BOTM 1 - August 2022 - What the Duke Desires

[Susan]

Discussion thread for the first BOTM for August 2022. Please remember to use the spoiler tags when necessary! (Please see 'some html is ok' for instructions.)

What the Duke Desires by Sabrina Jeffries


Synopsis:

Maximilian Cale, the Duke of Lyons, long ago buried his grief for his missing elder brother, Peter, who was presumed dead after being kidnapped. When a mysterious note arrives from Tristan Bonnaud asserting that the Duke's brother is alive, it leads Max straight to the winsome Lisette Bonnaud, illegitimate daughter of a viscount and Tristan's sister. Soon he and Lisette are traveling to Paris posing as husband and wife, in search of Tristan, who has disappeared. And the longer he spends with Lisette, the easier it is for Max to see that the line between dukedom and desire is easier to cross than he imagined...

[Lauren]

I wasn't big on this one. Since I've already read this one, I will not be participating this time.

[Susan]

I have just borrowed this from the library, so will likely start in the next week or so. I have quite a few books lined up to read. This is my favourite trope...

[Oleander]

Hope its good. I plan to pick it up in the middle of the month.

[Lorien]

I'm doing the audio version on this one, and I'm enjoying it quite a bit so far.

[Maureen]

I read this and enjoyed it. It is the first in the series. This could be also classed as a Mystery/ Romance trope. I enjoyed Sabrina Jeffries love scene descriptions. She has an engaging style. Hope more members read this one. I gave this 4 stars⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Susan]

I started reading this, but realised early on that I have read it before. It was not particularly memorable for me and I don't feel inclined to continue, so I have retuned the book to the library. Hope you all enjoy it!

[Missy]

I thought I've already read this book but apparently, I have not, so I will be joining this BOTM. I'll be listening to the audiobook from my library. 😊

[Lorien]

I enjoyed the first bit of the audio book, but somewhere past the halfway point, and as I get close to finishing it it's becoming more generic. I'm not sure how much it will stand out out in my memory.

And Max is going to have some serious groveling to do, that not not sure he'll manage before this ends.

[Oleander]

I echo your thoughts, Lorien. They just landed in France and I'm thinking this book isn't horrible, it's just ok, nothing special here. The scenario is a little far-fetched and the action is too slow. What really bothers me is the lack of character development. We've got one brother that hates his siblings enough to kill them and another that loves them enough to let himself be cut off, with no explanation as to why they are at such extremes.
I'm going to plow through to the end, but I hope something exciting happens.

[Missy]

I enjoyed this book. It has what I've come to expect of books written by Sabrina Jeffries after reading her Duke Dynasty series -- (view spoiler)[forced seduction (for a lack of a more apt description), a somewhat complex family tree, and a mystery (hide spoiler)].

@Oleander, you make a good point about there being no explanation why one brother (Dom) loves his half-siblings while the other brother (George) hates them. Maybe we'll get George's reason in the other books in the series.

[Oleander]

I finished the book last night and overall I thought it was pretty ho-hum. Nothing really exciting happened beyond the final confrontation which lacked violence. I mean, I would have loved to have seen George at least get punched in the nose. A little pain and suffering was needed. For me this book was just okay.

Has anyone read on in the series? Does it improve?

[Missy]

I started the second book but the H/h were separated due to lies from family members, and I’m just not in the mood for that trope right now so I stopped reading after chapter 1 or 2.