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The Seduction #1
Two Dances and a Duke
Miss Beatrice Valentine is having a horrible first Season, shamed for her curves by a group of young ladies led by Lady Regina Haywood, daughter of a duke.
Despite Regina's attempts to make Bea a wallflower, Bea finds herself torn between the rakish, quick-tempered Lord Peregrine (engaged to Lady Regina) and the gentleman war-hero, the Duke of Lennox (Lady Regina's brother).
Bea is determined to marry a kindly man, and certainly no one attached to Regina. But both of these gentlemen are determined to seduce her
...and one will succeed.
Despite Regina's attempts to make Bea a wallflower, Bea finds herself torn between the rakish, quick-tempered Lord Peregrine (engaged to Lady Regina) and the gentleman war-hero, the Duke of Lennox (Lady Regina's brother).
Bea is determined to marry a kindly man, and certainly no one attached to Regina. But both of these gentlemen are determined to seduce her
...and one will succeed.
162 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 19, 2023
313 people are currently reading
778 people want to read
About the author
Eloisa James
121 books9,455 followersNew York Times bestselling author Eloisa James writes historical romances for HarperCollins Publishers. Her novels have been published to great acclaim. A reviewer from USA Today wrote of Eloisa's very first book that she "found herself devouring the book like a dieter with a Hershey bar"; later People Magazine raved that "romance writing does not get much better than this." Her novels have repeatedly received starred reviews from Publishers' Weekly and Library Journal and regularly appear on the best-seller lists.
After graduating from Harvard University, Eloisa got an M.Phil. from Oxford University, a Ph.D. from Yale and eventually became a Shakespeare professor, publishing an academic book with Oxford University Press. Currently she is an associate professor and head of the Creative Writing program at Fordham University in New York City. Her "double life" is a source of fascination to the media and her readers. In her professorial guise, she's written a New York Times op-ed defending romance, as well as articles published everywhere from women's magazines such as More to writers' journals such as the Romance Writers' Report.
Eloisa...on her double life:
When I'm not writing novels, I'm a Shakespeare professor. It's rather like having two lives. The other day I bought a delicious pink suit to tape a television segment on romance; I'll never wear that suit to teach in, nor even to give a paper at the Shakespeare Association of America conference. It's like being Superman, with power suits for both lives. Yet the literature professor in me certainly plays into my romances. The Taming of the Duke (April 2006) has obvious Shakespearean resonances, as do many of my novels. I often weave early modern poetry into my work; the same novel might contain bits of Catullus, Shakespeare and anonymous bawdy ballads from the 16th century.
When I rip off my power suit, whether it's academic or romantic, underneath is the rather tired, chocolate-stained sweatshirt of a mom. Just as I use Shakespeare in my romances, I almost always employ my experiences as a mother. When I wrote about a miscarriage in Midnight Pleasures, I used my own fears of premature birth; when the little girl in Fool For Love threw up and threw up, I described my own daughter, who had that unsavory habit for well over her first year of life.
So I'm a writer, a professor, a mother - and a wife. My husband Alessandro is Italian, born in Florence. We spend the lazy summer months with his mother and sister in Italy. It always strikes me as a huge irony that as a romance writer I find myself married to a knight, a cavaliere, as you say in Italian.
One more thing...I'm a friend. I have girlfriends who are writers and girlfriends who are Shakespeare professors. And I have girlfriends who are romance readers. In fact, we have something of a community going on my website. Please stop by and join the conversation on my readers' pages.
After graduating from Harvard University, Eloisa got an M.Phil. from Oxford University, a Ph.D. from Yale and eventually became a Shakespeare professor, publishing an academic book with Oxford University Press. Currently she is an associate professor and head of the Creative Writing program at Fordham University in New York City. Her "double life" is a source of fascination to the media and her readers. In her professorial guise, she's written a New York Times op-ed defending romance, as well as articles published everywhere from women's magazines such as More to writers' journals such as the Romance Writers' Report.
Eloisa...on her double life:
When I'm not writing novels, I'm a Shakespeare professor. It's rather like having two lives. The other day I bought a delicious pink suit to tape a television segment on romance; I'll never wear that suit to teach in, nor even to give a paper at the Shakespeare Association of America conference. It's like being Superman, with power suits for both lives. Yet the literature professor in me certainly plays into my romances. The Taming of the Duke (April 2006) has obvious Shakespearean resonances, as do many of my novels. I often weave early modern poetry into my work; the same novel might contain bits of Catullus, Shakespeare and anonymous bawdy ballads from the 16th century.
When I rip off my power suit, whether it's academic or romantic, underneath is the rather tired, chocolate-stained sweatshirt of a mom. Just as I use Shakespeare in my romances, I almost always employ my experiences as a mother. When I wrote about a miscarriage in Midnight Pleasures, I used my own fears of premature birth; when the little girl in Fool For Love threw up and threw up, I described my own daughter, who had that unsavory habit for well over her first year of life.
So I'm a writer, a professor, a mother - and a wife. My husband Alessandro is Italian, born in Florence. We spend the lazy summer months with his mother and sister in Italy. It always strikes me as a huge irony that as a romance writer I find myself married to a knight, a cavaliere, as you say in Italian.
One more thing...I'm a friend. I have girlfriends who are writers and girlfriends who are Shakespeare professors. And I have girlfriends who are romance readers. In fact, we have something of a community going on my website. Please stop by and join the conversation on my readers' pages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
January 1, 2024
I never warmed up to James's style despite having read more than a dozen of her novels. Her dialogue is always obviously anachronistic, and kind of artificial - as if the characters know they are performing on stage and must prove their wit. This is even more so the case with this novella, which didn't even have the benefit of a good plot.
I consider myself an easy-to-please historical romance reader, as I do not demand historical accuracy in plot, character development, or the language used, but when a book has so many intrusive elements, reading it definitely becomes a chore.
But perhaps what was most tiring was the excessive focus on the weight of the heroine (and on body types in general, with a ridiculous central binary opposition between fat/slim, associated with good/bad, kind/mean, moral/immoral, attractive/unattractive) from start to finish. Not every mention of Bea's body was justified, and despite some attempts to portray the heroine as smart and knowledgeable, she is defined by her figure (as are the other characters). While the two male characters admire Bea's curves, the female characters judge, criticize and despise her for it. There are also parallels drawn between Bea's weight and her sensuality, as male characters find her curves enticing, associating them with strong sensual response, while female characters associate them with immorality (she is actually called a whore by the lead mean girl of the story, the titular duke's sister, described as both a debutante and a leader of society 😏).
There were several references to Bea being forbidden to eat at balls, before balls, and at the breakfast table. We learn that she and her father were confident in her appeal and ability to secure a husband while she was home in the country. However, as soon as she debuts in London, she is reduced to total and crippling insecurity by the "mean girls" of society, her chaperone included, and her father leaves her with the paid chaperone for the remainder of the season after realizing she won't be receiving a proposal any time soon.
The aforementioned mean girls are all described as slim and beautiful, but the main antagonist's slimness is revealed to be unappealing, and the author makes the effort to tell us in a 130-page novella that the girl's cleavage fails to impress her fiancé, her legs are stork-like and scrawny, and her beauty is the result of her efforts to carefully paint over measles scars - and it is insinuated that she might be mean to Bea because she is jealous of her lush breasts and creamy complexion. James even bothers to tell the reader in the last pages of the novella that the chaperone, a mature woman, is proud that she has kept her girlish figure and she could still wear gowns that fit her 20 years prior, all while clinically analysing the heroine's body and the appeal of said body for men, and the potential it might have to change the fashion - she decides that one "fleshy" duchess will not bring curves into fashion. Really? This novella focused more on body image than the central love story was published in 2023.
All in all, this was a very disappointing read from an author with such high credentials.
I consider myself an easy-to-please historical romance reader, as I do not demand historical accuracy in plot, character development, or the language used, but when a book has so many intrusive elements, reading it definitely becomes a chore.
But perhaps what was most tiring was the excessive focus on the weight of the heroine (and on body types in general, with a ridiculous central binary opposition between fat/slim, associated with good/bad, kind/mean, moral/immoral, attractive/unattractive) from start to finish. Not every mention of Bea's body was justified, and despite some attempts to portray the heroine as smart and knowledgeable, she is defined by her figure (as are the other characters). While the two male characters admire Bea's curves, the female characters judge, criticize and despise her for it. There are also parallels drawn between Bea's weight and her sensuality, as male characters find her curves enticing, associating them with strong sensual response, while female characters associate them with immorality (she is actually called a whore by the lead mean girl of the story, the titular duke's sister, described as both a debutante and a leader of society 😏).
There were several references to Bea being forbidden to eat at balls, before balls, and at the breakfast table. We learn that she and her father were confident in her appeal and ability to secure a husband while she was home in the country. However, as soon as she debuts in London, she is reduced to total and crippling insecurity by the "mean girls" of society, her chaperone included, and her father leaves her with the paid chaperone for the remainder of the season after realizing she won't be receiving a proposal any time soon.
The aforementioned mean girls are all described as slim and beautiful, but the main antagonist's slimness is revealed to be unappealing, and the author makes the effort to tell us in a 130-page novella that the girl's cleavage fails to impress her fiancé, her legs are stork-like and scrawny, and her beauty is the result of her efforts to carefully paint over measles scars - and it is insinuated that she might be mean to Bea because she is jealous of her lush breasts and creamy complexion. James even bothers to tell the reader in the last pages of the novella that the chaperone, a mature woman, is proud that she has kept her girlish figure and she could still wear gowns that fit her 20 years prior, all while clinically analysing the heroine's body and the appeal of said body for men, and the potential it might have to change the fashion - she decides that one "fleshy" duchess will not bring curves into fashion. Really? This novella focused more on body image than the central love story was published in 2023.
All in all, this was a very disappointing read from an author with such high credentials.
December 21, 2023
It was okay, I was surprised to find this good character development in a novella. Well done, Ms. James.
December 20, 2023
Cute. Not for my age bracket however. And one egregious misuse of "whomever" by a university professor author. Didn't expect that mistake from James.
January 28, 2024
This read decidedly American. And like a low budget teen drama.
February 15, 2024
The only thing wrong with this book is that it isn’t a full-length novel.
It’s really hard to write a convincing romance —from beginning to HEA—in the space of a novella. But Eloisa James comes as close as I’ve ever encountered in this piece of writing. And the writing is sublime: warm, vivid, humorous, hot, witty, engaging. The main characters are people I would enjoy spending time with, and I did. The mean girl squad are people I would enjoy hating, and I did.
Bonus: there’s even an epilogue.
It’s really hard to write a convincing romance —from beginning to HEA—in the space of a novella. But Eloisa James comes as close as I’ve ever encountered in this piece of writing. And the writing is sublime: warm, vivid, humorous, hot, witty, engaging. The main characters are people I would enjoy spending time with, and I did. The mean girl squad are people I would enjoy hating, and I did.
Bonus: there’s even an epilogue.
December 25, 2023
Juvenile prose, characters meant to be funny but just silly, timeline errors, modern/USA words and useages, and semi-porn in a book too ridiculous for adults. Best (worst??) bit: very tall and "hunky" duke stands upright in a moving carriage and then has prolonged sex with a virgin after scarcely knowing her. I finished this only because I thought it would improve but, in fact, it just got worse. I find it hard to understand how the author, a scholar, can produce such bilge. A waste of my money and my time.
March 15, 2024
I don’t understand how people could have rated this book 4 stars. I haven’t read an Eloise James’ novel in a long time but I don’t remember her novels being so bad. The characters seem like caricatures, especially Regina’s and every paragraph has references to the heroine’s plush figure or heaving breasts.
March 15, 2024
Ok, I get that it is a novella and meant to be a quick read, and this might just be a Kindle book thing, but is the one lady Leodoldina or or Leopoldina?!?!- it was spelled two different ways on ONE page!!!! And it seemed to oscillate back and forth! I could not get past it.
January 18, 2024
I'll be honest I don't think the description is a super accurate description of the plot
May 8, 2024
Beatrice Valentine is constantly criticized by her chaperone, Lady Alcon, and the most horrid young lady in London, Lady Regina. Jonah, the Duke of Lennox, takes his sister, Regina's suggestion and asks Bea for a waltz. Except his sister is not being nice. Dancing the waltz is perfect with the duke. Bea is up in the air with a smile and laughter. The duke himself notices the real Beatrice. The shape of her body is anything but repulsive and she has a very clever mind. For a man who was serious about not marrying, he seems to think about it all the time. Dealing with Regina will be Bea's biggest obstacle. Jonah's job is protecting Bea. I know I would be a wallflower in the Regency period. What better dream than being rescued by a man, even if he's not a duke, who knows his own mind and is not afraid of society. Descriptive sex.
May 17, 2024
A very entertaining story with Beatrice Valentine and the Duke of Lennox.
I love Eloisa James style of writing - just so lovely to read. She does not ramble, just tells it like it is.
Charming enjoyable story. Loved it. 5☆
I love Eloisa James style of writing - just so lovely to read. She does not ramble, just tells it like it is.
Charming enjoyable story. Loved it. 5☆
December 22, 2023
This reminds me of her earlier books. Just an adorable novella.
August 6, 2024
Firstly, the synopsis is a bit misleading. There is no great battle between who she will choose. Other than that, it was a very nice and easy read. I did enjoy it. Surprisingly. It was above my okay category. I didn’t think I’d enjoy it as much but I did.
Regina was a right bitch. It’s so funny because I always wanted to read about a character like her (but as the main) but upon finally doing so, I was like, oh no, what a bitch lmao. Anyways, this isn’t about her but I found it funny how she got killed off and her husband ran away 🤣.
In regards to the main characters, there was no real build up to the relationship, it’s a short novel so everything happened really fast paced as one can guess. I’m happy the chaperone got put in her place though. 3.5 stars.
Regina was a right bitch. It’s so funny because I always wanted to read about a character like her (but as the main) but upon finally doing so, I was like, oh no, what a bitch lmao. Anyways, this isn’t about her but I found it funny how she got killed off and her husband ran away 🤣.
In regards to the main characters, there was no real build up to the relationship, it’s a short novel so everything happened really fast paced as one can guess. I’m happy the chaperone got put in her place though. 3.5 stars.
January 21, 2024
Not a fan, the absolute focus on the h's body shape and weight is beyond irritating!
January 26, 2024
The worst of all her books. I can't believe the silliness and lack of all I have previously enjoyed about her books. A waste of my time and money...
January 29, 2024
3.75⭐
December 26, 2023
not for me
This started really well but about half way through it just began to feel rushed and somewhat unbelievable. I’m never very convinced by a love at first sight romance and it also quickly descended into a sort of mutual appreciation dialogue where the duke reassures Bea that he actually does adore the curves his sister has lambasted her for but as he doesn’t really know her, it felt a little premature. I’m also really not convinced that it would be possible to do what they do in a regency carriage. A real shame as all the banter and wit just disappears. Not my favourite Eloisa James sadly.
This started really well but about half way through it just began to feel rushed and somewhat unbelievable. I’m never very convinced by a love at first sight romance and it also quickly descended into a sort of mutual appreciation dialogue where the duke reassures Bea that he actually does adore the curves his sister has lambasted her for but as he doesn’t really know her, it felt a little premature. I’m also really not convinced that it would be possible to do what they do in a regency carriage. A real shame as all the banter and wit just disappears. Not my favourite Eloisa James sadly.
January 11, 2024
A delicious novella with a dashing duke, curvy smart heroine and a horrid mean girl. Loved the pace, the banter and especially how the heroine rediscovered her back bone.
December 20, 2023
Marvelous!
I read this story on Kindle Vella as it was written each week. I was so happy to purchase it as a complete book. Bea Valentine learns to stand up for herself against bullies AND remembers that she is beautiful as she is. Jonah is wonderful. He is a war veteran and thinks himself defective due to his war incurred injury. Bea helps him to see that he is wonderful. The epilogue was a surprise. I did not remember that part.
I purchased the next 2 stories in the series and am off to read about Lord Peregrine.
I read this story on Kindle Vella as it was written each week. I was so happy to purchase it as a complete book. Bea Valentine learns to stand up for herself against bullies AND remembers that she is beautiful as she is. Jonah is wonderful. He is a war veteran and thinks himself defective due to his war incurred injury. Bea helps him to see that he is wonderful. The epilogue was a surprise. I did not remember that part.
I purchased the next 2 stories in the series and am off to read about Lord Peregrine.
March 2, 2024
3 stars
This book started out so promising! I usually love everything this author writes so I was quite excited and just couldnt put this one down... until I got to the 75% mark where it all kind of just fell flat.
Couple of issues I see -
1) Not enough buildup of emotion from the heroines POV. I am not clear why or how she falls for the duke - esecially when it seems she was eyeing another lord just before and even after meeting the duke.
2) After the hero proposes, all the wonderful romantic tension built up in the 1st half just seems to disappear.
I think its because everything is just so smooth and almost too perfect afterwards thats why. The romantic scenes feel forced and I literally skimmed through them it got so intense.
3) The book is way too short for strong character and relationship development. I would have liked maybe 100 more pages atleast!
This book started out so promising! I usually love everything this author writes so I was quite excited and just couldnt put this one down... until I got to the 75% mark where it all kind of just fell flat.
Couple of issues I see -
1) Not enough buildup of emotion from the heroines POV. I am not clear why or how she falls for the duke - esecially when it seems she was eyeing another lord just before and even after meeting the duke.
2) After the hero proposes, all the wonderful romantic tension built up in the 1st half just seems to disappear.
I think its because everything is just so smooth and almost too perfect afterwards thats why. The romantic scenes feel forced and I literally skimmed through them it got so intense.
3) The book is way too short for strong character and relationship development. I would have liked maybe 100 more pages atleast!
March 9, 2024
Last third justifies the beginning
This short story is not a good example of the reason I love the writing of Eloisa James. To enjoy the last third you need to put up with the repetitious first 2/3 then the characters seem to come into their own, and you have a hint of what some of her other books are like. Believe me, when it became more like her better writing I decided it was worth having continued to the end, but please don’t use this as your first chance to enjoy Eloisa James’s writing.
This short story is not a good example of the reason I love the writing of Eloisa James. To enjoy the last third you need to put up with the repetitious first 2/3 then the characters seem to come into their own, and you have a hint of what some of her other books are like. Believe me, when it became more like her better writing I decided it was worth having continued to the end, but please don’t use this as your first chance to enjoy Eloisa James’s writing.
December 20, 2023
Two Dances and a Duke was an enjoyable novella. There were definitely some stressful scenes (the bullying was quite harsh) but there were also some great moments of strength. I do think that the final chapter and epilogue were a bit long, but overall I enjoyed the story, and I will probably check out the next in the series.
March 5, 2024
TWO DANCES AND A DUKE
The beginning of the book made me think it was not good reading , because it is a little difficult to follow, but the more I read, the better it got. Lots of new words for me and I like that. Was not boring, and even had some sexy scenes, which gave this book a steamy twist, and it was not distasteful. It was a good book! J🐰
The beginning of the book made me think it was not good reading , because it is a little difficult to follow, but the more I read, the better it got. Lots of new words for me and I like that. Was not boring, and even had some sexy scenes, which gave this book a steamy twist, and it was not distasteful. It was a good book! J🐰
January 24, 2024
This series are not typical of this writer and not up to her usual standard.
March 3, 2025
bookclub - penelope featherington knock off
July 17, 2025
Mmmmmm she will be your sister-in-law. Not sure the trade off is worth it...
This is what I was thinking once we as the reader get to see how awful Regina, H's sister, is towards the h. I mean, the words, the actions all those snide comments and outright bullying...
Coupled with how sour of a personality this woman has to begin with it does not seem worth it for the h to chose the H to be shackled to this girl as an in-law.
Also I think the H is getting the better part of that deal. Sure, he is a duke, but a duke to a decrepit state and sour-puss sister that is bound to get worse once her youth and beauty starts fading with age and people don't glorify her no more.
Not sure if some strong thighs and broad shoulders are worth that hassle. The duke that is severely in need of funds gets to marry a woman he lusts and starts wanting with some strong passion early on in the book as is exposed in usual Eloise James fashion. She also is a daughter of a wealthy banker and shows wide interests in topics of conversation men are interested, thus will come with some nice dowry to the marriage and share her husband in interests and he gets a wife he desires greatly in bed as well. While she gets sole nice compliments while dancing, some giant of a man she might find lust-worthy and a very very very undesirable sister-in-law to kick her whenever she feels like it throughout their marriage...
Not a wise match, not sure it will be worth it whatever passion they share. That man better worship the ground she walks on and realize how much of a pest his sister has been to his would be wife and put a stop to it tout-suit. Only THEN can she entertain the possibility of the match.
This is what I was thinking once we as the reader get to see how awful Regina, H's sister, is towards the h. I mean, the words, the actions all those snide comments and outright bullying...
Coupled with how sour of a personality this woman has to begin with it does not seem worth it for the h to chose the H to be shackled to this girl as an in-law.
Also I think the H is getting the better part of that deal. Sure, he is a duke, but a duke to a decrepit state and sour-puss sister that is bound to get worse once her youth and beauty starts fading with age and people don't glorify her no more.
Not sure if some strong thighs and broad shoulders are worth that hassle. The duke that is severely in need of funds gets to marry a woman he lusts and starts wanting with some strong passion early on in the book as is exposed in usual Eloise James fashion. She also is a daughter of a wealthy banker and shows wide interests in topics of conversation men are interested, thus will come with some nice dowry to the marriage and share her husband in interests and he gets a wife he desires greatly in bed as well. While she gets sole nice compliments while dancing, some giant of a man she might find lust-worthy and a very very very undesirable sister-in-law to kick her whenever she feels like it throughout their marriage...
Not a wise match, not sure it will be worth it whatever passion they share. That man better worship the ground she walks on and realize how much of a pest his sister has been to his would be wife and put a stop to it tout-suit. Only THEN can she entertain the possibility of the match.
January 30, 2024
Two Dances and a Duke
(Seduction 1)
By Eloisa James
It’s been much more than a minute since my last read of an Eloisa James story and Two Dances and a Duke just hit a sweet spot for me.
I loved meeting Miss Beatrice (Bea) Valentine. It’s April 14, 1814, the season is a few weeks in and we have a wallflower….a wallflower who really should be a Diamond….but it appears the “mean girl’s of the early 1800’s have chosen Bea as their victim!
Beatrice is sure she will not take this season and although at home is strong and not broken easily Lady Regina (the leader) with her pack that includes Lady Martha and the sisters Miss Prudence and Miss Pricilla seem to find her an easy target. Pity!
Of course there’s a ball so there is dancing…when Lady Regina’s brother Jonah the Duke of Lennox asks her to dance, Bea is sure she is going to leave his feet bruised. Instead, he sweeps her off her feet, (literally) the man knows how to dance. Bea’s chaperone Lady Alton (she’s terrible at her job) knows how to destroy Bea’s memories of her dance with the Duke.
But what happens next, will keep the Ton talking…at Almack’s Bea is asked to dance by a number of Lords and it is Fiennes Lord Peregrine, who is the second one to find out just how wonderful it is when conversing with the lovely Miss Valentine.
Who will win her hand….will it be the Duke or the Viscount? Will anyone take on the mean girls? In this eighteen chapter book, time flies while we enjoy the balls and picking which Lord we are choosing to become Bea’s husband.
Loved it! James had me guessing and trying to remember how to waltz and also thank goodness I didn’t have to drink warm lemonade at Almack’s!
(Seduction 1)
By Eloisa James
It’s been much more than a minute since my last read of an Eloisa James story and Two Dances and a Duke just hit a sweet spot for me.
I loved meeting Miss Beatrice (Bea) Valentine. It’s April 14, 1814, the season is a few weeks in and we have a wallflower….a wallflower who really should be a Diamond….but it appears the “mean girl’s of the early 1800’s have chosen Bea as their victim!
Beatrice is sure she will not take this season and although at home is strong and not broken easily Lady Regina (the leader) with her pack that includes Lady Martha and the sisters Miss Prudence and Miss Pricilla seem to find her an easy target. Pity!
Of course there’s a ball so there is dancing…when Lady Regina’s brother Jonah the Duke of Lennox asks her to dance, Bea is sure she is going to leave his feet bruised. Instead, he sweeps her off her feet, (literally) the man knows how to dance. Bea’s chaperone Lady Alton (she’s terrible at her job) knows how to destroy Bea’s memories of her dance with the Duke.
But what happens next, will keep the Ton talking…at Almack’s Bea is asked to dance by a number of Lords and it is Fiennes Lord Peregrine, who is the second one to find out just how wonderful it is when conversing with the lovely Miss Valentine.
Who will win her hand….will it be the Duke or the Viscount? Will anyone take on the mean girls? In this eighteen chapter book, time flies while we enjoy the balls and picking which Lord we are choosing to become Bea’s husband.
Loved it! James had me guessing and trying to remember how to waltz and also thank goodness I didn’t have to drink warm lemonade at Almack’s!
October 21, 2024
I usually enjoy Ms. James very much, so this came as a surprise. First, it's a very short book. It began reasonably well and then around the halfway point, all conflict ended. All we were left with were hot looks and passionate love talk between the protagonists, plus a sex scene (or almost one) or two with no problems attached. Scenes were dragged long. "Is this still going on?" I kept asking myself. The plot was suddenly boring.
Besides, Our Heroine had been raised in a place where she was considered quite a catch. She's in London for what, a month-plus? and two bullies completely destroy her self-confidence. Yet every man who speaks more than two words to her is captivated by her. This didn't make sense to me.
If the book had been longer we could have opened up what made that mean sister tick, gotten her to do some really nefarious stuff. We could have watched the chaperone receive more of a punishment. I wanted to see how Our Heroine gradually rose to the occasion (after we find out how she could so easily let herself be bullied) to become a stronger woman than she'd been before London. Also, the hero need not have fallen so completely for her so quickly. The romance could have been granted some room for mutual exploration and a growing passion/respect. We readers love to see love blossom!
So: good beginning. Things went far too quickly to the point where it all fizzled out at the midpoint. Disappointing.
Besides, Our Heroine had been raised in a place where she was considered quite a catch. She's in London for what, a month-plus? and two bullies completely destroy her self-confidence. Yet every man who speaks more than two words to her is captivated by her. This didn't make sense to me.
If the book had been longer we could have opened up what made that mean sister tick, gotten her to do some really nefarious stuff. We could have watched the chaperone receive more of a punishment. I wanted to see how Our Heroine gradually rose to the occasion (after we find out how she could so easily let herself be bullied) to become a stronger woman than she'd been before London. Also, the hero need not have fallen so completely for her so quickly. The romance could have been granted some room for mutual exploration and a growing passion/respect. We readers love to see love blossom!
So: good beginning. Things went far too quickly to the point where it all fizzled out at the midpoint. Disappointing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 17, 2024
Good and bad
Spoiler alert
Following are things that struck me as not proper for the time period:
The ton cares about being polite, hence “polite society.” So, it seems to me that cruelty would be more subtle and like covert operations rather than overt as it was in the story.
Almacks did not have a dinner and dinner dance, as far as all that I have read about it. They avoided spending money on food as much as possible.
In the covert operations of hate that a Regina would execute, it is really hard to believe that she would gift Bea with a dance with her brother that would give Bea a chance at a better standing. She would probably know that her brother would dance well also, so little chance of having the couple be an object of pity or ridicule.
A paid chaperone would NEVER leave her charge at a ball. She would accept a ride home with the Duke but would remain present.
My sense is that during the early 1800s in London that everyone knew what everyone else was worth. Heiresses were in demand regardless of their figure.
The good:
Bea was a character to root for. The duke’s reasoning for choosing Bea made sense for the most part. I could have enjoyed a little less focus on lust and more emphasis on souls finding their satisfying match - which was present, just less focus.
As an overweight, well-endowed woman, it was fun to see Bea’s assets appreciated and have her make the match of the season.
The story was easy to read and moved along at a good pace.
Spoiler alert
Following are things that struck me as not proper for the time period:
The ton cares about being polite, hence “polite society.” So, it seems to me that cruelty would be more subtle and like covert operations rather than overt as it was in the story.
Almacks did not have a dinner and dinner dance, as far as all that I have read about it. They avoided spending money on food as much as possible.
In the covert operations of hate that a Regina would execute, it is really hard to believe that she would gift Bea with a dance with her brother that would give Bea a chance at a better standing. She would probably know that her brother would dance well also, so little chance of having the couple be an object of pity or ridicule.
A paid chaperone would NEVER leave her charge at a ball. She would accept a ride home with the Duke but would remain present.
My sense is that during the early 1800s in London that everyone knew what everyone else was worth. Heiresses were in demand regardless of their figure.
The good:
Bea was a character to root for. The duke’s reasoning for choosing Bea made sense for the most part. I could have enjoyed a little less focus on lust and more emphasis on souls finding their satisfying match - which was present, just less focus.
As an overweight, well-endowed woman, it was fun to see Bea’s assets appreciated and have her make the match of the season.
The story was easy to read and moved along at a good pace.
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