The mail must go through!!!
http://www.suzanneenoch.com/
This romance is for Adam, the Duke of Greaves, and Sophia White, the illegitimate daughter of the Duke of Hennessy. This is their time to shine and shine they do. These two characters were in the previous books in the series, but, honestly, I don't remember them. I'll remember them now because I loved this story and I found Adam and Sophia truly magical.
Rules to Catch a Devilish Duke is a tale that can be divided into two parts - before the bridge is fixed, and after. Even though there was a most definite difference in the emotional punch each part delivers, I loved both. In the end they joined to make an enchanting story.
Here is a short plot: Adams has to get married before his thirtieth birthday or lose his inheritance. Sophia has to marry to save her friends. Adams has a party, invites eligible women and, on a whim invites Sophia (not eligible.) Sophia accepts. Bridge collapses. Sophia almost drowns. Adam saves Sophia. Adam, Sophia, his maniac sister and a plethora of servants are trapped at his estate. The only thing that gets through is the mail, which puzzled me and made me go back and do some rereading. Apparently, there is time to create an elaborate pulley system that can be used to deliver the mail, but there's no time to fix the bridge.
The story in the beginning has a slow, gentle, almost dreamlike feel about it. Our couple is almost alone except for the aforementioned sociopath sister and the peripheral servants. This is the time we fall in love with the effervescent Sophia. What a wonderful character. She's funny, strong, honest and she is able to break through the cold shell that surrounds Adam. In this part we get to watch a slow build up of friendship, and then eventually they become lovers. Both Adam and Sophia know their relationship can't last, but they hold on to their dream as long as they can.
And, then their world comes crashing back in and the bridge is fixed. All those nubile girls and so called friends invade the estate. Their brief interlude is over and they are forced to return to their old ways. Adam returns to his ways with a vengeance, not really able to understand what has happened to him. Sophia, as it turns out, was always delightful.
The one problem I had with this story was the abrupt ending. I wish we would have had a nice long epilogue to enjoy and get a feel for how this couple was adjusting to their new life, because we all know Sophia and Adam are going to be socially unacceptable. But, then I have to ask, just how many "friends" must a duke have to be happy?
Both parts of this novel connect into a brilliant love story. What a wonderful couple. I highly recommend Rules to Catch a Devilish Duke.
Time/Place: Regency England
Sensuality: Hot
3 comments:
I liked the book well enough, but I don't think it measures up too well to some of Enoch's earlier efforts, such as "London's Perfect Scoundrel" or "England's Perfect Hero." Parts of it were flat,IMO, and the ending was not only too, abrupt as you state, but reeked of TV cliff-edge plotting.
dick
Interesting review, SydneyKay! I have to say, I haven't picked up Ms Enoch's last couple of releases... As you say, sometimes, she's at the top of her game and sometimes, she's not close and I have felt lately that she hasn't been close... but this one, I might pick up :)
Dick: I loved this one, although I loved her earlier works a lot. I think some authors who have been around awhile have a tendency to over extend. They do two or three books a year, contemporary, paranormal, historical. There just do not have the time to build the story. It might be nice for their pocketbook, but we all lose in the end.
Nath, try this one, you'll like it.
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