Title: Waking Up With the Duke Series: London's Greatest Lovers
Author: Lorraine Heath
Read copy: Mass Market Paperback
Published: June 28, 2011
Publisher: Avon
ISBN: 0062022458
ISBN-13: 9780062022455
They are masters of seduction, London's greatest lovers...
Renowned for his bedchamber prowess, Ransom Seymour, the Duke of Ainsley, owes a debt to a friend. But the payment expected is most shocking, even to an unrepentant rake—for he's being asked to provide his friend's exquisite wife with what she most dearly covets: a child.
Living for pleasure, they will give their hearts to no one...
Lady Jayne Seymour, Marchioness of Walfort, is furious that such a scandalous agreement would be made. If she acquiesces, there must be rules: no kissing...and, certainly, no pleasure.
Until love takes them by surprise.
But unexpected things occur with the surprisingly tender duke—especially once Lady Jayne discovers the rogue can make her dream again...and Ransom realizes he's found the one woman he truly cannot live without.
My rating:
Ransom Seymour, the Duke of Ainsley, is being emotionally blackmailed (by his own cousin, mind you) to give the cousin’s wife what she desires (and what she lost three years ago after the accident provoked by Ainsley himself leaving her husband in a wheelchair and unable to feel anything below his belt)—a baby.
Ainsley would have no problems siring a child, since he’s virile and able, but it’s the willingness that is lacking. Not because of who he would be bedding (a woman he’s been mourning not meeting first), but because she is a married, respectable woman. Thankfully, she’s even less willing that he is...Or is she?
This series has been “dealing” with unorthodox historical romance themes and premises since the beginning...A betrayed husband exiling his new bride to the country while fornicating his path through London, a woman “tricking” his younger brother into marriage by making him believe she was his son’s mother, and now the youngest of the three brothers serving as an early-model Victorian sperm bank falling in love with the woman in the process.
Unorthodox, as far as formulaic templates as they can get, and in the hands of someone else they probably wouldn’t have worked (I’m doubtful some other author would actually tackle something like it), but since Lorraine Heath is a master (in my humble opinion) she’s managed beautifully.
Yes, I didn’t like one of the themes, but that’s on me. There’s no dispute the writing or storytelling.
This story was, in all aspects up there, alongside (okay, to me it was even better) Passions of a Wicked Earl, the first installment about the oldest son of the scandalous Duchess of Ainsley, who also got her HEA in this book.
The why it was even better comes down to the characters. I actually liked Ainsley, the hero, who in no circumstances was a jerk or jackass. He was considerate, honorable, tender, protective (yes, emotionally blackmailable, but that’s on his cousin), so was it any wonder the heroine fell in love with him? I liked her as well, despite some instances toward the end when I wanted someone to slap her silly for being an idiot, but she came through in the end, and her emotional journey was pretty realistic.
Their romance was beautifully written, the progress organic, believable, and rather realistic (despite it being fiction). It was emotional, bittersweet, emotionally draining in a few chapters and/or paragraphs, beautiful...and hopeless. She was married to his cousin, and he was acting merely as stud. No matter their feelings, those were the facts, and sometimes (oftentimes) love doesn’t conquer all.
But if you’re like me and you’ve read some spoiler-y reviews, you know about the twist, and although knowing might lessen the emotional impact of the story (for me it didn’t, really, I was still leaking at the appropriate times), it certainly can heighten the anticipation of the moment. It actually made the plot even more gripping, and although the pacing was spot-on, it was a little torture reading while waiting for the other shoe to drop.
If there was a character in this book I didn’t like, it was the cousin, the blackmailing rat-bastard. Handicap or no handicap, his explanations, reasoning, and motivations were puny and self-serving, and his actions (except the smartest idea he had about the human sperm bank) unforgivable.
If you like your books with wonderful characters, explosive chemistry, beautiful romance with just the right amount of drama and bitter-sweetness, spot-on pacing, and masterful storytelling, this is definitely the book for you.
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment