Review: Waking Up With The Duke by Lorraine Heath

 

Title and Author:Waking Up With the Duke by Lorraine Heath
Publisher: Mass Market Paperback
Publication Date: July 1st, 2011
Paperback/Hardcover: 384
Genre: Historical Romance




Summary: 
They are masters of seduction, London's greatest lovers...
Renowned for his bedchamber prowess, Ransom Seymour, the Duke of Ainsley, owes a debt to a friend. But the payment expected is most shocking, even to an unrepentant rake—for he's being asked to provide his friend's exquisite wife with what she most dearly covets: a child.
Living for pleasure, they will give their hearts to no one...
Lady Jayne Seymour, Marchioness of Walfort, is furious that such a scandalous agreement would be made. If she acquiesces, there must be rules: no kissing... and, certainly, no pleasure.
Until love takes them by surprise.
But unexpected things occur with the surprisingly tender duke—especially once Lady Jayne discovers the rogue can make her dream again and Ransom realizes he's found the one woman he truly cannot live without.

Ania's review: 
This book’s premise was decidedly intriguing to me, but in the end I did not regret giving it a shot. It is written in such a way that you can actually understand why the characters give in to such a ludicrous agreement.
Lady Jane Seymour’s husband, the Marquess of Walfort was badly injured in a carriage accident a few years back and since then has been somewhat unable to perform his husbandly duties. So he decides to ask his best friend the Duke of Ainsley, the person who caused his injury, to help him right the wrong he has done his wife. He wishes Ainsley and Lady Jane to have an affair in order to produce the child she so deeply desires.
Ainsley is flabbergasted by his friend’s request but agrees to it due to his guilty conscience. He understands that that assignation will never occur since Lady Jane abhors him and all he represents. But Lady Jane eventually does agree, but not without a few conditions of her own.
I really liked Ainsley, and I can understand why Jane didn’t like him at all at first, she held him responsible for her husband’s accident. But I found it fascinating the way they develop their relationship/affair, the reader feels that it means so much to them than either actually care to admit.
Lady Jane was a little bit self-righteous in the beginning, ready to attribute guilt and make Ainsley seem like the worst of cads, but as they spend more time together she quickly changes her opinion of him, even showing a little guilt over her treatment of him.
When they separate I actually felt sorry for them, to have found each so late than there really wasn’t a chance for them to be together; it was a lil’ bit heartbreaking.
And while in this book there’s a husband permitting his wife to cheat, but not only that, asking her to do so with his best friend, the story was written in such a way that it made it all seem very plausible somehow. And when the hero and the heroine end up falling in love it was unfortunate to have to see them go each their own way.
Walfort was a disappointment to me. At first I thought his intentions somewhat noble, but then he goes and reveals a secret that made me despise him, even if I felt compassion for him in his way of atoning for his sins.
Over all, this book was a very enjoyable read, with great characters and a writing that makes even the biggest of cynics willing to give it a try.

Rating:  4.5 stars -Captivating 


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2 comments:

Jules said...

Hmm, this does sound good.

Thanks for the review and recommendation.

The Insouciant Sophisticate said...

What a different premise! It's interesting that it actually worked for you-it must be very well-written.

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