Book two-ninety-four: Desperate Duchesses

Desperate Duchesses (2007)
Eloisa James

Re-reading.

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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Thursday 14/2/08

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Book two-fifty-six: An Affair Before Christmas

An Affair Before Christmas (2007)
Eloisa James

Rating: 4.5/5

Darn. Now I really really want to know what’s going to happen at that house party or the ball that was going on in the last chapter for that matter.

I really enjoyed this. I now love Villers just as I suspected I would. I think he will grow on me even more in books to come. I still don’t particularly like Charlotte, but I’m not as “why the hell am I reading about her for?” when stuff is written from her point of view. In the first book, it seemed a bit out of left field, but now you can see where she fits a bit better.

Speaking of not liking people that much, Harriet is another one on my lukewarm list. She is also seems to be one of the main characters in the next book (though can you ever really tell?), so hopefully she will also become more interesting.

One spectacular Christmas, Lady Perdita Selby, known to her friends and family as Poppy, met the man she thought she would love forever. The devilishly attractive Duke of Fletcher was the perfect match for the innocent, breathtakingly beautiful young Englishwoman, and theirs was the most romantic wedding she had ever seen. Four years later, Poppy and the Duke have become the toast of the ton... but behind closed doors it seems the spark of their love affair has burnt out.Unwilling to lose the woman he still lusts after, the duke is determined to win back his beguiling brides delectable affections . . . and surpass the heady days of first love with a truly sinful seduction.

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Finished: Saturday 12/1/08

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Book two-fifty-five: Desperate Duchess

Desperate Duchess (2007)
Eloisa James

Rating: 4.25/5

I knew I shouldn’t have read this. I been deliberately avoiding buying it since it came out because I knew that she would do her usual trick of having a story that goes through all the books in the series, and as there are still four more to be published, I knew that I could just read them all back to back like I have with all her other series.

So, of course I read it. And of course now I am desperate (hardy ha!) to find out what happens with Jemma and Elijah.

I loved Roberta and Damon. I love Teddy. Hell, I may even love Villers (I’m figuring he’s the Mayne of the series, so I’m giving him a fair go).

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 chess player of consummate skill, a notorious rake 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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Finished: Friday 11/1/08

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