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What a Duke Dares (Sons of Sin, #3)

Anna Campbell

Start date: September 1, 2014

Finish date: September 30, 2014

Discussion: Monthly Read

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What Members Thought

Jan 28, 2014 Caz rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, romance-1800-1850, aar

I've given this a B- at AAR, so 3.5 stars rounded up

This, the third book in Ms Campbell’s Sons of Sin series , is one I’ve been looking forward to. I enjoyed meeting the very proper and austere Duke of Sedgemoor in the other books, and had high hopes for his story.

The last thing Camden Rothermere needs, in the opinion of his childhood friend, Penelope Thorne – is to ally himself with a family whose name is a byword for scandal. And she tells Cam so in no uncertain terms when she turns down h ...more

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Nov 11, 2014 Caz rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: romance-1800-1850, audiogals, audiobook

Review from 2014

A for narration / B for content - 4.5 stars.

Camden Rothermere, future Duke of Sedgemoor is young, handsome, rich – and completely stunned when Penelope Thorne turns down his proposal of marriage. He and Pen have known each other almost all their lives, and while the Sedgemoor title has been tarnished in recent years by the very public way in which his parents’ marriage has disintegrated, it’s one of the oldest in the kingdom. Cam is determined to force the polite world to forget ...more

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Jun 28, 2014 Tin rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2015

Because of his wealth and status as a duke, I thought Camden Rothemere, the Duke of Sedgemoor, was the one least affected by the rumours regarding the legitimacy of his birth, but I was mistaken. Camden was really affected by his parents' indiscretions and by the whispers that surrounded him growing up. Now that he is ready to marry, he is making sure that his heart does not clash with his head in his choice of wife. He has selected Penelope Thorne, a childhood friend, and, perhaps, the one woma Because of his wealth and status as a duke, I thought Camden Rothemere, the Duke of Sedgemoor, was the one least affected by the rumours regarding the legitimacy of his birth, but I was mistaken. Camden was really affected by his parents' indiscretions and by the whispers that surrounded him growing up. Now that he is ready to marry, he is making sure that his heart does not clash with his head in his choice of wife. He has selected Penelope Thorne, a childhood friend, and, perhaps, the one woman whose presence he can tolerate for any reasonable amount of time. Despite being a Thorne, Camden believes he could help Penelope become the wife the Duke of Sedgemoor needs -- but he had never expected Penelope to turn him down.

In the previous books of the Sons of Sin series, Camden Rothemere always seemed like the sensible one in their group and he seemed very in-control of himself, but it seems this positive trait has a negative aspect to it. Cam is unwilling to be attached to anything emotionally. He's very good with being objective and being a distant observer -- but he's not very good at being up close and engaged with what's happening -- particularly, with what's happening to him.

Categorically he didn't want to marry a woman who made men stupid, the way his mother had made his father stupid. How insulting to his chosen bride that part of her appeal had been her lack of overt attractions.
- Prologue

I wondered why Pen didn't confess her feelings for Cam early on. I wondered how their story would go had she been honest with him -- but I understand her pride and I understand her need to preserve herself. It's actually quite amazing that she dared to refuse a duke, even when her family desperately needed saving -- and that she was able to create a meaningful life for herself writing books and traveling across the Continent with her aunt.

Love may be temporarily derailed or interrupted, but it can never be ended without a proper resolution -- and Fate comes in the form of Pen's dying brother, Peter, who asks Camden to look after Pen.

What a Duke Dares is a compelling story of two very headstrong characters whose pride, passion, and conversation arguments equal that of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. There are actually a lot of parallels between the two stories: Pen's family is similar to the Bennets -- the Thornes are titled, but poor, and they have a reputation for recklessness that makes them unsuitable in society's eyes.

"...You'd be trading your family's scandals for mine, and the rumours would continue to dog you all our lives. I follow my heart before my head. I speak my mind. Before the ink was dry on the settlements, I'd do something to upset the old tabbies. You'd find yourself knee-deep in gossip and you'd hate that. You'd start to hate me."
- Prologue

Pen has loved Cam forever, and she knows what Cam wants in his life -- and, while he offered for her, it's both a gift and a curse for Pen: she would finally be with Cam for ever and Cam could help her family, but Pen would always be caught in the middle of wanting to please Cam (and be the kind of wife he needs) and to be herself, a Thorne. It's a strange battle within Penelope, because she's fighting different aspects of herself. Ultimately, the author's message is clear: we can never be truly happy unless we are truly ourselves. It takes Pen and Cam quite a while to realise this, but I'm glad they eventually do.

Anna Campbell also introduces a secondary love story between Harry Thorne (Pen's brother) and Sophie Fairbrother (the sister of one of Camden's political rivals) -- there's a bit of Romeo and Juliet in these two young lovers and I really appreciated seeing Harry try to reform himself. Love is a tangle, and when it is complicated by outside factors, it becomes a greater tangle as Cam, Pen, Harry and Sophie discover. Thankfully, second (and third) chances present themselves to our pairs of lovers, and, they take it. I have to give props to Anna Campbell for managing to tell a very smooth-flowing story about this very tangled web of love. ...more

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Aug 09, 2014 Jaci rated it it was amazing

Anna Campbell is an amazing storyteller. Her books are pure Historical Romance at it's best. A beautiful love story, lovely sensual scenes and great plots with fascinating characters. Her stories draw you in from the first page to the last, and the endings are very satisfying. This is the third book in the series, and it is as good as the first two. Penelope and Camden have an intense and complicated relationship that keeps you intruigued throughout the story. Anna's prose is sweet, romantic and ...more

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Aug 17, 2014 Jessica rated it it was amazing

As much as I love and read historical romances, I've never picked up a book by Anna Campbell. But when I saw the gorgeous cover of What a Duke Dares and read the summary, I knew I had to pick this one up.

When Miss Penelope Thorne denies the proposal of her childhood friend and Duke of Sedgemoor Camden Rothermere, Cam is astonished by the rejection. Nine years later, Cam still feels the sting of her rejection as Pen spends that time running around the Continent with a blazing trail of scandalous As much as I love and read historical romances, I've never picked up a book by Anna Campbell. But when I saw the gorgeous cover of What a Duke Dares and read the summary, I knew I had to pick this one up.

When Miss Penelope Thorne denies the proposal of her childhood friend and Duke of Sedgemoor Camden Rothermere, Cam is astonished by the rejection. Nine years later, Cam still feels the sting of her rejection as Pen spends that time running around the Continent with a blazing trail of scandalous rumors in her wake. So when Pen's brother Peter's dying wish is for Cam to locate Pen and bring her back to London safely, Cam finds himself immersed into Pen's world again. In order to escort her to London, though, Cam and Pen must pretend they are married to avoid scandal. Pen has always had feelings for Cam, but can she let him have her when she know he could never love her?

Right from the start, Pen and Cam have quite the interesting relationship. Pen is completely in love with Cam, but knows that he has given up on love long ago and could never love her. Even though she'd love nothing more than to marry him, she can't put herself into a loveless marriage. So right away, there is some intense conflicting emotions in Pen and Cam's relationship. Then, when they have to pretend to be married, Pen shuts herself off from Cam in order to act like the perfect wife she thinks he wants. Of course, Cam is a clueless man who has no idea why Pen acts so stiff and strange as his wife, when she was so headstrong and endearing before they "married." Just because Pen loves Cam doesn't mean that their pretend relationship is going to be absolutely perfect and Cam will fall in love with her instantly. No, Cam and Pen have to face the real journey of forming a relationship that isn't based on love. That doesn't mean, though, that they can't work towards something more…

Not only was the relationship between Cam and Pen very realistic for the historical time period, but I loved the added side story of Harry, Pen's brother, and Sophia. Harry is known for his rakish ways, but when he falls for Sophia, he can't think of anything else except for marrying the love of his life. During that time, though, people didn't marry for love, and Sophia is already promised to a rich man who would provide great connections for her family. Harry has to find a way to win Sophia, which means enlisting the help of Pen when she's back in England. The various romances in this book prove how love isn't enough on it's own for a relationship. While the constant miscommunication, or complete lack of communication, about their feelings for each other in Pen and Cam's relationship became a bit redundant as the story continued, I really enjoyed their struggle to enjoy marriage to each other without fully accepting their love for each other; they really have to work out how they truly feel before they can be happy.

As my first Anna Campbell novel, I loved the characters and story she created in What a Duke Dares. The primary and secondary romance story ones were enjoyable and created a much more dynamic novel. Pen was definitely a relatable main character with her confident exterior while feeling vulnerable and alone on the inside. I can't wait to catch Anna's other novels and read about even more intriguing and realistically historical romance novels. ...more

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Aug 10, 2014 Diane Peterson rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-romance, kindle-doc

Another good book from Anna Campbell. Good writing, an interesting story. Not exceptional, but no complaints. I enjoyed it.

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Jun 10, 2016 AmyNor rated it liked it

Her dialogue is great - and the book started out strong. I'm a sucker for best friends becoming loves. But then it just got long and drawn out - they seemed to be having the same argument again and again. ...more

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