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The Duke's Daring Debutante
Disgraced by His Grace!
Freddy, Duke of Falconwood, has vowed never to marry, instead dedicating himself to protecting his country. But when he’s caught in a very compromising position with a coquettish debutante Freddy does the only thing that will salvage her reputation – he proposes marriage!
Even though Minette Rideau craves the stoic Duke’s touch, she knows she can’t become his wife. For giving in to her desires will reveal a shameful secret, putting much more than her virtue in jeopardy…
Freddy, Duke of Falconwood, has vowed never to marry, instead dedicating himself to protecting his country. But when he’s caught in a very compromising position with a coquettish debutante Freddy does the only thing that will salvage her reputation – he proposes marriage!
Even though Minette Rideau craves the stoic Duke’s touch, she knows she can’t become his wife. For giving in to her desires will reveal a shameful secret, putting much more than her virtue in jeopardy…
368 pages, Paperback
First published June 16, 2015
15 people are currently reading
599 people want to read
About the author
Ann Lethbridge
182 books158 followersAKA Michèle Ann Young (Goodreads Author)
An army brat born in England and now living in Canada, Ann grew up loving history, but majored in business, with history on the side. She has a husband and two lovely daughters and a Maltese Terrier called Teaser, who likes to sit on a chair beside the computer while she works.
Her love of the past and the stories in her imagination led her to write her first novel in 2000, a never-see-the-light-of-day-effort, and after having her first book published in 2006, she knew she'd found her niche.
She loves the Georgian era, and within that, the period known as the long Regency. She also adores happy endings.
You will find her books in bookstores in the month of issue, as well as on line at Mills and Boon or E-harlequin.
An army brat born in England and now living in Canada, Ann grew up loving history, but majored in business, with history on the side. She has a husband and two lovely daughters and a Maltese Terrier called Teaser, who likes to sit on a chair beside the computer while she works.
Her love of the past and the stories in her imagination led her to write her first novel in 2000, a never-see-the-light-of-day-effort, and after having her first book published in 2006, she knew she'd found her niche.
She loves the Georgian era, and within that, the period known as the long Regency. She also adores happy endings.
You will find her books in bookstores in the month of issue, as well as on line at Mills and Boon or E-harlequin.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 11, 2015
Good mix of romance and mystery. Minette is a young Frenchwoman being launched in society by her sister and her sister's English husband. But it comes to her attention that a man from her past is back in England and has something of hers that could ruin the lives of her family. She know that she can't retrieve it herself without the help of Freddy, Duke of Falconwood. But getting to him in order to ask for that help proves to be difficult.
Freddy is a man with a past that haunts him. He has vowed never to marry and instead uses his time and talents to his intelligence work for the government. There is one French agent that he is determined to catch, one who has proved very elusive. When Minette comes to him for help, telling him that she has information on the whereabouts of the man Moreau, he feels compelled to help. But Minette's price - being involved in the search - may be too high.
I loved these two together. They've known each other for several years, through her sister and brother-in-law, who is Freddy's best friend. There have been sparks between them, being exhibited by their constant sniping at each other. That has been their way of dealing with the attraction, denial by distraction. Minette may be fairly young, but she has been through a lot and has a great deal of independence and strength of will. She is not afraid to go after what she wants, and her way of getting Freddy's attention was pretty creative. Freddy is horrified, and determined to protect her, whether she wants him to or not. Their negotiations for their joint mission are full of tension, but they do reach an agreement. One thing that comes to the forefront is the attraction that burns between them, one that Freddy is determined to resist.
But that resistance is fragile at best when they are alone together, and when they are caught in a compromising situation Freddy proposes marriage. He never wanted to marry, but now that he hasn't got the choice, he finds that he's not as upset as he thought he'd be. However, he is still quite determined to keep control over himself. Minette, on the other hand, is not happy. She would love to be married to him for real, but there are things in her past that make her completely unsuitable to be a duke's wife. She's determined to set him free as soon as they complete their mission.
Their common goal and public engagement force them to spend a lot of time together. The attraction continues to grow, but so do their feelings. Freddy's reasons for not wanting to marry begin to fade under Minette's determined attentions, but getting her to agree is a challenge. Minette loves Freddy too much to saddle him with a wife who is so unsuitable for the role. I did love Minette's treatment of Freddy's mother, whose attitude toward Freddy could be blamed for most of the way he felt about himself. It will take both of them trusting the other and letting their past mistakes go before they can hope to have a life together. The ending was pretty emotional as both take that chance on each other and risk their hearts. I especially liked Minette's insight that helped Freddy see the truth of what happened.
The search for Moreau was well done. I liked the slow revealing of bits of the backstory as their efforts progressed. It was really fun to see the way that Minette refused to be shut out, though there were a couple times she took some pretty big risks. I enjoyed the scene in the tavern, and seeing the back and forth between she and Freddy. Though her refusal to stay where it was safe frustrated him, Freddy ended up respecting her efforts and abilities. Though there was quite a buildup, Moreau's capture was a little bit of an anticlimax for me, as it wasn't as intense as I expected. I had begun to suspect what the big secret was, but the focus of Moreau's plan did surprise me.
Freddy is a man with a past that haunts him. He has vowed never to marry and instead uses his time and talents to his intelligence work for the government. There is one French agent that he is determined to catch, one who has proved very elusive. When Minette comes to him for help, telling him that she has information on the whereabouts of the man Moreau, he feels compelled to help. But Minette's price - being involved in the search - may be too high.
I loved these two together. They've known each other for several years, through her sister and brother-in-law, who is Freddy's best friend. There have been sparks between them, being exhibited by their constant sniping at each other. That has been their way of dealing with the attraction, denial by distraction. Minette may be fairly young, but she has been through a lot and has a great deal of independence and strength of will. She is not afraid to go after what she wants, and her way of getting Freddy's attention was pretty creative. Freddy is horrified, and determined to protect her, whether she wants him to or not. Their negotiations for their joint mission are full of tension, but they do reach an agreement. One thing that comes to the forefront is the attraction that burns between them, one that Freddy is determined to resist.
But that resistance is fragile at best when they are alone together, and when they are caught in a compromising situation Freddy proposes marriage. He never wanted to marry, but now that he hasn't got the choice, he finds that he's not as upset as he thought he'd be. However, he is still quite determined to keep control over himself. Minette, on the other hand, is not happy. She would love to be married to him for real, but there are things in her past that make her completely unsuitable to be a duke's wife. She's determined to set him free as soon as they complete their mission.
Their common goal and public engagement force them to spend a lot of time together. The attraction continues to grow, but so do their feelings. Freddy's reasons for not wanting to marry begin to fade under Minette's determined attentions, but getting her to agree is a challenge. Minette loves Freddy too much to saddle him with a wife who is so unsuitable for the role. I did love Minette's treatment of Freddy's mother, whose attitude toward Freddy could be blamed for most of the way he felt about himself. It will take both of them trusting the other and letting their past mistakes go before they can hope to have a life together. The ending was pretty emotional as both take that chance on each other and risk their hearts. I especially liked Minette's insight that helped Freddy see the truth of what happened.
The search for Moreau was well done. I liked the slow revealing of bits of the backstory as their efforts progressed. It was really fun to see the way that Minette refused to be shut out, though there were a couple times she took some pretty big risks. I enjoyed the scene in the tavern, and seeing the back and forth between she and Freddy. Though her refusal to stay where it was safe frustrated him, Freddy ended up respecting her efforts and abilities. Though there was quite a buildup, Moreau's capture was a little bit of an anticlimax for me, as it wasn't as intense as I expected. I had begun to suspect what the big secret was, but the focus of Moreau's plan did surprise me.
April 17, 2015
Other than the Outlander series, this is my first historical romance, and if this is what the genre is about, sign me up for more! The Duke's Daring Debutante was equal parts romance and intrigue. When French debutante Minette Rideau has her sights set on retrieving something personal from a man named Moreau, she needs Freddy, the Duke of Falconwood, to help her. With his connections, he can get her into places she can't go alone.
When they're discovered in a compromising situation, Freddy's sense of honor has him proposing to Minette, and her reputation and need to get to Moreau first, have her accepting. But what should be a relationship of convenience becomes something much more, making things more complicated than ever.
Plot
There are two main plots running in parallel, twisting and intertwining, becoming one. The first is the search for Moreau. Both Minette and Freddy are after him for very different reasons. The second plot line is the romance. But the two become one with the staged betrothal. Their common goal forces them to spend time together, and feelings of lust and longing become something more.
World Building
I'm not even sure exactly when the story takes place, although I suppose if I knew my British and French history, it would probably be clear. My best guess would be somewhere in the eighteenth or nineteenth century, but I don't think the year is all that important. What matters are the details the author brings to the book, the cultural differences between France and England, the political implications, the societal norms for the day, and those are all vividly woven into the story.
Characters
I found all of the characters to be well-developed, and Minette and Freddy, especially so. Their growth over a short time felt rushed at times, but not so much that it didn't ring true. Minette is bold, clever, loyal, and loving, making her quite complex. Freddy harbors deep wounds from a painful past that have him keeping everyone at arms' length. Watching these two break down one another's walls was quite satisfying.
Top Five Things I Enjoyed About The Duke's Daring Debutante
1. Minette. She's wild and free, strong, independent, and not afraid to go after what she wants. Minette is a woman who transcends time and genre.
2. Freddy. He's got a dark side, but watching him twist the dark and light sides together and seeing the light win was fun.
3. Nicky and Gabe. They are the perfect couple. I'd love to read their story some day.
4. Ballroom Dancing. It never gets old, no mater the century.
5. Espionage. I loved this thread in the story and only wish there was more of it.
Bottom Line
The Duke's Daring Debutante was a thoroughly engaging read, one that has whetted my appetite for more historical fiction.
Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
When they're discovered in a compromising situation, Freddy's sense of honor has him proposing to Minette, and her reputation and need to get to Moreau first, have her accepting. But what should be a relationship of convenience becomes something much more, making things more complicated than ever.
Plot
There are two main plots running in parallel, twisting and intertwining, becoming one. The first is the search for Moreau. Both Minette and Freddy are after him for very different reasons. The second plot line is the romance. But the two become one with the staged betrothal. Their common goal forces them to spend time together, and feelings of lust and longing become something more.
World Building
I'm not even sure exactly when the story takes place, although I suppose if I knew my British and French history, it would probably be clear. My best guess would be somewhere in the eighteenth or nineteenth century, but I don't think the year is all that important. What matters are the details the author brings to the book, the cultural differences between France and England, the political implications, the societal norms for the day, and those are all vividly woven into the story.
Characters
I found all of the characters to be well-developed, and Minette and Freddy, especially so. Their growth over a short time felt rushed at times, but not so much that it didn't ring true. Minette is bold, clever, loyal, and loving, making her quite complex. Freddy harbors deep wounds from a painful past that have him keeping everyone at arms' length. Watching these two break down one another's walls was quite satisfying.
Top Five Things I Enjoyed About The Duke's Daring Debutante
1. Minette. She's wild and free, strong, independent, and not afraid to go after what she wants. Minette is a woman who transcends time and genre.
2. Freddy. He's got a dark side, but watching him twist the dark and light sides together and seeing the light win was fun.
3. Nicky and Gabe. They are the perfect couple. I'd love to read their story some day.
4. Ballroom Dancing. It never gets old, no mater the century.
5. Espionage. I loved this thread in the story and only wish there was more of it.
Bottom Line
The Duke's Daring Debutante was a thoroughly engaging read, one that has whetted my appetite for more historical fiction.
Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
September 6, 2015
Sexy, spine-tingling and suspenseful, award-winning author Ann Lethbridge’s latest novel, The Duke’s Daring Debutante, is a terrific page-turner full of nail-biting intrigue, red-hot passion and heart-pounding adventure!
Minette Rideau should be enjoying her first season – she certainly should not be worrying about a cruel enemy who could jeopardise her family’s standing in society. Minette and her family have suffered too much and made far too many sacrifices for all their hard work to be crushed to smithereens and they are damned if they are going to let shameful secrets from their past destroy the future which they’ve fought so hard for. Resolute Minette knows that she is never going to defeat the opponent who is hell-bent on destroying her family – and her reputation! – by herself. If she is to going to keep her family’s good name in society intact, then she needs help – and who better to aid her in her mission than the dashing and dangerous Fredrick, Duke of Falconwood!
Nobody is more surprised than Frederick when Minette Rideau saunters into his gaming hell and asks for his help in vanquishing the man who could ruin her family’s life forever. Innocent debutantes have got no business being in insalubrious gaming hells, but Minette Rideau is no ordinary society miss – and she is certainly no innocent! Although Frederick has got no other choice but to help her, he is adamant to keep his hands off the seductive debutante, but that soon proves to be easier said than done! When he finds his resolve to keep things strictly platonic between himself and Minette crumbling, Frederick quickly gives in to temptation and loses no time in seducing her – only for them to be caught in a compromising position at a society ball!
Marriage has never been of the cards for Frederick. Having vowed to dedicate his life to protecting his country and to safeguarding the interests of the Crown, matrimony has never held much appeal for the dashing Duke of Falconwood. Yet, the more time he spends with Minette, the more he finds himself falling for her – but it’s just a shame that his coquettish debutante is determined never to marry !
Will Frederick and Minette manage to vanquish the enemy that could spoil everything for them? Is Minette willing to face up to her feelings for the Duke of Falconwood? Or will she continue to let past mistakes get in the way of her happiness?
Ann Lethbridge deftly balances action, romance and suspense in her latest hugely enjoyable Regency novel, The Duke’s Daring Debutante. A master at keeping her readers eagerly turning the pages, Ann Lethbridge has written a passionate, compulsive and highly enjoyable tale of devastating secrets, family ties and dangerous desires that I found absolutely impossible to resist!
Ann Lethbridge’s characters are wonderfully realized, beautifully nuanced and believable and I am sure readers will swoon over gorgeous Frederick, who gives James Bond and Mr Darcy a run for their money and they will cheer on and relate to feisty, resilient and determined Minette.
A stellar historical romance that will go down a treat with fans of Amanda Quick and Elizabeth Hoyt, The Duke’s Daring Debutante is a spellbinding Regency tale that is too good to miss!
Minette Rideau should be enjoying her first season – she certainly should not be worrying about a cruel enemy who could jeopardise her family’s standing in society. Minette and her family have suffered too much and made far too many sacrifices for all their hard work to be crushed to smithereens and they are damned if they are going to let shameful secrets from their past destroy the future which they’ve fought so hard for. Resolute Minette knows that she is never going to defeat the opponent who is hell-bent on destroying her family – and her reputation! – by herself. If she is to going to keep her family’s good name in society intact, then she needs help – and who better to aid her in her mission than the dashing and dangerous Fredrick, Duke of Falconwood!
Nobody is more surprised than Frederick when Minette Rideau saunters into his gaming hell and asks for his help in vanquishing the man who could ruin her family’s life forever. Innocent debutantes have got no business being in insalubrious gaming hells, but Minette Rideau is no ordinary society miss – and she is certainly no innocent! Although Frederick has got no other choice but to help her, he is adamant to keep his hands off the seductive debutante, but that soon proves to be easier said than done! When he finds his resolve to keep things strictly platonic between himself and Minette crumbling, Frederick quickly gives in to temptation and loses no time in seducing her – only for them to be caught in a compromising position at a society ball!
Marriage has never been of the cards for Frederick. Having vowed to dedicate his life to protecting his country and to safeguarding the interests of the Crown, matrimony has never held much appeal for the dashing Duke of Falconwood. Yet, the more time he spends with Minette, the more he finds himself falling for her – but it’s just a shame that his coquettish debutante is determined never to marry !
Will Frederick and Minette manage to vanquish the enemy that could spoil everything for them? Is Minette willing to face up to her feelings for the Duke of Falconwood? Or will she continue to let past mistakes get in the way of her happiness?
Ann Lethbridge deftly balances action, romance and suspense in her latest hugely enjoyable Regency novel, The Duke’s Daring Debutante. A master at keeping her readers eagerly turning the pages, Ann Lethbridge has written a passionate, compulsive and highly enjoyable tale of devastating secrets, family ties and dangerous desires that I found absolutely impossible to resist!
Ann Lethbridge’s characters are wonderfully realized, beautifully nuanced and believable and I am sure readers will swoon over gorgeous Frederick, who gives James Bond and Mr Darcy a run for their money and they will cheer on and relate to feisty, resilient and determined Minette.
A stellar historical romance that will go down a treat with fans of Amanda Quick and Elizabeth Hoyt, The Duke’s Daring Debutante is a spellbinding Regency tale that is too good to miss!
July 12, 2015
I don't often pick up Harlequin books but this caught my eye and I'm glad. I enjoyed this book very much. The author writes well and the story was good. The hero wasn't planning to wed. The heroine has loved him for several years. They both have secrets from their pasts. That's all I'll say as I don't write or read plot spoilers. I will read this author again.
October 6, 2019
THE STORY WAS PROMISING BUT SADLY...IT WAS SO STEREOTYPICAL...IT JUST DIDN'T DELIVER IN THE END.
HERO is a man haunted by the death of his brother, blaming himself for it, thinking he killed Reginald. Fraticide. He called it. Despite being the new Duke, he's not sure if he's capable of filling his brother's shoes, not when his mother makes it a point to remind him what a disappointing crippled he was. When Minette, the alluring French beauty sets foot into his gaming den, thus begins their alliance (one he was reluctant to have). Like most Harlequin romances, you can expect the Hero to not want to be attracted to the heroine and because of his vow to his father, he swore never to marry or have children in order to atone for 'killing' his brother. Stupid, isn't it? The parents I mean. While struggling with his new position, he also struggles to control Minette who is more than ready to charge headlong into a perilous situation that he finds he doesn't want her to come to harm, and perhaps if he looked harder he'll realize he has loved her all along.
HEROINE is a French beauty who has known love, given her body to a man who only betrayed her at the end. When the said man makes a reappearance in her life, she has to find him in order to retrieve a trinket that he could use to blackmail her family. In order to do that she needs Freddy's help and the stuffy Duke can be so stubborn. While I like the promise of their attraction...there was just something holding them both back and at some point it got annoying.
OVERALL this was pretty much average Harlequin, and not even one at its best.
HERO is a man haunted by the death of his brother, blaming himself for it, thinking he killed Reginald. Fraticide. He called it. Despite being the new Duke, he's not sure if he's capable of filling his brother's shoes, not when his mother makes it a point to remind him what a disappointing crippled he was. When Minette, the alluring French beauty sets foot into his gaming den, thus begins their alliance (one he was reluctant to have). Like most Harlequin romances, you can expect the Hero to not want to be attracted to the heroine and because of his vow to his father, he swore never to marry or have children in order to atone for 'killing' his brother. Stupid, isn't it? The parents I mean. While struggling with his new position, he also struggles to control Minette who is more than ready to charge headlong into a perilous situation that he finds he doesn't want her to come to harm, and perhaps if he looked harder he'll realize he has loved her all along.
HEROINE is a French beauty who has known love, given her body to a man who only betrayed her at the end. When the said man makes a reappearance in her life, she has to find him in order to retrieve a trinket that he could use to blackmail her family. In order to do that she needs Freddy's help and the stuffy Duke can be so stubborn. While I like the promise of their attraction...there was just something holding them both back and at some point it got annoying.
OVERALL this was pretty much average Harlequin, and not even one at its best.
February 3, 2019
4.5 stars. A good read. I liked the heroine Minette who was not quite prepared to sit back and leave everything to the hero Freddy. And although Freddy was dark and brooding, he was steady and honourable. Both characters were far from perfect with their own secrets and imperfections. The hunt for an infamous French spy provided the conflict that made this story as did the character of the Duchess of Falconwood. It was not hard to guess, however who the French spy really was.
There were one or two editing errors, which I am happy to tolerate in indie books, but do not expect to see in a formally published book. I have, however not taken these into account when rating.
I shall be reading more of Ann Lethbridge
There were one or two editing errors, which I am happy to tolerate in indie books, but do not expect to see in a formally published book. I have, however not taken these into account when rating.
I shall be reading more of Ann Lethbridge
July 30, 2024
Absolutely wonderful. I really enjoyed this charming love story, which included delightful characters from the Duchess Society. It was so romantic and full of delicious passion. I couldn't get enough and wished it had lasted longer. I highly recommend reading!
September 2, 2017
Well done complex romance.
February 17, 2019
Pretty good, for what it is.
July 13, 2020
Secrets, guilt, hidden love, spies and a forced betrothal make an interesting story.
October 30, 2022
This was a cute story, but it seemed to drag a little. I'm not really sure why it seemed to take so long to get through this story, but the middle of the story dragged a bit.
June 20, 2024
Took me forever to finish.
December 5, 2016
There's no mention anywhere of this being part of a series, but clearly this is coming off the tail end of a previous story. The Duke, Freddy, works for some spy group called Sceptre and has some history with the heroine in previous years, having thought her an attractive but annoying brat. The heroine, Minette, is the little sister to this previous book's heroine, and learns that her archenemy is back in town and she realizes she needs to get something important back from him before he's caught by this spy group. So she asks Freddy for help. Sparks fly, they end up in a compromising situation and agree to an engagement. Freddy plans to see it through, although he has many conditions all related to his deformity and his past. It may not be a traditional marriage, but he's not giving her up. Minette is determined not to marry for various reasons of her own.
For starters, although I liked the book on the whole, I did not like feeling like I was missing information - I was awfully tempted to put the book down, go look for the first one and read it first. The characters were at times charming, and at times frustrating. Lot of trust issues between these two. Normally, Minette breaks one of my rules for historical romance . I don't typically like this, but in this case it so didn't bother me. I don't know why. Also this was pretty predictable. I saw the . So this didn't have much in the way of suspense or even angst. As much as I liked and connected to the characters, I did have trouble sticking with this story. It didn't grab me and hold on for some reason.
For starters, although I liked the book on the whole, I did not like feeling like I was missing information - I was awfully tempted to put the book down, go look for the first one and read it first. The characters were at times charming, and at times frustrating. Lot of trust issues between these two. Normally, Minette breaks one of my rules for historical romance . I don't typically like this, but in this case it so didn't bother me. I don't know why. Also this was pretty predictable. I saw the . So this didn't have much in the way of suspense or even angst. As much as I liked and connected to the characters, I did have trouble sticking with this story. It didn't grab me and hold on for some reason.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 11, 2015
Minette Rideau is stubborn, secretive, can be seductive, and is on the look for a notorious criminal. She decides to engage Frederick, "Freddy", Duke of Falconwood to help her capture this monster of a man. She enrolls a young lieutenant to help her meet the Duke at his disgraceful place of business. Flirtatious and a bit overbearing, she finally encounters Freddy. She gains his help and promises to let her help find Moreau, the man that Minette needs to find and get him out of her and her family's life once and for all.
Freddy kisses Minette passionately, dismisses the lieutenant and takes Minette to her home himself. Now what has he gotten himself into? What a coquettish young miss.
To keep up their guise, Freddy and Minette decide that they will become engaged to be married so as to put up a good way to gather the information they need to find this Moreau. What a fiery match.
You will have to read all about their adventures in this book to find if they get their man and how they will end up: together or not.
I won this book through the GoodReads First Reads Giveaway. I loved this book and will read more of miss Lethbridge's books. Thank you.
Freddy kisses Minette passionately, dismisses the lieutenant and takes Minette to her home himself. Now what has he gotten himself into? What a coquettish young miss.
To keep up their guise, Freddy and Minette decide that they will become engaged to be married so as to put up a good way to gather the information they need to find this Moreau. What a fiery match.
You will have to read all about their adventures in this book to find if they get their man and how they will end up: together or not.
I won this book through the GoodReads First Reads Giveaway. I loved this book and will read more of miss Lethbridge's books. Thank you.
Read
August 3, 2015"The action-packed, sexy offshoot of Lethbridge's Bereford Abbey series begins when the grown-up Minette arrives at Duke Freddy's gaming hall with a dangerous proposition. Totally improbable, yet delightfully disdainful of the upper-class demands, Lethbridge makes Minette and Freddy's journey to love a must-read" (RT Book Reviews, 4 stars).
Read
January 12, 2016"The action-packed, sexy offshoot of Lethbridge’s Beresford Abbey series begins when the grown-up Minette arrives at Duke Freddy’s gaming hall with a dangerous proposition. Totally improbable, yet delightfully disdainful of the upper-class demands, Lethbridge makes Minette and Freddy’s journey to love a must-read" (RT Book Reviews, 4 stars).
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews