A Good Debutante's Guide to Ruin by Sophie Jordan

Jul 30, 2014 WhiskeyintheJar rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical, regency, series

Had to jot a few thoughts down about it but there are some other really good reviews out there that should be read for a more comprehensive take.

I don't have a stepbrother or a brother, so I have no feel for that kind of relationship but I was never bothered by the fact that Declan and Rosalie were stepsiblings. When the story starts they have been separated for 10 years and then we get a few reminiscent memories talked about throughout. I never got the ick factor; I was so into the overall stor Had to jot a few thoughts down about it but there are some other really good reviews out there that should be read for a more comprehensive take.

I don't have a stepbrother or a brother, so I have no feel for that kind of relationship but I was never bothered by the fact that Declan and Rosalie were stepsiblings. When the story starts they have been separated for 10 years and then we get a few reminiscent memories talked about throughout. I never got the ick factor; I was so into the overall story that the terms stepbrother and stepsister were barely a blip on my radar.

I have never read a book by Sophie Jordan before but am definitely going to rectify this, she has got my number. This one started off dark and alluring and the way scenes are described, the way Declan runs his finger around the rim of the glass, put me right in the room with them. The heat and tension between Rosalie and Declan made me, trust me I had no choice in the matter, read this book in one sitting. I'm more of a tension, foreplay, push/pull person so I ate this story up with a freaking spoon. The bedroom scenes (and library scene ;) were on point too as they were descriptive and hot with the desperation, longing, wanting, and chemistry.

This story had me invested but there were a couple times when I was able to step back, think, and notice the few instances where there were some repetitive descriptive lines, Rosalie was a bit overly naïve innocent regency miss, and at about 60% through I stopped to think about how much time they really hadn't spent together. Declan and Rosalie work extremely well together in high tension, sexual situations but could they ever just, I don't know talk about the weather? Really though, who wants to read about that? There is also an abuse situation discussed that adds a little heft to the story but it’s never flushed out fully, so just a little. What I’m saying is this story is to be read for the sexual tension and not to change your life.

If you were at all hesitant about reading this because of the stepsibling relationship, I would say that it is enough of a nonentity that you should be fine. I was a big fan of this one and am putting most of the reason down to Ms. Jordan's writing style. I am also frothing at the mouth to read Max and Aurelia's story. Aurelia is Declan's sassy cousin and Camden is Declan’s stoic friend, they bicker a lot and I can already feel the sexual tension between the two. I have a feeling their book is going to be a read in one sitting too.
...more

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Feb 16, 2022 Nicolette rated it liked it · review of another edition

I don’t think I will be writing a detailed review for this book. I almost forgot that I haven’t yet reviewed this one. This was not bad but it wasn’t particularly good either. I read A Good Debutante’s Guide to ruin more than a week ago and I don’t really remember anything except for the fact that the main characters are step-siblings. This book is the first one I have read from the author. I decided that for the month of February, I would try to read books from new-to-me-authors. This one was I don’t think I will be writing a detailed review for this book. I almost forgot that I haven’t yet reviewed this one. This was not bad but it wasn’t particularly good either. I read A Good Debutante’s Guide to ruin more than a week ago and I don’t really remember anything except for the fact that the main characters are step-siblings. This book is the first one I have read from the author. I decided that for the month of February, I would try to read books from new-to-me-authors. This one was not bad! It managed to hold my interest but I wasn’t fully invested. It was readable (you know what I mean?) but I just wasn’t overly impressed. It did not inspire any intense feelings while I was reading. It was so-so. It was a fun escape for a few hours but definitely not memorable enough. Still, I would most likely check out more of the author’s work to see if anything might be of interest to me. This is such a vague review but I honestly wasn’t very fond of the book nor was I mad about it. I do love writing my thoughts about books I’ve read, but as I have mentioned in my last review, I have no energy at the moment to write reviews especially for books I neither loved nor hated. I think I blame Ravishing the heiress for the slump I was in. That book was so bad it put me into a slump…Kidding! (Or am I?) Over all, this one was okay enough but not the best book / example of the historical romance genre. I’ve read better books.

Some quotes:

“You saved me, Rosalie. Being with you has made me a better man. I’m ready to wake up next to you every morning.” His chest expanded. “I want those mornings. I want you.”

“So we’re stuck with each other.”“I suppose so,” she murmured. He kissed her then, and it was the kiss of forever. The promise of all their tomorrows.

“You looked too content. So at peace. I didn’t want to ruin that.” She smiled and looped her arms around his neck. “You can’t ever ruin that. You’re the reason I can even look that way.” ...more

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Jul 23, 2017 Al George rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Hello Mommie Dearest.

THAT was not a mother. I'm pretty sure THAT was an awful person.

Series: Yes.

Sexy times: A few. Nothing OTT or super descriptive.

Plan on reading more by the author: I'm considering it.

Synopsis: Rosalie finds herself on her step brother's doorstep with nowhere else to go. He's not thrilled, she's not thrilled. Cue the plan to give her a season, get her married off and Declan, the step bro, is released from his familial duties. We all know how well that works out, right? ...more

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Jul 18, 2020 Jessica rated it liked it

Shelves: audiobook, needs-review, historical-romance, forbidden-romance

3.5 stars.

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Nov 09, 2016 ♥ℳelody rated it liked it

Shelves: gorgeous-cover, virgin-heroine, gorgeous-stepback, alpha-hero, frustration-alert, confusing-as-shit-characters, angst-forlorn-couples, bad-boy, help-me-i-have-a-dirty-secret, borrowed

*just gonna insert this here*

Who wouldn't want to read this after seeing that??

That gorgeous sassy cover, this stunning stepback and the intriguing stepsister/stepbrother set up had me snatching this up so fast. But things fell short for me.

First of all, the heroine is not really "headstrong" as the blurb labels her to be. She does go toe to toe with the hero when she needed to but overall I would not label Rosalie as a headstrong heroine. Not at all. Not saying that's a bad thing but for this *just gonna insert this here*

Who wouldn't want to read this after seeing that??

That gorgeous sassy cover, this stunning stepback and the intriguing stepsister/stepbrother set up had me snatching this up so fast. But things fell short for me.

First of all, the heroine is not really "headstrong" as the blurb labels her to be. She does go toe to toe with the hero when she needed to but overall I would not label Rosalie as a headstrong heroine. Not at all. Not saying that's a bad thing but for this particular story? It didn't help. You definitely feel a little mislead with how it's packaged. Because of the cover and the blurb I honestly went into this expecting a reckless hellion who gives the hero a run for his money. That's not what happens. Not really. I thought Rosalie was too passive aggressive and a quivering timid naive mess when she didn't need to be. Which honestly made her so inconsistent. She finds her backbone when she's outraged with Declan's overstepping but other times that gumption & strength just up and disappears. I mean you are barricading your door and sleeping on the floor to block a creepy ass man from raping you and you refuse to ask your stepbrother for help because you don't want to bother him and you can ‘handle it’? Refusing to sleep for a whole week while you guard your bedroom door is not handling it sweetie. She's definitely sheltered and naive and slow on certain things. The constant gasping and stammering and wanting to run off because things made her uncomfortable just made her come off more wilting lily than a 'headstrong' hell raiser.

As for the hero Declan, I found him underdeveloped and unfeeling for half of the book. He's not fully fleshed out for a good chunk of the story so I struggled to really buy into the chemistry between him and Rosalie; especially when they didn't spend enough time together for him to suddenly realize she's it for him after having sex. There were things missing to really sell it. But the sexual tension was there in places and the sex scene was very hot. So there is that. But I found it lacking overall. And the fact that we don't really know what Declan looks like or the color of his eyes until suddenly at the half way mark was so startling and frustrating. It was weird, he goes from a hazy undefined character you can't get a clear picture of to a well-defined rakish brooding man with tousled brown hair and 'intense green eyes' in the second half. I'm not sure why the author chose to do this because it came off like an accidental afterthought she scrambled to address near the end. That to me came off lazy. And sidetone: A man not realizing the flaming red carpet do not match the drapes while the heroine is in disguise is off-putting to say the least. Or dumb. Considering his face was all up in there, yeah I'm not buying it. (PSA: If you are gonna use a fellow reviewer's wording for calling out a scene in your review at least give credit when someone applauds you for it. 😉)

As for secondary characters, I was intrigued by Aurelia and Max with their heated sparring but given all the poor reviews on that book (why are there only 2 books in this series?) I think I'll skip out. ...more

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Mar 23, 2016 Christine Wallflower & Dark Romance Junkie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: adult-humpalot-chains-whips, bossy-guys, guilty-pleasure, historical, broody-heroes, angst-in-my-pants

"True, he was offering her a roof over her head... a Season, a dowry, but he was not a kind man for all that. He was hard. Rude and curt and high-handed. And yet when she was near him, she wanted to stand closer.

Well! They did say be careful what you wish for, and I'm thinking they're right! Whoever they are. So I've had this book for awhile now and I also got it for a $1.99. Yes I am shamelessly promoting a book I enjoyed! The main selling point for this book for me was the love/hate relati

"True, he was offering her a roof over her head... a Season, a dowry, but he was not a kind man for all that. He was hard. Rude and curt and high-handed. And yet when she was near him, she wanted to stand closer.

Well! They did say be careful what you wish for, and I'm thinking they're right! Whoever they are. So I've had this book for awhile now and I also got it for a $1.99. Yes I am shamelessly promoting a book I enjoyed! The main selling point for this book for me was the love/hate relationship between the H and h and boy was it ever! Declan infuriated me at first with his blatantly "I don't care", rude and often hurtful way he treated Rosalie. Inside I was telling me myself, "this is it, Christine. Its going to happen. The first time you can't stand an alpha male with asshole tendencies. And for half the book I was on the fence about even enjoying the story but Sophie Jordan's writing is so damn addicting she could be writing you instructions on how to assemble a chair and you'd be mesmerized. So I kept at it until finally there was a glimmer of hope, Declan finally started letting down all those walls he had around his heart and while he may not have been a perfect human being he did show himself to be perfect for Rosalie.

"Inviting bodily injury can be called nothing else. Why on earth would you desire such a thing? Would you care to stick your hand in this door?"
She waved her hand toward his chamber door. " I can slam it on you several times."

And now for the story. Did I mention the fact that the H and h were step-siblings? No? Well Declan is Rosalie's older step brother who she's held a torch for ever since she was a little girl when he would help her from trees she'd climbed, and call her Carrots for giggles. She's been stuck in a boarding school for girls for the last 2 years, her mother seemingly having forgotten all about her. So obviously she's missed her coming out and she's wasted 2 years where she should've been looking for a husband. Rosalie is 20 years old.

Her headmistress parcels her up and leaves her unceremoniously in the care of Declan who wants nothing to do with her. He immediately gives her a dowry of £50 000 ensuring she finds a husband as quickly as possibly. Now let me stop right there because this isn't a retelling. So back to how I felt about this book, Rosalie and Declan's antics where both frustrating and hilarious. The frustrating part mainly because of Declan, but never fear there was a good reason for it so all was forgiven. I have a soft spot for Dukes... and earls and barons. Kings and princes too. So sue me.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book so I will definitely be continuing the series. Aurelia and Camden are going to be a treat, I just know it!

"I care."
Her gaze flew to his at that.
"And I'll always come when you need me, Carrots." ...more

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Jun 19, 2014 Caz rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: romance-1800-1850, audiobook, aar

I've given this a B- for narration and a B for content at AAR, so I suppose that's technically 3.75 stars.

A Good Débutante’s Guide to Ruin is the first in a new series from Sophie Jordan, and if you can get past the rather daft idea of two innocent, well-bred young ladies sneaking out to a sex club, being provided with suitably skimpy clothing by the owner/madam, and not being recognized by the male relatives they encounter there, it’s an enjoyable story which boasts plenty of sizzling chemistry I've given this a B- for narration and a B for content at AAR, so I suppose that's technically 3.75 stars.

A Good Débutante’s Guide to Ruin is the first in a new series from Sophie Jordan, and if you can get past the rather daft idea of two innocent, well-bred young ladies sneaking out to a sex club, being provided with suitably skimpy clothing by the owner/madam, and not being recognized by the male relatives they encounter there, it’s an enjoyable story which boasts plenty of sizzling chemistry between the two leads.

Twenty-year-old Rosalie Hughes completed her education at a Yorkshire school two years earlier, but her mother has ignored all the polite reminders to come collect her daughter. Rosalie’s only other family is the step-brother she hasn’t seen for over a decade. Declan, now the Duke of Banbury, was fifteen when his father threw him out of the family home. He is not best pleased at finding a young woman he hardly knows on his doorstep, but he is at heart a gentleman and allows her to stay, calling on his aunt to move in and act as chaperone.

Rosalie is relieved at the fact he doesn’t turn her out, but rather bewildered by his coldness and thinly veiled hostility towards her. It’s clear that she worshipped him as a child and continues to carry a torch for him. But for Declan, Rosalie only dredges up painful memories of her mother Mélisande , who caused his rift with his father and whose lies and deceit have coloured his attitude towards women ever since. All he wants to do is get rid of Rosalie so he can return to his normal round of drinking, gaming and whoring.

Declan decides that the best way to be rid of Rosalie is to marry her off, so he lets it be known that he has settled a large dowry upon her. Rosalie isn’t against marriage, and, trying to set aside her childish fancy for Declan, knows the best she can hope for is to be able to find a kind and considerate husband. But before she settles, she wants to live a little, so when Declan’s cousin Aurelia suggests they slip out and pay a visit to Sodom, the notorious sex club frequented by the young men of the ton, Rosalie agrees. On the appointed night, skimpily gowned and heavily masked, the girls are escorted through the club by its mysterious lady owner, and get an eyeful of various amorous encounters (!). While Aurelia is quite happy to hang around and watch, Rosalie decides that what she’d like is to be kissed for the first time, and by someone who knows what he’s doing.

The identity of the selected orally experienced paragon will come as no surprise.

Rosalie is intelligent, kind, and unafraid to speak up for herself, without being stupidly feisty or independent to the point of being TSTL. Declan is a prize arse at the beginning of the book – cold, unpleasant, haughty and doggedly determined to persist in his dislike of Rosalie because of who her mother is. But in the weeks they spend under the same roof, he begins to remember what he used to love about the young woman he once nicknamed “Carrots” – and then, to his dismay, he begins to realize he’s starting to feel more than “like” for the young woman she is now. Declan can’t get the masked, lithe-limbed beauty he’d kissed at Sodom out of his mind, but his fascination with her does not quench his growing desire for Rosalie. But just as he learns to separate his animosity for Mélisande from his feelings towards her daughter, a massive spanner is thrown into the works: the woman herself reappears, out to get her hands on Rosalie’s dowry by fair means or foul.

I enjoyed the story, although there were points at which I had to suspend my credulity just a little bit too much. I also struggled to find an emotional connection between the pair that was matched their desire for each other. Rosalie has clearly been nursing a tendre for Declan for years, but he’s not given her a second thought – so his sudden, overwhelming lust for her comes as a bit of a surprise. Much more satisfying in terms of the storytelling is the way in which Ms Jordan hints at the reasons for Declan’s hatred of Mélisande, and then doesn’t delay the big reveal or allow those reasons to come between him and Rosalie.

Still, the chemistry between the couple is scorching. All credit to Carmen Rose for her portrayal of Declan in the love scenes: he’s a deliciously naughty, take-charge kind of guy, and she has a way of injecting an element of sternness into her delivery that expertly conveys his dominant personality which is quite sexy and very appropriate.

Her naturally low-pitched voice enables her to portray Declan convincingly by giving an added resonance and harder edge to her tone. She portrays Rosalie using an attractively husky timbre and a slight northern accent. Her performance of Mélisande is excellent – the woman is a self-centred bitch beneath a beautiful façade – and Ms Rose expertly captures the calculating menace beneath the veneer.

I generally enjoy Carmen Rose’s narrations, and this is no exception, although minor issues I’ve mentioned in other reviews (her tendency to breathe in odd places or to emphasise the wrong word in a phrase) are still present. There’s one glaring mispronunciation that occurs throughout: Rosalie’s school “Harwich” is pronounced “Harrich,” NOT “Har-Witch.” Still, the strength of Ms Rose’s characterisations and her differentiation are good enough that these become minor concerns which did not detract from my enjoyment overall.

Taken as a whole, A Good Débutante’s Guide to Ruin is an enjoyable audiobook. The story is entertaining, well-told and well-performed, and I will definitely be looking out for future instalments in the series. ...more

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Jun 27, 2014 Alyssa rated it really liked it

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

A Good Debutante's Guide to Ruin by Sophie Jordan
Book One of The Debutante Files series
Publisher: Avon Books
Publication Date: July 29, 2014
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

The last woman on earth he would ever touch . . .

Declan, the Duke of Banbury, has no interest in ushering Rosalie Hughes, his stepsister, into society. Dumped on him with nowh ...more

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Jul 05, 2021 Missy rated it liked it

Shelves: 1-overdrive-audio, 1-overdrive-ebook, secret-mistaken-identity-switcheroo, 2021-series-challenge, hero-duke

Not bad. I definitely prefer this book over the second one. But I don’t think I will reread this book either.

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Jan 30, 2014 Lover of Romance rated it it was amazing

Shelves: publisher-avon, genre-historical-romance, writing-style-1st-in-a-series, pub-2014, trope-secret-or-mistaken-identity, page-number-300-399, character-dukes, rating-five-book-rocks-blossoms, trope-forbidden-love, character-billionaire-mr-moneybags

Rosalie Hughes knows that she has no alternative but to go to her step brothers home in London, since she has no other place to go. Her mother left her at a school years ago and Rosalie hasn't been able to reach her, and Declan is the only one she knows she can reach out to, not knowing the kind of reunion it will be. When they were younger Rosalie would get into all sorts of mischief and Declan was always there. Even now there is a part of her that loves him. Declan is not the same man that onc Rosalie Hughes knows that she has no alternative but to go to her step brothers home in London, since she has no other place to go. Her mother left her at a school years ago and Rosalie hasn't been able to reach her, and Declan is the only one she knows she can reach out to, not knowing the kind of reunion it will be. When they were younger Rosalie would get into all sorts of mischief and Declan was always there. Even now there is a part of her that loves him. Declan is not the same man that once climbed into trees with Rosalie and swam in the ponds. He has changed, and her mother is the reason. Only Declan knows the truth that changed him forever. Now he is the Duke of Branbury and he is a rake of the highest order. While coming home with a group of friends and ladies of the night, he comes across a figure in his sitting room...a young woman he hasn't seen in years. Even now he tries to block his feelings for her, but it seems that his heart is stronger than his will and he can't help but fall for this woman that held his heart years ago. Now he will need to make a choice, a choice that could imprison him or free him...

This story is the first book in the latest series by Sophie Jordan. Sophie Jordan is a personal favorite of mine and I always know that I will love her, and I adored this one. I just flew through this story because I just couldn't get enough of it, and when it sadly ended I was satisfied but thinking "its over already??" There is such sensuality to this story and oh boy enough to curl your toes with pure bliss!!! I LOVED it!!! The epitome of what I love in a solid regency romance. Not many authors can write like Jordan can and a SOLID A++++ to this author. What a winner of a story.

The story begins with Rosalie having no place to go, so Declan being a rogue and rake is rude and intolerant but can't kick her out, something holds him back. So he decides to bring his aunt and cousin to his bachelor home to act as chaperone's and introduce her into society so he can get her wedded and out of his hair. Rosalie is tired of orders and not having any joy or any say in her own life especially from Declan, who is so different from the boy she played with and followed around. So she decides to dress in disguise and go to a notorious night club "Sodom", where she can find a man who will kiss her with desire. The man she finds unexpectedly....Declan....a man she has dreamed about and when he kisses her with such passion she is lost.

I loved the relationship between these two....it definitely has its rocky hills and jagged cliffs in the relationship....but what a sunset there is at the end!! These two are a hoot and I adored both of them and they seemed just right for each other. They definitely know how to make fireworks pop and what a engaging story this was!! The chemistry between them is electric....sizzling, sweet, tender and powerful!! There are so many scenes that pull you in further in the story. From the first page you will be hooked...line and sinker. I couldn't put it down at all...I was having way too much fun with this one. It just makes me want to read the rest of this authors books that I have yet to read. This story was a treasure to read....with jewels of characters, a golden romance to enchant you.....and from beginning to end it will DAZZLE!!! ...more

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Aug 03, 2021 Hannah B. rated it liked it

✨Historical step siblings say whaaaaaat✨

I wanted to love this one. I love Clueless and technically this one is similar because neither character would get a clue if it stripped naked and wiggled in their faces. It was step siblings yes, but it wasn’t any fun and the characters weren’t very likable. I liked the beginning but I got lost around the middle. The end made me so angry but also helped me understand Declan better and my heart broke a little bit for him.

Rosalie was having “none of it” we ✨Historical step siblings say whaaaaaat✨

I wanted to love this one. I love Clueless and technically this one is similar because neither character would get a clue if it stripped naked and wiggled in their faces. It was step siblings yes, but it wasn’t any fun and the characters weren’t very likable. I liked the beginning but I got lost around the middle. The end made me so angry but also helped me understand Declan better and my heart broke a little bit for him.

Rosalie was having “none of it” well she had all of it because she made the decision to go with her wench of a mother. I’m just irritated and lost interest when Rosalie made a stupid decision because she didn’t “deserve” to be happy or get what she wants or to at least try. Like seriously this dude is harassing her and a clear threat and she knows it and then she has the audacity to say it’s no big deal? And that she doesn’t want to bother Declan? Politely fuck off with that thinking. She was too passive for me. She was all tittering and breathy gasps and barely ever made a smart decision.

Declan wasn’t much better. I thought he had potential at times and I definitely understood more of his character by the end, but one thing really peeved me. When he finally found out it was Rosalie at Sodom, HE WAS ANGRY AND KIND OF A WEENIE. Like, back the fuck up and praise Jesus because your masked fantasy is now a distinct reality and you should be HAPPY. I was waiting for the big reveal and it just let me down. He was weirdly patronizing and angry that she was at Sodom and it really made me question him. To top it off, Rosalie finally opened her mouth and asked for what she wanted and the bastard rejects her. Be still my poor heart.

There was an extreme lack of faith in each other, but I get some of it though; their back stories were rough, especially Declan’s. However, there were just too many negative things to equal a true positive story. This was a pretty heavy book and not the light step-sibling romance I was hoping for. I usually like the trope but it didn’t mean much to this story. It was a problem and then suddenly it didn’t matter.

The mother deserves no pity or chance at redemption and I didn’t like that Rosalie even deigned to think she could change. You don’t change from her offense. She also doesn’t deserve any money or chance at happiness. I think I was seeing red for a moment there.

The villains deserved worse. Much worse. I’m starting a thing where I specify the type of villain—there are annoying villains, bad villains, fifty feet of crap, and then there are bloodboiling villains that never meet the ends they should. I feel that the latter though need introduction since I get very, very angry and if they don’t meet the proper demise or punishment, I don’t feel like the book is complete. It’s also just a huge investment to hate a character that much.

The reviews for the second book scare me so I think I’ll pass on the audio and maybe pick up the hard copy from the library so I can skim or throw it at the wall if need be. Audiobooks really exacerbate issues in books so I shall take no chances because book one tested me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶🌶🌶.5/5

CW: SA of minor (not by MCs) ...more

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Dec 01, 2014 Becca rated it liked it

Shelves: kindle

Rosalie and Declan star in the start of Sophie Jordan's newest historical romance series. Rosalie and Declan are step-siblings. I am not sure if this would gross some people out so be warned. They hadn't seen each other in years and had not been raised as siblings so this relationship did not bother me. There is no blood relationship between them.

I started out on Jordan's works reading her forgotten princesses series. I thought that the tension between Rosalie and Declan was similar to the chara Rosalie and Declan star in the start of Sophie Jordan's newest historical romance series. Rosalie and Declan are step-siblings. I am not sure if this would gross some people out so be warned. They hadn't seen each other in years and had not been raised as siblings so this relationship did not bother me. There is no blood relationship between them.

I started out on Jordan's works reading her forgotten princesses series. I thought that the tension between Rosalie and Declan was similar to the characters in Wicked in Your Arms only it was not done as effectively (I gave WIYA 5 stars). I could definitely see the tension and the attraction between the two, but I never believed they were actually in love. To be honest, they only had one or two true conversations the entire book!

I thought Declan's cousin Aurelia's character was more interesting; although people have said that in her book, she and Lord Camden are downright cruel to each other so I am a little nervous.

Anyway, in this novel, Rosalie is dumped on Declan's doorstep by her schoolmistress who can no longer support her since Rosalie's mother stopped paying tuition two years before. Declan is initially very hateful to Rosalie due to his hatred for Rosalie's mother (you eventually find out why) and settles an enormous dowry on her to try to marry her off and get her out of his life as soon as possible. The two rarely interact and Declan does not realize he actually likes having Rosalie around until she is gone.

The oddity in this book stems from when Aurelia and Rosalie go to a pleasure club, Sodom, as a way to have an adventure. I knew this was coming since it is in the description on the back cover, but it still was ridiculous. Two unwed, untried, upper class women sneaking into a sex club and not getting caught or abused? Hmm... However, the trip does the trick of turning up the heat between Declan and Rosalie and pushes the story along.

I will be trying out the next book in this series, but I felt that the Forgotten Princess series had more well-developed tension and deeper love. If you find this book disappointing, try that series instead.

...more

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Aug 21, 2014 S H A R O N rated it it was ok

Shelves: historical-romance, fiction, romantical, 2014

I hate the word "mewling". Loathe it. Think it's idiotic sounding. Makes me picture a cat.

Can't. Stand. That. Word.

Unfortunately, that word is used on several occasions (since the "good" debutante is known by her "mewling" noises) throughout the book.

Ugh.

Now that my opinion's been stated...this was a "meh" book. It started out pretty solidly with an interesting premise (step brother and step sister reconnect....sparks fly...there are other complications including an evil mother/stepmother...oh ...more

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Aug 30, 2014 Missi Nussbaum rated it it was ok

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. A Good Debutante's Guide to Ruin should be just the kind of book I love to read. There's a likeable heroine and a hero with a dark, tragic secret in his past. There's delicious, snarky banter as the pair revisit an old childhood friendship and renegotiate their interaction as adults. The love scenes are hot enough of scorch the print right off the page.

Yet I can only give this book two stars. If this were a first book, from a new author, I might rate it higher... but I just expect more from the A Good Debutante's Guide to Ruin should be just the kind of book I love to read. There's a likeable heroine and a hero with a dark, tragic secret in his past. There's delicious, snarky banter as the pair revisit an old childhood friendship and renegotiate their interaction as adults. The love scenes are hot enough of scorch the print right off the page.

Yet I can only give this book two stars. If this were a first book, from a new author, I might rate it higher... but I just expect more from the talented Sophie Jordan. The prose is lush, the side characters well crafted and humorous. The difficulty lies with the main characters, Rosalie and her stepbrother, Declan. These two characters never come fully to life. Rosalie just isn't particularly...deep. She's grown up in a rural boarding school, placed there by her mother, the notorious second wife of a recently deceased Duke. Her mother is an awful person, who has abandoned her... yet we are never really shown how this abandonment has impacted her personality. When our book begins, she's been living at the school two years beyond graduation, without any financial support from her family. She's being unceremoniously dumped on the doorstep of her step-brother, the new Duke, by a headmistress who can't keep her and has no place for her.

The stepbrother hasn't seen our heroine for ten years, since he was unceremoniously chucked out of the house by his late father, the previous Duke, at roughly the same time that Rosalie was sent to school. When our characters reunite for the first time, he doesn't even recognize her, and apparently hasn't given her a thought in a decade.

As for Rosalie, she seems to have cherished a childhood crush on her stepbrother... but has made no attempt to keep in contact with him after they were separated. (At this point, the reader will start wondering, why not? But no explanation is ever offered.)

Actually, that's the main problem with Rosalie. For whatever she does, throughout the course of the book... no explanation is ever forthcoming. Her mind is completely opaque to the reader. She moves from situation to situation without really reacting to them, unmarked by the tragedies around her. She is never perplexed by the attitudes and behaviour of her relations, but accepts them unquestioningly. So Mom stuck her into a school and never came back... Rosalie doesn't mind. Declan left the house, never wrote her a letter, and didn't answer the headmistress when she wrote him about Rosalie. Again, Rosalie doesn't ever question why this is the case.

Small spoiler, here... Declan, our hero, is a victim of child molestation at the hands of his stepmother. But we are never really shown any effects this situation has left upon his life, either. He's your cliche regency rogue. He's even introduced to the audience with a tart on his arm, bringing his friends home for a bit of drink and debauchery. When reunited with his stepsister, we are given glimpses of his thought processes which are frankly, disturbing. He goes from "who is this chick?" to sexual yearning in about a paragraph. Remember... This is a sexual abuse victim, looking at the daughter of his rapist. If that doesn't tell you what's wrong with this book, nothing else I have to say will really matter.

Selling these stepsiblings as a love story was always going to be a challenge. But the author never really delves into the necessary angst to make us believe in this relationship. Instead, she relies on some sort of instantaneous sexual magnetism between her lovers- a situation which, under the circumstances, beggars belief. ...more

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Aug 10, 2021 shaira ✨ rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-romance, big-duke-energy, forbidden-love

i guess the third time was indeed, the charm

my entrance into sophie jordan’s bookish universe/backlist with all the ways to ruin a rogue and the scandal of it all was a subpar experience at best so imagine my surprise when this book completely turned that around. aye ms jordan, there just may be some hope for you yet 😌 ...more

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Aug 30, 2014 Kelly rated it liked it

Shelves: part-of-a-series, regency-romance, steamy-scenes, dark-hero, new-to-me-author, wounded-male-protag

A quick read where the secondary character (Aurelia) was more interesting than the main character (Rosalie). I liked Aurelia's humor and the way she quickly befriended Rosalie. Too often a source of conflict in Regency romances is when the secondary characters (esp females) are cruel to the h. Also, Aurelia's mom (Lady Merlton) was a lot of fun and I liked her a lot.

Rosalie, other than her crush on her step-brother, which, I'll be honest, is the reason I picked up this story (pseudo-incest is of A quick read where the secondary character (Aurelia) was more interesting than the main character (Rosalie). I liked Aurelia's humor and the way she quickly befriended Rosalie. Too often a source of conflict in Regency romances is when the secondary characters (esp females) are cruel to the h. Also, Aurelia's mom (Lady Merlton) was a lot of fun and I liked her a lot.

Rosalie, other than her crush on her step-brother, which, I'll be honest, is the reason I picked up this story (pseudo-incest is of interest to me right now), was sort of... sorry to say... a doormat. Yes, there was lust between the h/H, but it never felt substantial or anything more than physical. I pick up Regency romances for quick wit, funny banter, and the h/H working out their differences. With A Good Debutante's Guide to Run, I never found the "it" factor that made these two characters, these two step-siblings, fall hard for each other. Honestly, the H acted like he slept with any woman available. It's a golden rule in romances, especially Regency (at least for me) that the H doesn't sleep around once he's interested in the h. So the book had this going in it's favor. I would have thrown the book against the wall if Declan slept with someone else after he kisses the h (even though, in his defense, he doesn't know it's the h).

Declan is your typical Regency H. Dashing, good looking, rich, and not interested in being "proper". Declan has his reasons for keeping Rosalie at a distance, and it has to do with her horrible mother. Once I learned Declan's secret, I felt so bad for him. I felt the author treated this topic appropriately and showed that certain crimes can still be felt years, even decades, later. So thanks for that, Ms. Jordan.

Overall, a decent story that promises more from the secondary characters while not being strong on the love/lust/chemistry side of the house with the main characters. The step-sibling thing didn't seem like that big of a deal to other people in the story (only the h/H seem to find it an obstacle) and I had hoped for more on this topic, like how the Ton might have reviewed their union, but we never get any of that.

However, I plan to pick up the next book in this series, hoping that it focuses on Aurelia. ...more

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Apr 24, 2015 Zoe rated it it was amazing

I had not expecte to like this book so much. It is a typical historical romance, with a very attractive hero. I don't mind that. If the story delivers, I do not mind a little (or a lot of) cliche.
The struggle for the hero was heart-wretching. He does not want to like the heroin because her mother is the B word personified. Hero has a history with the heroin's mother (they slept together when the hero was a teenager.). All in all, hero cannot help but fall in love with the heroin, but is unwilli ...more

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Jul 23, 2015 Nefise rated it liked it

Shelves: historical-romance, first-reads, enemies-to-lovers, in-the-series-with-new-characters, off-limits-like-teacher-brother-s-f

It was a quick and easy read. There were almost everything I like to read in an historical romance. Still, it was not enough to make this book a "rereading" or one of my favorites.

There was angst, some adventure, some scandalous scenes, hot scenes (I should confirm, they were one of the best scenes and the best part of the book that I felt the emotions, chmesitry etc. and very well written) but all of these elements didn't make to story an intense, a good romance book. Like, it's written very me ...more

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Oct 09, 2015 Tracy T. rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Too much inner dialogue and thoughts is annoying and makes a potentially good story not so good. 2 star narration.

This is barely an okay story, Very predictable. The heroine was okay, she wasn't a very strong heroine by no means. A bit too naive and just kind of boring to be honest. The hero was just okay as well. Nothing great or swoon worthy. The chemistry felt forced and not genuine. The sex scene was nicely written. There was one and half sex scenes.

The story line and plot was just meh. The ...more

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Jan 03, 2014 Esther rated it really liked it

Shelves: hero-rich, virgin, virgin-heroine

Not a long review but just to say I enjoyed the book and the couple. I was hooked from the beginning and kept my attention till the end.

Looking forward to the next couple...sounds like there will some sparks flying between those two.

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Jan 22, 2015 ♡Julalicious Book Paradise♡ rated it really liked it

Shelves: owned, signed-books

rating: 3.75/5

review to come.

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Sep 13, 2019 BJ rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: disliked

At first, all started well, and the pacing was good but unfortunately I didn't like the plot. Really two silly young women going to a bordello? The risks they would face would be extreme, their lives would be over if discovered, so it seemed OTT. The h's naivety made her as stupid as the H, he had little depth to him, and was not a good man. I really liked a secondary female character, the friend to the h, she was a good lure for the next book, but the main couple were boring and it was only at ...more

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Nov 06, 2020 Penny added it

This book is so out of my confort zone I'm not even going to rated.
I can't say it's badly written, but I didn't enjoy the story, and I like my romances to have more romance.

I do want to read Aurelia's story. ...more

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Apr 12, 2021 Natalie Bee rated it liked it

Shelves: read-in-2021, historical

audio - 3.5 starts rounded down

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Aug 19, 2014 Laura rated it it was amazing

Review posted on Got Fiction?

4.5

This is the first book in Sophie Jordan's The Debutante Files, and it begins with our heroine Rosalie Hughes being dumped upon her step brother, Declan the Duke of Banbury.

Rosalie is about 20 or 21, and was sent to boarding school, but then forgotten. Her mother liked to pretend she didn't have a child. Rosalie's mother was a piece of work. She'd been a legendary beauty, and still was, but being reminded she had a daughter reminded her she wasn't a young girl anym ...more

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Nov 30, 2020 Lauren rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-romance, virgin-heroines, mistaken-secret-identity, victorian, reformed-rake

A Debutante's Guide to Ruin
4 Stars

Content Warning: This book contains tropes that some readers may find offensive, i.e.,(view spoiler)

Penniless and homeless, Rosalie Hughes has only one person to turn to, her step-brother, Declan whom she hasn't seen for over a decade. Declan, the Duke of Banbury, quickly decides that the easiest solution to Rosalie's situation is to marry her off as ...more

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Feb 02, 2017 Sarah Z rated it it was amazing

4.5 stars. Maybe the full 5. Oh my gosh, I didn't expect to love this one as much as I did! This is my first book from Jordan and I have to say, I really enjoyed her writing. This book just made me so happy! It definitely made me emotional, in a good way and I couldn't put it down. So so good.

I had a couple issues with this, nothing major. I know Declan and Rosalie had a past together, but I felt like they were lacking necessary time together during the first couple weeks she was living in his h ...more

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Feb 19, 2015 Sissy's Romance Book Review rated it it was amazing

Shelves: overdrive-library

This is the first book in "The Debutante Files". Sophine Jordan is one of thoes authors you know that you are going to get and good, emotional read from. The hero, Declan, the Duke of Banbury has found that he has become a ward to his step sister and our heroine: Rosalie Hughes. Declan has not want to have her as such and comes to the plan of setting a high dowry on her to marry her off quickly to be rid of her. But Rosalie doesn't want a fortune hunter as a husband and set to do otherwise. As D ...more

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Dec 29, 2016 Melanie rated it really liked it

This is the first story in the Debutante Files series from Sophie Jordan, and since I've read this author before, I fairly knew what to expect.

As her previous books, this was a fun and very entertaining story with couple of interesting and well rounded leads.

But what most of you will like is the chemistry between the two, which was scorching hot. I mean, WOW! This book should be on every author's list to be read just so they could learn how to write sensual scenes.

If you're in a mood for an easy ...more

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Oct 20, 2015 Mandy rated it did not like it

Still on my hunt for fun fluff. This time trying for historical romance fluff.

I really should start paying better attention to book titles and authors. I was 50 pages or so into the book before I realized I’ve read and hated the next book in the series. I can’t even blame the passage of time. I read the other book last month. Sigh.

This one’s a big ball of fun with step-sibling lovin’/pseudo-incest, child molestation, and attempted rape. Ugh. Terrible.

If I ever try to read another Sophie Jordon, ...more

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