What I've Read This Week

What I've Read This Week . . .

 The Duke's Undoing (Three Rogues and their Ladies  Book 1) by G.G. Vandagriff -- Regency Romance

Peter, The Duke of Ruisdell is bored and cynical. He's recently returned from the wars where he took a bullet in the knee. With his military career over, he needs something to do. His best friend George, the Marquis of Somerset, bets that the Duke's boredom will be cured by seducing the thrice engaged Miss Elsie Edwards. Peter takes the bet and promptly forgets all about it. Elsie Edwards is not destined for marriage. Her first and true love Joshua died in the wars. Her second fiance tried to kidnap her and her third seems to prefer her best friend. Though she's embarrassed to be the talk of the town, Elsie throws herself into Whig reforms such as the soup kitchen for impoverished veterans she founded. A chance encounter changes both their lives forever. When Elsie's former fiances threaten her health and happiness, she enters into a sham engagement with the Duke of Ruisdell. He promises to protect her and keep her safe for he owes it to another. What Elsie doesn't realize is that she'll need protection from her own feelings. This story has a lot going on and I don't wish to spoil it. It has more depth than the usual romance novel with lots of different characters and plot devices. However, it's all too much. The first half of the novel is excellent. The hero and heroine get to know each other and develop a relationship. Then after that the plot speeds up into sheer madness. So many things happen that the plot is simply unbelievable. Characters are dropped and never mentioned again and the story went on way too long. Yet the conclusion was super rushed and unsatisfactory. This would have been a much nicer novella without the melodrama in the last half. Also, the previously clean romance (I swooned at one point) developed  into something that Georgette Heyer would probably find smutty. Historical purists beware there are a few inaccuracies. The characters are good though. Elsie is strong, brave and kind-hearted, all traits I admire in a heroine. Peter is a wonderful hero for most of the book. He's devoted, kind, proud and flawed. His traits make him a unique and well-developed character. I especially liked the secondary characters, Elsie's aunt Clarice and her companion Lady Susannah and their pets. Their scenes add a lot of comic relief. If you're looking for a squeaky clean, sweet romance a la Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer, do not read this book. If you want an interesting story with just about every crazy plot device tossed in, then I highly recommend this one. I noticed a few typos on the Kindle edition which drove me crazy. 
 

The Taming of Lady Kate (Three Rogues and their Ladies  Book 1) by G.G. Vandagriff -- Regency Romance

This novel is a take on Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. When Jack, Marquis of Norbrooke proposes a marriage on convenience to his neighbor, Caroline Braithwaite, she turns him down. She tells him he needs to find someone who will be his equal and whom he can love. Caro heads off to London to make her debut under the sponsorship of her aunt, Lady Susannah. Caro becomes fast friends with Lady Katherine Derramore who has come to London to spend the Season with her aunt Lady Clarice. Kate has been sent to London by her horrible cousin Freddie who inherited the estate after the death of Kate's beloved Papa.  Ideally, Kate hopes to marry someone who loved her enough to go off to Italy and allow her to paint. She thought she had found the ideal man in Francesco, a passionate young Italian count she met on her Grand Tour in Florence. Though her Papa spoiled her and was quite eccentric, he forbid Kate from marrying a Catholic at the peril of losing her inheritance. Kate would gladly give up her fortune if it weren't for her little step-brother Joey, sent off to Eton by Freddie, where the boy will surely be bullied. Kate needs to marry quickly so she can rescue her brother. When Jack first meets Kate, he falls head over heels in love, but before he can make a move, he's called out of town, angering Kate. Kate is unwilling drawn into a dangerous situation and they are forced to wed, but that doesn't mean Jack doesn't want to marry Kate, only he refuses to allow her to know it while she still loves Francesco. He resolves to make her forget quickly. Kate quickly realizes she was never in love with Francesco and it's Jack she wants, but she will not tell him if he doesn't love her. She's determined to fight him every chance she gets until he falls in love with her. They lead each other on a merry chase. Then danger returns and one or the other may pay the price for their silence. Will these two ever be happy? I have lukewarm feelings towards this novel. Neither of the lead characters are appealing. Kate acts like a shrew the whole time and never gives Jack a break. Jack's character changes abruptly after the initial introduction. When he is introduced he seems like an immature boy. We're then told he's a noted Corinthian and a rogue but I am not sure what makes him so because he's never seen doing anything that goes along with either of those personas. Then all of a sudden he has his own sub plot that really doesn't seem likely for the young man the reader is first introduced to. It confused me a lot and I had to make sure I didn't skip any pages or even a whole book. Jack and Kate never talk about their true feelings even in the rare moments they have a chance. The plot seems like it's the usual mystery involving spies and smugglers but it takes more twists and turns that I didn't expect. I liked the brief cameo appearances by characters from the first novel. Another plus is that it's more clean than the previous book in the trilogy. There are some sensual scenes but nothing smutty. Overall, this story didn't thrill me. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. I noticed a number of errors in the Kindle edition. The third book in the series had better be the best or I will feel like I wasted my money. 

Miss Braithwite's Secret (Three Rogues and their Ladies  Book 1) by G.G. Vandagriff -- Regency Romance

Caro Braithwite left London before her Season was over, ostensibly to help her mother prepare for the village fete. Only Caro knows the real reason for her return: she's secretly nursing a broken heart. Though Caro was declared an Incomparable and had legions of suitors, only the Duke of Beverley could stir her feelings. It seemed he felt the same, but then he abruptly became engaged to another and broke Caro's heart. Unbeknowst to Caro, Lord Beverley is also nursing a broken heart for Lady Sarah has jilted him! He isn't used to not getting his own way and can't understand why the lady won't marry him. He has no knowledge of Caro's feelings or of his own for her. The two unhappy lovers are reunited at a house party given by Jack and Kate. Lord Northbrooke is holding a welcome home party for Kate, which is secretly a matchmaking party. Though the Marquis and his lady have no knowledge of Caro's feelings, they hope to unite the Dowager Marchioness with an old suitor and find a wife for George, the Marquis of Somerset. Kate thinks Elsie's friend Violet will do admirably for the idle gossiper. As Caro gets to know Beverley, she realized she never knew him at all and perhaps has had a lucky escape. He too, learns that there's more to Caro than appears in the ballrooms of London. It takes some time for these two to get over their prejudices, but just when everything seems to be going so well, Ned disappears without word and breaks Caro's heart once again. This time she is determined never to lose her heart again. She shall remain a spinster and write plays to deal with her pain. A determined young vicar is eager to change her mind and so is his reprobate older brother. Will Ned make things right before it's too late? This book containsThis book containsThis book features the characters from the previous novels so read at your own risk. It works fine as a stand-alone but it's better if you are familiar with the characters. Finally, a novel I enjoyed! G.G. Vandagriff saved the best for last! Everything about this book is a winner! There's a sweet romance that's paced nicely, despite some relatively minor sensual feelings. The characters truly get to know each other and appreciate each other's good qualities while being aware of the bad. There's much to like and admire about both of them. Caro may have been a gossip in London, but in the country she's devoted to the concept of noblese oblige, she loves helping children and making them happy. She's also a frustrated playwright but not a bluestocking. Ned has a bit of a temper, but he isn't domineering. He has a chivalrous streak that sometimes gets him into trouble. A life changing experience towards the end of the novel makes him even more perfect than he already is. One part of the book, about 3/4 in, made me swoon with happiness. There's a villain tossed in for good measure and Caro is resourceful enough to rescue herself without help from a man! The story reminds me of Regina Scott's older novels, which I adore. 

I noticed a few spacing errors on the Kindle edition. They bothered me enough to notice but didn't affect the text of the story.