Author:
Sally Mackenzie
Publication
Date: March 5, 2013
Publisher:
Zebra
Series:
Duchess of Love #2
One
naughty little masquerade can't hurt…
Unladylike Behavior
Frances Hadley has managed her family’s estate for years. So why can’t she
request her own dowry? She’ll have to go to London herself and knock some sense
into the men interfering in her life. With the nonsense she’s dealt with
lately, though, there’s no way she’s going as a woman. A pair of breeches and a
quick chop of her red curls, and she’ll have much less to worry about…
Jack Valentine, third son of the famous Duchess of Love, is through being
pursued by pushy young ladies. One particularly determined miss has run him out
of his own house party. Luckily the inn has one bed left—Jack just has to share
with a rather entertaining red-headed youth. Perhaps the two of them should
ride to London together. It will make a pleasant escape from his mother’s matchmaking
melodrama!
Sometimes
your body speaks a language you don’t yet understand.
Sometimes
it pays to listen to an older and wiser woman.
“Good,
because I know where I can get copies of the Duchess of Love’s Love Notes, and if I ever I find myself
invited, I’ll tie you to a tree and read you every last word she’s written.”
There
is always a price to pay when one tinkers with the truth.
Patience
was a very difficult virtue to master.
I
developed a love for Sally Mackenzie when I read the first book in this series,
Bedding Lord Ned. I was so impressed
by her writing ability and loved her lovable characters and their rather
humorous actions. This story lands readers in the presence of Miss Frances
Hadley, dressed as a boy, and put into a rather compromising situation. More
importantly we find Jack Valentine, son of the Duchess of Love, whom this
series is written around. The Duchess of Love is throwing one of her lavish
house parties in which Jack is put into compromising situations as well, and
decides to head to town for the night. Little does he know that he will wind up
in the arms of a runaway girl who happens to be dressed like a boy!
I
have to say that I gave the first book in this series five cute pink cupcakes.
This book didn’t rate at the top of my charts, but was still an enjoyable read.
I do not usually enjoy stories where the female heroine is dressed as a boy,
and I think this threw me off a little. Frances’s character is not portrayed as
the best of sorts either. She is not described as being the most attractive
woman around and she doesn’t care too much for men because of her own
childhood. I wish that I could have liked her character more, but sadly when it
came to Frances my feelings are left dry and saddened. I loved our lady
character in the first book, and would have followed her to the ends of the
earth because she was loveable and playful, but Frances gave me no appealing
characteristics to hang on to.
Jack
Valentine saved the day! He has been one of my favorite characters since the
first book, and I was so thrilled to learn that the second book in the trilogy
was going to be about him. He was always so determined to never be involved
with his mother’s silly matchmaking, and seemed to be quite the ladies man
indeed. I loved his spark and the way that he can pawn any woman that he
doesn’t want to dance with off on one of his brothers! He made the book for me
and I was happy to read his story and see how lovingly he accepted and came to
care for Frances. If you are invested in this series then you should definitely
pick up this book. I cannot wait for the next in the series, and will not let
my dislike for Frances stand in the way!
***A
copy of this book was generously provided to me from the publishers at Zebra in
exchange for my honest review***
Good review!
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