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Almost Perfect
An Almost Perfect Escape
Cassandra Marston wagers a kiss in a card game with the incorrigible rake Lucien Hollier, Lord Graceton and willingly pays her debt when she loses. But now, desperate for funds, the beautiful lady challenges him again ... and wins! Taking Lucien's money and fleeing into the night, the surprisingly sweet taste of his kiss still on her lips, Cassie is certain she's seen the last of him -- until an untimely carriage accident forces her to feign amnesia, and she hears the rogue call her his wife!
Lucien is delighted to be able to call the bluff of the delectable vixen who bested him, no doubt through questionable methods. Whether she sticks to her "lost memory" charade or admits to a lie, Lucien will get his due! But the bewitching cardsharp is still holding several aces -- and her next sensuous gamble may just win the heart of an irresistible and noble scoundrel.
Cassandra Marston wagers a kiss in a card game with the incorrigible rake Lucien Hollier, Lord Graceton and willingly pays her debt when she loses. But now, desperate for funds, the beautiful lady challenges him again ... and wins! Taking Lucien's money and fleeing into the night, the surprisingly sweet taste of his kiss still on her lips, Cassie is certain she's seen the last of him -- until an untimely carriage accident forces her to feign amnesia, and she hears the rogue call her his wife!
Lucien is delighted to be able to call the bluff of the delectable vixen who bested him, no doubt through questionable methods. Whether she sticks to her "lost memory" charade or admits to a lie, Lucien will get his due! But the bewitching cardsharp is still holding several aces -- and her next sensuous gamble may just win the heart of an irresistible and noble scoundrel.
309 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 6, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
March 13, 2014
When Cassie Conningsby’s wannabe cardsharp father arrives home a bit bleary eyed and commands that she, her younger, innocent, sister Eliza, and he need to be on the road early in the morning, Cassie doesn’t take him seriously.
Cuz just about the time Dad wakes up and realizes that they’re not on the road yet, a knock comes at the door. Dad tries to hustle his daughters out the back way just as Earl Bucksden ignores the fact that nobody answers his knock and lets himself in. And demands payment of last night’s gaming debt—in a word, Eliza. Yup, this creepy earl expects Cassie’s 17 year old sister to pay her father's debts with her virginity. And if Eliza puts up a fight he’ll consider it foreplay.
He’s about to force the issue when Cassie coshes him on the head, leaving him on the floor, not breathing, in a spreading pool of blood. The family scarpers out the back door and heads for Cassie’s aunt by marriage. Now that Cassie’s killed an earl, they kind of need to leave the country. Problem is there’s no money for passage to America. But it’ll take a Bow Street Runner awhile to track them down, so maybe they can manage it.
Warned of their visit, auntie has accepted an invitation to a house party for the lot of them. The good news: Cassie figures at this house party she can turn their meager 20 pounds into real money. Because, unlike her wannabe father, Cassie IS a card sharp.
The bad news: She left her copy of the invite to the house party next to the earl’s body.
Lucien Hollier, Earl of Graceton, is just out of mourning for his not so dearly departed wife. Seems his wife hooked up with the aforementioned Earl of B, and nine months later she died giving birth to a stillborn child. Lucien is planning to remarry as soon as possible, get himself an heir, and then challenge bloody B to a duel. He has agreed to attend his cousin Ryecroft’s, house party so as to meet up with potential brides. So who should he happen to see?
He met Cassie during her season years ago and courted her, but just about the time he started feeling serious about her, her father asked him for a loan. Seeing how it was going to be in that family—and realizing that associating with her kin would taint his own family name, he decided to let Cassie go and look for a better match.
Whatever, she's still quite appealing. But there’s still the problem with tainting the family name, so she’s not wife material.
The story is emotionally satisfying and there were a lot of other neat twists along the way. I’ll give it 3.5 stars—if the story could’ve been placed in a different era, it might’ve gotten 4.
Cuz just about the time Dad wakes up and realizes that they’re not on the road yet, a knock comes at the door. Dad tries to hustle his daughters out the back way just as Earl Bucksden ignores the fact that nobody answers his knock and lets himself in. And demands payment of last night’s gaming debt—in a word, Eliza. Yup, this creepy earl expects Cassie’s 17 year old sister to pay her father's debts with her virginity. And if Eliza puts up a fight he’ll consider it foreplay.
He’s about to force the issue when Cassie coshes him on the head, leaving him on the floor, not breathing, in a spreading pool of blood. The family scarpers out the back door and heads for Cassie’s aunt by marriage. Now that Cassie’s killed an earl, they kind of need to leave the country. Problem is there’s no money for passage to America. But it’ll take a Bow Street Runner awhile to track them down, so maybe they can manage it.
Warned of their visit, auntie has accepted an invitation to a house party for the lot of them. The good news: Cassie figures at this house party she can turn their meager 20 pounds into real money. Because, unlike her wannabe father, Cassie IS a card sharp.
The bad news: She left her copy of the invite to the house party next to the earl’s body.
Lucien Hollier, Earl of Graceton, is just out of mourning for his not so dearly departed wife. Seems his wife hooked up with the aforementioned Earl of B, and nine months later she died giving birth to a stillborn child. Lucien is planning to remarry as soon as possible, get himself an heir, and then challenge bloody B to a duel. He has agreed to attend his cousin Ryecroft’s, house party so as to meet up with potential brides. So who should he happen to see?
He met Cassie during her season years ago and courted her, but just about the time he started feeling serious about her, her father asked him for a loan. Seeing how it was going to be in that family—and realizing that associating with her kin would taint his own family name, he decided to let Cassie go and look for a better match.
Whatever, she's still quite appealing. But there’s still the problem with tainting the family name, so she’s not wife material.
The story is emotionally satisfying and there were a lot of other neat twists along the way. I’ll give it 3.5 stars—if the story could’ve been placed in a different era, it might’ve gotten 4.
January 11, 2014
Almost Perfect is one of the best Kindle freebies I have read (out-of-copyright classics excepted), and a darned good romance. I knew I was going to enjoy it from the first scene where the rogue bursts into the heroine's home to take her sister, whom he "won" in a card game - in a lesser romance the rogue would reform and he and the sister would enjoy a happy-ever-after. But no, the heroine beans him with a vase, and the family flees, presuming he is dead and the heroine is now a murderess. Without going into spoilers, I also respect the author's having a chance to go paranormal, and not going there. There's plenty of paranormal going around already. The heroine and her sister are both well drawn characters, as are the male lead and his sidekick. This is a happy case where their motivations might be *informed* by Pride and Prejudice, without being lifted wholesale from the pages of Jane Austen. If you like Regency period romances but are looking for a change from the usual formula, you will enjoy Almost Perfect.
historical
January 25, 2019One broken urn, one fallen earl and a kiss for a wager. Add Scotland, an ace up a noble sleeve and a runaway card sharp and let the chase begin!
Desperate for funds to protect her sister, Cassandra Marston wagers a kiss in a card game with incorrigible rake Lucien Hollier, Lord Graceton. Her plan to use him costs her far more than a kiss. When she and the handsome lord play their second game, she wins every hand and flees into the night with Luciens's money, regretting she will see him no more.
Lucien races after her, only to find her alone and injured in her family's fallen coach. When she dares to feign amnesia, it's one bluff he's delighted to call. No matter what he must do, will prove she's a cheat.
Desperate for funds to protect her sister, Cassandra Marston wagers a kiss in a card game with incorrigible rake Lucien Hollier, Lord Graceton. Her plan to use him costs her far more than a kiss. When she and the handsome lord play their second game, she wins every hand and flees into the night with Luciens's money, regretting she will see him no more.
Lucien races after her, only to find her alone and injured in her family's fallen coach. When she dares to feign amnesia, it's one bluff he's delighted to call. No matter what he must do, will prove she's a cheat.
October 3, 2016
What loving father would wager his daughter in a card game? Then having lost her not tell her. So that when the man turns up to collect his winnings Cassie bashes him over the head with a urn to protect her sister. Then the family runs thinking she had killed the man. Lucien had courted Cassie six years ago but her father had tried to borrow money from him before Lucien had even declared himself. He could see what the future would hold if he married Cassie so he went his way leaving Cassie heartbroken. Now after they had both lost spouses they are brought together again, but nothing goes smoothly.
July 20, 2012
Here's a wonderful romance I downloaded free and am glad I did. I finished "Almost Perfect" in one night (staying up late, lights out and blocking the light from my iPad so my husband could sleep). I enjoy Domning's writing style, which is quite visual, down to the number of pots boiling at the hearth, or gilded chairs around a pianoforte. I appreciate her ability to transport me to Regency era-Scotland, and look forward to reading more of her books. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes historical romances.
January 31, 2014
I rated this book a 4 because I loved the banter between the hero and heroine and the hero and his cousin. In the end it ended up to be a sweet, passionate romance. Initially I did not care for the hero--he was arrogant, uncaring, and distrustful. Cassie was little better--she carried the martyr syndrome a bit far. In the end, it all works out and the book is well written enough that you keep turning the pages so you can see what will happen next. I enjoy this author's books immensely.
March 31, 2014
Loved this story mainly set at a Country House involving Cassie Conningsly, her sister, and father. Lord Graceton, Lucien is a formidable rakish bachelor, who falls again to Cassie's charms and vice versa. The Duke of Buckhaven is the dastardly evil meanie, who wants to take Cassies sister as his mistress, which he won in a bet with the father Sir Roger. I enjoyed the twists and turns and this kept me entertained. (Regency Rogues Bundle)
August 9, 2012
Pretty fun book, if a bit of a cookie cutter romance plot. The hero was your typical one but the heroine was quite interesting in that she bashed a duke over the head and nearly killed him and she was better than all the guys at playing cards. And she wasn't a virgin. And she didn't simper. +1 for no simpering.
Sexy times were pretty hawt. Overall a fun read.
Sexy times were pretty hawt. Overall a fun read.
August 12, 2012
I understand that this is considered modern by the author's standards-- Regency Romance kind of book as opposed to a beat my hairy chest and and drag ye off to my lair sort of book-- but there is plenty of action and lots of fun to be had in this story of love gone wrong the first time round but goes right the second time!
May 16, 2013
A fun regency romance from Denise Domning. Cassie and Eliza's father makes a stupid bet at cards against a wicked man. When he comes to collect his winnings Cassie stops him. That starts a wild flight up to Scotland. Cassie has to find a way to protect them all. A story with lots of adventure and great characters. Really good fun.
January 31, 2015
Excellent racy Regency
A strong hero and heroine lead an interesting cast of characters with both heroes and a villain. The past meets the present and feathers do fly. Good suspense and not an obvious solution.
A strong hero and heroine lead an interesting cast of characters with both heroes and a villain. The past meets the present and feathers do fly. Good suspense and not an obvious solution.
May 28, 2012
This was a great weekend read. Definitely need a Lucien :D
July 16, 2012
Good story! Likable characters, even the Duchesse Eleonore at the end came through, wish they was more books with these folks.
July 18, 2012
Started off a bit slow for me but lived the middle and end. Was a good laugh sometimes. I think for a free book that isn't really my main genre it was a good read.
August 1, 2012
The suspense Denise weaves through this book kept me on the edge of my seat. The characters were absolutely lovable. Definitely would recommend this book.
August 8, 2012
Not PG so there were whole pages I chose not to read but the premise was funny and sweet and I am a sucker for strong-willed independent women.
August 30, 2012
Great read, I couldn't put it down and really enjoyed the setting. I was disappointed there wasn't a second book about the heroine's sister.
September 6, 2012
I liked it. not too predictable. she gets herself into some jams and with help gets out of them. it was free.
October 29, 2012
Fun book. Heroine cracked me up and NOT a virgin (what a concept).
November 24, 2012
Great story. I enjoy all of Denise Domning's books and was not disappointed with this one. If you enjoy romance, love and just crazy ever after this is a book for you.
February 27, 2013
This was a wonderful (5-star) book UNTIL the romance became more graphic than I'm personally comfortable with. The story would not have been affected in the least if it had been less descriptive.
April 19, 2013
This book was great....until the love scenes. Too much smut for my taste.
July 14, 2013
Re read good book. June 2015
July 17, 2013
This was a nice story with great detail and lovely writing.
I prefer the Medieval stories of Ms. Domning more.
I prefer the Medieval stories of Ms. Domning more.
January 22, 2014
really not my thing, only had it because it was free, deleted after a couple of chapters
March 14, 2014
I liked this book. it had the right amount of mystery and intrigue balanced against love. It's nice to read books by an author with the ability to make you feel like you are right in the room.
June 11, 2014
Gives us girls something to reach for!
October 22, 2015
I really like Denise Domning's work and I was not disappointed by this story. Well written and a lot of fun.
October 26, 2015
Couldn't get into this book. Don't think it was a bad book, just one I didn't care for.
Want to Read
February 9, 2016historical romance, regency, he calls her his wife, she has an accident and fakes amnesia, he wins, she bets a kiss in a card game
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews