If I were asked to give a 1 to 5 star rating on HOW TO
DECEIVE A DUKE
it would exceed five. Just after a couple of pages of
reading, I was hooked and could not put the book down.
Lecia Cornwell is an amazing author of Historical Romance,
she draws you into the story along with the best of
characters!
Marguerite Lyndon and her sister Rose, daughters of the
Earl of Wycliffe had grown up learning how to be virtuous
wives and to be members of the Ton. Marguerite is the
second oldest in the family of five daughters and she is
the most responsible and sensible among them. After her
father passes away, her mother must marry off Rose, her
eldest, Rose is a beauty with blond hair and angelic
beauty, where as Marguerite is the family's black sheep in
a way. Most of her life, her mother and father had told her
she was not the beauty like all their other daughters.
Marguerite has been keeping the family together since her
father died, shedding no tears, only to comfort the others.
When the dowager duchess of Temberlay arranges a marriage
between her eldest sister, Rose, and the notorious "Devil"
Duke of Temberlay, Nicholas Hartley, Rose will have none of
it. She runs off in the middle of the night, leaving her
family with no care for their future. Marguerite is aware
that if Rose does not marry the Duke, her family will be
living in the streets, poor and destitute. Marguerite
steps into her sister's shoes as Rose eloped to avoid
marrying Nicholas. Nicholas, having inherited the title at
the death of his brother David, is angry. He is angry of
his fate, or his brother's death, or having to return home
and marry a bride he's never before met, but Nicholas has
left the business to his grandmother to chose a wife for
him to marry. Marguerite, having only married Nicholas out
of a obligation to her family, started off on the wrong
foot with the furious Nicholas, who disliked his future
bride before even meeting her.
This story is about a newlywed, husband and wife who both
were left to carry heavy burdens. Nicholas was the unneeded
second son, and according to his snake of a grandmother,
he's also the one who ruined them all. This is no easy
burden for either character to bare, but it becomes clear
that the central conflict in this story is not precisely
love, but rather trust. I loved all the characters,
especially Marguerite who takes it upon herself to be the
care-taker of the family Her fierce protectiveness of her
family made her an outstanding character, yet with enough
intelligence and good sense to shine like a jewel. As for
Nicholas, he said he didn't want to hurt his wife, but he
did so anyway. In bed the lust was so strong, the love was
there, but it took Nicholas a bit of time to realize he was
in love with Marguerite. At the ending of HOW TO DECEIVE A
DUKE, I
wanted to box Nicholas's ears, but I won't tell a spoiler!
When her sister runs off to avoid an arranged marriage,
Meg Lynton takes her place at the altar, since marriage to
Nicholas Hartley, the infamous Devil Duke of Temblerlay is
the only way to save her family from penury. By the time
her wealthy groom discovers he's married the wrong sister,
it will be too late to annul their vows. And how difficult
can it be to marry a rake and a rogue like Temberlay? All
she needs to do is give him an heir and move on with her
own life...but deception comes at a higher cost than Meg
may be prepared to pay.
When Nicholas Hartley inherits the family title after his
brother's untimely death, an arranged marriage to a woman
he's never met is the last thing he wants. But when his
bride raises her veil at the altar, Nicholas realizes that
his wedding night might prove to be a pleasure after all.
After a bedding that leaves them both breathless, Nicholas
discovers Meg's deception, and decides to teach his
scheming bride how to be a proper duchess, kiss by
devastating kiss...
I have read this book and it is wonderful just like her others. I checked it out at the library, but would love to get my own copy. (Alisha Woods 11:44am January 3, 2013)
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