when the larger-than-life, large, formidable duke immediately focuses on Jane, Lavinia knows she has to do something. She doesn’t know what she’ll do, but she will do something if he continues to focus on her sister. When his proposal seems imminent, Lavinia pulls him aside to tell him that he cannot propose to her sister and she intends to tell him exactly why – except – well – stuff happens and she ends up married to the duke instead.
All of that happens early on in the book and the remainder of the book is the two of them dancing around each other and their own expectations. He is at a bit of a loss when it comes to dealing with her very forthright comments on every facet of their lives – even the bedroom portions. He does really well though and instead of shutting her down, he listens and often changes course based on her input. They made a terrible bargain on their first day of marriage and that haunts both of them throughout the story.
I absolutely adored both Lavinia and Thaddeus – they were absolutely perfect for each other. He curbed her excesses and she brought out his spontaneity and humor. The ending was delightfully done and I closed the book feeling very happy about their future. Now, I can’t wait to see Jane’s story in Gentleman Seeks Bride
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 22, 2021
There isn't even one pussy-eating scene???! I was ROBBED-
February 7, 2023
Note: Some of my goodreads shelves can be spoilers
Overall: 3.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖 - this one relied quite a bit on a lack of communication and assumptions of each other for the plot
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋 - the intimate scenes didn’t do it for me here. Initial ones were disappointing for the heroine and some fade to black then later on I felt they were still on the short side and not super developed. Frampton also likes to use the word penis
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑 (some shorter)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥 - this one is hard to count steam. There’s a number of scenes but I didn’t count some because they were too short, or disappointing for the heroine. This might feel hotter to you, I was more conservative on my flame count.
Humor: Yes – especially through the audiobook. I feel like Jilly Bond does a great job getting that humor through that can be subtle throughout.
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and the heroine
(These are all personal preference on a scale of 1-5 (yours ratings may vary depending what gives you feels and how you prefer you sex scenes written, etc) except the Steam Scale which follows our chart from The Ton and Tartans Book Club )
Should I read in order?
It’s not totally necessary but the family is definitely woven together through the series and you’ll get the background of Sebastian a bit better. (This is the third book of the series. Tall, Duke and Dangerous (book 2) features this hero’s friend Nash and Never Kiss a Duke (book 1) features this hero’s cousin)
Basic plot:
Thaddeus is on the search for a wife and believes he finds it in Lady Jane Capel. But her sister, Lavinia will do whatever it takes to protect her from him and instead lands in a compromising position that must result in marriage.
Give this a try if you want:
- mostly London setting
- secret writer heroine
- compromised heroine resulting in marriage
- medium steam – there’s a number of scenes but some are short, vague and fade to black (details at the end of review)
- Duke hero that was a prior soldier
My thoughts:
I did like a lot about this book. I listened to the audio and I have started enjoying Jilly Bond quite a bit. Some of her voices sound a bit, well, elderly to me, but once I got past that it was so much better. I think she does a really great job portraying the humor in this story, which was quite delightful.
This book was definitely something new for me. Our couple comes together after being compromised, which is one of my favorite tropes. But then, he’s actually not too great at sex, so they have to work through that. And I actually loved that as a plot point. It was fun and sweet and a bit vulnerable. I did wish it was a bit more...explosive when they came together in a good way though? I wanted it to totally wreck them both and I didn’t really feel that.
This book does have quite a bit of lack of communication between the two of them. I struggled with that a bit, though I did think it fit here due to Sebastian’s upbringing and his lack of confidence with expressing his feelings.
So I don’t think this one would quite be a reread for me, but it was overall pleasant. Frampton’s humor and family relationships shine through in this one and it was a fun read.
Quotes/thoughts:
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Overall: 3.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖 - this one relied quite a bit on a lack of communication and assumptions of each other for the plot
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋 - the intimate scenes didn’t do it for me here. Initial ones were disappointing for the heroine and some fade to black then later on I felt they were still on the short side and not super developed. Frampton also likes to use the word penis
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑 (some shorter)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥 - this one is hard to count steam. There’s a number of scenes but I didn’t count some because they were too short, or disappointing for the heroine. This might feel hotter to you, I was more conservative on my flame count.
Humor: Yes – especially through the audiobook. I feel like Jilly Bond does a great job getting that humor through that can be subtle throughout.
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and the heroine
(These are all personal preference on a scale of 1-5 (yours ratings may vary depending what gives you feels and how you prefer you sex scenes written, etc) except the Steam Scale which follows our chart from The Ton and Tartans Book Club )
Should I read in order?
It’s not totally necessary but the family is definitely woven together through the series and you’ll get the background of Sebastian a bit better. (This is the third book of the series. Tall, Duke and Dangerous (book 2) features this hero’s friend Nash and Never Kiss a Duke (book 1) features this hero’s cousin)
Basic plot:
Thaddeus is on the search for a wife and believes he finds it in Lady Jane Capel. But her sister, Lavinia will do whatever it takes to protect her from him and instead lands in a compromising position that must result in marriage.
Give this a try if you want:
- mostly London setting
- secret writer heroine
- compromised heroine resulting in marriage
- medium steam – there’s a number of scenes but some are short, vague and fade to black (details at the end of review)
- Duke hero that was a prior soldier
My thoughts:
I did like a lot about this book. I listened to the audio and I have started enjoying Jilly Bond quite a bit. Some of her voices sound a bit, well, elderly to me, but once I got past that it was so much better. I think she does a really great job portraying the humor in this story, which was quite delightful.
This book was definitely something new for me. Our couple comes together after being compromised, which is one of my favorite tropes. But then, he’s actually not too great at sex, so they have to work through that. And I actually loved that as a plot point. It was fun and sweet and a bit vulnerable. I did wish it was a bit more...explosive when they came together in a good way though? I wanted it to totally wreck them both and I didn’t really feel that.
This book does have quite a bit of lack of communication between the two of them. I struggled with that a bit, though I did think it fit here due to Sebastian’s upbringing and his lack of confidence with expressing his feelings.
So I don’t think this one would quite be a reread for me, but it was overall pleasant. Frampton’s humor and family relationships shine through in this one and it was a fun read.
Quotes/thoughts:
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
December 13, 2021
Book 3 in the “Hazards of Dukes” series.
This is an enemies to lovers/forced marriage trope between our heroine Lady Lavinia, and our hero Thaddeus, the new Duke of Hasford.
The Duke wants to do the right thing — marry a respectable woman and secure an heir. He has his eyes set on making Lady Jane his Duchess as she checks off everything on his written list he wants in a proper wife. Jane’s sister, Lavinia, puts an abrupt halt to the Dukes plans. After putting themselves in a compromising position, they’re forced to marry. Lavinia and Thaddeus do marry for propriety sake, but with neither wanting the other, the Duke strikes up a twisted bargain, -they stay together until the birth of his male heir, after that she’ll go live in the country. Alone.
I enjoyed how nothing ever went as planned for Lavinia and Thaddeus, -always due to Lavinia’s very “unusual” family, they never knew what would pop-up next. Both mothers, Jane’s and her fiancé’s, were ridiculous, -you couldn’t help but laugh at them. I was hoping Jane wouldn’t end up with her for a MIL.
Seeing Lavinia and Thaddeus slowly go from enemies to lovers through the story was fun. Lavinia is so different from Thaddeus. He’s a lonely, follow the rules, list maker. Lavinia is a social butterfly who loves her family, but has a big secret she’s kept from everyone including Thaddeus, with the exception of her siblings. There’s lots of steaminess behind closed doors, but when he finds out she’s been keeping something from him, their marriage suffers a big blow. They have a lot of miscommunication between them to work out. How will Thaddeus ever reveal his true feelings to Lavinia when he has trouble talking about them?
Funny shenanigans, witty banter, and highly entertaining!
This is an enemies to lovers/forced marriage trope between our heroine Lady Lavinia, and our hero Thaddeus, the new Duke of Hasford.
The Duke wants to do the right thing — marry a respectable woman and secure an heir. He has his eyes set on making Lady Jane his Duchess as she checks off everything on his written list he wants in a proper wife. Jane’s sister, Lavinia, puts an abrupt halt to the Dukes plans. After putting themselves in a compromising position, they’re forced to marry. Lavinia and Thaddeus do marry for propriety sake, but with neither wanting the other, the Duke strikes up a twisted bargain, -they stay together until the birth of his male heir, after that she’ll go live in the country. Alone.
I enjoyed how nothing ever went as planned for Lavinia and Thaddeus, -always due to Lavinia’s very “unusual” family, they never knew what would pop-up next. Both mothers, Jane’s and her fiancé’s, were ridiculous, -you couldn’t help but laugh at them. I was hoping Jane wouldn’t end up with her for a MIL.
Seeing Lavinia and Thaddeus slowly go from enemies to lovers through the story was fun. Lavinia is so different from Thaddeus. He’s a lonely, follow the rules, list maker. Lavinia is a social butterfly who loves her family, but has a big secret she’s kept from everyone including Thaddeus, with the exception of her siblings. There’s lots of steaminess behind closed doors, but when he finds out she’s been keeping something from him, their marriage suffers a big blow. They have a lot of miscommunication between them to work out. How will Thaddeus ever reveal his true feelings to Lavinia when he has trouble talking about them?
Funny shenanigans, witty banter, and highly entertaining!
March 15, 2021
Thaddeus Dutton became the new Duke of Hasford by chance. He didn't aspire to the role but, as a former military man, he takes his responsibility to the title seriously. He's decided on a perfectly acceptable bride - Lady Jane Capel - but, by another twist of fate, he's found himself married to her sister Lady Lavinia instead.
This is the third book in the Hazards of Dukes series. It can be read as a stand alone. In the first book, Thaddeus's cousin Sebastian finds out that his parents' marriage was invalid and the title transfers to Thaddeus.
Megan Frampton is an auto-read author for me. I find her writing style really enjoyable and easy to read. This story wasn't my favorite, though. It starts out as a marriage of convenience plot, with the "wrong sister" compromised as she's trying to save her sister from Thaddeus's proposal. At first, I liked the awkward dynamic between Lavinia and Thaddeus. It was very natural that they didn't have much in common and had to find a way to coexist. But their relationship was a rollercoaster that never quite hit the right gear for me. Thaddeus is lonely, Lavinia has a secret, and there are plenty of unlikeable family members bringing in additional drama.
Tropes: Marriage of Convenience, Compromised, Sibling's Suitor, Secret Job
* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #AWickedBargainForTheDuke #NetGalley
This is the third book in the Hazards of Dukes series. It can be read as a stand alone. In the first book, Thaddeus's cousin Sebastian finds out that his parents' marriage was invalid and the title transfers to Thaddeus.
Megan Frampton is an auto-read author for me. I find her writing style really enjoyable and easy to read. This story wasn't my favorite, though. It starts out as a marriage of convenience plot, with the "wrong sister" compromised as she's trying to save her sister from Thaddeus's proposal. At first, I liked the awkward dynamic between Lavinia and Thaddeus. It was very natural that they didn't have much in common and had to find a way to coexist. But their relationship was a rollercoaster that never quite hit the right gear for me. Thaddeus is lonely, Lavinia has a secret, and there are plenty of unlikeable family members bringing in additional drama.
Tropes: Marriage of Convenience, Compromised, Sibling's Suitor, Secret Job
* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #AWickedBargainForTheDuke #NetGalley
June 3, 2021
thank you to B for gifting me this lovely book!!! I had such a good time reading it and from the very beginning, the love story of Lavinia and Thaddeus brought me lots of smiles.
i've been reading some historical romances a lot lately and im rather very pleased. i had forgotten how much pining and sexual tension there is in them! especially in a marriage of convenience romance OOF. the level of yearning and trying not to fall for your convenient spouse.... I EAT IT UP. and lavinia and thaddeus are basically that. they get a marriage of convenience because they get found out in a compromising position so ofc... now they have to get married so a scandal doesn't happen.
they don't really like each other at first, they are attracted to each other FOR SURE!!! but they're like annoyed at the other person because they have very different personalities. thaddeus is very stoic and he is a follow the rules kind of guy. while lavinia is chaotic energy to the max "hey i just got a puppy now she's mine" lmao. you can definitely see, as a reader, looking from the outside, how perfect they are for each other, but omg these two really think they're not WHEN EVERYONE IS LIKE "you clearly love each other" love to see it tbh.
i've always liked megan frampton's romances and i will continue to read her books! she does them so well and the writing is very good. also she gets probably some of the best covers in the game in her books. this mmp version is beautiful and the spine is like a magenta color GORGEOUS.
i've been reading some historical romances a lot lately and im rather very pleased. i had forgotten how much pining and sexual tension there is in them! especially in a marriage of convenience romance OOF. the level of yearning and trying not to fall for your convenient spouse.... I EAT IT UP. and lavinia and thaddeus are basically that. they get a marriage of convenience because they get found out in a compromising position so ofc... now they have to get married so a scandal doesn't happen.
they don't really like each other at first, they are attracted to each other FOR SURE!!! but they're like annoyed at the other person because they have very different personalities. thaddeus is very stoic and he is a follow the rules kind of guy. while lavinia is chaotic energy to the max "hey i just got a puppy now she's mine" lmao. you can definitely see, as a reader, looking from the outside, how perfect they are for each other, but omg these two really think they're not WHEN EVERYONE IS LIKE "you clearly love each other" love to see it tbh.
i've always liked megan frampton's romances and i will continue to read her books! she does them so well and the writing is very good. also she gets probably some of the best covers in the game in her books. this mmp version is beautiful and the spine is like a magenta color GORGEOUS.
October 30, 2020
I think I was in the exact perfect mood for this book. I started reading it as soon as I got my hands on it and could not put it down. I found it a humorous all around delight. This is the third in a series. I read the first book in the series earlier this year but the second one only came out this week and I’ve not had the opportunity to read it. This book absolutely works as a standalone but a few plot points from first two will be spoiled if read out of order.
I loved both Lavinia and Thaddeus. They gave me Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth vibes with their whole I’m strangely attracted to this person I’m not really supposed to like thing. Both characters were well written and humorous in their own way. I loved that while the pair had opposite personalities, they had similarities, like their list making, that made it clear to me as a reader that these were two compatible people.
In addition to the main couple, I really liked the side characters. Each person we were introduced to was fully developed. It was clear that as she was writing Megan knew exactly who each person was from the servants to the family members to the servants’ family members. I really really really want a queer romance novella for Lavinia’s brother Percy.
My only complaint is that the book kept me up way too late on a work night. But that is a minor thing compared to the overall amusement and joy I had while reading.
Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I loved both Lavinia and Thaddeus. They gave me Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth vibes with their whole I’m strangely attracted to this person I’m not really supposed to like thing. Both characters were well written and humorous in their own way. I loved that while the pair had opposite personalities, they had similarities, like their list making, that made it clear to me as a reader that these were two compatible people.
In addition to the main couple, I really liked the side characters. Each person we were introduced to was fully developed. It was clear that as she was writing Megan knew exactly who each person was from the servants to the family members to the servants’ family members. I really really really want a queer romance novella for Lavinia’s brother Percy.
My only complaint is that the book kept me up way too late on a work night. But that is a minor thing compared to the overall amusement and joy I had while reading.
Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 17, 2021
Me up to page 150 -WOW!!! this is so funny. I love the Inner monologues and Grumpy/Sunshine trope. A sure 4 star read.
Me around page 190-Okay So, steamy scenes are boring and the plot quite repetitive so what?? You have read too many Marriage of Convenience. Still maybe 3 stars.
Me around page 225- What the hell !!!!
This is my first book by Megan Frampton and I picked it only because I am a sucker for the Marriage of Convenience & Grumpy/Sunshine trope. But what a disappointment, especially after a great beginning. I had the same feeling about the Audiobook by Jilly Bond. I liked that she has not used that serene tone (used by most HR narrators) but sometimes it sounded so squeaky and weird.
Me around page 190-Okay So, steamy scenes are boring and the plot quite repetitive so what?? You have read too many Marriage of Convenience. Still maybe 3 stars.
Me around page 225- What the hell !!!!
This is my first book by Megan Frampton and I picked it only because I am a sucker for the Marriage of Convenience & Grumpy/Sunshine trope. But what a disappointment, especially after a great beginning. I had the same feeling about the Audiobook by Jilly Bond. I liked that she has not used that serene tone (used by most HR narrators) but sometimes it sounded so squeaky and weird.
January 10, 2022
This book was much better than Nash’s and Ana Maria’s because of how much more Thaddeus and Lavinia actually communicate. They’re both very straight forward people and often spoke their minds.
Whilst Lavinia was a great heroine (being straight to the point, strong, courageous), Thaddeus was too serious. I get that he used to be a military man but it wouldn’t have hurt the author to give him more sense of humor to actually banter with Lavinia because if he did, I would have liked him more. Alas, the two of them did not have much banter, and only seemed to get along very well in bed. Their chemistry was lacking and the romance felt a little forced.
It was kinda wasted that Jane didn’t marry Henry because Lavinia’s sacrifice in marrying the duke was in vain. Not completely in vain because they ended up being happy, but I think you get my point.
I love that this book had more sex scenes though, and I’m a sucker for forced/convenient marriages.
I did enjoy the book, despite its issues. A nice book to pass the time. Hence, the 3 stars.
Whilst Lavinia was a great heroine (being straight to the point, strong, courageous), Thaddeus was too serious. I get that he used to be a military man but it wouldn’t have hurt the author to give him more sense of humor to actually banter with Lavinia because if he did, I would have liked him more. Alas, the two of them did not have much banter, and only seemed to get along very well in bed. Their chemistry was lacking and the romance felt a little forced.
It was kinda wasted that Jane didn’t marry Henry because Lavinia’s sacrifice in marrying the duke was in vain. Not completely in vain because they ended up being happy, but I think you get my point.
I love that this book had more sex scenes though, and I’m a sucker for forced/convenient marriages.
I did enjoy the book, despite its issues. A nice book to pass the time. Hence, the 3 stars.
March 20, 2022
A spicy and heartwarming romance, A Wicked Bargain for the Duke is a wonderful read about Thaddeus, a duke, and Lady Lavinia, who finds themselves married when they never wanted or planned to do so.
When I first started reading this book, I had no idea what to expect. I love historical romances but tend to dive into my books without knowing much, so that's exactly what I did with this one. Once I got into it, I became obsessed with the plot, characters, banter, and more. The chemistry between Thaddeus and Lavinia was truly phenomenal, and some of their scenes together made me blush in public, as I read most of this book at the pool during my spring break. I truly enjoyed it and need to pick up the first two books in the series as well!
TW for sexual content, emotionally absent parents.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC of A Wicked Bargain for the Duke by Megan Frampton.
When I first started reading this book, I had no idea what to expect. I love historical romances but tend to dive into my books without knowing much, so that's exactly what I did with this one. Once I got into it, I became obsessed with the plot, characters, banter, and more. The chemistry between Thaddeus and Lavinia was truly phenomenal, and some of their scenes together made me blush in public, as I read most of this book at the pool during my spring break. I truly enjoyed it and need to pick up the first two books in the series as well!
TW for sexual content, emotionally absent parents.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC of A Wicked Bargain for the Duke by Megan Frampton.
May 13, 2021
I reviewed this title for AAR. It can be found here: https://allaboutromance.com/book-revi...
April 29, 2021
The Duke was, oh what to say, rigid, stiff, former military, in want of a wife. A proper, quiet wife.
Lavinia is the life of the party. She also writes romance novels under a male name. Not proper, not quiet.
Thad wants to marry Lavinia's sister Jane, Lavinia thinks that is a stupid idea and does everything to stop it. Boom, marriage of convenience. And both are unhappy. Thad missed out on his proper wife, Lavinia wants more (though his thigh muscles are to die for.)
They argue, they fall in love without knowing it, and a very realistic for time. It is awkward, he things it was great, she was all this is it? Yes no magical orgasms for everyone and best time ever. They had to understand each other.
Oh and there are excerpts from her book too. I liked those sprinkled in.
It was nice to see these two fall in love. I enjoyed the book.
I liked the narrator, she did have good distinct voices for everyone, though her voice for Thad was very manly indeed
Lavinia is the life of the party. She also writes romance novels under a male name. Not proper, not quiet.
Thad wants to marry Lavinia's sister Jane, Lavinia thinks that is a stupid idea and does everything to stop it. Boom, marriage of convenience. And both are unhappy. Thad missed out on his proper wife, Lavinia wants more (though his thigh muscles are to die for.)
They argue, they fall in love without knowing it, and a very realistic for time. It is awkward, he things it was great, she was all this is it? Yes no magical orgasms for everyone and best time ever. They had to understand each other.
Oh and there are excerpts from her book too. I liked those sprinkled in.
It was nice to see these two fall in love. I enjoyed the book.
I liked the narrator, she did have good distinct voices for everyone, though her voice for Thad was very manly indeed
April 20, 2021
This was such a fun historical for me. Yes, there were some aspects that were a little repetitive for me. But all in all, I had a great time with it. I think both of our characters brought different types of loneliness to the table, and found companionship and eventually love together.
May 16, 2021
I always like a novel that leaves a smile on my face and a happy feeling in my heart. This book does just that. Thaddeus and Lavinia's love story does not start out smoothly. In fact, Thaddeus feels Lavinia's sister, Jane, would be the ideal bride for him. After all, she meets all the requirements on his list. However, when Thaddeus and Lavinia are caught in a compromising position at a ball, they are forced to get married. Thaddeus to save their reputations and Lavinia so that her sister can marry the man she loves.
After the hasty wedding, Thaddeus seats Lavinia down and settles on a bargain for their marriage, which doesn't include love. Since Thaddeus is in the position of power, Lavinia feels she has no alternative but to accept the bargain, but she doesn't like it. Lavinia has a secret of her own. She holds a part of her life back from her husband. Lavinia doesn't think he'd be interested in her secret and, besides, he will never learn of it because he doesn't read fiction.
Thaddeus and Lavinia were open and blunt about certain aspects of their marriage, but not about their hearts' desires. Though both personalities are loyal, Thaddeus's reluctance to open his heart to love and her desire to protect her heart, leaves only one venue they see to express what neither will admit to the other. When their marriage falls apart, who will be the first to come to their senses?
The protagonists were well-written. I did get frustrated at times by Thaddeus's cluelessness, and by both their abilities to openly discuss situations in their marriage to make it better, but wouldn't discuss their growing attraction and love for each other. The misunderstanding over this reluctance only made it bottle up inside them, so that they heard only their own reasoning inside their heads and they stopped really listening to each other. The appearance of previous characters was kept to a minimum, only appearing to discuss out the protagonists' relationship problems. This is the third book in the Hazards of Dukes trilogy. I would love to see Jane and her brother, Percy, have their own books and receive their own HEA endings. Perhaps Megan Frampton will write a spin-off trilogy or series. One can optimistically hope. :-)
After the hasty wedding, Thaddeus seats Lavinia down and settles on a bargain for their marriage, which doesn't include love. Since Thaddeus is in the position of power, Lavinia feels she has no alternative but to accept the bargain, but she doesn't like it. Lavinia has a secret of her own. She holds a part of her life back from her husband. Lavinia doesn't think he'd be interested in her secret and, besides, he will never learn of it because he doesn't read fiction.
Thaddeus and Lavinia were open and blunt about certain aspects of their marriage, but not about their hearts' desires. Though both personalities are loyal, Thaddeus's reluctance to open his heart to love and her desire to protect her heart, leaves only one venue they see to express what neither will admit to the other. When their marriage falls apart, who will be the first to come to their senses?
The protagonists were well-written. I did get frustrated at times by Thaddeus's cluelessness, and by both their abilities to openly discuss situations in their marriage to make it better, but wouldn't discuss their growing attraction and love for each other. The misunderstanding over this reluctance only made it bottle up inside them, so that they heard only their own reasoning inside their heads and they stopped really listening to each other. The appearance of previous characters was kept to a minimum, only appearing to discuss out the protagonists' relationship problems. This is the third book in the Hazards of Dukes trilogy. I would love to see Jane and her brother, Percy, have their own books and receive their own HEA endings. Perhaps Megan Frampton will write a spin-off trilogy or series. One can optimistically hope. :-)
April 27, 2021
I'm absolutely here for anything Megan writes and I loved the previous two books in the series, so I wasn't going to skip this one.
I loved Lavinia and Thaddeus. She's bright and loving and he's grumpy and stoic and together there's so much potential it was impossible not to root for them. Their relationship is an acquaintance at most and it was delightful reading them figure everything out with their lists and stilted conversations. There are a lot of secondary characters here in families and staff, but the story is firmly Lavinia and Thaddeus.
Plot wise, it was good and maddening. I just wanted to shake these two and make them have an open conversation all while mashing their faces together. The little interludes in between chapters didn't serve a purpose for me (I understood what and why they were included, just didn't add anything) and seriously could have done with another 100 pages of these two.
Overall, it was a fun and quick read that I couldn't get enough of. I can't wait to get my greedy hands on whatever Megan writes next.
**Huge thanks to Avon for providing the arc free of charge**
I loved Lavinia and Thaddeus. She's bright and loving and he's grumpy and stoic and together there's so much potential it was impossible not to root for them. Their relationship is an acquaintance at most and it was delightful reading them figure everything out with their lists and stilted conversations. There are a lot of secondary characters here in families and staff, but the story is firmly Lavinia and Thaddeus.
Plot wise, it was good and maddening. I just wanted to shake these two and make them have an open conversation all while mashing their faces together. The little interludes in between chapters didn't serve a purpose for me (I understood what and why they were included, just didn't add anything) and seriously could have done with another 100 pages of these two.
Overall, it was a fun and quick read that I couldn't get enough of. I can't wait to get my greedy hands on whatever Megan writes next.
**Huge thanks to Avon for providing the arc free of charge**
July 1, 2021
This was my first Megan Frampton book and I liked it and will probably read this author again.
Thaddeus was a very proper ex military man ,who never expected to be a Duke. Lavinia was quite the opposite and writes romance novels under a pen name. Their relationship starts with her trying to keep him away from her sister and him really not liking her. They end up in a compromising position and have to marry.
I like how things begin with them and even like how things aren't automatically perfect in the bedroom. It's nice seeing a heroine asserting herself and teaching the hero how to pleasure her.
The problem with this book is that their chemistry doesn't really develop. I was left not caring very much that they were happy in the end.
Thaddeus was a very proper ex military man ,who never expected to be a Duke. Lavinia was quite the opposite and writes romance novels under a pen name. Their relationship starts with her trying to keep him away from her sister and him really not liking her. They end up in a compromising position and have to marry.
I like how things begin with them and even like how things aren't automatically perfect in the bedroom. It's nice seeing a heroine asserting herself and teaching the hero how to pleasure her.
The problem with this book is that their chemistry doesn't really develop. I was left not caring very much that they were happy in the end.
April 10, 2022
dnf at 37% 🙃
Everything about this premise and characters should've been up to my alley but alas, it was not.
The writing was hollow and the charcters felt as a first draft versions of themselves... In short, I found this to be dull and unworthy of my time 🤷🏻♀️
Everything about this premise and characters should've been up to my alley but alas, it was not.
The writing was hollow and the charcters felt as a first draft versions of themselves... In short, I found this to be dull and unworthy of my time 🤷🏻♀️
April 16, 2021
4.5 stars
Thaddeus Dutton, the new Duke of Hasford takes his responsibilities seriously, so after inheriting a dukedom he never expected (or wanted), he gives 100% into being the best duke he can be and decides that he must marry and father an heir as soon as possible. He makes a list of attributes his future duchess must possess and finds the perfect bride at the first event he attends – the Earl of Scudamore’s eldest daughter, Lady Jane Capel.
When it becomes clear to Lady Lavinia Capel that the duke has set his sites on Jane, she knows she will have to convince the duke to look elsewhere for a wife. Jane is madly in love with their neighbor and is too timid to rebuff the duke’s attentions, that combined with their mother’s determination to wed Jane to the duke, will see her unhappily married unless Lavinia intervenes. But when her attempt to get the duke alone to set him straight goes horribly wrong, Lavinia finds herself engaged to the duke – much to the dismay of everyone involved!
Determined to make the best of things, Thaddeus forms a plan and proposes a bargain – they will stay together long enough to have an heir, and then they will live separate lives. Furthermore, he thinks they should not get too involved in each other's lives and limit their interaction to the bedroom – for the purpose of procreation and definitely not let their emotions become engaged. Lavinia had no desire to marry, she writes novels and had planned to live an independent life, but there is no way she can get out of the marriage without destroying Jane’s chances for happiness, so she agrees to Thaddeus’ terms. She forms her own plan, keeps her writing secret since Thaddeus didn’t seem to approve, and tries to keep herself from falling for her husband. But you know what they say – the best-laid plans…
I was a little wary about requesting this title after reading the previous book in the series and being very disappointed, but thankfully this book was everything I could have hoped for and more – much more! It is clear to the reader, that Thaddeus and Lavinia are perfect for each other from the start and their interactions are fun, sexy and a delight to read. The book is filled with witty banter, steamyish love scenes, wonderful characters, laugh-out-loud moments, secrets, a bit of angst, a little miscommunication, and an absolutely wonderful ending! I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend the title – it is the third book in the series, but it can definitely be read and enjoyed as a standalone title.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by NetGalley/Edelweiss and the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own. *
Thaddeus Dutton, the new Duke of Hasford takes his responsibilities seriously, so after inheriting a dukedom he never expected (or wanted), he gives 100% into being the best duke he can be and decides that he must marry and father an heir as soon as possible. He makes a list of attributes his future duchess must possess and finds the perfect bride at the first event he attends – the Earl of Scudamore’s eldest daughter, Lady Jane Capel.
When it becomes clear to Lady Lavinia Capel that the duke has set his sites on Jane, she knows she will have to convince the duke to look elsewhere for a wife. Jane is madly in love with their neighbor and is too timid to rebuff the duke’s attentions, that combined with their mother’s determination to wed Jane to the duke, will see her unhappily married unless Lavinia intervenes. But when her attempt to get the duke alone to set him straight goes horribly wrong, Lavinia finds herself engaged to the duke – much to the dismay of everyone involved!
Determined to make the best of things, Thaddeus forms a plan and proposes a bargain – they will stay together long enough to have an heir, and then they will live separate lives. Furthermore, he thinks they should not get too involved in each other's lives and limit their interaction to the bedroom – for the purpose of procreation and definitely not let their emotions become engaged. Lavinia had no desire to marry, she writes novels and had planned to live an independent life, but there is no way she can get out of the marriage without destroying Jane’s chances for happiness, so she agrees to Thaddeus’ terms. She forms her own plan, keeps her writing secret since Thaddeus didn’t seem to approve, and tries to keep herself from falling for her husband. But you know what they say – the best-laid plans…
I was a little wary about requesting this title after reading the previous book in the series and being very disappointed, but thankfully this book was everything I could have hoped for and more – much more! It is clear to the reader, that Thaddeus and Lavinia are perfect for each other from the start and their interactions are fun, sexy and a delight to read. The book is filled with witty banter, steamyish love scenes, wonderful characters, laugh-out-loud moments, secrets, a bit of angst, a little miscommunication, and an absolutely wonderful ending! I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend the title – it is the third book in the series, but it can definitely be read and enjoyed as a standalone title.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by NetGalley/Edelweiss and the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own. *
April 7, 2021
I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Thaddeus, the new Duke of Hasford, is a former military man turned Duke, and he is having trouble adjusting. He thinks the best thing is to settle down, marry, and produce and heir. He wants a woman who will not disrupt his peace, and he decides on Lady Jane. Unfortunately, Lady Jane is in love with someone else so her sister Lavinia tries to persuade the Duke to leave off, but they get caught in a compromising position together. Both their futures are now different than expected, and they have to learn to coexist.
Some things that I liked about this book were that Lavinia took charge in bedroom matters when she felt they were sub par. I'm here for a heroine who says what they want/need. I wish she had done that in their daily lives. I also was invested in Jane's story, and wonder where that is going. Possibly the next book?
I found this book to be slow for the first fifty percent and the hero was such a jerk in his thoughts. Some of the things that he was thinking about Lavinia and her family really grated on me. He says he has trouble being the Duke, but he sure has the "looking down on everyone" attitude perfected. So, we didn't start off the best foot, but I did find that around the 50 percent mark it got better. I just wish it had more moments of them together and teasing because Lavinia has such a jokester nature. I feel like it would have made this book lighter, and more enjoyable. It just seemed really bogged down because of their misunderstandings about their situation, and those could have been easily solved with conversations. It seemed in opposition to Lavinia's character to let that stew for the whole book.
Thaddeus, the new Duke of Hasford, is a former military man turned Duke, and he is having trouble adjusting. He thinks the best thing is to settle down, marry, and produce and heir. He wants a woman who will not disrupt his peace, and he decides on Lady Jane. Unfortunately, Lady Jane is in love with someone else so her sister Lavinia tries to persuade the Duke to leave off, but they get caught in a compromising position together. Both their futures are now different than expected, and they have to learn to coexist.
Some things that I liked about this book were that Lavinia took charge in bedroom matters when she felt they were sub par. I'm here for a heroine who says what they want/need. I wish she had done that in their daily lives. I also was invested in Jane's story, and wonder where that is going. Possibly the next book?
I found this book to be slow for the first fifty percent and the hero was such a jerk in his thoughts. Some of the things that he was thinking about Lavinia and her family really grated on me. He says he has trouble being the Duke, but he sure has the "looking down on everyone" attitude perfected. So, we didn't start off the best foot, but I did find that around the 50 percent mark it got better. I just wish it had more moments of them together and teasing because Lavinia has such a jokester nature. I feel like it would have made this book lighter, and more enjoyable. It just seemed really bogged down because of their misunderstandings about their situation, and those could have been easily solved with conversations. It seemed in opposition to Lavinia's character to let that stew for the whole book.
March 25, 2021
This is my first book by Megan Frampton and I adored it. Lavinia and Thaddeus got married after being found in a scandalous situation. He had his eye on her sister, she knew that the sister wasn't a good fit for him. They enter into a marriage of convenience of sorts. I loved the way Frampton wrote their relationship developing. Their growth was so fun to watch and engaging to follow. I LOVED how the author focused and openly discussed how important communication is and how much it matters in life and in a marriage. It was witty and heart warming and just steamy enough to keep me turning pages past my bedtime.
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