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Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780345503954
ISBN: 0345503953
Label: Ballantine Books
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 336
Publication Date: October 27, 2009
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Release Date: October 27, 2009
Studio: Ballantine Books
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Editorial Review:
Product Description:
From London’s ballrooms to its sizzling bedrooms, award-winning author Jillian Hunter spins a seductive dance of desire and breathtaking romance.
Lord Griffin Boscastle has no intention of ending his glorious career as a rakehell now that he has inherited a dukedom. Still, there are responsibilities he must discharge before his pleasures resume, including finding a bride, and depositing his incorrigible niece at a relative’s academy outside London. It is at this so-very-proper finishing school that flame-haired instructress Harriet Gardner awakens in Griffin emotions so dangerously intoxicating that he must avoid her at all cost. Yet when Harriet finds work in the townhouse where Griffin resides, her presence tempts him at every turn.
Harriet has survived London’s streets far too long to let an arrogant duke woo a bride he doesn’t want when she desires him for herself, and she has seen too much of life not to recognize a man ripe for redemption. But just as Harriet finds the perfect cure for His Lordship’s devilish ways, a vindictive enemy intervenes, and the duke whom Harriet has plotted to save suddenly becomes her devoted protector.
Average Rating: 
Rating:  -
I ordered this book because of the author and it was part of the Bocastle series. I had hoped that it was book about another of Gabriel's brothers so was a little disappointed that it about another branch of the family. I did like the book but I found it a little light on the usual character development and I felt that the ending was a little sloppy and rushed
Rating:  -
I very much enjoyed reading this book, I enjoyed it so much the first time I had to read it again for a second time. The characters are wonderful and easy to like. Griffin, the duke, is the typical handsome, black haired, blue-eyed devil. Harriet (vision of an Irish princess) is the beautiful, witty, young paid companion to the duke's nagging but lovable aunt Lady Powlis. Edlyn, the gothic niece, is a strange character, but one the duke loves and cares for non the less. Harriet is comical and sassy and practically falls in the love with duke at first sight. Griffin is intrigued with Harriet from the start, he appreciates her sassy nature. The author makes mention to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein as Harriet's favorite read. This is fitting to the story, because Harriet views Griffin in some ways as a monster/beast looking for a companion in love. All the while Harriet is hoping she is the companion he is in search of, as Lady Powlis is snipping, pushing, and scheming her own agenda for Harriet and Griffin.
Rating: -
I have to agree with Old Latin Teacher's review: this is an easy read, but a disappointing one. Most disappointing was the total improbability of this particular story - a duke falling in LOVE with the low-born heroine, his family being pleased with the match (despite public scorn for the pair), and there being celebration and acceptance for this socially mismatched pair at the end with no acknowledgement of the earlier ostracism that was threatened. Lust between them? Sure - that would fit with the times and with the amount of time this story gave the pair to interact. But love and marriage? Not on your life. This romance forces the storybook ending without any believability.
This was also a highly formulaic effort - there were few, if any, surprises or twists to keep it interesting. It was lacking in rich story telling. It seemed to rush from plot device to plot device so quickly that you could not grow to appreciate the story or the characters.
Overall, this particular book was a disappointment to me. I kept at it hoping it would improve, but when I was done, I felt I had wasted my time. If you go into to it with relatively low expectations and for a quick read, it is passable, but overall, there are many better books out there.
Rating: -
Again I'm on my rant about too many dukes in romance novels. And it's not only the excessive amount of young and handsome dukes running around nineteenth century England, but it's also the lower-class women they fall in love with and marry. If you want a beautiful ex-thief to marry a peer, at least go lower than a duke. So, now that that's over with, let's get to this book. It's a cute romance. Jillian Hunter writes cute romance. However, I think the characters, in particular the girl Edlyn, needed more development. Lady Powlys was your usual crusty old upper-class lady to be found in dozens of these romances. Harriet the Heroine was O.K. but not so special that the young handsome duke must have her and no one else in the world. Perhaps I missed something there. And the Frankenstein references didn't seem to have a whole heck of a lot to do with the story. Again, maybe I missed something in my speedy reading. But if you're looking for a cute romance to waste your time with, this one works fine.
Rating: -
In 1818 the Boscastles found Harriet Gardner on the mean streets of the London. They cleaned her up and arranged for her to teach at the Scarfield Academy for Young Ladies.
After the death of his brother fourteen months ago, Griffin Boscastle became the duke, a position he detests though he does ducal quite arrogantly well. He escorts his niece Edlyn and his pest of an aunt to the school where he unceremoniously dumps her on Harriet. The rake stays longer than he has to because Harriet's ripping off his skin intrigues him. However, when his thoughts begin veering towards long term, he considers flight rather than fight.
Instead he decides to use Harriet to find him a suitable wife while also asking her to keep his niece safe from an unknown adversary trying to harm her. However, he never expected Harriet to risk her life to keep Edlyn safe. Already beyond lust, Griffin falls into love, but Harriet keeps kicking the rogue to the curb hiding how she really feels.
With a nod to Frankenstein, the latest Boscastle "Wicked" Regency romance (see A Wicked Lord at the Wedding) is a wonderful tale with a strong suspense subplot enhancing the prime story line. Sub-genre readers and the students at the academy will appreciate the pompous conceited duke and the street smart teacher who tears his skin with sarcastic witty retorts while falling in love.
Harriet Klausner
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