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Dukes Behaving Badly #1
The Duke's Guide to Correct Behavior
All of London knows the Duke of Rutherford has position and wealth. They also whisper that he’s dissolute, devilish, and determinedly unwed. So why, everyone is asking, has he hired a governess?
When Miss Lily Russell crosses the threshold of the Duke of Rutherford’s stylish townhouse, she knows she has come face to face with sensual danger. For this is no doting papa. Rather, his behavior is scandalous, and his reputation rightly earned. And his pursuit of her is nearly irresistible—but resist she must for the sake of her pupil.
As for the duke himself, it was bad enough when his unknown child landed on his doorstep. Now Lily, with her unassuming beauty, has aroused his most wicked fantasies—and, shockingly, his desire to change his wanton ways. He’s determined to become worthy of her, and so he asks for her help in correcting his behavior.
But Lily has a secret, one that, if it becomes known, could change everything…
When Miss Lily Russell crosses the threshold of the Duke of Rutherford’s stylish townhouse, she knows she has come face to face with sensual danger. For this is no doting papa. Rather, his behavior is scandalous, and his reputation rightly earned. And his pursuit of her is nearly irresistible—but resist she must for the sake of her pupil.
As for the duke himself, it was bad enough when his unknown child landed on his doorstep. Now Lily, with her unassuming beauty, has aroused his most wicked fantasies—and, shockingly, his desire to change his wanton ways. He’s determined to become worthy of her, and so he asks for her help in correcting his behavior.
But Lily has a secret, one that, if it becomes known, could change everything…
384 pages, ebook
First published November 25, 2014
190 people are currently reading
2000 people want to read
About the author
Megan Frampton
37 books1,050 followersMegan Frampton's love affair with books began when her parents moved her to a remote town in New Hampshire where there was only one television station. And then the TV broke. She devoured every book of fiction in her well-read parents' library, finding special joy in Georgette Heyer and the fairy tales collected and translated by Andrew Lang. Megan majored in English literature at Barnard College and worked in the music industry for fifteen years. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband (her former intern) and her kid.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 248 reviews
May 13, 2016
The Duke’s Guide to Correct Behavior is the first in Megan Frampton’s Dukes Behaving Badly series. It’s a fun, romantic, sexy story that does what I love most in my historical romance reading – it makes a mockery of the ton and the self righteous, pompous imbeciles who inhabit it.
Lily and Marcus are a great match, and the journey to their happily ever after made me laugh, sigh, and fan myself. The unconventional (for the times) way they handled themselves and their relationship has made them one of my favorite couples. My only real complaint? The ending was very abrupt. I would have loved to see this amazing family a few years down the road, to get a peek at how Marcus, Lily, and Rose (and any future additions to the garden) were doing.
I’m excited to move on to read Put Up Your Duke next!
An ARC was provided by Avon Books. In return I’m giving them an honest review.
Blurb…I can’t begin to list all the things I most enjoyed about this story, but I can assure you that, at the top of the list, is Rose, the Duke of Rutherford’s adorable daughter. Sometimes kids in stories can be too charming, too adorable, and too precocious, but not Rose. Rose is a delightful, inquisitive child and I fell in love with her from the start!
All of London knows the Duke of Rutherford has position and wealth. They also whisper that he’s dissolute, devilish, and determinedly unwed. So why, everyone is asking, has he hired a governess?
When Miss Lily Russell crosses the threshold of the Duke of Rutherford’s stylish townhouse, she knows she has come face to face with sensual danger. For this is no doting papa. Rather, his behavior is scandalous, and his reputation rightly earned. And his pursuit of her is nearly irresistible—but resist she must for the sake of her pupil.
As for the duke himself, it was bad enough when his unknown child landed on his doorstep. Now Lily, with her unassuming beauty, has aroused his most wicked fantasies—and, shockingly, his desire to change his wanton ways. He’s determined to become worthy of her, and so he asks for her help in correcting his behavior.
But Lily has a secret, one that, if it becomes known, could change everything . . .
Lily and Marcus are a great match, and the journey to their happily ever after made me laugh, sigh, and fan myself. The unconventional (for the times) way they handled themselves and their relationship has made them one of my favorite couples. My only real complaint? The ending was very abrupt. I would have loved to see this amazing family a few years down the road, to get a peek at how Marcus, Lily, and Rose (and any future additions to the garden) were doing.
I’m excited to move on to read Put Up Your Duke next!
An ARC was provided by Avon Books. In return I’m giving them an honest review.
June 7, 2025
DNF around page 56.
Oh, Wow! And I really do love governess stories where there is a social standing difference that must be dealt with but love conquers all... I honestly could barely get to page 56, it was that corny, that annoying, that bad.
The first annoying thing with the writing style in this book: inner dialogues. All the time, from both the hero and the heroine. The inner dialogues going on in their heads made them each come across as idiots. Complete idiots. Then there was the issue of what I just read in the idiotic inner dialogue vs. what they actually do or say and it not all matching up. Very inconsistent. For example: the heroine was so intimidated by having to work in a Duke's household, constantly fretting over it in her head but then every time she talks to him (without being addressed first, by the way) she would barge in unannounced into whatever room he was in, openly roll her eyes at him, question him, etc upon their first meeting none the less. And here she was the owner of an employment agency and should know the social rules 😵💫
I finally gave up when Lily went in search of asking the hero where the cat was. The 'all black one with white spots'. And when the Duke told himself, 'then its not all black' ... I gave up on the book. Just corny, corny, corny. The story was pointless and going nowhere. Oh, and the hero trying to find a best friend was confusing because of how ridiculous it was. Why did he not already have any friends? And even the butler was a jerk, arrogant and openly rude to all for no reason.
Rant over.
Oh, Wow! And I really do love governess stories where there is a social standing difference that must be dealt with but love conquers all... I honestly could barely get to page 56, it was that corny, that annoying, that bad.
The first annoying thing with the writing style in this book: inner dialogues. All the time, from both the hero and the heroine. The inner dialogues going on in their heads made them each come across as idiots. Complete idiots. Then there was the issue of what I just read in the idiotic inner dialogue vs. what they actually do or say and it not all matching up. Very inconsistent. For example: the heroine was so intimidated by having to work in a Duke's household, constantly fretting over it in her head but then every time she talks to him (without being addressed first, by the way) she would barge in unannounced into whatever room he was in, openly roll her eyes at him, question him, etc upon their first meeting none the less. And here she was the owner of an employment agency and should know the social rules 😵💫
I finally gave up when Lily went in search of asking the hero where the cat was. The 'all black one with white spots'. And when the Duke told himself, 'then its not all black' ... I gave up on the book. Just corny, corny, corny. The story was pointless and going nowhere. Oh, and the hero trying to find a best friend was confusing because of how ridiculous it was. Why did he not already have any friends? And even the butler was a jerk, arrogant and openly rude to all for no reason.
Rant over.
June 20, 2014
Such a funny, fabulous book! I fell in love with this duke, who was going through a transition in his life. And I really love governess stories, especially when the child the heroine is watching is so adorable. Not annoyingly adorable, just real and cute. And the heroine is wonderful! Great book.
March 19, 2015
This could have been fun if it had been billed as a contemporary American billionaire romance, but alas. I mean, I was expecting a wallpaper historical, but this was beyond wallpaper. There were several times when I wished the author would have just had a unicorn walk down the street and called it fantasy. It would have been more believable. (And been no less nonsensical, frankly.)
I made it past the second time Rose talked about pudding (I'm pretty sure in the US sense), then decided to count how often proper/improper was used: it averages to once every other page. By this point I realized I was only a third of the way through and had a moment when I wanted to cry at the thought of spending more time on it. But hurray! This wasn't homework and I have scores of other books I can read instead.
DNF at 100 pages. It's not horrible, it's just in the wrong time period and on the wrong continent. Poor lost story, I hope you get rewritten to your homeland someday.
I made it past the second time Rose talked about pudding (I'm pretty sure in the US sense), then decided to count how often proper/improper was used: it averages to once every other page. By this point I realized I was only a third of the way through and had a moment when I wanted to cry at the thought of spending more time on it. But hurray! This wasn't homework and I have scores of other books I can read instead.
DNF at 100 pages. It's not horrible, it's just in the wrong time period and on the wrong continent. Poor lost story, I hope you get rewritten to your homeland someday.
August 23, 2021
4 Stars
The Plot
Marcus has inherited the title of Duke of Rutherford after a bunch of people unfortunately died. No one expected him to inherit, so he is rather an unlikely Duke, who now has more money and power than he knows what to do with. When his illegitimate daughter arrives on his doorstep (as his former mistress, the girl's mother has passed away), Marcus is thrust into the role of being a responsible father. Enter, Lily, the heroine, who runs an employment agency, but she accepts the job of the Governess for little Ms Rose as a reference from a Ducal household will put her agency on the map.
What I Liked
The characters in this book are likeable, the story flows pretty well, the conversational, intellectual chemistry is very interesting and sexual tension between Marcus and Lily is a slow burn. The way Ms Frampton has evolved individual relationships between characters seems endearing. The internal thoughts & dialogue was very droll, I generally dislike long-winded thought battles but it was portrayed well in this book.
A light, simple and adorable plot. The plot does not carry excess anything, no extra drama, no big misunderstanding, no dangerous villains etc & even the side characters were amusing.
The prose is very humorous in an obvious way, it's not for everyone but I found it exceptionally funny as I enjoy the sarcastic, wry, dry, droll, very English humour and this book delivered. The book has a ton of Quotable Quotes, that I have taken screenshots of.
The book is named such because Marcus is learning how to be Duke using a book called 'A Duke's Guide to Correct Behaviour' and each chapter opens with a quote from this fictional guide.
A duke must never exhibit an unseemly emotion
I'll do what I want
This quote is my Whatsapp display picture!
A duke's calling card must include his full name and all titles, not just say "Duke". But if necessary, "Duke" will do.
What felt wanting
More sexual tension, I can feel them sizzling but then the door was just shut! Too clean perhaps for my liking!
The Hero
Marus was utterly likeable, lovable & totally adorable. He was behaving like any young, recently come into the title, the duke would behave. He was drinking with his friends, having fun, being rakish. All in all not very properly ducal. What I loved was he wants to change his ways, take responsibility, be believed in, do better for his daughter & even for Lily, despite being told by his brother & father that he would never amount to anything! Step by step he does well. I adore the personal development of a character. Oh and he likes to walk! I don't really know why I felt like mentioning it here, but this stuck with me.
The Heroine
Lily was utterly likeable as well. She is a good example of a strong, independent character. The way she forged a relationship with Rose, her conversations with and inputs to Marcus, her internal dialogue about battling her attraction to her employer, is funny rather than annoyingly pitiful. I personally was very appreciative of the fact that her employment agency is very caring of their charges, for example - she buys condoms for her female employees for their sexual safety & well being. Very progressive for the Victorian Era! Loved that.
My Recommendation
If you are looking for a fun afternoon, no stress read, I dearly recommend this book. I will definitely be reading the next book in this series.
The Plot
Marcus has inherited the title of Duke of Rutherford after a bunch of people unfortunately died. No one expected him to inherit, so he is rather an unlikely Duke, who now has more money and power than he knows what to do with. When his illegitimate daughter arrives on his doorstep (as his former mistress, the girl's mother has passed away), Marcus is thrust into the role of being a responsible father. Enter, Lily, the heroine, who runs an employment agency, but she accepts the job of the Governess for little Ms Rose as a reference from a Ducal household will put her agency on the map.
What I Liked
The characters in this book are likeable, the story flows pretty well, the conversational, intellectual chemistry is very interesting and sexual tension between Marcus and Lily is a slow burn. The way Ms Frampton has evolved individual relationships between characters seems endearing. The internal thoughts & dialogue was very droll, I generally dislike long-winded thought battles but it was portrayed well in this book.
A light, simple and adorable plot. The plot does not carry excess anything, no extra drama, no big misunderstanding, no dangerous villains etc & even the side characters were amusing.
The prose is very humorous in an obvious way, it's not for everyone but I found it exceptionally funny as I enjoy the sarcastic, wry, dry, droll, very English humour and this book delivered. The book has a ton of Quotable Quotes, that I have taken screenshots of.
The book is named such because Marcus is learning how to be Duke using a book called 'A Duke's Guide to Correct Behaviour' and each chapter opens with a quote from this fictional guide.
I'll do what I want
This quote is my Whatsapp display picture!
A duke's calling card must include his full name and all titles, not just say "Duke". But if necessary, "Duke" will do.
What felt wanting
More sexual tension, I can feel them sizzling but then the door was just shut! Too clean perhaps for my liking!
The Hero
Marus was utterly likeable, lovable & totally adorable. He was behaving like any young, recently come into the title, the duke would behave. He was drinking with his friends, having fun, being rakish. All in all not very properly ducal. What I loved was he wants to change his ways, take responsibility, be believed in, do better for his daughter & even for Lily, despite being told by his brother & father that he would never amount to anything! Step by step he does well. I adore the personal development of a character. Oh and he likes to walk! I don't really know why I felt like mentioning it here, but this stuck with me.
The Heroine
Lily was utterly likeable as well. She is a good example of a strong, independent character. The way she forged a relationship with Rose, her conversations with and inputs to Marcus, her internal dialogue about battling her attraction to her employer, is funny rather than annoyingly pitiful. I personally was very appreciative of the fact that her employment agency is very caring of their charges, for example - she buys condoms for her female employees for their sexual safety & well being. Very progressive for the Victorian Era! Loved that.
My Recommendation
If you are looking for a fun afternoon, no stress read, I dearly recommend this book. I will definitely be reading the next book in this series.
August 9, 2020
After inheriting his title of Duke of Rutherford, Marcus has lived a life of devilry and wickedness, caring nothing about his new role, but rather his own enjoyment. That all comes to a head when Rose, his illegitimate, 4 year old, daughter, arrives on his doorstep, alone and having recently lost her mother, he knows he needs to change his ways. First things first is hiring a governess, and that's where Miss Lily Russell makes her appearance. She's not actually a trained governess, but as the daughter of an impoverished vicar, she can get through it all, and knows that all Rose really needs is some care and attention for the time being. Both her and Marcus know that they shouldn't be together, not with Lily being in Marcus' employ, but both fall for each other, too hard, and too fast, for it to be anything but inevitable.
This was a book I noticed on my library's ebook service during lockdown, and though I hadn't heard of the author before, the synopsis appealed to me, and it was an enjoyable read one summer morning. I liked, for the most part, the historical aspects of the book, though there were some inaccuracies that annoyed me at first - but then I got used to. The main issue was Lily introducing herself as Miss Lily, rather than Miss Russell, and everyone else going along with it. That being said, I enjoyed Lily as a character, how she didn't back down from her goals and wishes, and was willing to sacrifice herself for those she cared about when the inevitable angst appeared. Marcus was a character who had to grow on me, but the way he changed his wicked ways so quickly when faced with his daughter, and knowing he was the only person she had in the world, was so admirable, and made me understand why Lily fell so hard, so quickly! The ending was perfect, and I love the whole idea of the 'garden' - definitely a worthwhile book!
This was a book I noticed on my library's ebook service during lockdown, and though I hadn't heard of the author before, the synopsis appealed to me, and it was an enjoyable read one summer morning. I liked, for the most part, the historical aspects of the book, though there were some inaccuracies that annoyed me at first - but then I got used to. The main issue was Lily introducing herself as Miss Lily, rather than Miss Russell, and everyone else going along with it. That being said, I enjoyed Lily as a character, how she didn't back down from her goals and wishes, and was willing to sacrifice herself for those she cared about when the inevitable angst appeared. Marcus was a character who had to grow on me, but the way he changed his wicked ways so quickly when faced with his daughter, and knowing he was the only person she had in the world, was so admirable, and made me understand why Lily fell so hard, so quickly! The ending was perfect, and I love the whole idea of the 'garden' - definitely a worthwhile book!
April 20, 2015
Great book!
I have to say that I really enjoyed this book. I loved the Duke Marcus and his not so dukely manners. He was quite entertaining. Handsome, strong and funny. So was our heroine Lily. They made a fantastic couple. The chemistry was great! Lots of sexual attraction and a nicely written sex scene towards the end but the attraction and sexual tension lasted through the entire book.
I am not normally a fan of so much inner dialogue thoughts but this one had some very funny lines. For example.
...Of course, the duke strolled into the breakfast room as though they hadn't shared a kiss the night before. Although how would he acknowledge it? He couldn't just walk in and say, "Hello, Miss Lily, I see your mouth is no longer attached to mine." To which, she thought, she could reply, " Your backside is really lovely"....
The inner thoughts dialogue was like this throughout the book. As I said I prefer regular dialogue between the characters much more but if I am going to read this kind I am so okay with it!
The story line and plot were great, I love all the character and the entire story.
I highly recommend this book. A really fun read for sure!
I have to say that I really enjoyed this book. I loved the Duke Marcus and his not so dukely manners. He was quite entertaining. Handsome, strong and funny. So was our heroine Lily. They made a fantastic couple. The chemistry was great! Lots of sexual attraction and a nicely written sex scene towards the end but the attraction and sexual tension lasted through the entire book.
I am not normally a fan of so much inner dialogue thoughts but this one had some very funny lines. For example.
...Of course, the duke strolled into the breakfast room as though they hadn't shared a kiss the night before. Although how would he acknowledge it? He couldn't just walk in and say, "Hello, Miss Lily, I see your mouth is no longer attached to mine." To which, she thought, she could reply, " Your backside is really lovely"....
The inner thoughts dialogue was like this throughout the book. As I said I prefer regular dialogue between the characters much more but if I am going to read this kind I am so okay with it!
The story line and plot were great, I love all the character and the entire story.
I highly recommend this book. A really fun read for sure!
November 12, 2014
received a ARC copy in exchange for a honest review, thanks to Edelweiss and Avon Books.
The Duke's Guide To Correct Behavior, is the first book of the latest series by Megan Frampton...who is a new author to me. I will say that I was very impressed with this title....it had so much in it that I am looking for in a Regency Historical Romance, and in a solid and balanced story. The first thing that drew me to this story, was the idea of a hired governess. I always love a governess theme to a story, I always have, it's a style of a story that is so easy to relate with, and I had no problems connecting with the main characters of the story.
In this book, we have the hero: the Duke of Rutherford, Marcus is quite the character. I just adored him from page one. At first he appears to be your average rake who loves his drinking and his women and parties. But when he learns that his daughter's mother, has passed away, and that his child has no one to care for her, he steps in and takes responsibility. The first thing he does is hire a governess, Miss Lily Russell. Lily and her friends are trying to build up a business of governesses, and aiding women that need help. Lily going to work as a governess for a Duke is one sure way to get their business going. Lily feels a attraction the Marcus right away, but she also feels a emotional connection to her charge, a sweet little girl who just needs some loving.
There are quite a few things about this book that I really loved. The first thing was the family bond these three seem to form from the get go. There was such a charming tone to this story and the way Lily and Marcus are with each other. Marcus isn't your normal rake...I just adored him. At first he seems to be a scoundrel, but the moment that his daughter enters his life, his whole outlook changes. Marcus was never supposed to be the Duke, and was always treated as second best. But now he is a Duke, with more power than he knows what to do with. In this story, we a man that is honorable and dedicated fully to his daughter. When he starts to spending more time with Lily, there is desire, but we see a strong emotional side to their relationship form at the same time--which is not your average regency theme in any way. I loved seeing the balance of the plot, and how everything comes together in a perfectly good way. What I also liked was how devoted Marcus is to Lily, and it was quite riveting seeing this story evolve.
Overall a charming and sweet romance that won my heart. A story that is a delightful mix of witty characters, a gentle flow to the plot, a book that will pull the reader, and touch their hearts. WELL DONE!!
The Duke's Guide To Correct Behavior, is the first book of the latest series by Megan Frampton...who is a new author to me. I will say that I was very impressed with this title....it had so much in it that I am looking for in a Regency Historical Romance, and in a solid and balanced story. The first thing that drew me to this story, was the idea of a hired governess. I always love a governess theme to a story, I always have, it's a style of a story that is so easy to relate with, and I had no problems connecting with the main characters of the story.
In this book, we have the hero: the Duke of Rutherford, Marcus is quite the character. I just adored him from page one. At first he appears to be your average rake who loves his drinking and his women and parties. But when he learns that his daughter's mother, has passed away, and that his child has no one to care for her, he steps in and takes responsibility. The first thing he does is hire a governess, Miss Lily Russell. Lily and her friends are trying to build up a business of governesses, and aiding women that need help. Lily going to work as a governess for a Duke is one sure way to get their business going. Lily feels a attraction the Marcus right away, but she also feels a emotional connection to her charge, a sweet little girl who just needs some loving.
There are quite a few things about this book that I really loved. The first thing was the family bond these three seem to form from the get go. There was such a charming tone to this story and the way Lily and Marcus are with each other. Marcus isn't your normal rake...I just adored him. At first he seems to be a scoundrel, but the moment that his daughter enters his life, his whole outlook changes. Marcus was never supposed to be the Duke, and was always treated as second best. But now he is a Duke, with more power than he knows what to do with. In this story, we a man that is honorable and dedicated fully to his daughter. When he starts to spending more time with Lily, there is desire, but we see a strong emotional side to their relationship form at the same time--which is not your average regency theme in any way. I loved seeing the balance of the plot, and how everything comes together in a perfectly good way. What I also liked was how devoted Marcus is to Lily, and it was quite riveting seeing this story evolve.
Overall a charming and sweet romance that won my heart. A story that is a delightful mix of witty characters, a gentle flow to the plot, a book that will pull the reader, and touch their hearts. WELL DONE!!
November 26, 2014
This was an enjoyable enough story, with interesting characters and a passable plot. The writing could be a little too green for me at times, with some annoying inner monologues from both the male and female protagonists. I think their inner comments were supposed to be funny, but mostly I just found them childish.
Having said this, the dialogue between the two characters was completely different. The chemistry between them was almost tangible and I enjoyed how the author played with their roles of employer and employee by mixing them up a little bit. At times Lilly was the one in charge and Marcus following her lead, often with Rose then striding forward and taking complete control of the adults. It was the picture of a perfect family unit, something that none of them had ever had before.
I liked the inclusion of a child in this story, it made the stereotypical badly behaving Duke falls for strong woman scenario a little less samey and meant that the foundation of their relationship was built upon the need to create a secure place for a child and not just purely on sex. Not that there's no sex in these pages, there is, just not bunches of it.
Overall a quick read that would be enjoyable enough to pass away a rainy day (or more like a snow day at the moment).
Having said this, the dialogue between the two characters was completely different. The chemistry between them was almost tangible and I enjoyed how the author played with their roles of employer and employee by mixing them up a little bit. At times Lilly was the one in charge and Marcus following her lead, often with Rose then striding forward and taking complete control of the adults. It was the picture of a perfect family unit, something that none of them had ever had before.
I liked the inclusion of a child in this story, it made the stereotypical badly behaving Duke falls for strong woman scenario a little less samey and meant that the foundation of their relationship was built upon the need to create a secure place for a child and not just purely on sex. Not that there's no sex in these pages, there is, just not bunches of it.
Overall a quick read that would be enjoyable enough to pass away a rainy day (or more like a snow day at the moment).
December 5, 2014
Disclosure: I received this ARC through Edelweiss for this event. Thank you to Megan Frampton and Avon for the opportunity. Yes, this is an honest review.
* * *
As I read through this novel, I was reminded of Jack Nicholson's memorable line in As Good as It Gets : "You make me want to be a better man." -- I think the sentiment is the same for Marcus, the new Duke of Rutherford, who only has a vague idea of what it means to hold his title and has no future plans beyond choosing his new best friend. He longs for his former life, free of the encumbrances of a title and the only thing he focused on was his quiet walks alone in the countryside.
When his illegitimate daughter is delivered at his door, with news that her mother has died, Marcus hires a governess because that's what he thinks he's supposed to do -- Marcus struck me as a man operating at 75% efficiency: he knows what he is supposed to do and what is expected of him -- but he just isn't motivated ... yet. The duke's life unexpectedly changes when two females enter his life: Rose, his daughter, and Lily, his daughter's governess. He hadn't expected to be involved in his daughter's life and had definitely not expected to be involved in his daughter's governess -- but the two ladies in Marcus's life have lit a spark in Marcus and have given him his much-needed push.
Sometimes I think we don't take comedy and humour seriously, that we dismiss it as silly and nonsense and don't realise that there are truths all this funny stuff presents. Such is the case of Megan Frampton's The Duke's Guide to Correct Behavior. It's a lot of wit and laughter, but there's also a lot to be quiet and reflect about: the notion of belonging, of being worthy, of having purpose, and of being part of something greater than one's self.
I discovered Megan Frampton's very unique sense of humour through her previous books and it's very well-highlighted in this novel. Lily Russell takes on the governess post without hesitation, thinking what a duke would do to boost her employment agency's reputation. It's only when she arrives at the duke's house that she realises that she has no idea how to proceed. Marcus is new to being a duke and a father. Lily is new to pretending to be a governess (complete with fake references). But there is just a large amount of sincerity and eagerness between these two that you can't fault them for trying. I honestly worried about our hero and heroine, who were so concerned with what was proper and correct, but could not help but act improperly with each other. It was clear from the beginning that Lily was attracted to Marcus's good looks, and Marcus was impressed that Lily wasn't afraid to stand up to him.
The romance was one of the novel's strong points, showing the tug between what one wants and what one ought to want: Marcus knows he must make a good marriage if he is to secure Rose's (and his own) position in society, but he cannot help how he feels for Lily. Lily knows she can not dare to aim so high as a duke, considering her "lowly" place in the world. The phrase "I want this" is repeated quite a bit in the conversations between Marcus and Lily -- and it's wonderful to hear a hero and heroine give voice to what is in their hears, but it's equally heartbreaking when you see how they could not act on it.
It was also a bit saddening to see how illegitimate children were treated in those times, and part of the novel's obstacle was how Marcus and Lily carefully tried to bring Rose into society. Despite Marcus's "story" that Rose was his ward, the daughter of a cousin, the rumours about Rose's birth persisted -- and the situation was compounded when Lily's own past becomes an issue. While this is not a story where the fate of London or of England hung in the balance, it doesn't mean nothing great was at stake: the situation that Marcus and Lily find themselves required a great sacrifice on both their parts. It made me realise that there is just as much urgency in being able to live a full and authentic life, which was what Marcus and Lily needed.
Overall, this was a very good read. As this is the first book in the new series, I'm very excited to read the next instalment. (I'm especially curious about Lily's agency and the women they place. I hope to read more about them. ^_^)
* * *
As I read through this novel, I was reminded of Jack Nicholson's memorable line in As Good as It Gets : "You make me want to be a better man." -- I think the sentiment is the same for Marcus, the new Duke of Rutherford, who only has a vague idea of what it means to hold his title and has no future plans beyond choosing his new best friend. He longs for his former life, free of the encumbrances of a title and the only thing he focused on was his quiet walks alone in the countryside.
When his illegitimate daughter is delivered at his door, with news that her mother has died, Marcus hires a governess because that's what he thinks he's supposed to do -- Marcus struck me as a man operating at 75% efficiency: he knows what he is supposed to do and what is expected of him -- but he just isn't motivated ... yet. The duke's life unexpectedly changes when two females enter his life: Rose, his daughter, and Lily, his daughter's governess. He hadn't expected to be involved in his daughter's life and had definitely not expected to be involved in his daughter's governess -- but the two ladies in Marcus's life have lit a spark in Marcus and have given him his much-needed push.
Twenty-four hours earlier, his primary concern had been whether to anoint Collins or Smithfield his new best friend. He still hadn't decided, but he was leaning toward Smithfield, since Collins ate the last bit of roast beef and had the temerity to ask a question of a duke. Smithfield had just snored.
- loc 377
Sometimes I think we don't take comedy and humour seriously, that we dismiss it as silly and nonsense and don't realise that there are truths all this funny stuff presents. Such is the case of Megan Frampton's The Duke's Guide to Correct Behavior. It's a lot of wit and laughter, but there's also a lot to be quiet and reflect about: the notion of belonging, of being worthy, of having purpose, and of being part of something greater than one's self.
Lily didn't want to drift herself. She wanted a purpose and joy in her life.
- loc 853
I discovered Megan Frampton's very unique sense of humour through her previous books and it's very well-highlighted in this novel. Lily Russell takes on the governess post without hesitation, thinking what a duke would do to boost her employment agency's reputation. It's only when she arrives at the duke's house that she realises that she has no idea how to proceed. Marcus is new to being a duke and a father. Lily is new to pretending to be a governess (complete with fake references). But there is just a large amount of sincerity and eagerness between these two that you can't fault them for trying. I honestly worried about our hero and heroine, who were so concerned with what was proper and correct, but could not help but act improperly with each other. It was clear from the beginning that Lily was attracted to Marcus's good looks, and Marcus was impressed that Lily wasn't afraid to stand up to him.
The romance was one of the novel's strong points, showing the tug between what one wants and what one ought to want: Marcus knows he must make a good marriage if he is to secure Rose's (and his own) position in society, but he cannot help how he feels for Lily. Lily knows she can not dare to aim so high as a duke, considering her "lowly" place in the world. The phrase "I want this" is repeated quite a bit in the conversations between Marcus and Lily -- and it's wonderful to hear a hero and heroine give voice to what is in their hears, but it's equally heartbreaking when you see how they could not act on it.
He was her employer. She was his employee. Nothing else could happen. But she couldn't stop herself from imagining all sorts of things that could happen if they were in different circumstances.
- loc 3271
It was also a bit saddening to see how illegitimate children were treated in those times, and part of the novel's obstacle was how Marcus and Lily carefully tried to bring Rose into society. Despite Marcus's "story" that Rose was his ward, the daughter of a cousin, the rumours about Rose's birth persisted -- and the situation was compounded when Lily's own past becomes an issue. While this is not a story where the fate of London or of England hung in the balance, it doesn't mean nothing great was at stake: the situation that Marcus and Lily find themselves required a great sacrifice on both their parts. It made me realise that there is just as much urgency in being able to live a full and authentic life, which was what Marcus and Lily needed.
Overall, this was a very good read. As this is the first book in the new series, I'm very excited to read the next instalment. (I'm especially curious about Lily's agency and the women they place. I hope to read more about them. ^_^)
did-not-finish
March 30, 2018DNF @ page 214
I tried to keep going but this was just so boring. Too much repetition of the word “proper”, not enough chemistry between the characters & the writing was too simple. I’ve heard some later books in this series are better so I might give those a try.
I tried to keep going but this was just so boring. Too much repetition of the word “proper”, not enough chemistry between the characters & the writing was too simple. I’ve heard some later books in this series are better so I might give those a try.
March 5, 2016
3,5 stars! This book was just what I needed. A light, fluffy romance with cats and a super cute kid. Just as a nice as Anabelle's short story. Hope Caroline will get a book too ^^
February 15, 2016
Marcus never expected to be a duke. He was raised to be a gentleman, but then his father died, and his brother died, and he was next in line to inherit the title. (From whence the original title comes, we still don't know – an uncle, perhaps?) So he spends his time in the throes of debauchery, drinking, gambling, wenching, and doing nothing more challenging in his life than balancing a spoon on his nose for longer than anyone else. Naturally, he's bored, so when his illegitimate daughter comes to his door, he suddenly finds a purpose for his life and becomes quite determined to raise his daughter properly. Except to do that the girl needs a governess. So he turns to the recently opened Quality Employment Agency, run “by a group of well-bred ladies” one of which happens to be our heroine, Lily. She decides to answer the summons herself, which thus places her in the home and in the path of this scandalous duke, which she soon finds is a dangerous spot to occupy.
This was a rather strange read for me. I initially thought it was a Regency, which was why I got it, and so I was anticipating something in the vein of Georgette Heyer, if not perhaps as skillfully done. (Probably because of the misleading cover photo: the model is wearing a Regency gown, which would've been woefully out-of-date for the actual setting of the book, 1840; by then, waistlines had fallen slightly, though still not to the natural waistline, skirts were bell-like, and sleeves were quite balloon-y.) As I read, though, I realized that, in many ways, this was simply a modern romance plunked into an early Victorian setting, complete with snarky asides and self-deprecating inner thoughts. Switch out some names and certain articles of clothing, and the story could take place anytime in the last couple of years. At first, this approach was cute and entertaining, but the longer I read, the more it grated, exactly because of this superficiality and flippancy. See, I'm a stickler when it comes to accuracy and research. Work around it, play with it, insert as much snark and sarcasm and flippancy as you like, but be accurate to the time period you're working with, is my thought. A thinking which Megan Frampton didn't share. In addition to those snarky inner monologues and repartee, her characters were breaching etiquette left, right, and center, using the wrong names, eating meals with kids (which was never, ever done – children ate separately in the nursery), barging into rooms without knocking, servants entering by the front door, etc.
At its core, the main problem with the book was its immature writing. Basic grammatical/spelling mistakes aside, the word choices, sentence construction, and general set-up was just so irritatingly puerile in many ways. There's no actual villain in the piece, so the book mostly consists of Lily and Marcus dithering over their feelings for each other: she thinks he's so hawt and he just wants to bone her luscious bod, and we spend oodles of time with their inner monologues concerning their insta-love, monologues which take up the majority of their interactions with each other, even while in the midst of actual conversations with other people. Once they finally dance the horizontal mambo (after a couple of heavy petting scenes which led nowhere except to some major frustration for the duke), there's the obligatory misunderstanding which causes Lily to run away which then leads to the big finale. At which the two of them act quite inappropriately in front of Queen Victoria, something I'm sure would not amuse her one bit. The whole book was, well, rather stupid. There was some entertaining chemistry in the verbal sparring between Marcus and Lily, and Rose was appropriately adorable, but there's nothing of any actual substance to the book once you get past those few details. Is that necessarily a bad thing? No. But it's not necessarily a great thing, either.
In the end, I wouldn't call this brain-damaging fluff, but it's most definitely fluff: a light, frothy meringue that doesn't stick with you once the last page is read.
This was a rather strange read for me. I initially thought it was a Regency, which was why I got it, and so I was anticipating something in the vein of Georgette Heyer, if not perhaps as skillfully done. (Probably because of the misleading cover photo: the model is wearing a Regency gown, which would've been woefully out-of-date for the actual setting of the book, 1840; by then, waistlines had fallen slightly, though still not to the natural waistline, skirts were bell-like, and sleeves were quite balloon-y.) As I read, though, I realized that, in many ways, this was simply a modern romance plunked into an early Victorian setting, complete with snarky asides and self-deprecating inner thoughts. Switch out some names and certain articles of clothing, and the story could take place anytime in the last couple of years. At first, this approach was cute and entertaining, but the longer I read, the more it grated, exactly because of this superficiality and flippancy. See, I'm a stickler when it comes to accuracy and research. Work around it, play with it, insert as much snark and sarcasm and flippancy as you like, but be accurate to the time period you're working with, is my thought. A thinking which Megan Frampton didn't share. In addition to those snarky inner monologues and repartee, her characters were breaching etiquette left, right, and center, using the wrong names, eating meals with kids (which was never, ever done – children ate separately in the nursery), barging into rooms without knocking, servants entering by the front door, etc.
At its core, the main problem with the book was its immature writing. Basic grammatical/spelling mistakes aside, the word choices, sentence construction, and general set-up was just so irritatingly puerile in many ways. There's no actual villain in the piece, so the book mostly consists of Lily and Marcus dithering over their feelings for each other: she thinks he's so hawt and he just wants to bone her luscious bod, and we spend oodles of time with their inner monologues concerning their insta-love, monologues which take up the majority of their interactions with each other, even while in the midst of actual conversations with other people. Once they finally dance the horizontal mambo (after a couple of heavy petting scenes which led nowhere except to some major frustration for the duke), there's the obligatory misunderstanding which causes Lily to run away which then leads to the big finale. At which the two of them act quite inappropriately in front of Queen Victoria, something I'm sure would not amuse her one bit. The whole book was, well, rather stupid. There was some entertaining chemistry in the verbal sparring between Marcus and Lily, and Rose was appropriately adorable, but there's nothing of any actual substance to the book once you get past those few details. Is that necessarily a bad thing? No. But it's not necessarily a great thing, either.
In the end, I wouldn't call this brain-damaging fluff, but it's most definitely fluff: a light, frothy meringue that doesn't stick with you once the last page is read.
January 21, 2019
I had some difficulties to read and finish this book, it was kind of a long read for me.
While I do loved my two previous reads by the author, this one was not for me, and I’m happy I haven’t read it previously as it was sitting on my kindle shelves for a while, I’m not sure I would have given a second chance to the author.
While I liked the hero, I definitively had a hard time with the heroine, I can do with women who are rendered speechless by a man sight, for a while but one who becomes a nitwit, can’t straight her knees and thinks only to lick and undress the hero during the whole book, sorry but it is not for me.
I can understand chemistry and lust but a story constructed only around the carnal thoughts of the main protagonists, sorry.
And worst, Lily Russel during half of the story had a lemony face at each of her Duke’s encounters, judging him when at the same time she wanted to take his clothes off. [spoiler]Then when he is ready to propose to her, she left him because she worked as an account-ledger for a brothel, it was a too very thin reason which was the main secret of the book, especially when I know her whole story thoughts and allegedly to protect the illegitimate daughter, how childish she is and was for most of the book, “yelping” at the beginning instead of thinking, forgetting her “references”, unable to address a Duke as it must be done, going to the front entrance instead of the services one, and more and more. For a woman who is supposed to help unfortunate women to find new places, she lacks definitively of knowledge.
Hopefully there was the Duke Of Rutherford and his daughter Rose, he had me laughing at his view of life (the two minutes thing was hilarious) and aching for the love he was deprived, plus he was ready to redeem his way in life to become a real father to his daughter, he is not flawless but when he sets his goal he aims to reach it.
I will read latter the next books in this series but I do hope the heroines will be improved.
While I do loved my two previous reads by the author, this one was not for me, and I’m happy I haven’t read it previously as it was sitting on my kindle shelves for a while, I’m not sure I would have given a second chance to the author.
While I liked the hero, I definitively had a hard time with the heroine, I can do with women who are rendered speechless by a man sight, for a while but one who becomes a nitwit, can’t straight her knees and thinks only to lick and undress the hero during the whole book, sorry but it is not for me.
I can understand chemistry and lust but a story constructed only around the carnal thoughts of the main protagonists, sorry.
And worst, Lily Russel during half of the story had a lemony face at each of her Duke’s encounters, judging him when at the same time she wanted to take his clothes off. [spoiler]Then when he is ready to propose to her, she left him because she worked as an account-ledger for a brothel, it was a too very thin reason which was the main secret of the book, especially when I know her whole story thoughts and allegedly to protect the illegitimate daughter, how childish she is and was for most of the book, “yelping” at the beginning instead of thinking, forgetting her “references”, unable to address a Duke as it must be done, going to the front entrance instead of the services one, and more and more. For a woman who is supposed to help unfortunate women to find new places, she lacks definitively of knowledge.
Hopefully there was the Duke Of Rutherford and his daughter Rose, he had me laughing at his view of life (the two minutes thing was hilarious) and aching for the love he was deprived, plus he was ready to redeem his way in life to become a real father to his daughter, he is not flawless but when he sets his goal he aims to reach it.
I will read latter the next books in this series but I do hope the heroines will be improved.
August 6, 2014
I absolutely LOVED this romance! The witty dialogue (especially the internal dialogue) between the charmingly vulnerable Duke and the smart and ballsy governess was priceless! I giggled, and I believe I might have even snorted, while rereading some of the repartee in this fun, romantic book. I don't know that it was true to the period, but I liked it and will search out any other books this author chooses to write.
dnfs
April 15, 2020I could just not get into the pacing on this book, and I wasn't enjoying it.
Also, I'm not a stickler for being historically accurate, but this book felt like they were hardly trying. Little thing like him calling her Ms. Lily instead of by her last name. Even for a duke who doesn't know the rules that would have been pretty common knowledge.
The writing just felt immature, not sure if this was one of the writers early books. Maybe she's grown since this.
Also, I'm not a stickler for being historically accurate, but this book felt like they were hardly trying. Little thing like him calling her Ms. Lily instead of by her last name. Even for a duke who doesn't know the rules that would have been pretty common knowledge.
The writing just felt immature, not sure if this was one of the writers early books. Maybe she's grown since this.
dnf
October 13, 2017Pages read: 41
I can't do it. This book is just so so bad. Like I'm not too nitpicky about historical detail in historical romance but I can't handle this. She introduced herself as Miss Lily! Like, just no. I'll share some quotes later if I don't forget because there are a bunch of hilarious ones already.
If I never see the word virile again, it will be too soon.
I can't do it. This book is just so so bad. Like I'm not too nitpicky about historical detail in historical romance but I can't handle this. She introduced herself as Miss Lily! Like, just no. I'll share some quotes later if I don't forget because there are a bunch of hilarious ones already.
If I never see the word virile again, it will be too soon.
February 16, 2017
4.5 stars - Fun, light read
This was a fun read. Very light with a lot of amusing dialogue.
Marcus and Lily are very likable. They meet when Marcus' daughter Rose is brought to him when her mother dies. Marcus hires Lily to be her governess.
Lily and her friends run an employment agency and she jumps at the chance to provide help to the duke's household. Since they have no one qualified - Lily takes the job.
Lily fell on hard times after her father died and the only employment she was able to get was as the bookkeeper of a brothel. Because of this, she believes she is ruined and has no hope of marriage.
Marcus has been enjoying being a bachelor and had no desire to marry. But with the arrival of Rose, he has decided to clean up his act and find a proper wife and mother for his daughter. He enlists Lily to help him become a proper gentleman.
The story is cute - there are no real villains, no real conflict and there is quite a bit of very funny inner dialogue.
It is a perfect beach read or to use as "book sorbet" between heavier, more angst laden books. I would recommend this book and am looking forward to the rest of the series.
This was a fun read. Very light with a lot of amusing dialogue.
Marcus and Lily are very likable. They meet when Marcus' daughter Rose is brought to him when her mother dies. Marcus hires Lily to be her governess.
Lily and her friends run an employment agency and she jumps at the chance to provide help to the duke's household. Since they have no one qualified - Lily takes the job.
Lily fell on hard times after her father died and the only employment she was able to get was as the bookkeeper of a brothel. Because of this, she believes she is ruined and has no hope of marriage.
Marcus has been enjoying being a bachelor and had no desire to marry. But with the arrival of Rose, he has decided to clean up his act and find a proper wife and mother for his daughter. He enlists Lily to help him become a proper gentleman.
The story is cute - there are no real villains, no real conflict and there is quite a bit of very funny inner dialogue.
It is a perfect beach read or to use as "book sorbet" between heavier, more angst laden books. I would recommend this book and am looking forward to the rest of the series.
March 23, 2015
DNF. This book started out great, which is why I'm giving it two stars. I made it almost halfway through and I still can't tell you the first thing about either character. Marcus' inner monologue made it seem like he wasn't overly intelligent but his behavior and dialogue were completely different. It was as if two different heroes were being written about. And then there's the fact that nothing was happening. It was just sort of plodding along with no action in sight. I agree with reviewers that said this probably should've been a contemporary romance. The problem with that? I want to read historical romance! Good thing the library loves free books!
May 28, 2017
It was a very entertaining story, an easy read.
This book is a very good combination of humor and sentiment.
This book is a very good combination of humor and sentiment.
March 11, 2017
J'abandonne après 16% et 2 mois mis de côté. La mention de "votre altesse" est très gênante. Je la trouve elle très dévergondée alors qu'elle se veut prude.
Bref, pas le temps de lire quelque chose où je n'accroche pas.
Bref, pas le temps de lire quelque chose où je n'accroche pas.
April 20, 2020
This is a truly bad book. It makes me very wary of Avon romances in general, because I don't think they, as a publisher, can be that responsible if they will allow this sort of thing to be published. I rarely don't finish books I've paid for. In fact, finishing a book even if it's bad is a point of pride. But I could not finish this one.
Plot summary: A duke hires a governess for his bastard daughter; the Duke and governess fall in love. Things that have happened so far that make no sense:
1) Each chapter begins with a quote from "The Duke's Guide to Correct Behaviour". It has anachronistic language and nothing helpful to say about the chapter that follows, so why include it? Will it come into play in the plot somehow, or is it just an attempt to be funny? The Guide quotes have strikethrough and a sense that the quotes are being written while the story unfolds. Who is writing it? The duke? But our governess makes a reference to the Guide, as if it has been circulated to the public, and she has read it. Did she read the parts with strikethrough? WHAT IS HAPPENING
2) The heroine's inner monologue is insufferable. It Includes A Lot Of Things That Are Capitalized To Make Them A Funny Thing. While I do this while posting stuff on the internet, I think that if I were a 19th-century lady, and I had an inner monologue, it would Not Be Like This.
3) The Duke notices, after talking to our heroine for a few minutes, that her hazel eyes "change colour as her emotions change." Like from gold to green to brown in their 2-minute conversation. Is this physically possible in real life? I know he is a drunk but this is a bit much. Maybe he was also on shrooms, which would explain why he hires her without a reference.
4) The governess just starts working as soon as she arrives at the house. By "working", I mean that she leaves the 4-year-old in the nursery for most of the day and breezes into the Duke's study whenever she wants to ask dumb questions. The Duke thinks this is fine because both our main characters are idiots.
5) No arrangements are made to fetch her things from where she lives because the duke only has a bajillion servants. They can't go and get her clothes because it's too late in the day, even though the Duke had joked to himself in another chapter that he could get his servants to get him strawberries in the winter. I doubt he could get the strawberries, but he could send someone to a lodging room to pack a suitcase. Anyway, RUH ROH, she has to borrow one of his nightshirts to sleep in, and RUH ROH, she has to go into his bedroom to get the nightshirt. At this point I wondered whether this would have worked better as a contemporary romance with a billionaire who hires a nanny for his new charge, because something like that might have been an amusing way to get our characters together if it wasn't 1840.
6) I'm sticking with the book to go clothes shopping. Apparently the Duke is taking his bastard 5-year-old and his governess on a trip around town to BUY CLOTHES. This is not something a Duke would do even with his legitimate daughter and wife, but ok.
They have a boring date-like conversation in a restaurant (ummmmmm) and I'm just out. DNF.
Plot summary: A duke hires a governess for his bastard daughter; the Duke and governess fall in love. Things that have happened so far that make no sense:
1) Each chapter begins with a quote from "The Duke's Guide to Correct Behaviour". It has anachronistic language and nothing helpful to say about the chapter that follows, so why include it? Will it come into play in the plot somehow, or is it just an attempt to be funny? The Guide quotes have strikethrough and a sense that the quotes are being written while the story unfolds. Who is writing it? The duke? But our governess makes a reference to the Guide, as if it has been circulated to the public, and she has read it. Did she read the parts with strikethrough? WHAT IS HAPPENING
2) The heroine's inner monologue is insufferable. It Includes A Lot Of Things That Are Capitalized To Make Them A Funny Thing. While I do this while posting stuff on the internet, I think that if I were a 19th-century lady, and I had an inner monologue, it would Not Be Like This.
3) The Duke notices, after talking to our heroine for a few minutes, that her hazel eyes "change colour as her emotions change." Like from gold to green to brown in their 2-minute conversation. Is this physically possible in real life? I know he is a drunk but this is a bit much. Maybe he was also on shrooms, which would explain why he hires her without a reference.
4) The governess just starts working as soon as she arrives at the house. By "working", I mean that she leaves the 4-year-old in the nursery for most of the day and breezes into the Duke's study whenever she wants to ask dumb questions. The Duke thinks this is fine because both our main characters are idiots.
5) No arrangements are made to fetch her things from where she lives because the duke only has a bajillion servants. They can't go and get her clothes because it's too late in the day, even though the Duke had joked to himself in another chapter that he could get his servants to get him strawberries in the winter. I doubt he could get the strawberries, but he could send someone to a lodging room to pack a suitcase. Anyway, RUH ROH, she has to borrow one of his nightshirts to sleep in, and RUH ROH, she has to go into his bedroom to get the nightshirt. At this point I wondered whether this would have worked better as a contemporary romance with a billionaire who hires a nanny for his new charge, because something like that might have been an amusing way to get our characters together if it wasn't 1840.
6) I'm sticking with the book to go clothes shopping. Apparently the Duke is taking his bastard 5-year-old and his governess on a trip around town to BUY CLOTHES. This is not something a Duke would do even with his legitimate daughter and wife, but ok.
They have a boring date-like conversation in a restaurant (ummmmmm) and I'm just out. DNF.
December 27, 2014
*Originally posted on Smitten by Books*
In Frampton’s first book of the Dukes Behaving Badly series, I got a good dish of my favorite type of regency hero… a duke.
Thankfully, this duke is unconventional, as are the other main characters. From hero to heroine, not a single one is fit for the roles they’re thrust into. Yet, they attempt a marvelous job at following the rules, only to fail spectacularly. *claps hands*
The Duke of Rutherford, Marcus, was never supposed to be duke. In fact, he’s been thrown into the position and knows he’s failing horribly, even embarrassing the butler. When his young, illegitimate daughter is dropped on his doorstep, he finally has a purpose and a goal to provide for his daughter in ways his parents were never there for him (let’s just say he has some major daddy issues). Hence, hiring a governess.
Enter Lily Russell, with her unfortunate past, and lacking resume. She fudges the details a little, and quickly is enamored by not only the Duke but his daughter. I liked Lily, she’s got this spastic brain that flutters to random thoughts periodically and made it twice as much fun to be in her head. With random anecdotes and distractions, she’s a little ADD.
Frampton provides fast clip pacing with abrupt decision making, which worked well and ramped up the tension fast and furious. I enjoyed how the characters were always moving forward, less waffling and more decision making. It made turning the pages and moving to another chapter as exciting as an action movie. Several times I was surprised by the next scene. Frampton and her characters are anything, but predictable.
Finally, I have a soft spot for a certain secondary character—Lady Lucinda, who is a bit of an ally for our Duke on his forays into society. She’s spunky and very independent. I hope Frampton gives her a book of her own and hero worthy of her.
This is a good historical romance and I can’t wait for the next book in the series… which is Smithfield’s. In between there’s a novella coming out about Lily’s co-worker, Annabelle. I’ll be eagerly gobbling that one up too. For readers who enjoy Miranda Neville and Loretta Chase.
P.S. Watch out for Frampton because she’s going to explode in the Historical Romance category over the next few years. She’s got the chops to become a leader of the pack.
In Frampton’s first book of the Dukes Behaving Badly series, I got a good dish of my favorite type of regency hero… a duke.
Thankfully, this duke is unconventional, as are the other main characters. From hero to heroine, not a single one is fit for the roles they’re thrust into. Yet, they attempt a marvelous job at following the rules, only to fail spectacularly. *claps hands*
The Duke of Rutherford, Marcus, was never supposed to be duke. In fact, he’s been thrown into the position and knows he’s failing horribly, even embarrassing the butler. When his young, illegitimate daughter is dropped on his doorstep, he finally has a purpose and a goal to provide for his daughter in ways his parents were never there for him (let’s just say he has some major daddy issues). Hence, hiring a governess.
Enter Lily Russell, with her unfortunate past, and lacking resume. She fudges the details a little, and quickly is enamored by not only the Duke but his daughter. I liked Lily, she’s got this spastic brain that flutters to random thoughts periodically and made it twice as much fun to be in her head. With random anecdotes and distractions, she’s a little ADD.
Frampton provides fast clip pacing with abrupt decision making, which worked well and ramped up the tension fast and furious. I enjoyed how the characters were always moving forward, less waffling and more decision making. It made turning the pages and moving to another chapter as exciting as an action movie. Several times I was surprised by the next scene. Frampton and her characters are anything, but predictable.
Finally, I have a soft spot for a certain secondary character—Lady Lucinda, who is a bit of an ally for our Duke on his forays into society. She’s spunky and very independent. I hope Frampton gives her a book of her own and hero worthy of her.
This is a good historical romance and I can’t wait for the next book in the series… which is Smithfield’s. In between there’s a novella coming out about Lily’s co-worker, Annabelle. I’ll be eagerly gobbling that one up too. For readers who enjoy Miranda Neville and Loretta Chase.
P.S. Watch out for Frampton because she’s going to explode in the Historical Romance category over the next few years. She’s got the chops to become a leader of the pack.
December 28, 2021
2021 rating: 3 stars
I decided to give this book another chance because I might have judged the book too harshly when I first read it in 2019.
The hero of this book turned out better I had judged him to be. He’s a Duke so he’s arrogant and high handed in his actions and words.
I like that he starts to change after meeting Lily. He starts to become more considerate of people’s feelings & changed the way he treats them. To put it simply, he manned up the moment he took the duke title and manned up even more after meeting Lily. He turned out to be quite a decent person.
Lily was alright. I didn’t love nor hate her. I do like that she is good with Rose and does not look down upon Rose because of her illegitimacy. She is not cowed by the duke either.
While I did manage to finish this book, it wasn’t the best. I felt they spent too much time just ogling one another, how much curves Lily has or how sexy the duke is. I felt more time should have been spent on building their relationship, which didn’t feel enough to me.
At the back when Lily told the duke her secret past, it felt very quickly swept away by him. I get that he may not care about it, because he already loves her but it felt underdeveloped/not elaborated enough by the author. I also thought that the duke’s and lily’s past was not elaborated on enough. It was like a minor thing and I would have liked it to be more.
I decided to give this book another chance because I might have judged the book too harshly when I first read it in 2019.
The hero of this book turned out better I had judged him to be. He’s a Duke so he’s arrogant and high handed in his actions and words.
I like that he starts to change after meeting Lily. He starts to become more considerate of people’s feelings & changed the way he treats them. To put it simply, he manned up the moment he took the duke title and manned up even more after meeting Lily. He turned out to be quite a decent person.
Lily was alright. I didn’t love nor hate her. I do like that she is good with Rose and does not look down upon Rose because of her illegitimacy. She is not cowed by the duke either.
While I did manage to finish this book, it wasn’t the best. I felt they spent too much time just ogling one another, how much curves Lily has or how sexy the duke is. I felt more time should have been spent on building their relationship, which didn’t feel enough to me.
At the back when Lily told the duke her secret past, it felt very quickly swept away by him. I get that he may not care about it, because he already loves her but it felt underdeveloped/not elaborated enough by the author. I also thought that the duke’s and lily’s past was not elaborated on enough. It was like a minor thing and I would have liked it to be more.
April 6, 2017
3.5
Marcus never thought he would be a Duke someday. But after his father then his brother died after inherited the title from the previous duke, he became the new Duke of Rutherford. Marcus doesn't want the responsibilities that come with being a duke, like having to find a wife and producing heir. He was happy with his simple life of walking, drinking, gambling and fornicating, without everyone monitoring all his actions and having of take care of things. The only element about inherited a dukedom that makes him happy is the brandy and cats he found in residence. So what does fate bring to him ? A four year old daughter.
Lily is one of the three proprietors of Quality Employement Agency who helps women find work. When she learn that the Duke of Rutherford is searching for a governess for his new charge, she knows it's the perfect opportunity to make a name for the Agency and she offer her service. But she'll have to hide from him what she did before to gain money to survive (no it's not the first thing that come to our minds when we think about it. There's a link to it, but that's all :p)
I was not sure at first I would like this book when I learned that Marcus knew that he got a woman pregnant and choose not to be in his daughter's life. In fact, he didn't know the child was a she because he payed the mother an annual sum but ask not to know anything about the babe. But from the moment when he meet little Rose, he will change. Marcus used to be selfish or maybe clueless is a better word. He doesn't care about others, he's not aware of what is happening around him nor of people. He doesn't connect with anyone. There's something almost clinical about him. Even his method for choosing a friend is unusual. But he's got a sense of humor, which finally convince us he's not a robot. And it's touching to see how hard he try to become a good father and how humble he is for asking Lily for advices in how to make Rose happy. It's sweet that he immediately felt comfortable with Lily that he wants to confide in her. It's so great to see him develop a conscience throughout the book and see him open up to others. And I like how at heart he doesn't care for the conventions and what is proper and all the silly rules of the ton.
Lily is harder to describe. I can tell you she's not afraid to say what's on her mind, no matter the title of importance of her interlocutor and she's a doer, not a dreamer. But other that that, I have nothing else to say. I don't like not knowing who a character really is.
Little Rose was adorable and it's sweet that she calls Marcus Duke. I thought the author did a great job in taking time before Marcus and Rose get used to each other and act like father and daughter.
Okay so here's the thing; even thought I really enjoyed this book and it kept my attention till the very end, I noted too many details that, in the end, make me say this book was lacking something and that it's not a complete success. First of all, something seemed off with the writing. Too many time it tried too hard to be funny and some things were explained when they didn't need to be. I was not completely satisfied by the romance part. The words tell us Marcus and Lily are attracted to each other, but it didn't make me feel it. Not much happen but a few kisses before 270 pages and I don't think I saw enough of the romance before the end. It felt like I was missing an important part to really believe in it and be satisfied.
But it's strange because I still had a good time reading this book, even with all the shortcomings. I'll certainly read the next one, because I wanna get a better idea of this series. It was my first time reading a book by this author, so I'm gonna give her an other try before saying it's not for me.
Marcus never thought he would be a Duke someday. But after his father then his brother died after inherited the title from the previous duke, he became the new Duke of Rutherford. Marcus doesn't want the responsibilities that come with being a duke, like having to find a wife and producing heir. He was happy with his simple life of walking, drinking, gambling and fornicating, without everyone monitoring all his actions and having of take care of things. The only element about inherited a dukedom that makes him happy is the brandy and cats he found in residence. So what does fate bring to him ? A four year old daughter.
Lily is one of the three proprietors of Quality Employement Agency who helps women find work. When she learn that the Duke of Rutherford is searching for a governess for his new charge, she knows it's the perfect opportunity to make a name for the Agency and she offer her service. But she'll have to hide from him what she did before to gain money to survive (no it's not the first thing that come to our minds when we think about it. There's a link to it, but that's all :p)
I was not sure at first I would like this book when I learned that Marcus knew that he got a woman pregnant and choose not to be in his daughter's life. In fact, he didn't know the child was a she because he payed the mother an annual sum but ask not to know anything about the babe. But from the moment when he meet little Rose, he will change. Marcus used to be selfish or maybe clueless is a better word. He doesn't care about others, he's not aware of what is happening around him nor of people. He doesn't connect with anyone. There's something almost clinical about him. Even his method for choosing a friend is unusual. But he's got a sense of humor, which finally convince us he's not a robot. And it's touching to see how hard he try to become a good father and how humble he is for asking Lily for advices in how to make Rose happy. It's sweet that he immediately felt comfortable with Lily that he wants to confide in her. It's so great to see him develop a conscience throughout the book and see him open up to others. And I like how at heart he doesn't care for the conventions and what is proper and all the silly rules of the ton.
Lily is harder to describe. I can tell you she's not afraid to say what's on her mind, no matter the title of importance of her interlocutor and she's a doer, not a dreamer. But other that that, I have nothing else to say. I don't like not knowing who a character really is.
Little Rose was adorable and it's sweet that she calls Marcus Duke. I thought the author did a great job in taking time before Marcus and Rose get used to each other and act like father and daughter.
Okay so here's the thing; even thought I really enjoyed this book and it kept my attention till the very end, I noted too many details that, in the end, make me say this book was lacking something and that it's not a complete success. First of all, something seemed off with the writing. Too many time it tried too hard to be funny and some things were explained when they didn't need to be. I was not completely satisfied by the romance part. The words tell us Marcus and Lily are attracted to each other, but it didn't make me feel it. Not much happen but a few kisses before 270 pages and I don't think I saw enough of the romance before the end. It felt like I was missing an important part to really believe in it and be satisfied.
But it's strange because I still had a good time reading this book, even with all the shortcomings. I'll certainly read the next one, because I wanna get a better idea of this series. It was my first time reading a book by this author, so I'm gonna give her an other try before saying it's not for me.
November 2, 2019
In a way this book reminds me of 1990s era Harlequins: it’s a charmingly cheesy and light read, that has some pacing issues and awkwardness to it.
The Duke's Guide to Correct Behavior is my first book by Megan Frampton, and although, I didn’t instantly become a fan of the series, I still enjoyed it.
My biggest issue with this story is, it felt rushed. Everything happened very quickly and there was so little build up to the romance. Maybe that’s why I didn’t connect with either of the main characters, even though they both seemed pretty interesting. Especially Duke of Rutherford, who despite being this supposedly aloof and charming rake, in actuality was pretty oblivious and… dorky. I mean, our protagonist without a shade of embarrassment admitted on several occasions his “relations” with a fairer sex lasted merely 2 minutes. There was a potential for his character to channel prime Hugh Grant’s charming bumblingness. Sadly, it didn’t happen.
The plot was ok and I always enjoy stories with characters with different social backgrounds. I just wished we could read more about Lily’s past and what made her the person she was.
This book is a very light and uncomplicated read. If you want something to unwind after a tiring day The Duke's Guide to Correct Behavior is great for that.
3/5 stars
The Duke's Guide to Correct Behavior is my first book by Megan Frampton, and although, I didn’t instantly become a fan of the series, I still enjoyed it.
My biggest issue with this story is, it felt rushed. Everything happened very quickly and there was so little build up to the romance. Maybe that’s why I didn’t connect with either of the main characters, even though they both seemed pretty interesting. Especially Duke of Rutherford, who despite being this supposedly aloof and charming rake, in actuality was pretty oblivious and… dorky. I mean, our protagonist without a shade of embarrassment admitted on several occasions his “relations” with a fairer sex lasted merely 2 minutes. There was a potential for his character to channel prime Hugh Grant’s charming bumblingness. Sadly, it didn’t happen.
The plot was ok and I always enjoy stories with characters with different social backgrounds. I just wished we could read more about Lily’s past and what made her the person she was.
This book is a very light and uncomplicated read. If you want something to unwind after a tiring day The Duke's Guide to Correct Behavior is great for that.
3/5 stars
November 8, 2022
3.5⭐️ Rose was so stinking cute! I absolutely loved her relationship with the Duke. I also really liked that he acknowledged he made a mistake and took care to show love to his daughter. There were great things about this, but especially toward the beginning some of the little jokes and banter seemed awkward to me. There also wasn’t a resolution to the whole issue at the end. And I would have liked to see how the ending affected the agency and her friends. It just seemed like an abrupt and unfinished ending.
August 16, 2023
A lot of self loathing (which we all (me) partake in a healthy dose of), but it was a bit much. I liked the FMC and the child. I think I liked the duke at times and tolerated him at other times. I don't think "smug" and "arrogant" are cute to me unless they can be backed up.
This book was longer than it needed to be, mostly due to the aforementioned self loathing. There wasn't really any will they won't they more like they will, and I'm tired of it. -_-
This book was longer than it needed to be, mostly due to the aforementioned self loathing. There wasn't really any will they won't they more like they will, and I'm tired of it. -_-
September 23, 2017
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March 26, 2021
I loved this book a lot
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