Known as The Marble Duke amongst the Ton, Garret Weston, the Duke of Kendal, sets himself apart from his peers. Nothing will hinder his guilt-driven attempt to become a perfect duke. Nothing, that is, save the alluring and imaginative betrothed he’d thought dead. His intended believes—of all things—that she is a Vicar’s daughter. The “perfect” duke needs a “perfect” duchess, but how is he to … discern her suitability? Employing her as a governess to his niece seems like an ideal solution. But whose “suitability” is being tested? His betrothed refuses to see he is beyond redemption. And most grievous of all, she stirs his blood, making him forget what’s important.
Cara believes fairy tales really can come true, until she meets the unrelenting and arrogant Duke of Kendal. He looks like a Prince, but acts like a Beast. Why must he challenge her at every turn? Her greatest peril is her attraction to the vulnerable, seductive man behind the title. A match between them would be impossible. But can she show him, without losing her heart, that “perfect” is in the eye of the beholder?
more
I enjoyed this book so much more than Love’s Guardian. The primary characters are well crafted, the secondary characters are fairly so, and the plot is just as wonderful as any the Brothers Grimm.
The monsters in this book are paper ones, without the foreshadowing found in Love’s Guardian. There is the mention of a feud between the Kendals and the Pembertons, but no explanation is given until the very end, and the monsters are quickly and conveniently dispatched.
Garret Kendal is exactly the Prince Charming every little girl dreams of, and it is easy to place Cara McClure in the role of Cinderella. Her character arc is not as developed as his, which, if it had, would easily have garnered a 5 star rating from me.
My jury was out on Ireland’s writing before. After reading Love’s Guardian, I will gladly pick up her books when I’m looking for something to read.
I really enjoyed this book. A hard man meets a good-hearted woman and becomes a better person.
easy reading romantic
A nice take on learning what is important in life. Our leading man started out as a bit of a jerk in my opinion, but love can do all kinds of things. I loved her spunk and that she was true to herself. Would definitely read this author again.
www these characters are wonderful! I didn’t want the story to end.
Nice twist on a theme. A bit more sustance than some of the genre.
Great story developement. I could not stop reading.
Love the Georgian era refences and the happily ever after dreams of our sould be princess. Lovely story and likable characters
It was a great book. Once I started, I had to finish it. I loved the main characters but I also loved the secondary characters and I am waiting for their stories.
Too many plots jumping around
L
Characters are introduced and forgotten. (She supposedly goes there as a governess, but the child is hardly in the book, and is set-dressing, for instance.)
It suffers from what I call Too Much Plot Syndrome — when in doubt, throw in another freakish plot twist, that neither grows out of what came before, nor leads into anything yet to come. There is no satisfying resolution to any of them.
The plot is not being twisted — more like being wrenched! The plot twist towards the end changed the genre. The whole book cannot decide what it wants to be — romance, mystery, gothic horror, occasional touches of screwball comedy. It may be possible to do all those and make it work, but this book is not the one to do it.
There are moments that are funny and even a bit romantic. Too bad she doesn’t stick with those, and do something within her reach, then branch out to other stories later. Most telling flaw: I couldn’t see why she would have anything to do with this guy! While she was passing his tests (ridiculous and utterly unbelievable), he was failing hers.
Enjoyed a story with characters who had some starch to their spirits. Also liked that there was lots of twists in the plot—kept me on my toes. Well-edited, too.