Eloisa James returns with another fabulous romance in her New York Times bestselling Desperate Duchesses series!As a young girl, Emilia Gwendolyn Carrington told the annoying future Duke of Pindar that she would marry any man in the world before him—so years later she is horrified to realize that she has nowhere else to turn.Evander Septimus Brody has his own reasons for agreeing to Mia’s … agreeing to Mia’s audacious proposal, but there’s one thing he won’t give his inconvenient wife: himself.
Instead, he offers Mia a devil’s bargain . . . he will spend four nights a year with her. Four nights, and nothing more. And those only when she begs for them.
Which Mia will never do.
Now Vander faces the most crucial challenge of his life: he must seduce his own wife in order to win her heart—and no matter what it takes, this is the one battle he can’t afford to lose.
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I read Everything that Eloisa James writes. One of my favorites!
Unrequited Love – Almost
Mia had to put up with a lot of blows to her self-esteem, but it didn’t stop her from chasing her dreams and daring to take risks. Vander was lucky to have her and deserved to put in the work to claim her heart. Mia and Vander’s happily ever after was a long time coming.
Great dialogue!!! I loved the interplay between Mia and Vander, although most of the time they were talking at cross purposes. I’d call the book lighthearted because of their interaction. But it also has a serious side in that it focused considerably on poor self-image. A really good read!
Eloisa James is consistently one of my favorite authors. After having read the desperate duchesses series, I am now working my way through the books about their offspring. Her heroines are smart, witty and strong and her rakes always have something redeeming in them. Chemistry, side characters, and good bed play are always a bonus as well. You won’t be disappointed.
I like her style very much. Read it: you’ll enjoy it
I like this book for so many reasons. But mostly Mia. She is not overly beautiful (her breasts too big for the time period, her figure fuller than considered beautiful) and because of taunting and teasing she is insecure about it. It made her more real that she had faults and insecurities. Every fifteen-year-old girl is insecure about something and tries to hide it behind bravado or by becoming a wallflower. Instead of the confident commanding heroine, we get someone real. Sensitive but possessing a courageous love for her nephew that has her throwing herself in the path of the one man who hurt her the most. She is willing to give up everything to protect him.
Vander was slightly harder to like. He was a dick. I mean straight up insanely a dick. Even if Mia is blackmailing him into a marriage he calls himself a gentleman but at no point does he act like one. Especially since as his friend India points out in the book that Thorn could have gotten around it, or he could have burnt the damn letter and not had to go through with the marriage. Which means his closest friends think he likes Mia and wants the marriage. But never does he act like it until the very last. He gives her up without even blinking refusing to fight for her until she’s already gone and he’s jealous. He uses sex to get his way because he knows Mia is attracted to him and her no doesn’t last long when he kisses her. It’s a bit forceful for me. And he is a dick to use it.
Charlie (Mia’s nephew) is a brave little lad. I think Vander and Mia are the perfect balance when raising him. Mia coddles him trying to shield him from hurt, as any mother would. Vander prepares him to stand on his own and not fall to society’s cruelty. I would love to see a book for him.
Chuffy is another side character I loved. A lover of the written word he was more endearing than most characters to fond of alcohol. He was a bit haunted by the past but he is the only one who accepts Mia and even goes so far as to discuss her job with her encouraging her and giving her ideas.
I did feel bad for Reeves at the end and I hope he finds his own happily ever after later.