Jared Langley, present-day Duke of Reston, tumbles into an abandoned fountain on his ducal estate and travels back in time to the year 1816. There, Reston servants and local villagers think him a dead ringer for his namesake and rakehell ancestor–the seventh Duke of Reston, gone missing at the Battle of Waterloo. Unfortunately, Seven got mixed up with French spies out to assassinate the Duke of … of Wellington, and an unwary Jared ends up in their crosshairs.Lady Ariana Hart has loved Jared Langley, the seventh Duke of Reston, since she was twelve years old, until the night the rogue broke her heart. Given up for dead, her rakish neighbor makes a miraculous return from Waterloo–only Jared shows up a changed man and reignites all the feelings Ariana had long ago buried.Jared is in a race against time. He must waylay the suspicions of his quirky servants and neighbors, get to Wellington before the French spies do, fix his fountain–before Seven shows up–so Jared has a way home, and definitely not fall in love with the irresistible Lady Ariana.
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This is a new author on my list. I liked this book so much, that I will get another in the series.
Best book I have read in a very long time!
I was charmed out of my boots! It’s nice to begin a book ready to snuggle into the couch and simply enjoy.
The title is a little unusual, but I saw how it neatly fit into a story of time travel. McCarty captures the absolute ennui of present-day Duke of Reston, the thirteenth duke, Jared Langley. He is disgusted with how he’s pawned over by women, just to have the opportunity to get something from him. He’s beyond bored with making money. He has piles of it and does it buy him happiness? The only thing which has captured his interest lately is his fascination with all the other Duke’s of Reston who came before leaving their stamp of existence through their journals—all except the seventh.
It all changes the day he finally tells his fiancée it is time to shove off. He isn’t interested in being pimped, or in the words of days-of-old cuckold by his fiancée. Walking into part of his garden he rarely uses to just get away and breathe, angered with life in general, he slips and falls…into a new life, back to the days of Duke of Reston, the seventh.
The twist which makes this story so fun is he is a dead-ringer for Duke of Reston, the seventh. Easily recognized, however, the duke was thought dead from battle wounds from the Battle of Waterloo. But what if he isn’t? Then there would be two of ‘him’, and Jared was anxious on that point. He rather liked his new life, rather liked a lovely woman, Lady Ariana Hart, who didn’t think too nicely of him, from a previous association with number seven. Even though the seventh and thirteen look alike, Jared is more kind-hearted and generally looks out for the underdog, making those who know him question what has changed? (They do like the change!)
Jared is busy juggling how to get back to the future after the fountain he’d hit in the present (falling through a portal) had been damaged and no material is available to repair it, his heart finding a woman he admires and respects, his run-ins with ‘accidents’ of sorts, where it was very unlikely. Jared, the thirteenth is no longer annoyed with life.
The story with all its quirks of charm, danger and levity is so fast-paced, I wished it were longer, which brings me to waiting eagerly for the second in the series. If you love time travel, characters with noble hearts and a happy ever after, pick up this read and drop back into time where life is dangerous, but somehow more genuine.
Jared Bartholomew , Duke of Reston is trying to clear his head after a scene with his, now, ex fiancé. He has never noticed this overgrown part of his garden before or the fountain. It will take him on a very exciting journey.
Lady Ariana Hart is delighted that her neighbour is back from the war. Everyone said he was killed in France.
Our hero realizes pretty quickly what has happened. Now he has to survive, (without getting thrown into Bedlam) long enough to find his way back. He didn’t bank on enjoying being there so much.
Our heroine is hoping the changes she sees in her friend are real but it looks like he is still a rake.
Marvellous characters that will have you laughing and crying with them. Henry is great fun. We have life threatening danger, romance and intrigue, all add up to a book that you will love from the first to last page.
Great fun, I can’t wait for the next book in the series. I think I know who will be the hero.
This is a funny Regency with some good action and romance. The reason I remember it with pleasure is the way the hero time travels strikes me as hilarious.
Not usually a time travel fan, but I lived reafing about Jared & Ari. The plot twists and the fated romance cleverly done. I want more.
Time travel with ano unexpected twist. Can’t wait until the next installment is released
I bought this book because it flipped a trope I love and has the man travelling back in time and meeting a woman. However…. it still has the thing I hate most about period romances – the man constantly thinking he knows better than the woman and taking her choices away by making all the decisions himself, usually counter to what she actually wants and explicitly says. The heroine in this story is also just… meh. She’s brave, but otherwise pretty frustrating.
I really enjoyed this book all the way through!