Welcome to a world of reckless sensuality and glittering sophistication . . . of dangerously handsome gentlemen and young ladies longing to gain a title . . . of games played for high stakes, including—on occasion—a lady's virtue.
A marquess's sheltered only daughter, Lady Roberta St. Giles falls in love with a man she glimpses across a crowded ballroom: a duke, a game player of consummate skill, a notorious rakehell who shows no interest in marriage—until he lays eyes on Roberta.
Yet the Earl of Gryffyn knows too well that the price required to gain a coronet is often too high. Damon Reeve, the earl, is determined to protect the exquisite Roberta from chasing after the wrong destiny.
Can Damon entice her into a high-stakes game of his own, even if his heart is likely to be lost in the venture?
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"I enjoyed reading this quick, fun romp set in Georgian England. The sexy scenes were titillating and well written with lots of witty repartee. Eloisa James's characters are clever and entertaining. I am glad Kiala picked it for the Vaginal Fantasy Hangout book club." — Brandi (4 out of 5 stars)
"I enjoyed reading this quick, fun romp set in Georgian England. The sexy scenes were titillating and well written with lots of witty repartee. Eloisa James's characters are clever and entertaining. I am glad Kiala picked it for the Vaginal Fantasy Hangout book club."
“Our present-day Desperate Housewives can’t compete with these Desperate Duchesses for great drama, humor and troublemaking. James brilliantly re-creates the colorful atmosphere of the Georgian era, allowing her utterly delightful—and sometimes quirky—characters to play out their story. Known for her sophisticated, intelligent writing, James does everything brilliantly. Her characters and her wit are on target, and every moment is one to savor.”
“If Shakespeare had written an eighteenth-century romantic comedy, it might look something like this novel…A colorful, spirited romance that will leave readers desperate for a sequel.”
“The first in a sparkling new series set in the scandalously fun Georgian era by bestselling and award-winning James, this is a gracefully written, lusciously sensual, delectably witty, and exquisitely romantic historical romance.”
“Slightly bawdy, totally unconventional, and thoroughly delightful, James’ Georgian romp is the sparkling debut of a new series that promises to be remarkable.”
" All of the Desperate Duchesses are great. "
" I definitely wish this book was more about Roberta & Damon instead of all the side stories with Villiers & Jemma-- I know it's the first of the series, but it took so much away from the actual story that it took me awhile to read. The couple seemed charming enough; I just wish that the story revolved around them instead of chess matches. "
" Fun and quick read. Loved the chess aspect. "
" Good start to the Desperate Duchessess series, but was surpassed by later entries "
" This is the first official romance book Ive read. It was hard starting it but after passing the 70% mark, it was hard to put it down. "
" oh my! Having never read one of these 'bodice rippers', i thought I'd give this a whirl. And yes, the bodice did get ripped , and yes, she does marry the right man! A bit of fun I suppose but I think 1 will do it for me anyway. "
" lupa, padahal ngepruf :( "
" Nice, light romance. Typical book. Like that her books are generally about more than one couple. Makes it more interesting to have those secondary characters. "
" This was my first book of this genre and I probably would of never read it if not for a certain book club I'm part of. I did, overall, enjoy it. However, I don't think I can review it well enough. "
" A very good book for what it is. I like the twist in male protagonists and all the characters are fairly interesting. Of course there's the mandatory pregnancy at the end, but you know, that's how these things go. "
" Really liked the lighthearted romance between Roberta and Damon (so refreshing not to have a brooding hero!) Couldn't see what on earth Roberta saw in Villiers in this book (he becomes more appealing as each book goes by) "
" Totally fun and in the tradition of historical romance. :) "
" I love Damon and Roberta!! "
" Cukup menghibur meskipun endingnya bisa ditebak as usual.. typically historical romance :) "
" seriously, who dreams up these titles "
" I was a bit disappointed with this book as the storyline dragged. Villiers has been my favourite character in this series so I was looking forward to his story. Parts of the book were good, others were a bit boring. 2-2.5 stars "
" Continuing with Megan's Romance Must-Reads list, another surprisingly fun read. James is an adept writer with a clear literary background. Enjoyed the details in this book, and again - a strong female lead who goes against the grain. Love that! "
" Brilliant I love this series. "
" definitely my favorite of the series! "
" Good, typical book of this type. I happened to pick this up at the library and then realized I had read the one previous to it, which made it even nicer to have a returning character to follow. "
" i just love that man lol "
" Phenomenal. One of Eloisa's best and just a great Romance "
" Loved this book, Villiers and Eleanor were so well matched...Lisette got on my last nerve though, uggh! Can't believe Villiers considering for so long! "
Eloisa James is a bestselling author of historical romance novels. In 2013 she won the Rita Award for Best Romance Novella. She is a professor of English literature, lives with her family in New York, and is married to a genuine Italian knight. For info about books, visit www.eloisajames.com and sign up for her Five Fabulous Things newsletter.
Rosalyn Landor is an English-born television, theater, and multiple-award-winning audiobook narrator. Her television credits include Love in a Cold Climate, Rumpole of the Bailey, Sherlock Holmes, and Star Trek: The Next Generation. She has won numerous Audie awards and AudioFile magazine Earphones awards.
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