BOTM 1 – September 2023 – How to Lose a Duke in Ten Days

[Susan]

Discussion thread for the first BOTM for September 2023. Please remember to use the spoiler tags when necessary! (Please see 'some html is ok' for instructions.)

Join us in reading this HR that features the theme Marriage of Convenience. Happy reading!


How to Lose a Duke in Ten Days by Laura Le Guhrke

Synopsis:

From USA Today bestselling author Laura Lee Guhrke comes the story of a bargain, a marriage of convenience...and the chance for love to last a lifetime.

They had a deal... .

From the moment she met the devil-may-care Duke of Margrave, Edie knew he could change her life. And when he agreed to her outrageous proposal of a marriage of convenience, she was transformed from ruined American heiress to English duchess. Five years later, she's delighted with their arrangement, especially since her husband is living on another continent.

But deals are made to be broken... .

By marrying an heiress, Stuart was able to pay his family's enormous debts, and Edie's terms that he leave England forever seemed a small price to pay. But when a brush with death impels him home, he decides it's time for a real marriage with his luscious American bride, and he proposes a bold new bargain: ten days to win her willing kiss. But is ten days enough to win her heart?

[Lauren]

I'm starting this book a little early

[Oleander]

I am going to read When the Marquess met His Match and then How to Lose a Duke in Ten Days back-to-back. I started on When the Marquess yesterday. Hoping these two books will be good. Fingers crossed.

[Mariana]

I enjoyed them. I actually liked this one better than book 1.

[Lauren]

The h got my nerves is the book. It made it hard to enjoy the book

[Lauren]

i hope everybody enjoys this book more than me.

[Oleander]

I'm getting close to finishing book 1 and will immediately move on to How to.... Book 1 is a nice enemies to lovers theme. Nothing wildly special but solid enough.

[Lauren]

I'm glad you enjoyed this book and will try more of her books. This author tends to be a hit or miss for me

[Mariana]

She is hit or miss for me too. I think I need to read this one again. It was my highest rated book by Laura Le Guhrke the first time around.

[Lauren]

I really like Scandal Of The Year

[Oleander]

I'm about 90 pages into How to Lose a Duke and I'm so glad I read book 1 first. The heroine, Edie, of How to Lose had a substantial role in book 1 so it helped me connect with her.

[Oleander]

This book is very amusing. I am thoroughly enjoying it. Stuart is so charming. I think Edie is going to have great difficulty resisting him but it is going to be fun to see her try.

[Jan]

I've started this one today, and so far liking it. I liked the prologue set in Africa. Intriguing. Now I'm up to chapter 3. I wonder whether Edie's little sister is going to be a help or a hindrance.

I've only read one other book by this author, The Marriage Bed, way back in 2017, and I didn't enjoy it that much according to my review LOL. So far this one looks more engaging. Fingers crossed ;)

[Jan]

I'm more than half way through now - up to Chapter 13. I'm quite enjoying the story and will keep reading, although I'm finding the very slow burn a little frustrating.

Chapter 12 (view spoiler)[ Stuart has now discovered that Edie's fears stem from being raped in the past. Hopefully they will both start to move forward in their relationship more now. (hide spoiler)]

[Lauren]

Jan, I'm glad you're enjoying the book.

[Jan]

I've nearly finished now. It's a bit too slow burn for me. It's clear why their relationship is like that of course, but I'm still finding the super slow burn a bit frustrating anyway.

Chapter 17(view spoiler)[I can see why Stuart wants to make Van Hausen pay for what he did to Edie, and yeah, I do want to see the man get his just desserts. The intrusive info Stuart asks the Pinkertons to find out for him feels a bit crazy and OTT though. What material Van Hausen prefers for his underclothes??? Feels a bit creepy to me. (hide spoiler)]

[Mariana]

I decided to start this Monday and already finished. I enjoyed the slow burn and Stuart's patience with Edie.

I am predisposed to like a marriage of convenience, and this was a satisfying reread for me. I genuinely liked both the leading characters.

[Jan]

Glad you enjoyed it, Mariana. I finished the book today and gave 3 to 3.5 stars. Yes I agree, Stuart's patience with Edie was admirable, but overall I was done in by the slow pacing. Perhaps I'm just too impatient LOL.

I also didn't like the ending with (view spoiler)[Van Hausen's suicide. He was a creep, but suicide is never good. He could have just gone to jail for life or something. (hide spoiler)]

But overall it was a decent read and a good choice for BOTM. I like it when I haven't read the BOTMs before :)

[Mariana]

Jan wrote: "Glad you enjoyed it, Mariana. I finished the book today and gave 3 to 3.5 stars. Yes I agree, Stuart's patience with Edie was admirable, but overall I was done in by the slow pacing. Perhaps I'm ju..."

I agree with you about the ending.

[Oleander]

I just loved Stuart. He was so understanding and kind. The battle of wills was fun. Enjoyed the book and didn't mind the slow burn.