How to Deceive a Duke

Temberlay #1

by Lecia Cornwall

When deception leads to desire . . .

When her stubborn sister runs off the night before her arranged marriage, Meg Lynton hardly hesitates before donning the wedding veil and walking down the aisle herself. It's the only way to save her family from sure destitution. By the time her wealthy groom discovers he has married the wrong sister, it will be too late to annul their vows. And too late for Meg to escape her wifely duty to a man reputed to be a devil in battle and the bedroom . . .

A bride is the last thing Nicholas Hartley, Duke of Temberlay, wants. Then he sees Meg and realizes that his wedding night will be a great pleasure indeed. But aside from the agreeable business of begetting an heir, Temberlay will never change his wicked ways for a wedding vow—until he discovers Meg's deception, and decides to teach the scheming beauty how to be a proper duchess, kiss by devastating kiss . . .

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Regency, Historical Fiction, Regency Romance, Fiction

373 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 27, 2012

About the author

Lecia Cornwall writes historical romance and historical fiction. She lives and writes in Alberta, Canada, amid the beautiful foothills of the Canadian Rockies, with five cats, two adult children, a crazy chocolate Lab, and one very patient husband. She is hard at work on her next book.

Reviews

[Carmen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just do not understand when authors make jerk heroes.

This guy, Nicholas, is a duke. He doesn't want to get married but his evil grandmother is forcing him to. He's supposed to marry Rose, a destitute gentlewoman. But she is silly and shallow and has no sense of duty and she runs away before the wedding. Her sister Meg steps up to take her place, not telling anyone in the Duke's family, hoping to sacrifice herself by marrying "the Devil" in order to save her family from poverty.

Nick is an asshole. He takes delight in sexually humiliating his kind, virginal bride for some reason. I don't understand it, and neither do his friends.

Stephen folded his arms. "You surprise me. You show Julia such compassion [a fallen woman who had a child out of wedlock], yet you have no regard at all for your bride? You were always most chivalrous with women in Spain, whether they were ladies or camp followers."

I can't understand it. I don't understand how you can be married to a kind, intelligent, frightened woman and just want to hurt her by saying sneering sexual comments all the time. It's fucked up. He knows she's a virgin - he "took" her virginity for heaven's sake!!!! - and he just makes her feel like shit about not knowing what to do in bed. This is doubly stupid: one, you're not giving your wife much incentive to be fun, open, and playful in bed if you do this: two, it's ridiculous because he'd never marry a NON-virgin, so what the fuck is his problem?!?!?!?

Besides the sexual humiliation that he insists on foisting on his wife, he also is fond of insinuating she's a slut. I know, I know. We just got done explaining about how she is a clueless virgin and he obviously knows this. But yet this happens twice in the book, once when Meg goes to the ball without him (he often just leaves the estate for weeks without telling her where he's going or why) and his friend comments on how charming she is. This leads Nick to say some unkind things to her in front of his friends, as if she's sleeping with them or cheating on him or something. (Side note: not only is it obvious she'd never do such a thing, but he has about a dozen mistresses who are very public.)

The second time is the worst of all, when on page 315/373 he finds her bloody and beaten after she fought off a rapist, and he is like, "Oh, you would have slept with him willingly in order to get your precious horses back?!!?!" I'm like: o.O If this far in the book the hero is still treating the heroine like shit - even after she's proven herself to him over and over and over and over again (unnecessarily, I might add) - and has the audacity to look at his wife's bruised and bloody body after she's had a near miss with a rapist and cruelly say stuff like, "You probably wanted that" or some shit, I'm done. I know Cornwall expects us to think it's a happy ending when these Nick finally decides to love and trust his wife, but I'd only consider it a happy ending if some better man challenged Nick to a duel, killed him, and married his widow.


Meg is good - she reminded me a lot of Elinor Dashwood - practical, smart, keeping her impoverished and silly family together with her willingness to sacrifice and her good business sense.

Nick is a piece of shit. I can't see how female readers are supposed to look at this guy and swoon. I know this is 1815, but surely kind men existed in this time. What could possibly be the appeal of a man who is such a shitheel to his wife - a wife who is trying desperately to make the best of a bad situation? You'd think a bit of mercy or compassion would be in order, but it's in short supply here.

Also, he constantly leaves without telling her jackshit - at one point even RE-ENLISTING and GOING OFF TO WAR without even a word that he's doing this, letting her wake up in a cold bed and then find out from the servants that he's IN BATTLE. And this is at the end of the book. If by the END of a romance novel the hero has so little respect for his wife that he can't even be bothered to tell her "I'm going into battle, I might die. Goodbye." then I don't even know what to say. This marriage is doomed and has been a cesspool of cruelty no matter what Cornwall tries to tell me like "These two care for each other." BULLSHIT. He treats his horse with more tenderness than he treats her, and this still hasn't changed by the end of the novel.


How's the sex, Carmen?

Don't even talk to me about having sex with this pig.

He also makes the unilateral decision to just stop having sex with her for weeks, in his mind to "get to know her better" but she thinks (for obvious reasons) that he just doesn't find her attractive and is in the beds of his various mistresses. She's so depressed and sad and despairing thinking that she was so repulsive to him that he'll never have sex with her again. So... way to go there, Einstein.


Tl;dr - I like historical romance, but often run across books like this: where I'm supposed to find a complete asshole appealing. What a shitheel! I feel so sad and sorry for Meg that she's shackled to this guy for life. Perhaps she can kill him in his sleep. That would have been a happier ending, she could marry one of his kinder friends afterwards.

ONE REAL STAR, ONE ROMANCE STAR

[Colette · Rating 3 out of 5]

How to Deceive a Duke is a story about Meg Lynton, an aristocratic young lady whose family is on the brink of being destitute. In order to save the family from impoverishment, Meg’s sister, Rose, has been set to marry Nicholas Hartley, Duke of Temberlay. The problem is that Nicholas is the last person on earth her sister would ever want to marry. Weeks before the wedding date, Rose eloped with another man. Meg realized that her family’s fortune truly depended on the impending wedding. Without the marriage, they would be forced to sell their country estate and that is the last thing Meg wanted. Without thinking twice, she donned the veil and married the Duke who is not at all like she expected…and neither was she what he expected. What follows is a battle of wills that neither wanted to lose.

The premise of this book sounded very similar to Tracy Anne Warren’s The Husband Trap. Are they very similar? Thankfully not that much. The Duke finds out the truth early on in the story and their marriage is legal by all means. That wasn’t the main conflict either. It was in a way similar but also different. So that’s good I guess.

I had a very hard time warming up to either of the main characters. I think the book came to an end and I still don’t like the h/H but I managed to finish the book anyway because I’ve invested too much time already. The heroine was portrayed as someone who’s supposed to be the smart sister and the sensible one, however, I did not see that at all. For someone who was supposed to be intelligent, she was pretty dumb and/or acted dumb. She was always thinking the worst about her husband which is understandable in some sense because of his reputation, but even if he did try to explain himself, she wasn’t likely to listen because she has already drawn her own conclusions. She was so very insecure to the point of it being annoying, I usually try to understand heroines like her but this heroine was just frustrating. She also wallows in self pity. Seriously, the amount of times she pitied herself was just anger inducing. She is also at times impulsive. What I’m saying is that the way she was supposed/described to be wasn’t how she acted at all. The only time she was bearable was when she finally came to her senses because praise the lord, she’s gonna be less mean to him!

The hero wasn’t much better. He says the wrong things all the time. He could be very mean to her but I guess it is understandable since she is also mean to him. He has a mistress who he ended things with at the very wrong time. He could’ve done that another time but perhaps bright characters aren't this author’s thing. For someone who is older, this man acted like he was a teenage boy for how immature his actions were sometimes. He has good qualities, I think. He tried to make his marriage work but it just couldn’t because he kept on fucking up and not explaining himself. He just let the heroine misunderstand his actions. I understand though, it is truly exhausting to try and explain yourself when everyone already has their own perception of who you should be. In some way, I felt sorry for him. I thought he was the one I was going to dislike most in this book based on the reviews but he turned out to be more bearable than the heroine. I also liked how he was the one who realized his feelings first. But then he did something stupid which was so random but at the same time very in character.

I don’t see at all how this couple fell in love with each other. They were always bickering! It was truly exhausting. I just don’t see it at all. I did not like how the heroine did not trust the hero because what was the point of a relationship and romance then without trust? I think I prefer couples who are devoted to each other but can’t be together because of actual plausible problems and not just problems made up by the h/H. By the way they argued all the time, I just don’t imagine they’ll be happy with each other for the rest of their lives. They would make each other miserable. It was like so much happened and yet I feel like they spent so little time with each other that I still can’t make out exactly when and how they fell in love. The biggest conflict is the characters’ distrust of each other and not communicating when it was so easy to do so.

The resolution regarding their feelings just wasn’t believable. I’m baffled as to how the heroine woke up one day and decided she loved the hero. The trust issues were solved that easily? I do not think so. The trust was just a constant conflict in their relationship that I do not believe at all it could be fixed that easily. She also had no good reason not to trust him except the scandal sheets she has read about him and that one unfortunate timing of the H ending things with his mistress. Their relationship was so draining. The hero’s love was more believable because he did things to show his love for her but I also don’t understand how he fell in love considering she argued with him all the time. I truly do not recall a time when they weren’t bickering with each other.

And of course that last 10%. Oh dear, how very unnecessary. Maybe if the author used that time to show the readers how these two would fix their relationship, that would’ve been better. Instead he went to war without telling her! It just gets worse and worse, one would thank God by the time they reach the ending. Also, one of my dislikes when reading a book is no epilogue. This book has none! For a couple who spent the entire time arguing and not communicating with each other and don’t forget that god awful ending, the last thing the author could have done is write an epilogue but perhaps it is too much to ask. I will never understand authors who don’t write epilogues. Stop being corny and give the readers what we truly need.

This was an okay read. I wasn’t fully invested but it did keep my interest. I have no interest in reading any other of this author’s books as none sounds appealing to me. I did not hate the book but I did not love it either. It was just okay to pass time, there was too much drama which caused the romance to feel lacking and unbelievable. It also doesn’t help that neither of the main characters are likeable. This was okay but not good enough!

[Luana ☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though there were many things I didn't like about this book I thought it was a very entertaining read. A bridal swap plus marriage of convenience plus scandals all wrapped up with a war hero and vengeance. I that's basically sums up the plot.

I am not sure I want to read the 2nd book but I am interested in the third...

[Debbie DiFiore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard to rate spoilers may be below.

This was an excellent story. I almost dnf'd it when there was a scene with his mistress because I truly detest it but I went on. He hadn't met the heroine yet but I still don't like it. He goes to her the night before his wedding too but there isn't a detailed scene. He needs the heroine the next day and I was quite unhappy with the story. But then he is faithful to the heroine from that moment on. He was a good hero and he quickly fell in lust-love with the heroine. I liked her too. The ending where she goes looking for him on the battlefield was well done. This is probably more of a four star read and I will most likely change it but I truly hate promiscuous rakes. He did love her though at the end. And she loved him.

[Mary - Buried Under Romance · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was extremely excited for this book to come out. Really. Unfortunately, the excerpt and back blurb of the book didn't quite do the twists and turns in the book justice.

Marguerite Lyndon, daughter of the stiffy Earl of Wycliffe, had grown up learning how to be a virtuous wife to a member of the nobility. She is the second oldest sister in a family with 5 daughters, but is the most responsible and sensible among them. She is also the family's black sheep in a way; her dark looks considered inferior to her sisters' blond locks and angelic beauty. When the dowager duchess of Temberlay arranges a marriage between her eldest sister, Rose, and the notorious "Devil" Duke of Temberlay, Nicholas Hartley, Marguerite unexpectedly steps into her sister's shoes as Rose eloped to avoid marrying Nicholas. Nicholas, having inherited the title at the death of his brother David, is angry. He is angry of his fate, or his brother's death, or having to return home and marry a bride he's never before met. Suffice it to say, Marguerite, having only married Nicholas out of a obligation to her family, started off on the wrong foot with the furious Nicholas, who disliked his future bride before even meeting her.

This series started off great. It was filled with tension, and we are allowed glimpses into the thoughts of Marguerite and Nicholas, and find sympathy with them both for having each carried a heavy burden. Marguerite had to step up and take care of her weak-willed mother and sisters after her father's untimely death, bearing both a financial as well as emotional burden as a voice of reason in her family. Nicholas was the unneeded second son, and according to his snake of a grandmother, he's also the one who ruined them all. This is no easy burden for either character to bore, so it becomes clear that the central conflict in this story is not precisely love, but rather trust.

Marguerite is a wonderful character, and I loved both her responsible side as well as her wild, hoydenish side. She is only 20, after all, and having grown up under heavy restrictions to suddenly transition to care-taker of the family was bound to instill a few rebellious streaks. Throughout the story, she constantly puts the needs of others above her own, and gradually cares and loves the angry stranger she married. Her fierce protectiveness of her family made her an outstanding character, yet with enough intelligence and good sense to shine like a jewel.

As for Nicholas, I was really liking him and wanting to comfort him until around the middle of the book, where he let a mistaken notion fill Marguerite's head, and does not resolve it until nearing the end. He had several chances to tell her, and he contemplated doing so, except that he did not. There is a huge congruence in his wanting his wife to believe his words and sincerity, and yet lead her to keep believing that he is an adulterous rake, does not agree with me. He said he didn't want to hurt his wife, and he was doing so anyways, knowingly! I don't know whether to account this to his pigheadedness, or just the crafting of his characters, but it dearly hurt the quality of the story. Even at the end, I wasn't able to forgive Nicholas for all the emotional hurt he gave Marguerite.

Then, there's the ending of the story. This was one of the weirdest twists I have ever read, and I just want to ask Mrs. Cornwall why she chose it. I won't give away any spoilers, but the ending is just out of place! I had to skim over the last part of the novel because it made absolutely no sense why Nicholas did what he did. And poor Marguerite, she was once again given no explanation from Nicholas, yet resolved to follow him anyways. I was willing to give this 4 stars just for Marguerite's character, but due to the hacked and utterly confusing ending, I'm giving it 3 stars.

It was a good story, and really would be made it on my keeper shelf if not for Nicholas's flaws and the ending.

[Jess the Romanceaholic · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved it right up towards the end. Without giving anything away, the whole dynamic of the book changed by one of the hero's actions, and never even apologized to the heroine for any of it. This ended the book on a very sour note for me, and as a result, it's only 3.5/5 Stars.

It was still a good story though, and a full review is to follow.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lady Marguerite Lynton is doing whatever it takes to protect her family from the poor house and when a duchess appears and asks her older sister to marry her grandson, the notorious Devil Duke of Temberlay, she feels like their fate in life is finally changing since her fathers sudden death. But her sister is not strong enough to deal the the devil and runs away and Meg does what she feels she must do...she marries the duke instead. After all, it is his fault he does not know the difference between her sister, a beauty, and herself, not a beauty according to her family. However, when Nicholas finds out the truth he is livid. He is already disgusted with having to marry at all, but he needs his grandmothers funds after his brothers death. He never expected to inherit a dukedom and had no training for it and does not want to shoulder all the responsibility it entails now, instead going to war and he has no desire to be with a woman that can be bought so easily and plans to treat her with little respect. However, after the truth is revealed, he finds himself falling for this fiery, strong beauty who seemed to be overlook by her whole family. Yet he can not express his feelings and it does not help that Meg constantly sees the worst in him at all times. Nicholas takes a drastic measure that shakes the foundation of their shaky marriage and may cost them both everything. . .

I thought this was a wonderful book! I loved Meg. She is bold, confident, fiercely protective, smart and sassy and a great balance to Nicholas who comes across rude, arrogant and selfish but underneath that layer he is smart, sexy and also protective. Together they make a good couple but they both lack the art of communication a bit and trust is a huge issue between them that needs to be overcome. I loved watching the sparks fly between Meg and Nicholas and how they were trying to deal with their feelings without hurting themselves in the process. The added presence of the grandmother, who is determined to have an heir, adds more problems. I do wish Meg had had more faith in herself but having grown up with a father that believed ladies are to add to their husbands value and that she was the ugly one amongst her fair sisters made it hard for to see her true beauty, inside and out. I also did not really care for the way the ending played out as I felt Nicholas behaved a little selfishly and there was really no explanation or apology for it. Overall though, I flew through this and found myself laughing, sighing, smiling and thoroughly entertained. 4 stars

eARC provided by Avon books via edelweiss

[The Window Seat · Rating 3 out of 5]

How to Deceive a Duke started off well for me in the initial set-up of the story. Lady Marguerite Lynton’s family has been skirting the line between impoverished nobility and flat out broke since the death of her father, with Meg’s ability to economize and her common sense rescuing the household from penury. The answer to her family’s prayers comes in the form of a marriage arrangement between Meg’s oldest sister Rose and an infamous rake known as the Devil Duke of Temberlay. When Rose runs away rather than fulfilling the terms of the arrangement the only possible solution is for Meg to sacrifice herself to the Devil Duke and marry him to save her family.

As the story progressed I had a very hard time actually liking Meg, even though she initially had all of the traits I love in a heroine. She was smart, had a wit and dry sense of humor and she was attractive without being vain or prissy like her sister. Unfortunately author Lecia Cornwall saddled Meg with an awful inferiority complex about her looks and her personality that started to bleed into how her relationship developed with the Lord Temberlay. Her insecurities came from a terrible relationship with her father who favored the “pretty” daughters and spared no regard for the “plain” daughter Meg. There was also the father’s philosophy that a gentlewoman’s only value was to add to that of her eventual husband. Having these poisonous thoughts go through Meg’s head even as she attempts to build a life with her new husband became tedious because she never really found her own strength until it was too late to redeem the character.

For the full review, please go to http://www.thewindowseat13.com/2012/1...

[Adi Rocks Socks · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't believe I wasted the last three hours of my life on this book.

[kris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well. I can say with absolute certainty: that was not what I was expecting. I don't know if it's exactly a compliment to say that every time I thought I had some clue where the plot was going, it veered off in an entirely different direction.

Like, there was an arranged marriage plot, a hidden identity plot, not one but TWO revenge plots, a horse plot, a war plot, a baby-making plot, an evil mother-in-law plot, an over-dramatic mother plot, an ugly-duckling-blossoms-into-a-swan plot, a rake-is-more-than-he-seems-to-be plot, and that's just between the leads.

[Jaclyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nicholas Hartley, Duke of Temblerlay and notorious rake must wed by order of his grandmother. Nicholas has recently come into the title due to his brother’s murder and the only way his grandmother will supply funds to keep the family estate running is if Nicholas marries. He promptly suggests that his grandmother find him a bride, and she selects Rose Lynton, an admired beauty and picture of deportment. Unfortunately, Rose doesn’t want to marry Nicholas because of his reputation and runs off and elopes with another man. Rose’s younger sister, Meg, steps up to the plate in order to help her family. Since the death of her father, Meg has been keeping the family afloat and she knows that marriage to Nicholas will protect her family, so she dons a hideous veil and marries Nicholas in the place of Rose.

With the uncovering of her deception, Nicholas and Meg have their share of problems, but there is an attraction between them so they slowly try to work on their marriage. However, Nicholas’s interfering grandmother almost ruins their happiness with her manipulation of Meg and the mysterious circumstances surrounding her father’s death. On top of this drama, Nicholas is also hunting down who was responsible for his brother’s death in a duel, and it seems that Meg’s own father was somehow involved.

The plot described above was well executed and enjoyable, and to a point I quite liked how Meg and Nicholas were overcoming their difficulties and getting to know one another. However, the drama didn’t stop there. On top of the manipulative grandmother, the father’s mysterious death (Meg’s secret), and Nicholas’s brother’s murder, there was also a war going on. Nicholas was previously a soldier before becoming the Duke, and he was called to action by the government towards the end of the novel. Therefore, towards the end of the book, the whole plot and pacing changed dramatically. Unfortunately, I don’t think this change was pulled off that smoothly. I found the change of pacing very awkward and it felt tacked on to the book and ultimately seemed over the top.

While I liked most of the book, I was very disappointed by the change in pacing and the very quick ending. I liked both characters, but I felt that the last few chapters that took place in a war zone seemed awkward and I didn’t get the same feelings from the characters. I also found the resolution between Nicholas and Meg to be extremely abrupt, and I’m not convinced that they really did resolve their problems. I think an epilogue would have been a good addition to this book.

Ultimately, I didn’t mind the book, but I’m not sure that I would recommend it. The idea of switching brides was entertaining, but I found the drama to be a little over the top.

*Review copy provided by the publisher via Edelweiss.

[Jen Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've got mixed feelings on this one. There was potential there. I liked it in the first half, but the story took a hard left turn in the last nine chapters or so, that just didn't gel with everything that came before it.

Meg and her family have been struggling ever since her father died, leaving them destitute. When the Duchess of Temberlay calls, trying to set up a wedding between her grandson and Meg's sister, Rose, it seems like a perfect solution to their financial troubles. But Rose wants nothing to do with Nicholas and his terrible reputation as a rake of the first order. She runs away on the marriage, prompting Meg to take her place at the ceremony. Having never met Rose, Nicholas has no idea of the switch.

Nick hates the idea of getting married, but his grandmother blackmailed him into it. He is shocked when he actually begins to fall for his bride. She is fiery, beautiful and smart. But his reputation and a string of misunderstandings threatens to destroy their hopes at happiness. The story follows their power struggles and emotional entanglements as they try to make their marriage of convenience work.

I liked Meg a lot. She is practical and smart without being overly stubborn. Nick's not bad, though sometimes he is a bit too arrogant. My only problem before the weird twist was the fact that Nick refused to clear up their misunderstandings when he had a chance. He knew Meg was hurting; he knew he could fix it, but he chose to wait --for some reason that completely eludes me. I still held out hope that it would give me a satisfying ending and then, well, it just went in a totally different direction. I didn't like it --and I felt cheated that the dire circumstances brought about the resolution more than character growth on its own.

Like I said, it had potential. The writing was good and the sexual elements were there, but in the end, I was left off-kilter.

Rating: C-

*ARC Provided by Avon

[Brandy Dorsch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit that I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy this book or not. The idea that one bride can be substituted for another kind of left a funny taste in my mouth but I have to admit that this one actually made it seem real.

Meg has been the strong sister in the family since her father's death and has kept the family out of debtors prison. When the Duchess of Temberlay, asks her sister, Rose to marry her grandson Nicholas, the current Duke, she sees this as the answer to her prayers. Rose is not thrilled at the prospect of marrying the Devil Duke and elopes prior to the wedding. This puts Meg in the awkward position of marrying in her sister's place. Since the groom had never met the bride or even knew her name, this worked at first. Turns out this was in the Duchess's plans and Meg's name was included in all the marital documents.

Lies and distrust do not a marriage make and Nicholas and Meg share a lot of lies between them. When Nicholas leaves to return to war they both realize theirs is a love for the ages.

This is a really good story and I recommend it to all.

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marguerite Lynton is a caring and strong young lady determined to find a way to care for her grieving, widowed mother and three sisters. Their father left them all with no money and they are about to lose their home as well. Her sister, Rose, is approached by the Duchess of Temberlay to marry her grandson, Nicholas Hartley, Duke of Temberlay. While the monies from this marriage would solve all of their financial problems, Rose is determined not to marry him, so behind a heavy veil, Marguerite takes her place and marries him. Nick did not want to marry and feels duped. While they are attracted to one another, they are both very stubborn and continue to spar. I was enjoying this novel and found some humor in it as well, however, the constant sparring and one-upmanship began to get old and, thus, the last 100 or so pages were difficult to get through. A little of this practice written into a novel can be intriguing but it can be boring when overdone. There are some interesting plots going on and I'm sure other readers will like this book.

[Maddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love this trope - the "ugly ducking" sister steps in and marries the H (deceiving the groom in this case). The h (Meg) was a great character - strong, independent and you could really sympathize with her. There's an evil grandmother. A bit of suspense - dead brother mystery - dead father mystery. A little ow drama thrown in - the H has not 'formally' told his mistress he no longer wants her (the H is faithful since he got married) so there is some misunderstandings though. For nearly 3/4 of the book, i didn't mind the H either - war hero, misunderstood, thought to be a man-ho and gambler...BUT...BUT...when he caught up to Meg after she narrowly escaped from the clutches of the evil would be rapist and he didn't comfort her and then a little while later he just went off to war without so much a goodbye...NOPE! I just didn't get it. He loved her but in those particularly times when he should have said something/showed her, he just couldn't...not a hero in my eyes. So only 3.5 stars.

[Ash Ash · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Synopsis seems similar to The Husband Trap By Tracy Anne Warren was what i thought once i read the book i could see it was completely different. The continuous harping that the hero was unfaithful in the book by the heroine was really irritating. This story or the plot of the book could have been better.

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

This started out so well, but by the end I was so over these two people and their relationship. All the characters were aggravating in their own ways. Honestly, Meg was probably the worst. In the beginning, I actually loved her as a heroine. She seemed so likeable compared to her selfish, vapid sister and I liked how practical she was. She was willing to put aside her own feelings for the sake of her family, knowing that marrying this man would be better than being destitute. That said, Meg turned into a completely different person after the wedding. From the moment she decided to drug and hold him captive in order to get a heir, I couldn’t stand her. What followed was her constantly making the most nonsensical decisions and I hated the way she dealt with Nicholas instead of confronting him like a normal sane person.

Overall, this book really fizzled out for me. I wasn’t invested in any of the conflicts and I thought the entire thing with the grandmother was ridiculous. She came off as so cartoonishly evil that I couldn’t take it seriously. Also, that ending? Once Nicholas ran off to the war without a word, abandoning Meg,, I was done with his character as well. There was no reason for him to do what he did and I agree with other reviewers when they said the book should’ve stopped before that whole part. I skimmed through the remainder of the story because I couldn’t care less about them getting a happily ever after.

[Kubeshnee Tulsee · Rating 1 out of 5]

A book with same old cliches. Older sister weak and willful, too stupid and selfish to understand family's financial woes, strong smart younger sister to the rescue ( sometimes swapped around) ,older brother leaves Estate in a mess and dies , younger brother is the reluctant heir, who is left to clean up the financial mess, strong willed matriarch, who wants to control everyone. Stopped at the second chapter.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

*May contain spoilers!*

First, let me say, I opened this book with no idea if I would like it or not. I had heard of this author, but hadn't encountered anyone who had read her before or seen much discussion in my circle of blogs, so I was able to start reading with any expectations about it. (I hear some people scoffing at this, but it's true. How many books do you open with preconceived notions about the author or previous books in the series?) So I got to start a book from a frame of mind that allowed me to judge a book without any emotional involvement. Needless to say, I was really excited.

Margeurite Lynton's family is in trouble. Her father's death has left them penniless and on the verge of losing their home. Rescue comes in the form of the Dowager Duchess of Temberlay, who offers marriage to Meg's sister on behalf of her grandson Nicholas, the current duke. When the sister runs off, Meg steps in her place and marries the duke, securing her family's safety. However, when the duke discovers her deceptions, he vows to make Meg pay in the most seductive of ways.

I was of two minds about this book--enjoyment and disappointment. From the opening scene featuring a strict duchess, a high maintenance young woman and her calmer, older sister, I was sucked into the story. The tension among them all: wow! And then Nick entered the story and I was even more intrigued. Was he or wasn't he a rake? How did Meg feel about him? What was the tension that kept pulling between him and his grandmother? I kept turning pages to get answers and to see what each character would do next. I no longer paid attention to grammar and editing or reviewing plot; I just enjoyed the story.

Then I got toward the end of the book, around chapter 35. I could almost hear tires squealing as I read the scene where Meg and Nick's grandmother are having a "discussion". Meg lost the spirit that carried her through the first part of the book and became a weenie (not a technical term, but appropriate). She gives in to Nick's grandmother's demands after being so determined against her background and her family. She also starts acting jealous, ranting and making outrageous accusations. What happened to the calm and practical woman who stepped up and took control of her family after her father's death?

I will admit there were one or two scenes where the circumstances between her husband and another woman were suspicious. Instead of confronting him and communicating, she acts like a toddler and throws things, stomps her feet and yells at him. Then she ignores him and runs away. She runs away! At this point, I don't blame Nick for leaving her alone; I would have wanted to avoid that mess, too!

Even the mysterious circumstances surrounding Nick's brother's death that was woven throughout the story fell flat at the end. The build up with the secondary characters, Meg's father, and the valet made it seem like it was a really big deal. This "big deal" had to be big to make Nick's grandmother blackmail him, give Nick a blackened reputation and make his brother's last words a curse upon Nick's head, right? Wrong. The actuality was no where near the build up and didn't really make sense to me. I read it twice and still didn't quite understand it. I can't get specific without spoiling it and it has more impact if you see the resolution yourself.

There were other parts that bothered me in this story. For instance Meg's sister Rose's sudden appearance with a suitor. She just shows up, pregnant and under the care of another family, and everyone is okay with this? Or Meg's battlefield rescue; where she hightails it to Brussels, during a war, to show her love for her husband. And then, of course, she goes onto a battlefield to search among the dead and dying to look for him...Really?! However, these instances didn't bother me as much as the one discussed previously.

With the story being 3/4 right followed by 1/4 wrong, I hesitate to say if I will read this author again. It might have been better if I had never experienced the joy of the first part; it is less disappointing to start off not impressed than it is to be impressed and then plummet into disappointment. Again, let me state there was nothing wrong (that I noticed anyway) with grammar, editing or the flow of the writing. My problem was with the wonderful start and engaging characters that morphed into shadows of their original potential and a story line that felt rushed and unsatisfying. If I decide to try this author again, I may ask someone I trust in to read it first and tell me how it ends to be on the safe side. This book had potential, but the ending chapters bumped my opinion of this book down considerably.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meg Lynton is about to undertake the ultimate deception. When her sister Rose runs away before her arranged marriage to Nicholas Hartley, Duke of Temberlay, better known to all through the scandal sheets as Devil, she takes it upon herself to take her sister's place to save her family from destitution. So, she dawns a thick veil and steps in, and since the Duke has never met his intended bride she hopes that her deception won't be figured out until all was said and done. But what is not known to those who know her is that she always was curious who the man is behind the scandalous stories written...
Nicholas never wanted to get married or have the responsibilities of the dukedom. But after Nicholas' brother dies, he was forced to resign his commission in the army and become the next Duke of Temberlay. With the dukedom's finances in dire straights he makes a deal with is grandmother, if she gives him the funds to use where it is needed, he will marry the woman of his grandmother's choosing. When he sees his bride walking down the aisle with a thick veil he fears that she is must be hideous. But when she later removes the veil and he sees her face, he never expected her to be a very beautiful woman...
When I first started reading this book I didn't know what to expect and I ended up really enjoying this book. When Meg's deception was brought up, I was worried that it would be dragged out until the middle towards the end until Nicholas found out. I thought Nicholas' reaction to the deception was genuine, and I enjoyed how they were able to resolve the situation after he dragged her back home. I really liked Meg's and Nicholas' relationship. Though they have a rocky start I liked how they decided to get to know each other and spend some time together and get to know each other.
I really liked Meg's character. She was tough, spirited, and strong willed. It was understandable that it was hard for Meg to figure out her feelings for Nicholas given his reputation. I liked how she was able to discover Nicholas' true character behind the man mentioned in the scandal sheets. I enjoyed how she was able to gain confidence in herself though she was always let down by her father when he referred to her as his Ugly Duckling out of all his daughters.
I thought Nicholas' character was a welcome difference in comparison to other heroes of in books that I have read. I liked how he was loyal to his family even though he didn't have the best relationship with his grandmother. I liked how you found out he is a true hero and that you find out he is nothing like what he is portrayed in the scandal sheets. I enjoyed how he actually mentioned to his last mistress that he is ready to be reformed. I enjoyed reading his character grow along with his relationship with Meg.
I wasn't sure if Nicholas' Grandmother would be a likeable character or not. I liked how the author kept me guessing until the last possible moment.
Meg's family were interesting side characters. And I was happy that Rose wasn't the main heroine. I think the author did a good job revealing her as a spoiled and having a high opinion of herself in the few scenes she is mentioned. I did enjoy the banter between Meg's mom, Flora and her godfather and Uncle, Hector. I thought Hector had some funny one liners and enjoyed his scenes.
I didn't much care for how those that were responsible for Nicholas' brothers and Meg's fathers death and financial ruin didn't really get their full come up pence. I also didn't like how the truth wasn't revealed to those that were close to Nicholas that believed he was at fault for his brother's death. And I think I would have like to have known what Nicholas actually decided to do about his grandmother. Other then that, all in all the book was really enjoyable to read.

[☕️Kimberly (Caffeinated Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 I stumbled across How to Deceive a Duke and while the cover whore in me was not impressed I was immediately intrigued by the synopsis. How does a sister replace another at the altar to save her family from penury? How would the groom not know? I of course had to have some answers. Cornwall answered my questions while delivering a fast paced tale that had me laughing, banging my head and kept me reading late into the night.

The tale begins in the home of Meg and her sisters. The Duchess of Temblerlay has just offered Rose the oldest daughter, a chance to save them all. She offers a marriage proposal to Nicholas Hartley, her grandson the infamous Devil Duke of Temblerlay. It would mean saving their home and a chance for her younger sisters to wed. Rose wants nothing to do with this, and despite agreeing, runs of in the middle of the night leaving her family to deal with the mess. It is agreed Meg will go for the wedding gown fittings, while their Uncle Hector searches for Rose. The tale that unfolds was positively delightful as all the characters plot and scheme to get their desired outcome and find something more.

There were so many interesting characters from servants to dukes in this novel. I adored Meg Lynton our feisty, head-strong, romantic heroine. Nicknamed the ugly duckling by her father she is the one her entire family turns to upon his death. She loves the scandal sheets and a part of her was curious about the handsome Duke referred to as the devil. I loved how she interacted with Nicholas, the meddling grandmother and ton. She is strong, smart and even when she is fuming mad she is ever the lady. Nicholas of course is swoon worthy, skilled with his hands and completely flawed. Raised as the second son, he has been to war and it’s changed him. Now he finds himself the Duke, in financial trouble and at the mercy of his grandmother. I loved and hated the interaction between these too. Just when I thought things could work out, someone interferes or they ruin the moment. Eek gads. I dare you not to root for them! Bwahahaha! Nicholas’s grandmother is quite the character and I so wanted her to get what she deserved. *evil grin* Other characters add to the suspenseful story lines the author wove into the tale. It kept me turning the pages at a dizzying pace.

Cornwall did an excellent job of captivating me from the onset with her colorful, likeable characters, secrets and mysteries. The tale flowed at a wonderful pace and I was completely enthralled. So by now you are looking at what I have written and gazing down at my cups of coffee rating and asking yourself, "Why isn't this a five cup of coffee review?" Sadly, the last few chapters of the book took a dramatic turn, and while I get why Nicolas acted the way he did, and a part of me found it noble it irked me. The pacing changed and while it tied up some threads, and further made me adore Meg, it also exhausted and frustrated me. There is a happy ending but that bump at the end. *shakes head*

I want to thank HarperCollins/Avon for providing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.
Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer

[Erica Chilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm using my personal copy of this title to read and review for Wicked Reads

4 Stars

Genre: Historical Romance | Murder mystery | Suspense | Battle of Waterloo |

I've had this title on my Amazon wishlist for over a year, basically since I began reading Historical Romance. I was pleased to have found the paperback at a library book sale along with another in the series.

As is the standard in most His-ro series, How to Deceive a Duke starts out with the ugly duckling sister doing everything in her power to save her widowed mother and a gaggle of sister. I enjoy this trope and what it has to offer, so I was instantly sucked in from page one.

Meg was a strong-willed character, thinking more like a man in the era than a silly woman. Her older sisters and mother came off as overbearing and ridiculously single-minded, and I feared finding any redeeming qualities in them if they were to narrate future books. (I was glad that wasn't the case) While Meg's loyalty to her family was honorable, in a way I wanted to know what the mother and older sisters would do if they actually had to do anything but bleed money and complain. But the one scene late in the book where the youngster sisters are shown made it so I could understand Meg's fixation with helping her ungrateful family (the little ones weren't ungrateful). I did enjoy Meg's Godfather/Step-Uncle with how supportive and loving he was.

Nick, aka The Devil, he was a bit clueless, only wanting to be a passenger in his life instead of the driver. Not exactly an alpha quality that is necessary in a Duke. With the grandmother firmly in control, Nick set out to marry without asking the grandmother anything of her. He heard his future wife's name from a friend as hearsay, so I'm unsure how it was a Deception of Duke when he was utterly clueless. I mean, "The gossip was flawed," would have been a plausible thought once he found out about said deception. "I must have heard my wife's name wrong." "I should have asked my grandmother about her."

With that being said, I enjoyed our flawed narrators, two of their friends who become future narrators, and the storyline itself. The writing flowed easy, page after page flying by. There was banter, a slow build to the romance, and unexpected humor.


How to Deceive a Duke was 80% light-hearted, fast-paced push/pull historical romance involving miscommunication with a slight murder mystery plot being investigated. The last 20% jumped into the Battle of Waterloo. While I could appreciate the dark and realistic way in which the aftermath of the battle played out, it gave me whiplash to have gone from happy to depressive at the end of the book. An odd way to end the story.

Would I recommend this title? Yes.

Would I read more by this author? Yes, after this book I read #3 in the series.

[Stormi (StormReads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meg was a great character though she did have some flaws. Flaws are good because if the character is perfect then they don't seem as real. Meg, I think was sort of a dreamer. She read the scandal sheets about the Devil Duke of Temberlay and seen his picture and thought she could make him a husband. Meg was always told she was the plain sister so after she marries Nicholas to save her family, she had a hard time with things when he seem to not want her. When he seemed to prefer every pretty woman but her, but what she went on was what she seen in scandal sheets and accidents.

Because she already knew how the Duke was and because she thought he didn't want her, her mind was always thinking bad of him. Though she can't help but love him scandals and all but she is also being pushed around by someone else who was wanting her to think the worst of her husband. There was a lot of lack of communication in this relationship.

Nicholas Hartley is a rake, but a handsome one. He is only going through with this marriage because his grandmother won't give him any more money if he doesn't. He figures that he will marry and then keep on doing the same as always, everyone elses wives. He figures that the lady will be plain but when he takes off her veil and finds her beautiful, he figures this could be funnier than he originally thought. When he finds out that he actually married the other sister and not the one he was told about he decides to deal with her properly. He was just meaning to scare her and show her what desire was, but he never meant to fall in love with his wife. Nicholas proves to be more than what the scandal sheets say about him and I for one was glad.

Because of all the lack of communication and the miscommunication things don't go as planned for Meg and Nicholas, and having a scheming grandmother who is only wanting a proper heir doesn't help. And like with most romances I some times find them to drag on a little with their misconceptions of each other and always think they can end like thirty pages sooner, but it was still a nice read.

So I would recommend it to all those who love historical romances as it was great for a few laughs and I really enjoyed it.

[Addictive Passions · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lecia Cornwall is a new author for me. Now I know I need to expand my horizons and all that, but there is just something comforting about taking on a story with an author you know will give you a good ride. And I have to say my little nest of comfortable authors for me has just expanded by one!
I was more than skeptical about reading How to Deceive a Duke mainly because of the cover; I wasn’t too thrilled about a historical heroine in what appeared to be a modern day wedding dress looking out at you from a blush pink background. Who knows what made me pick this book to read/review? But you know what? I’m so glad I did!
What drew me in was Nicholas Hartley, the hero who had no desire to be duke was duped by his fiancées sister’s into marrying the wrong woman. The heroine Meg Lynton has red hair-and BTW you can totally tell the hair on the cover is NOT red even through the veil-and a fiery temper to match. I loved how Meg gave Nicholas hell and made his life miserable until he finally confessed his love to her.
Now, you guys must know by now that I love sexual tension-and sex-in my books. There wasn’t a lot of sex, maybe two sex scenes, but the sexual tension-and the kisses-more than made up for the lack!
I absolutely loved the secondary characters as well. I absolutely loved the grandmother until she showed her true colors in the end, and I loved Claire and Daniel’s little side story.
The ending was SOOOOOOOOOOO Gone With the Windesque that I about fell over in raptures!
Lecia Cornwall is an author to watch I have to admit. And when she told me this is a first in a sort of series I have to admit I squealed a little bit…just a little.

[Charlotte · Rating 1 out of 5]

This one is filled with cliches. I'll do a basic summary and score them if they hit the cliche-o-meter.
The less pretty(+1), but practical(+1) sister in an impoverished(+1), yet noble(+1), family must marry(+1) the duke when her more beautiful(+1) but silly(+1) sister runs of(+1). The man she marries is a duke(+1) and has the nickname 'Devil'(+1) and is described in the scandal sheets(+1) as a rake(+1). He is handsome(+1) yet tortured(+1) by his time as a soldier(+1) fighting Napoleon. Also, he suffers from ennui(+1).
On a scorecard of historical romance cliches, surely this one would get max points. Just in this basic sketch of the set-up, we hit a whopping sixteen.

I was reading along, restraining my urge to roll my eyes, waiting for the first meeting between the duke and our heroine. I wanted to see how that meeting was pulled off to see whether this one would be DNF. The test was mainly on how much trembling and sexual desire would be involved and whether any sort of communication besides innuendo would take place. The book failed the test.

There was much trembling and much innuendo. There was little actual conversation, the whole focus was on the wedding night. And then the hero leaves, admonishing the heroine to rest for the tour de force of his mighty love making.

Yeah, not interested in that. I suppose this one might be good if you desperately need a historical romance fix, but there is really not much here. No original characters, same ole plot, no fun spin on the traditions in the genre. So very generic. DNF at 23%

[Tin · Rating 5 out of 5]

To read my full review, visit: Love Saves the World

Truth and Deception are the main themes that Lecia Cornwall explores in her latest novel.

It is interesting how truth is viewed as something painful and we attach such descriptions to it as brutal, damning, awful, etc. The truth is something that needs to be sugar-coated and broken gently.

Both Nick and Meg are tired of living with the lies in their lives -- at first, Nick didn't care about the gossip written about him in the newspapers but, after his marriage, he realized how much the lies can hurt the people closest to him.

...

I love the pace of the story and the complications the couple encounters as they try to make sense of their married life. A marriage of convenience is a difficult obstacle to overcome -- but add to that the problem of Nicholas's reputation and their own individual family problems, which Nick tackles in a very level-headed way.

(I will admit to being half in-love with the duke. ^_^)

[Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was good...until it wasn't. I loved the overall plot - desperate family needs money. The Duke of Temberlay's grandmother comes and asks the older daughter to marry her grandson and all money woes goes away. When the older daughter runs away, her sister steps in and marries him. In between all this is the mystery surrounding the Duke's brother's death. Great book - UNTIL the mystery is wrapped up and the hero and heroine independently realize they love the other and you think the book is ready for its HEA - in fact it is and this is where the book should have ended. WRONG - the book completely switches gears and heads in a different direction. The last few chapters were worthless and I don't understand why the author went the direction she did. The HEA seemed rushed and then the book just ended - an epilogue would have been nice in this case.

My other issue is how much time the hero and heroine spent apart in the book. I wished for a little more interaction between the characters at some points.

[Tam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I greatly enjoyed this book.

Yes our hero, Nick and heroine, Meg would have greatly benefitted from an open and honest conversation. But in this case it was understandable why they didn't. They were each being manipulated by a controlling b*tch, they each had others depending on them to make the situation work and they were insecure regarding the other.

I loved that Meg made the decision to "stand by her man" and head to Brussels and whilst there more than proved her worth. (And I loved the touch at the end of a French looter needing to steal a handkerchief due to "love".)

What I would have loved more than anything was an epilogue. Just a scene where Meg' is revered, perhaps by Wellington, at a ball for her efforts and her sister is cast in to the shade and the Dowager gets a firm set down. With perhaps a dance with her Duke in which it is obvious he adores her.

But even without that, the book is an enjoyable read.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

`How to Deceive a Duke' lived up to its full potential, and then some!

In Marguerite Lynton, we have a heroine whose dedication to her family goes beyond love and sacrifice is nothing new to her when it comes to protecting them all from scandal.

In Nicholas Hartley we have a hero that holds his honor close to his heart and only a few know him well to vouch for it, as the rest of the world around him and especially his Grandmother, think him a womanizer, scoundrel and a man lacking in honor.

In the Dowager Duchess of Temberlay we have an old, bitter woman thinking both Nick and Meg are her private marionettes by pulling their strings and making them dance to her tune.

These are only three characters that will have you tied in knots while a multiple plot twists will ...Thanks for popping in at b2b to finish my review!

http://bookworm2bookworm.wordpress.co...
Mel for b2b

*Book provided by Avon through Edelweiss.

[Mimi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the plot of this book. I really liked the beginning and how it was all set up and then it crashed and burned.

Meg is really that oblivious to what she looks like. Does no one have mirrors in these books? The major flaw though was trust. Even a marriage of convenience needs trust and Meg believes all the ridiculous things she's heard and Nick really doesn't help at all. He never explains any of the misconceptions. At the end they both realize they love each other desperately (of course...this is a romance after all), but basically only because Meg has listened to all the stories and figured out he's a good man instead of trusting in her husband and asking HIM about all of this.

So while I really liked the plot, I thought that the main characters suffered from terminal stupidity a lot of the time and were really quite annoying at times. Not sure I'll read this author again.