Veena’s review of Four Nights With The Duke (Desperate Duchesses, Book 2) by Eloisa James
Historical Romance published by Avon 31 Mar 15
This historical romance from Ms. James is a delightful romp featuring a pocket Venus heroine, who is a romance writer to boot, and a handsome duke who loves children and animals. I really like how each chapter starts with Mia’s plot lines for her latest romance, giving us insights into her frame of mind and thinking. It is no surprise when Mia’s dislike of her husband quickly turns into love, given that each of the heroes of her books are modeled on her early teenage crush on him.
Mia has done her best to leave her shared past with the Duke of Pindar far behind her, even if it does affect the way she dresses and carries herself. Unfortunately, a series of setbacks bring her to a position of having to blackmail him into marriage with her. He definitely does not appreciate being cornered and strikes out with his ridiculous counteroffer, which he’s going to have to eat sooner than later. Actually it might be much sooner than even he anticipates, as he stands there strutting his stuff in her face on their wedding day.
Vandar definitely endears himself when he goes off to fetch Mia’s crippled brother and promptly proceeds to toughen him up. The relationship between the two, but especially the character of this little boy who’s seen so much scorn and ridicule in his young life, despite Mia’s efforts to molly coddle him and keep him safe, is a delight. And then there’s Jafeer, the most expensive and the fastest horse in England, who stands down like a lamb for one duchess while holding the entire staff in the Duke of Pindar’s stable hostage. That horse is a character in itself that definitely adds to the overall story.
If you enjoy light-hearted romance set in a historical setting, then this is a great book for you.
Grade: B
Summary:
As a young girl, Emilia Gwendolyn Carrington told the annoying future Duke of Pindar that she would marry any man in the world before him—so years later she is horrified to realize that she has nowhere else to turn.
Evander Septimus Brody has his own reasons for agreeing to Mia’s audacious proposal, but there’s one thing he won’t give his inconvenient wife: himself.
Instead, he offers Mia a devil’s bargain . . . he will spend four nights a year with her. Four nights, and nothing more. And those only when she begs for them.
Which Mia will never do.
Now Vander faces the most crucial challenge of his life: he must seduce his own wife in order to win her heart—and no matter what it takes, this is the one battle he can’t afford to lose.
Other books in this series
