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The Courtesan Chronicles #3
The Courtesan's Wager
Award-winning author Claudia Dain brings back her deliciously improper ex-courtesan for another delightful matchmaking scheme. If Lady Amelia is to marry before another Season passes, she?ll need help from infamous courtesan-turned- matchmaker Sophia Dalby. But Amelia is shocked when Lady Dalby informs her that they?ll hold interviews for the post of husband?and only dukes need apply. The plan may ruffle some feathers, but that doesn?t keep the men from lining up, especially once the hopeful bride-to-be rejects one eligible duke after another. Only Lord Cranleigh shuns the proceedings, setting his own course of action. But convincing the lady to pursue different interests leads to even more outrageous behavior. Lady Dalby is delighted?and the ton is abuzz: Will Amelia become a duchess, or will other desires consume her?
368 pages, ebook
First published January 21, 2009
2 people are currently reading
180 people want to read
About the author
Claudia Dain
37 books99 followersIt was while writing a descriptive essay in seventh grade English (that was the assignment, to write a 'descriptive essay') that Claudia first fell in love. With descriptive essays. Boys being what they are in seventh grade, there was hardly much choice.
By her ninth grade year, Claudia was spending hours each week in her bedroom writing descriptive essays that heavily featured older boys (eleventh grade). She also practiced her kissing technique on a pole lamp next to her bed. It was less than satisfactory, but the writing was fun.
She attended the University of Southern California as an English major. She'd mastered kissing by this time and writing, strangely enough, was still fun. 'Strangely' because while it had become obvious to her that almost everyone enjoyed kissing, it was equally obvious that very few people enjoyed writing. This was as peculiar to her as, well, not enjoying kissing.
Clearly, something had to be done. The idea of combining kissing and writing seemed the obvious course of action. While Claudia does not claim to have invented the romance novel, she certainly has a lot of fun describing kisses and inventing men to bestow them upon. And not a one of her heroes looks remotely like a pole lamp. (And don't act like one either.)
Claudia was first published in 2000, is a two-time Rita finalist, and a USA Today Bestselling author. Which just goes to prove that you can make a career out of kissing and writing about it.
By her ninth grade year, Claudia was spending hours each week in her bedroom writing descriptive essays that heavily featured older boys (eleventh grade). She also practiced her kissing technique on a pole lamp next to her bed. It was less than satisfactory, but the writing was fun.
She attended the University of Southern California as an English major. She'd mastered kissing by this time and writing, strangely enough, was still fun. 'Strangely' because while it had become obvious to her that almost everyone enjoyed kissing, it was equally obvious that very few people enjoyed writing. This was as peculiar to her as, well, not enjoying kissing.
Clearly, something had to be done. The idea of combining kissing and writing seemed the obvious course of action. While Claudia does not claim to have invented the romance novel, she certainly has a lot of fun describing kisses and inventing men to bestow them upon. And not a one of her heroes looks remotely like a pole lamp. (And don't act like one either.)
Claudia was first published in 2000, is a two-time Rita finalist, and a USA Today Bestselling author. Which just goes to prove that you can make a career out of kissing and writing about it.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 4, 2010
Spoiler:
Okay the fact that half the book you discover that NO she did not want a duke and YES she had been kissing whatever his name was for TWO WHOLE YEARS without one clue of it for (I'm being redudent) HALF THE F**** book was a huge schock and turn off.
Okay the fact that half the book you discover that NO she did not want a duke and YES she had been kissing whatever his name was for TWO WHOLE YEARS without one clue of it for (I'm being redudent) HALF THE F**** book was a huge schock and turn off.
September 21, 2010
I just wanted to shake Amelia and Cranleigh throughout the majority of the book. She was in love with him and he wouldn't do anything about their attraction until the last few pages of the damn book. He rather just spend the whole time sulking and raging over the fact that she wanted a duke and that he's not one. I can't believe I actually spent an hour trying to read this book.
July 24, 2014
I enjoy Dain's writing style and her voice is an interesting one. I usually really like regency romances, but the plot of this novel just didn't grab me initially. I was eventually just reading the book, waiting for it to finish.
The two protagonists are so annoyingly stubborn and the main conflict is one that could SOOOOOO easily be resolved if they just actually talked to each other, instead of just kissing in corners and behind curtains. This type of conflict really annoys me.
The twist that Dain introduced about a third of the way into the book (spoiler) that the characters had actually been kissing each other for the previous 2 years!! and that, oh actually, Amelia isn't interested in a Duke after all, but she couldn't possibly just say that to Cranleigh and oh, he couldn't possibly ask her to marry him and see how that goes, he should just pick her up and carry her from room to room in front of people and muss up her hair and everyone's just going to ignore it?!
The supporting characters were interesting but I don't think I'll be reading Dain's other books unless I hear very compelling things about them.
The two protagonists are so annoyingly stubborn and the main conflict is one that could SOOOOOO easily be resolved if they just actually talked to each other, instead of just kissing in corners and behind curtains. This type of conflict really annoys me.
The twist that Dain introduced about a third of the way into the book (spoiler) that the characters had actually been kissing each other for the previous 2 years!! and that, oh actually, Amelia isn't interested in a Duke after all, but she couldn't possibly just say that to Cranleigh and oh, he couldn't possibly ask her to marry him and see how that goes, he should just pick her up and carry her from room to room in front of people and muss up her hair and everyone's just going to ignore it?!
The supporting characters were interesting but I don't think I'll be reading Dain's other books unless I hear very compelling things about them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2012
All I can say is that Claudia Dain can really write a a story that flows and connects well but she needs lots of improvements in her storyline and the dialogues between characters. I was bored to tears and I literally gave up. I can't take it any longer.
So, there it is. Two stars only, I'm afraid.
So, there it is. Two stars only, I'm afraid.
February 12, 2013
The romance was pretty good until Amelia and Cranleigh's two year relationship was revealed halfway through the book. It made the character's lack of communication look absolutely insane and unrelatable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2012
Lady Amelia is my least favourite heroine in the Courtesan Chronicles. I found her stubborn and silly. As always Lady Sophia was delightful, witty and a great read!
May 9, 2023
Yes so this books is a little strange. The story was intriguing but midway the female lead character Amelia lost more and more to her schemer Sophia. Sophia was by far more interesting and fun than Amelia. Sometimes,....or quite often actually...Sophia managed to become more the main lead than the real main female character did.
Then of course there is the romance story. It was fun but also quite strange. It didn't make much sense at times. We suddenly learn about this shared past between the leads that does not truly add up but it is nonetheless interesting to read. Midway in the book we get a marriage proposal though and that is where I felt like the book lost a lot afterwards. See Amelia has this goal, a secret goal no one truly knows, Sophia does have an idea though. And she finally gets that goal but suddenly she is not interested in it anymore. Instead this back and forth continues a couple of more chapters till it finally reaches a point where we are back to that specific moment. It made no sense? I think the book lost a lot when it reached that specific point. It became a little pointless. I truly wish the author would have chosen to continue the story more and not do a full on circle till the end.
2,5/5 stars for me
Then of course there is the romance story. It was fun but also quite strange. It didn't make much sense at times. We suddenly learn about this shared past between the leads that does not truly add up but it is nonetheless interesting to read. Midway in the book we get a marriage proposal though and that is where I felt like the book lost a lot afterwards. See Amelia has this goal, a secret goal no one truly knows, Sophia does have an idea though. And she finally gets that goal but suddenly she is not interested in it anymore. Instead this back and forth continues a couple of more chapters till it finally reaches a point where we are back to that specific moment. It made no sense? I think the book lost a lot when it reached that specific point. It became a little pointless. I truly wish the author would have chosen to continue the story more and not do a full on circle till the end.
2,5/5 stars for me
March 20, 2023
Somebody shake me and slap me - why did I stay up late reading the first half of this book?
I was so curious! But what a clusterfuck this book became... First, and since from the beginning, I had to skim over many parts - there were way too many side characters and POVs. I didn't care about the other people that much. Give me more of the FMC/MMC please! Still, I was hooked with the mystery.
Then the later half of the book came and WTF! So many people, so many back and forth, it became a clown show! This could have been solved so quickly! Just let them marry and resolve some of the conflict later! The extremely prolonged scene at FMC's house was just ridiculous... At the end we didn't even get a proper chapter just with the MCs... This could have been so good...
I was so curious! But what a clusterfuck this book became... First, and since from the beginning, I had to skim over many parts - there were way too many side characters and POVs. I didn't care about the other people that much. Give me more of the FMC/MMC please! Still, I was hooked with the mystery.
Then the later half of the book came and WTF! So many people, so many back and forth, it became a clown show! This could have been solved so quickly! Just let them marry and resolve some of the conflict later! The extremely prolonged scene at FMC's house was just ridiculous... At the end we didn't even get a proper chapter just with the MCs... This could have been so good...
January 24, 2018
Historical romance. Why must all the young women want dukes for husbands?
December 5, 2009
As with her previous novels, Claudia Dain wrote a historical romance set in the Regency era with an entirely different angle, not about reformed rakes finding the love of their lives because of fate, not of instant attraction leading to lust then love, but how women manipulate men to get what they want. Dain empowers women in her novels in Lady Sophia Dalby's character. She remains at the sidelines but she directs things well from a distance. There were snippets of her past here and I'm really intrigued how she got pursued and proposed to by her late husband. What's more intriguing is Lord Ruan's character, who's chasing her like a dog and surprisingly, her reaction to him.
This time, it's Lady Amelia in need of Sophia's guidance, and her goal is to marry a duke, no one in particular so it's safe to say she just wants to marry a title and be a duchess. Once again, Sophia had a plan and it was outrageous but produced the desired results. Amelia was wed to the one really loves and all was well for everyone.
Cranleigh's character was very likeable and I found myself appreciating the heroes, not the heroines in these novels. What I noticed in this story and the previous one (The Courtesan's Secret) was Dain painted men in a different light, that is, they're more romantic than women, but they're really clueless about a lot of things mostly where the woman's mind is concerned. That's the point of everything, in Dain's novels, men are predictable and Sophia, being very familiar with men's behavior uses it to attain her goals, or her “project's” goals. I also like the part where they don't mind being manipulated, because everyone gets what they wants. In this case, Amelia got more than what she bargained for.
As with the previous story, the last chapter is about the next book.
This time, it's Lady Amelia in need of Sophia's guidance, and her goal is to marry a duke, no one in particular so it's safe to say she just wants to marry a title and be a duchess. Once again, Sophia had a plan and it was outrageous but produced the desired results. Amelia was wed to the one really loves and all was well for everyone.
Cranleigh's character was very likeable and I found myself appreciating the heroes, not the heroines in these novels. What I noticed in this story and the previous one (The Courtesan's Secret) was Dain painted men in a different light, that is, they're more romantic than women, but they're really clueless about a lot of things mostly where the woman's mind is concerned. That's the point of everything, in Dain's novels, men are predictable and Sophia, being very familiar with men's behavior uses it to attain her goals, or her “project's” goals. I also like the part where they don't mind being manipulated, because everyone gets what they wants. In this case, Amelia got more than what she bargained for.
As with the previous story, the last chapter is about the next book.
April 5, 2009
This series and this book is a bit more substantial than typical romance fare-- sort of along the lines of Lauren Willig's Pink Carnation series. If there were ever a historical category of chick-lit, this book would be it. In this chapter of the matchmaking saga of Lady Sophia Dalby, you get a tantalizing glimpse of her motivations for her long-held enmity with Westlin and discomfort with Aldreth. The latter plays less of a role than you would think, considering the book is about Aldreth's daughter Amelia (you know, the one obsessed with marrying dukes in the previous book?). Lady Dalby's plan is to invite interest and notoriety by outright interviewing the handful of dukes unmarried in London. Midway through the book, Dain reveals a Very Important Fact that changes the context of the entire husband-hunting escapade. All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable ride. With a happy ending (which is what makes it romance, duh.) :)
December 9, 2013
Great plot, good characters.
The plot unfolds slowly, with some misdirection. Lady Amelia Caversham, despite being the daughter of a duke, has been unsuccessful in the Marriage Mart. She enlists the help of Sophia Dalby, notorious for her behavior in the ton.
Lady Amelia finally steps out of the shadows, by interviewing prospective suitors for her hand, only dukes (and dukes-to-be) need apply.
But then Lord Cranleigh makes an appearance, he's not a duke, his brother is a duke-apparent, but sparks fly when he and Lady Amelia are together.
The plot unfolds slowly, with some misdirection. Lady Amelia Caversham, despite being the daughter of a duke, has been unsuccessful in the Marriage Mart. She enlists the help of Sophia Dalby, notorious for her behavior in the ton.
Lady Amelia finally steps out of the shadows, by interviewing prospective suitors for her hand, only dukes (and dukes-to-be) need apply.
But then Lord Cranleigh makes an appearance, he's not a duke, his brother is a duke-apparent, but sparks fly when he and Lady Amelia are together.
September 6, 2010
Lady Amelia wants to get married and she knows just who to turn to for help. Lady Sophia Darby has helped two other girls get married this season and Amelia swallows her pride and enlists Sophia's aid. Sophia decides that Lady Amelia should be able to snare a duke and immediately starts interviewing the likely suspects. Two of the eligible dukes are amused and even somewhat interested but Lord Cranleigh is having none of it. Will Amelia end up with a duke or with true love?
February 19, 2011
I've generally enjoyed this author's stories, but am getting impatient with her storytelling style.
I like that it is fast paced, but the dialogues are ..... well, tiring. I can't wait for her to get to the mystery of Sophia. She is getting closer, but hope she gets to it before I loose interest.
I like that it is fast paced, but the dialogues are ..... well, tiring. I can't wait for her to get to the mystery of Sophia. She is getting closer, but hope she gets to it before I loose interest.
December 23, 2011
Did not actually read this book. I gave it a good try but just could not get into the book. Just sooooo boring to me. I really wanted to know what they did to get her married but just could not get into this book.
July 7, 2012
Lady Amelia wanted to marry a Duke and a Duke only.. But her heart had other ideas. She kept getting caught by Lord Cranleigh and his lucious lips... Eventually she convinced him to marry her, even though he wasn't a Duke.. The heart wants what the heart wants..
April 12, 2012
Reminiscent of the best of the screwball romances of the thirties, but as a regency! Non-stop comedic patter, intelligent people finding themselves in ridiculous circumstances, and yet everything falls wildly into place at the last moment. A joy to read!
May 29, 2018
The third book in the Claudia Dain's Courtesan series is just as outstanding as the previous two books. Wickedly funny verbal sparring and the at times diabolical machinations of matchmaker extraordinaire Sophia Dalby makes this a series of books to read again and again.
March 13, 2009
This series is really growing on me.
March 3, 2010
Not as great as the 1st two books, but still fun.
July 8, 2009
I couldn't even finish it.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews