Fun, darling and a great light beach read. ( )

Besides Georgette Heyer, there aren't too many Georgian authors that I've read. However, this could be the start of a binge read for me.
A very young couple are married, then separated. The girl was given laudanum, so she has little recollection of the event and is soon persuaded it was just a dream. However, years later Julian returns to claim his bride Deb and is perplexed that she doesn't know him. He decides to win her over under false pretenses, and we have a story worthy of Ms. Heyer. It's an excellent read, and I can't wait to read on in the series. ( )

I really enjoyed this historical romance. I voluntarily chose to review it and I've given it a 4.5* rating. This story pulled me in from the first and kept me interested the whole time. There was a bit of back and forth on the hero and heroine but once it's straightened out, other factors took over. Nice ending too. ( )

At 12, Lady Deborah is rousted out of bed and married to a teenager whose name she doesn't catch. The whole episode is so strange that she soon dismisses it as a dream. She grows up to be a beautiful young lady, but is so independent (she travels to France unchaperoned at age 16 to nurse her scandalous older brother, for instance) that she is not particularly well thought of in Society. Then she comes across a man bleeding in the forest after a duel and saves his life. A few weeks later, they encounter each other again--and he realizes that she is the woman he married 9 years ago. Even before he saw her again, Julian was determined to claim his bride and get an heir from her, to put his ailing father's mind at ease. Now that he's met her, he's even more determined that they should consummate the marriage. But since Deb doesn't remember that she's already married to him, he decides to make him fall in love with him. He courts her for two days, then kidnaps her in order to have another marriage ceremony (without any of her family and friends present, because what's more romantic!). Apparently overcome by her attraction, Deb agrees to marry him and they have a blissful honeymoon.

Then, in one moment, his true identity, their secret marriage as children, and his current court case for having seduced&abandoned [random French lady] are all revealed, and Deb (understandably) freaks out. Immediately Julian threatens to rape her so he can get a son from her, storms off, storms back a few months later, accuses her of infidelity and AGAIN threatens to rape her, then storms off and cries. At this point, any and all interest I had in their romance had dried up completely, and I was reduced to hissing "get ouuuuutttt" whenever he popped up on the page. He and Deb both turn up at his parents' mansion for their marriage ball, where they randomly behave very cosily with each other (even though the last time they saw each other she told him she was planning on having their marriage annulled by claiming he was mad, and he threatened to rape her YET AGAIN) and he finally tells her that he never had sex with [random French lady], which is apparently all Deb needs to hear. No apologies for any of his behavior, naturally. Cut to the epilogue, where Deb is giving birth to her fourth child in four years. Hurrah!

Even if the "romance" between Julian and Deb had been less ooky, this would still be a bad book. Every single plot point would have been avoided if Julian's dad the Duke OR Julian himself had told the truth. The whole family lives under the scandalous shadow of the Duke, who supposedly fathered a bastard who was born the same month as Julian. This bastard devotes his entire being to ruining Julian's life, and is the source of all the problems Julian&family face. The Duke never had sex with the bastard's mom, so he knows full well that he didn't father the bastard, but he still lets everyone believe this lie even though there is no reason I can possibly see to let the falsehood stand. Julian gets himself into a similar scrape: he is accused of impregnating&abandoning a French lady, but in fact he never even spoke to her, let alone slept with her. But he makes his family go through a huge lawsuit, lets himself and his family be lampooned in the press, is nearly killed in a duel, all because he won't just say "nope, never slept with her." I suppose gentlemen weren't supposed to contradict ladies (although of course they did), but given that Julian&friends call the [random French lady] a putain and a whore, and make various coarse jokes about her opening her legs to everyone, I really doubt it's his chivalry that keeps him silent.

Aside from the nonsensical plot, the writing itself is competent, if uninspired. ( )

audiobook review:

An intense, at times humorous, thrilling saga of the union of nobility with all its agony and sacrifices where the individual’s freedom of choice is thwarted at every turn. Yet, from all the cacophony, comes a love so wonderfully deep and poignant, so emotionally fulfilling you wish it were your own. This is the second of Ms. Brant’s books I’ve listened to. It won’t be my last. This series is highly recommended to those who wish to find love the hard way…

I love the way the story starts. A young girl of 12, slightly drugged, is married to a boy of 15, half-crazed with drink, in the middle of the night. It seemed sinister. I asked myself who was the bad guy and kept asking. Who were these children who were coerced into marriage? As chapter 1 begins, I was totally compelled to get the answers to my questions. If Sir Gerald is her brother, her guardian, why was he trying to marry her off? What made the marriage so necessary? Great drama.

Cleverly, the author holds the reins in her hands, taunt, only dispensing pieces of the puzzle and creating greater suspense, propelling us to the moment where all falls apart. The heroine, Deborah did not put all the pieces together until much too late for she had no remembrance of that momentous night.

The story shows us how evil and greedy man can be no matter his station in life. Martin and the Duke of Roxton were hard characters to read, however, hints were dropped, but without a clear picture they could have meant several things. Deborah Cavendish was everything nobility should be, strong of spirit and passionate of heart.

The narrator, Alex Wyndham shows wonderful professionalism and a delight to listen to. He is endowed with a rich baritone which could be listened to forever. His superb voice inflection, interpretation of the author’s words wove a listen extremely hard to put down. Characterization of each player was truly spot on. Elder voices were over the top. I heard each character’s state of mind distinctly. His timing, enunciation, and presentation made an enchanting listen and I’m thrilled to know he continues the narration of the rest of the series.