NOT THAT DUKE by Eloisa James – Featured New Release

NOT THAT DUKE

Eloisa James

BLURB

The Duke of Huntington has no interest in an eccentric redhead who frowns at him over her spectacles…until he realizes that she is the only possible duchess for him. A new enemies-to-lovers romance by New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James.

Bespeckled and freckled, Lady Stella Corsham at least has a dowry that has attracted a crowd of fortune-hunting suitors—which definitely doesn’t include the sinfully handsome Silvester Parnell, Duke of Huntington, who laughingly calls her “Specs” as he chases after elegant rivals.

And then—

The worst happens. Marriage.

To the duke. To a man marrying her for all the wrong reasons.

How can Silvester possibly convince Stella that he’s fallen in love with the quirky woman he married? Especially after she laughingly announces that she’s in love—but not with that duke.

Not with her husband.

Buy Links:

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Apple Books

ABOUT ELOISA JAMES

Eloisa James is a New York Times bestselling author of historical romance novels who has published over 30 books, translated in 26 languages, with sales worldwide of 7 million. Eloisa’s “double life” fascinates people, since as Mary Bly, she’s a Shakespeare scholar and Chair of the English Department at Fordham University. An example: Eloisa wrote the New York Times bestselling memoir, Paris in Love, about the year her family spent in France, and Mary wrote Lizzie and Dante, a contemporary novel about a Shakespeare professor. She lives in New York City and Florence, Italy.

Follow Eloisa:

Website
Eloisa James’ Lindow Castle
Instagram
TikTok

REVIEW

With its combination of an adorable heroine, clueless duke hero, witty repartee, and steamy sexytimes, Not That Duke is my favorite of the series, so far. Of the three heroines, short, plump, bespectacled, freckled, clumsy, and clever Stella answers best to the title Would-Be Wallflower. I love that she didn’t have to change herself in order for Silvester to fall for her.

She wanted what Merry had, what Yasmin had … She’d spent her life never being loved for being herself. She’d be damned if she accepted a lifetime of the same.”

And, for all that he’s slow on the uptake and he fought his feelings for a long time, Silvester appreciated Stella for her uniqueness. I absolutely loved reading the progression of their relationship, especially when Silvester started seeing Stella in a new light and the lightbulb moment when he finally realized that he loves her. While his cluelessness made me roll my eyes, I have a fondness for him borne out of reading the previous book in the series and how he was like a big brother to Yasmin. Also, I live in Huntington so, I claim him as my duke.

I love the way you say No to me … The way you say Yes to me.”

Between the pets, the children, the duchesses, and Eloisa James’s signature multitude of fascinating secondary characters, there were plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. There were touching ones too, especially that confrontation scene between Stella and Silvester near the end. I was already giving this book a high rating, but the fact that it brought me to tears really brought it over the edge.

My only criticism is that the cover doesn’t represent Stella very well. Where’s the spectacle, the prominent bosom, the freckles? I wish Ms. James would insist upon a truer-to-book-description cover model in future books.

Many of the scenes in Not That Duke took place at the same time as The Reluctant Countess just in different points of view. I suggest reading Yasmin and Giles’ story first to better appreciate Stella and Silvester.

THE RETURN OF THE DISAPPEARING DUKE by Lara Temple – New Release Feature

THE RETURN OF THE DISAPPEARING DUKE

by

LARA TEMPLE

BLURB

A scarred mercenary … Or the Disappearing Duke of Greybourne?

Rafe has spent years running from his true identity. He’s a lone wolf, living far from aristocratic England and his violent father. Then unconventional Cleopatra Osbourne requests his protection as she crosses the Egyptian desert. In Cleo he discovers a fellow outcast—and a fierce desire! Cleo must return to London, and here lies Rafe’s dilemma—because following his heart means claiming the title he’s avoided for so long!

BUY HERE:

Amazon: http://mybook.to/RafeDuke
Amazon US paperback: https://bit.ly/RafeDuke1
Amazon UK: https://bit.ly/RafeDukeUK

ABOUT LARA

Lara Temple writes strong and sensual Regency romances about complex individuals who give no quarter but do so with plenty of passion. She lives with her husband, two children, and one very fluffy dog and they are all very understanding about her taking over the kitchen table so she can look out over the garden as she writes and dreams up her Happy Ever Afters.

Social Media links:
Facebook Author Page: www.facebook.com/LaraTempleAuthor
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LaraTemple1
Twitter: @laratemple1
Amazon author page: http://amzn.to/2mWin9R
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/LaraTemple
Website: www.laratemple.com

REVIEW

The Return of the Disappearing Duke is my new favorite among the Lara Temple books I’ve read so far. This book gave me respite from my sadness upon a good friend’s much-too-early passing.

Ms. Temple’s signature lyricism is at full display in her vivid descriptions of the characters’ travels through exotic Egypt, their turbulent sea voyage, and eventful arrival in England. Her command of languages, whether English or Arabic, is masterful in both narration and dialogue. The unpredictable nuances of her characterization for both Rafe and Cleo make them easy to love and root for. The fluidity with which she tells their story is highly admirable.

What places this book over the top for me is the delightful humor that I’d only seen flashes of in Lara’s previous works but which is amped up here. The witty banter between Rafe and Cleo, Rafe’s nicknames for Cleo, her love for Shakespeare, his verbal exchanges with both friends and villains provided many smiles and grins from me if not actual bursts of laughter.

I finished reading The Return of the Disappearing Duke feeling light and excited to share my love of it with Romance readers everywhere.

UNLACED BY THE HIGHLAND DUKE by Lara Temple – Release Day Review

UNLACED BY THE HIGLAND DUKE

by

LARA TEMPLE

Unceremoniously packed off to Scotland to care for the Duke of Lochmore’s young son, practical widow Jo Langdale fears she will be ignored as always. But the deep connection and heated passion that develops between her and Benneit is far more dangerous! When Benneit is expected to propose to another, how dare Jo dream of becoming his duchess?

Part of The Lochmore Legacy: a Scottish castle through the ages

Buy links:
https://www.books2read.com/lochmore
Amazon: https://mybook.to/Lochmore
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/BNlochmore
Kobo: http://bit.ly/LochmoreKobo

REVIEW

I thought I’ve gotten tired of reading about a handsome duke and a plain “poor relations” governess until I read Unlaced by a Highland Duke and realized I can still love this classic trope. That is provided the author is as talented as Lara Temple and the story and its characters are as well-written as this book.

I continue to admire Lara’s mastery of the English language. Her impressive vocabulary lends her narrative authenticity in terms of placing the story in its proper time period and exact locations. Whether the scene is inside a carriage, on a beach, or in a castle, the reader views them the same way a character does through exquisite visual descriptions. One could see the stark beauty of the landscape, feel the jagged edges of the rocks, hear the roar of the wind as they happen in the book.

That high quality is carried through in the well-developed characters, especially Jo and Benneit. What I love is that they didn’t need to change who they are and that layers of their personalities are revealed throughout the book. Their discovery of their feelings for one another was beautifully laid out amidst the obstacles they face especially that of Benneit being unofficially affianced to someone who can secure his son Jamie’s future. It’s incredibly easy to root for them to obtain their happy-ever-after.

Another thing I appreciate from this Unlaced is the fact that the secondary characters all served a purpose. They’re memorable and each is distinct from one another. I really approve of Lara making Jamie a normal boy who is adorable but can also be a brat sometimes.

I really enjoyed reading this novel. It has the style and feel of the old school romance books by Judith McNaught, Julie Garwood, and Johanna Lindsey that I love so much. Great story, fascinating characters, engaging dialogue, and fantastic writing. A five-star read.

ABOUT LARA TEMPLE

Lara Temple writes strong and sensual regency romances about complex individuals who give no quarter but do so with plenty of passion.

When she was fifteen Lara found a very grubby copy of Georgette Heyer’s historical romance novel Faro’s Daughter in an equally grubby book store and fell completely in love with historical romance. It took three decades and several fascinating but completely unrelated careers in finance and high tech before she turned this love into writing Regency romances.

Lara lives with her husband, two children and a very fluffy dug who are very good about her taking over the kitchen table for her writing (so she can look out over the garden and dream). She recently went looking for that crowded little bookstore but couldn’t quite remember around what corner it was. Hopefully it is still there and another girl is in the corner by the window, reading and dreaming…

THE DUKE I ONCE KNEW by Olivia Drake – Blog Tour Review and Giveaway

ABOUT THE BOOK

Award-winning author Olivia Drake begins her new Unlikely Duchesses series with THE DUKE I ONCE KNEW (St. Martin’s Paperbacks; December 31, 2018). With compelling characters and skillful plot twists, Drake’s latest novel will take your breath away.

First love is always the sweetest…

For years, Abigail Linton devoted herself to caring for her parents and her siblings’ children. Now, eager to create a life of her own, Abby seizes upon a position as a governess on a neighboring estate. Unfortunately, her absentee employer is Maxwell Bryce, the Duke of Rothwell, the notorious rake who once broke her youthful heart. But since he hasn’t set foot on his estate for fifteen years, Abby assumes she’ll never have to lay eyes on him ever again.

Then, from out of nowhere, Max appears. He is stunned to come face to face with the girl next door he fell for years ago—before he went away, and she stopped writing to him … even though Abby swears that he is the one who left her without a word. Could it be that this spirited, witty spinster has won Max’s heart all over again—and that they may have a second chance at love?

Buy this book: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250174376

REVIEW

The Duke I Once Knew will delight readers who are fans of historical romance novels that are light, entertaining, and simply about two people falling in love. There’s no deep angst, dark deadly secrets, or hardline stance of any kind. Just good story-telling. Sometimes that’s what I’m looking for. And it’s all right.

Abby and Max reunite after fifteen years and the return of their love for each other is utterly believable and quite obviously inevitable. The forces that are trying to keep them apart (misunderstanding about the lost letters, Lady Elise, Max’s poor example of a father) are addressed one by one and in a timely manner.

I love reading an older heroine in Abby. There are so few of them in historical romance that when I find one, I gravitate towards it right away. It was fine for me to read teenagers when I was younger, but not when I’m middle-aged and can’t relate. I also love her taking control of her own life and not letting herself be pushed around anymore. And when she and Max had their intimacy, she proved her strong will once more.

I also loved that the characters are flawed, but still sympathetic. Especially Max. It makes the book as close to reality as it could get.

If I have minor complaints (villainess with no redeeming factor, some repetition in the PoVs, so many named characters some of whom never got fully developed), they’re overshadowed by the positives.

GIVEAWAY

SMP will send a paperback copy of The Duke I Once Knew to one lucky reader who follows me on social media and who likes this post. Comment here or my Facebook Author page to let me know you’ve entered. Here are my links:

1. Amazon
2. Blog
3. BookBub
4. Books+Main
5. Facebook
6. Goodreads
7. Instagram
8. LinkedIn
9. Pinterest
10. Twitter

I’ll draw the winner on Monday, January 7 11:59 pm CST.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Olivia Drake is the author of the Cinderella Sisterhood series (Seducing the Heiress, Never Trust a Rogue, Scandal of the Year, If the Slipper Fits, Stroke of Midnight, Abducted by the Prince, Bella and the Beast, His Wicked Wish, and The Scandalous Flirt). She has been a member of Romance Writers of America since 1981, and her novels have won the Golden Heart Award, Best Historical Romantic Suspense and Best Regency Historical from Romantic Times. She has also won the prestigious RITA award. She currently resides in Houston, TX.