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Dukes Behaving Badly #3
One-Eyed Dukes Are Wild
When does proper behavior deserve a deliciously improper reward?
The scandalously unmarried Lady Margaret Sawford is looking for adventure—and is always up for a challenge. Her curiosity is aroused by a dangerous-looking stranger with an eye patch, an ideal companion for the life she longs for, no matter what Society might say. So when the piratical gentleman turns out to be a duke—and just as boringly proper as any other nobleman—she can't help but incite him to walk on the wild side.
Well-heeled, well-mannered, and well beyond any interest in society's expectations, the Duke of Lasham is tired of being perfect. Margaret's lush beauty and gently laughing eyes are an irresistible temptation to embrace the imperfect—and her. But if a little misbehavior is appealing, unleashing his wild side is completely seductive—as long as the lovely Margaret is the object of his passion . . .
The scandalously unmarried Lady Margaret Sawford is looking for adventure—and is always up for a challenge. Her curiosity is aroused by a dangerous-looking stranger with an eye patch, an ideal companion for the life she longs for, no matter what Society might say. So when the piratical gentleman turns out to be a duke—and just as boringly proper as any other nobleman—she can't help but incite him to walk on the wild side.
Well-heeled, well-mannered, and well beyond any interest in society's expectations, the Duke of Lasham is tired of being perfect. Margaret's lush beauty and gently laughing eyes are an irresistible temptation to embrace the imperfect—and her. But if a little misbehavior is appealing, unleashing his wild side is completely seductive—as long as the lovely Margaret is the object of his passion . . .
389 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 29, 2015
88 people are currently reading
1233 people want to read
About the author
Megan Frampton
40 books1,053 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 156 reviews
December 28, 2015
One-Eyed Dukes are Wild is the 3rd book in Megan Frampton's Dukes Behaving Badly series, and yet it's the 1st in the series I've read. That didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story as I was able to follow along, never feeling like I'd missed something for having not read the previous books. And though it took a bit for the story to really grab hold, once it did I was thoroughly captivated!
I have to say this right up front - Margaret is one of the most refreshing leading ladies I've read in a good, long while. In fact, I felt a connection to her in that we both have similar ideals and goals, the difference being that she risks life and limb to champion the women who come to her attention, and I both loved and envied that about her!
The Duke of Lasham - the One-Eyed Duke - is just too cute - as in 'cheek squeezing' adorable! I fell hard for him and for all his flaws and insecurities. I couldn't help but cheer him on as he set his sites on Margaret and did whatever needed to be done to make her his.
One of the things I most enjoyed was the natural way the relationship between Lasham and Margaret progressed. It built slow but this made it believable, and at no time did it feel forced. Maybe because they spend so much time together, this slow build never dragged things out, and that made for a wonderful story!
Bottom line... this is a fun, sexy, romantic story. It's also poignant and thought-provoking at times, and proves that true love truly can overcome any obstacle... if you let it!
An ARC was provided by Avon Books. In appreciation I am giving them an honest review.
I have to say this right up front - Margaret is one of the most refreshing leading ladies I've read in a good, long while. In fact, I felt a connection to her in that we both have similar ideals and goals, the difference being that she risks life and limb to champion the women who come to her attention, and I both loved and envied that about her!
The Duke of Lasham - the One-Eyed Duke - is just too cute - as in 'cheek squeezing' adorable! I fell hard for him and for all his flaws and insecurities. I couldn't help but cheer him on as he set his sites on Margaret and did whatever needed to be done to make her his.
One of the things I most enjoyed was the natural way the relationship between Lasham and Margaret progressed. It built slow but this made it believable, and at no time did it feel forced. Maybe because they spend so much time together, this slow build never dragged things out, and that made for a wonderful story!
Bottom line... this is a fun, sexy, romantic story. It's also poignant and thought-provoking at times, and proves that true love truly can overcome any obstacle... if you let it!
An ARC was provided by Avon Books. In appreciation I am giving them an honest review.
December 31, 2015
Steam level was extremely low. Writing was boring at best, and bad at worst. Dialogue was awkward. The plot was poorly executed, and there was no real conflict.
The heroine was too anachronistic; she was way too independent and carefree (ex: ordering a duke around in public, intervening in a marital argument between people not related to her, going to the duke's house at night without any companion, letting a man take liberties with her without demanding marriage). The hero was nice and sweet, but was a bit whiny and weak at times. Basically, the characters were too one-dimensional.
I'm giving this 2.75 stars because despite everything, it was still a sweet story. The H fawned all over the h, something that I like in romance novels. It's just a shame that the writer's inexperience affected the overall quality of the story.
The heroine was too anachronistic; she was way too independent and carefree (ex: ordering a duke around in public, intervening in a marital argument between people not related to her, going to the duke's house at night without any companion, letting a man take liberties with her without demanding marriage). The hero was nice and sweet, but was a bit whiny and weak at times. Basically, the characters were too one-dimensional.
I'm giving this 2.75 stars because despite everything, it was still a sweet story. The H fawned all over the h, something that I like in romance novels. It's just a shame that the writer's inexperience affected the overall quality of the story.
March 27, 2016
This was my second attempt with Frampton's work and I was much more pleased with the result. Frampton's has a subtle sense of humor, which I greatly enjoyed here.
Lady Margaret has been skating on the edge of society ever since she refused to marry a man chosen by her parents. As a result, she has given up trying to be imminently proper and instead embraced art, her work for abused women, and her love of richly colored clothes.
The Duke of Lasham is an exceedingly proper duke, heavily burdened with responsibility, awkwardness, and an eye patch. He stands out wherever he goes and is disappointed in his life. He strongly believes in caring for his tenants and estates, but hates that he is uncomfortable in his own skin and has difficulty enjoying life.
From their first meeting, Lash sees Margaret as a dare, someone who pulls him from his comfort zone in order to experience life. In his eyes, she sparkles and he is drawn to her like a moth to a flame. Not everything between the two goes smoothly and several times, Lash balks at Margaret's antics and his awkwardness with speech rears its ugly head. Despite Margaret's boldness and the duke's death grip on propriety, the two can't seem to stay away from each other and the sexual tension between the two reached a boiling point.
What I enjoyed about this story was the inherent innocence of the two. There is no tawdriness or sexual games going on and while the two are cognizant of their attraction, the physical relationship develops slowly as they build their emotional bond. I think Lash put their attraction into words very well (despite his frequent difficulty) as the two's relationship grew into something deeper:
The two are open with each other, despite their initial hopes to protect themselves. Margaret rehearses a way to put distance between them, but the Duke manages to disarm her with a simple "I've missed you." He was endearing, kind, patient, and honest. Despite his initial stodginess, I never thought he was a snob and neither did Margaret. She recognizes there is more beneath the surface and can't help falling for the responsible, practical, and private man she finds behind the aloof ducal mask.
As I reported in my updates, Margaret was very anachronistic, but Frampton developed Margaret's relationship with the Duke so well that I was firmly convinced that she was a perfect match for the Duke. The first 75% of this novel was a nearly 5 star read, but I have to say the end disappointed me. For purists, you may not be able let Margaret's behavior slide. She takes great risks, visits the duke's house lone with no maid and sometimes even late at night (this really bugged me), makes a huge scene with the man she jilted, and is cured of her indecision about the Duke through sex. The ending was overly dramatic and did not jive with the strong bond that Frampton's had created between the leads for most of the book. Hence, the lower rating of 3.5 stars.
Despite the ending, I still recommend the story because of the honest, disarming beta hero. I really enjoyed the time spent viewing things from his perspective, and found it refreshing to have a hero who is not a rake at all. I will look for more future Frampton's heroes with this type of personality as I enjoyed the banter and reduced focus on sex that was present in this novel versus those books where Framton's hero is a womanizer.
Lady Margaret has been skating on the edge of society ever since she refused to marry a man chosen by her parents. As a result, she has given up trying to be imminently proper and instead embraced art, her work for abused women, and her love of richly colored clothes.
The Duke of Lasham is an exceedingly proper duke, heavily burdened with responsibility, awkwardness, and an eye patch. He stands out wherever he goes and is disappointed in his life. He strongly believes in caring for his tenants and estates, but hates that he is uncomfortable in his own skin and has difficulty enjoying life.
From their first meeting, Lash sees Margaret as a dare, someone who pulls him from his comfort zone in order to experience life. In his eyes, she sparkles and he is drawn to her like a moth to a flame. Not everything between the two goes smoothly and several times, Lash balks at Margaret's antics and his awkwardness with speech rears its ugly head. Despite Margaret's boldness and the duke's death grip on propriety, the two can't seem to stay away from each other and the sexual tension between the two reached a boiling point.
What I enjoyed about this story was the inherent innocence of the two. There is no tawdriness or sexual games going on and while the two are cognizant of their attraction, the physical relationship develops slowly as they build their emotional bond. I think Lash put their attraction into words very well (despite his frequent difficulty) as the two's relationship grew into something deeper:
"You're scared of this," he said. Did he sound angry? She couldn't tell. She opened her mouth to argue, only to snap it shut again because he was right. He glanced away, over her head. "I don't blame you. I'm scared as well." He looked back at her. "I've never had this--this intensity with anyone before."
The two are open with each other, despite their initial hopes to protect themselves. Margaret rehearses a way to put distance between them, but the Duke manages to disarm her with a simple "I've missed you." He was endearing, kind, patient, and honest. Despite his initial stodginess, I never thought he was a snob and neither did Margaret. She recognizes there is more beneath the surface and can't help falling for the responsible, practical, and private man she finds behind the aloof ducal mask.
As I reported in my updates, Margaret was very anachronistic, but Frampton developed Margaret's relationship with the Duke so well that I was firmly convinced that she was a perfect match for the Duke. The first 75% of this novel was a nearly 5 star read, but I have to say the end disappointed me. For purists, you may not be able let Margaret's behavior slide. She takes great risks, visits the duke's house lone with no maid and sometimes even late at night (this really bugged me), makes a huge scene with the man she jilted, and is cured of her indecision about the Duke through sex. The ending was overly dramatic and did not jive with the strong bond that Frampton's had created between the leads for most of the book. Hence, the lower rating of 3.5 stars.
Despite the ending, I still recommend the story because of the honest, disarming beta hero. I really enjoyed the time spent viewing things from his perspective, and found it refreshing to have a hero who is not a rake at all. I will look for more future Frampton's heroes with this type of personality as I enjoyed the banter and reduced focus on sex that was present in this novel versus those books where Framton's hero is a womanizer.
August 22, 2016
Another great offering - romantic, sexy, sweet. This series and Megan Frampton are quickly becoming one of my favorites - recommend for everyone in need of a light, fun, witty regency escape.
January 10, 2016
This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance
One Eyed Dukes Are Wild is the latest release of Megan Frampton's series Dukes Behaving Badly. I will admit I was super excited to pick this one, because I had enjoyed the previous books so well. This one opens up with a daring heroine and a reserved duke. They both have a instant attraction to one another, however love is never simple or easy. The story is well written and at first I enjoyed the verbal interaction sbetween the characters and I really enjoyed seeing the way this story ended up playing out. It was quite fun to see how opposite both Margaret and Lasham are from each other, but how well they seem to fit....and with each chapter we see how well they click.
I did feel that the heroine was a bit too "contemporary" for my tastes though. There were many qualities I liked about her, but she didn't seem to be well fitted for a historical and the hero was a bit tame, the cover tends to be a bit misleading on that score though. Even though I love the cover, it doesn't really match the characters in the story as well as I would have liked. The flow of the story was steady, and even though there were some moments I had trouble connecting with, overall it was a enjoyable read that I would recommend to those readers that like their historical romances lighthearted and fun. Megan Frampton writes a unique story that I found to be delightful and full of charm and a sweetly moving romance.
1844
A London ballroom
Too many people, too much noise
Lasham took too big a swallow of his wine, knowing his headache would only be exacerbated by the alcohol, but unwilling to forgo the possibility that perhaps, for just a few minutes, his perception would be muffled, blurred a little around the edges.
So that he wouldn’t be in a state of constant keen awareness that he was the Duke of Lasham, that he was likely the most important person wherever he happened to be—according to everyone but him—and that he was under almost continuous surveillance.
The ballroom was filled with the best people of Society, all of whom seemed to be far more at ease than he had ever been. Could ever be, in fact. He stood to the side of the dance floor, the whirling fabric of the ladies’ gowns like a child’s top.
Not that he’d been allowed anything as playful or fun as a top when he was growing up. But he could identify the toy, at least.
“Enjoying yourself, Your Grace?” His hostess, along with two of her daughters, had crept up along his blind side, making him start and slosh his wine onto his gloved hand. Occurrences like this weren’t the worst part of having lost an eye—that obviously would be the fact that he only had one eye left—but it was definitely annoying.
“Yes,” he said, bowing in their general direction, “thank you, I am.”
The three ladies gawked at him as though waiting for him to continue to speak, to display more of his wondrous dukeliness for their delight. As though he were more of an object than a person.
But he couldn’t just perform on command, and his hand was damp, and now he would have to go air out his glove before bestowing another dance on some lady he would be obliged to dance with, being the duke, and all. Because if his glove was damp, it might be perceived as, God forbid, sweaty, and sweaty-handed dukes might mean that the duke had gotten said sweat because he was enthralled with the person with whom he was dancing, which would lead to expectations, which would lead to expect a question, and Lasham knew he did not want to ever have to ask that question of anybody.
It was bad enough being the object of scrutiny when he was out in public. At home, at least, he was by himself, blissfully so, and taking a duchess would require that he be at home by himself with somebody else, and that somebody would doubtless have ducal expectations of him as well.
“Excuse me,” he said to the silent, gawking ladies. He sketched a quick bow and strode off, trying to look as though he had a destination rather than merely wishing to depart.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
One Eyed Dukes Are Wild is the latest release of Megan Frampton's series Dukes Behaving Badly. I will admit I was super excited to pick this one, because I had enjoyed the previous books so well. This one opens up with a daring heroine and a reserved duke. They both have a instant attraction to one another, however love is never simple or easy. The story is well written and at first I enjoyed the verbal interaction sbetween the characters and I really enjoyed seeing the way this story ended up playing out. It was quite fun to see how opposite both Margaret and Lasham are from each other, but how well they seem to fit....and with each chapter we see how well they click.
I did feel that the heroine was a bit too "contemporary" for my tastes though. There were many qualities I liked about her, but she didn't seem to be well fitted for a historical and the hero was a bit tame, the cover tends to be a bit misleading on that score though. Even though I love the cover, it doesn't really match the characters in the story as well as I would have liked. The flow of the story was steady, and even though there were some moments I had trouble connecting with, overall it was a enjoyable read that I would recommend to those readers that like their historical romances lighthearted and fun. Megan Frampton writes a unique story that I found to be delightful and full of charm and a sweetly moving romance.
1844
A London ballroom
Too many people, too much noise
Lasham took too big a swallow of his wine, knowing his headache would only be exacerbated by the alcohol, but unwilling to forgo the possibility that perhaps, for just a few minutes, his perception would be muffled, blurred a little around the edges.
So that he wouldn’t be in a state of constant keen awareness that he was the Duke of Lasham, that he was likely the most important person wherever he happened to be—according to everyone but him—and that he was under almost continuous surveillance.
The ballroom was filled with the best people of Society, all of whom seemed to be far more at ease than he had ever been. Could ever be, in fact. He stood to the side of the dance floor, the whirling fabric of the ladies’ gowns like a child’s top.
Not that he’d been allowed anything as playful or fun as a top when he was growing up. But he could identify the toy, at least.
“Enjoying yourself, Your Grace?” His hostess, along with two of her daughters, had crept up along his blind side, making him start and slosh his wine onto his gloved hand. Occurrences like this weren’t the worst part of having lost an eye—that obviously would be the fact that he only had one eye left—but it was definitely annoying.
“Yes,” he said, bowing in their general direction, “thank you, I am.”
The three ladies gawked at him as though waiting for him to continue to speak, to display more of his wondrous dukeliness for their delight. As though he were more of an object than a person.
But he couldn’t just perform on command, and his hand was damp, and now he would have to go air out his glove before bestowing another dance on some lady he would be obliged to dance with, being the duke, and all. Because if his glove was damp, it might be perceived as, God forbid, sweaty, and sweaty-handed dukes might mean that the duke had gotten said sweat because he was enthralled with the person with whom he was dancing, which would lead to expectations, which would lead to expect a question, and Lasham knew he did not want to ever have to ask that question of anybody.
It was bad enough being the object of scrutiny when he was out in public. At home, at least, he was by himself, blissfully so, and taking a duchess would require that he be at home by himself with somebody else, and that somebody would doubtless have ducal expectations of him as well.
“Excuse me,” he said to the silent, gawking ladies. He sketched a quick bow and strode off, trying to look as though he had a destination rather than merely wishing to depart.
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January 6, 2016
Originally posted at SmexyBooks-http://smexybooks.com/2016/01/review-...
Favorite Quote: “Men. She’d be better off just making the fictional men in her life do what she wanted, since she thus far had little luck with the real ones.”
Lady Margaret Sawford has lived her life on her own terms since she refused to be forced into marriage by her parents and they disowned her. Using her skills at cards and writing serial romances, Margaret not only manages her own household but also helps those who are far less fortunate than her. When she meets a mysterious man wearing an eye patch, she expects an adventure only to discover a duke whose sedate nature screams for her to shake his foundations up.
The Duke of Lasham has spent his whole life doing the proper thing as befitting his station. Something that was drilled into him from the moment he was born. Awkward, uptight, and very unhappy, Lasham has no idea who he is anymore. Meeting the beautiful and scandalous Lady Sawford tosses him into a sea of confusion and lust. Can he slip off his self-imposed leash long enough to experience the passion and temptation she offers? And if so, will he be able to rein it back in or will he choose to remain in her orbit as he plummets to the earth awash in scandal and disgrace?
Though this is the third book in Megan Frampton’s Dukes Behaving Badly series, each one is a perfectly designed standalone that doesn’t require you to read them in order. Slightly reminiscent of The Lady Risks All by Stephanie Laurens, Frampton creates a lighter more humorous journey with this couple. Repressed heroes and spirited heroines always make for a fun read and Frampton doesn’t disappoint in here. This lightweight heavily character driven romance focuses on the hero and heroine, using their respective situations, witty dialogue, and some manipulated situations to facilitate and deepen their attraction to one another. Friendship and trust are the base themes of this novel. A straightforward plotline and steady pacing introduces Margaret to Lasham and follows them as they build an unlikely friendship that develops into much more despite their opinion that nothing can ever come of it.
As I’m not a historian, I have no idea if a woman such as Margaret would be able to exist as she does on the fringes of society during this era; flitting in and out with such strong independence and disregard for the rules she was born into. There is a dichotomy here that switches from formal to casual in both dialogue and actions. Frampton manages to skirt this issue at times by maintaining her focus on the protagonists and conveniently brushing aside certain aspects that do cause some concern.
Regardless, Margaret’s characterization is an amusing concoction of wit, charm, and strength that encourages the reader to play along. Her laissez-faire attitude hides the pain and shame of her parent’s actions; their rejection of her firm proof that her only use to them was in making their social status higher. The fact that she has chosen to live her life as she chooses while trying to help other women gain a similar freedom goes far in explaining her mindset.
Lasham is the perfect foil for Margaret’s impulsiveness and cheery good nature. Knowing his own status forgives him almost any indiscretion, he has begun to feel confined in a trap of his own making. Unhappy and not sure why, he struggles between the enormous weight of his responsibilities and the yearning to be truly free of his obligations if only for a moment. Watching him slowly open up with Margaret is sweet and at times funny. She pushes him out of his comfort zone, showing him that even the smallest rebellion can be liberating. I liked that she takes his need for adventure seriously, never hinting that it is time wasting or silly. She has been where he is at and knows the strength it takes to buck against convention.
The romance develops slowly with a sweet cascade of emotional and sexual tension. The chemistry is strong and present from their first meeting but their friendship takes precedence over their libidos. Especially as it strengthens and Margaret begins to fear Latham’s association with her could bring disastrous results. Lasham’s gradual awakening refuses to allow her to distance herself from him and his status- both of which Margaret originally despaired over. Ironically it’s his status that gives them the freedom to explore their burgeoning passion away from prying eyes.
An engaging cast of secondary characters helps to round out the storyline; adding some necessary subplots in order to expand the roles of our protagonists. They flow in and out of their lives, offering advice and subtle pushes when needed. Frampton use of excerpts from Margaret’s own serial is rather cute and offers some foreshadowing towards the direction and intentions of the couple. I do wish more conflict had been introduced. The potential is there but not acted upon. Perhaps this is where reading the first two of the series is needed. I wanted more depth and action in Margaret’s backstory and those involved rather than hearing about it after the fact. I was also a little taken back that Latham’s missing eye wasn’t utilized more with its rather big build-up in the title and blurb. Instead, it was just a part of his physical make up and treated as nothing more or less.
A fast ending leaves a clean slate for our couple and assures us that there are more adventures in their future. Fans of historical romances offering a lighter fare and a unique couple who choose to live life on their own terms are sure to enjoy Frampton’s latest regency romp.
GRADE: B-
Favorite Quote: “Men. She’d be better off just making the fictional men in her life do what she wanted, since she thus far had little luck with the real ones.”
Lady Margaret Sawford has lived her life on her own terms since she refused to be forced into marriage by her parents and they disowned her. Using her skills at cards and writing serial romances, Margaret not only manages her own household but also helps those who are far less fortunate than her. When she meets a mysterious man wearing an eye patch, she expects an adventure only to discover a duke whose sedate nature screams for her to shake his foundations up.
The Duke of Lasham has spent his whole life doing the proper thing as befitting his station. Something that was drilled into him from the moment he was born. Awkward, uptight, and very unhappy, Lasham has no idea who he is anymore. Meeting the beautiful and scandalous Lady Sawford tosses him into a sea of confusion and lust. Can he slip off his self-imposed leash long enough to experience the passion and temptation she offers? And if so, will he be able to rein it back in or will he choose to remain in her orbit as he plummets to the earth awash in scandal and disgrace?
Though this is the third book in Megan Frampton’s Dukes Behaving Badly series, each one is a perfectly designed standalone that doesn’t require you to read them in order. Slightly reminiscent of The Lady Risks All by Stephanie Laurens, Frampton creates a lighter more humorous journey with this couple. Repressed heroes and spirited heroines always make for a fun read and Frampton doesn’t disappoint in here. This lightweight heavily character driven romance focuses on the hero and heroine, using their respective situations, witty dialogue, and some manipulated situations to facilitate and deepen their attraction to one another. Friendship and trust are the base themes of this novel. A straightforward plotline and steady pacing introduces Margaret to Lasham and follows them as they build an unlikely friendship that develops into much more despite their opinion that nothing can ever come of it.
As I’m not a historian, I have no idea if a woman such as Margaret would be able to exist as she does on the fringes of society during this era; flitting in and out with such strong independence and disregard for the rules she was born into. There is a dichotomy here that switches from formal to casual in both dialogue and actions. Frampton manages to skirt this issue at times by maintaining her focus on the protagonists and conveniently brushing aside certain aspects that do cause some concern.
Regardless, Margaret’s characterization is an amusing concoction of wit, charm, and strength that encourages the reader to play along. Her laissez-faire attitude hides the pain and shame of her parent’s actions; their rejection of her firm proof that her only use to them was in making their social status higher. The fact that she has chosen to live her life as she chooses while trying to help other women gain a similar freedom goes far in explaining her mindset.
Lasham is the perfect foil for Margaret’s impulsiveness and cheery good nature. Knowing his own status forgives him almost any indiscretion, he has begun to feel confined in a trap of his own making. Unhappy and not sure why, he struggles between the enormous weight of his responsibilities and the yearning to be truly free of his obligations if only for a moment. Watching him slowly open up with Margaret is sweet and at times funny. She pushes him out of his comfort zone, showing him that even the smallest rebellion can be liberating. I liked that she takes his need for adventure seriously, never hinting that it is time wasting or silly. She has been where he is at and knows the strength it takes to buck against convention.
The romance develops slowly with a sweet cascade of emotional and sexual tension. The chemistry is strong and present from their first meeting but their friendship takes precedence over their libidos. Especially as it strengthens and Margaret begins to fear Latham’s association with her could bring disastrous results. Lasham’s gradual awakening refuses to allow her to distance herself from him and his status- both of which Margaret originally despaired over. Ironically it’s his status that gives them the freedom to explore their burgeoning passion away from prying eyes.
An engaging cast of secondary characters helps to round out the storyline; adding some necessary subplots in order to expand the roles of our protagonists. They flow in and out of their lives, offering advice and subtle pushes when needed. Frampton use of excerpts from Margaret’s own serial is rather cute and offers some foreshadowing towards the direction and intentions of the couple. I do wish more conflict had been introduced. The potential is there but not acted upon. Perhaps this is where reading the first two of the series is needed. I wanted more depth and action in Margaret’s backstory and those involved rather than hearing about it after the fact. I was also a little taken back that Latham’s missing eye wasn’t utilized more with its rather big build-up in the title and blurb. Instead, it was just a part of his physical make up and treated as nothing more or less.
A fast ending leaves a clean slate for our couple and assures us that there are more adventures in their future. Fans of historical romances offering a lighter fare and a unique couple who choose to live life on their own terms are sure to enjoy Frampton’s latest regency romp.
GRADE: B-
December 26, 2015
It took me but a few paragraphs to remind me why I love Megan Frampton’s books so much! Lady Margaret Sawford is firmly on the shelf, and she assumes her slightly scandalous reputation with flair. Mind you, the scandals are not as bad as it they could be, but still she did refuse to marry the despicable Lord Collingwood, and she does write a – very successful – newspaper serial. Because her parents shunned her after the Collingwood debacle, she put her unusual talent to good use: she is extremely good at playing cards, and as she requires funds to survive, as well as help women in distress, that’s how she makes a living. The Duke of Lasham is being his very undukely and recalcitrant self in a London ballroom, but Margaret sees him, looking slightly dangerous, with an eye-patch that makes him look positively piratical, and she must make his acquaintance, and the poor Duke never knew what he got himself into.
I love that each chapter begins with an episode of “Georgiana and the Dragon”, written by A Lady of Mystery, that is Margaret. And in fact, it does mirror the story of ONE-EYE DUKES ARE WILD. And what a fabulously entertaining book it is! Margaret is fearless, independent, passionate; she sparkles, in the eyes, er, eye of the Duke. She cares nothing for propriety, whereas Lasham has made it the point of his whole existence, but he finds her irresistible, and she is! He cannot express himself, she is a woman of words; he has spent his whole life doing nothing but his duty, but she is bent on showing him that life is more than that. Megan Frampton weaves words into glorious sentences to craft an insanely witty and romantic tale. Her sublime prose is dazzling, the dialogues clever, and the characters enchanting. Ms. Frampton, in all this frothy magnificence, still makes us realise how perilous life could be for women of the Victorian era. And about how the Duke lost his eye? Gentle readers, I am not about to reveal this delicious piece of gossip. Megan Frampton sparkles, glitters, and shines like no one else!
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I love that each chapter begins with an episode of “Georgiana and the Dragon”, written by A Lady of Mystery, that is Margaret. And in fact, it does mirror the story of ONE-EYE DUKES ARE WILD. And what a fabulously entertaining book it is! Margaret is fearless, independent, passionate; she sparkles, in the eyes, er, eye of the Duke. She cares nothing for propriety, whereas Lasham has made it the point of his whole existence, but he finds her irresistible, and she is! He cannot express himself, she is a woman of words; he has spent his whole life doing nothing but his duty, but she is bent on showing him that life is more than that. Megan Frampton weaves words into glorious sentences to craft an insanely witty and romantic tale. Her sublime prose is dazzling, the dialogues clever, and the characters enchanting. Ms. Frampton, in all this frothy magnificence, still makes us realise how perilous life could be for women of the Victorian era. And about how the Duke lost his eye? Gentle readers, I am not about to reveal this delicious piece of gossip. Megan Frampton sparkles, glitters, and shines like no one else!
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 1, 2022
2020 rating: 3 stars
2021 rating: 2 stars
This one started off great but it went downhill from there. It became super boring. I found it hard to like both Vortigern and Margaret. I couldn’t get over how Vortigern is a horrible name (sorry not sorry), if only the author could choose a better name for the hero.
Vortigern is a very very boring man. Apparently he has issues with words, has no hobbies and nothing much going for him to make me love him.
Margaret, I expected more of her, after reading about her in her sister’s book (Isabella) but Margaret fell short of my expectations. I’m not sure what but I expected Margaret to just be..more. Her being reckless in seeking new employment for the girls needing help, is not the adventures I expected Margaret to be having.
The adventures Margaret brought Vortigern to, didn’t feel very exciting and Margaret’s rescuing of girls felt meh to me, I wasn’t interested.
The chemistry between them is non existent. They basically get together and suddenly realize they have feelings for each other.
I started getting bored out of my mind after reading the first half of the book. Decided to continue reading instead of stopping because I was just hoping it would become better, but alas it did not.
A disappointing read.
2021 rating: 2 stars
This one started off great but it went downhill from there. It became super boring. I found it hard to like both Vortigern and Margaret. I couldn’t get over how Vortigern is a horrible name (sorry not sorry), if only the author could choose a better name for the hero.
Vortigern is a very very boring man. Apparently he has issues with words, has no hobbies and nothing much going for him to make me love him.
Margaret, I expected more of her, after reading about her in her sister’s book (Isabella) but Margaret fell short of my expectations. I’m not sure what but I expected Margaret to just be..more. Her being reckless in seeking new employment for the girls needing help, is not the adventures I expected Margaret to be having.
The adventures Margaret brought Vortigern to, didn’t feel very exciting and Margaret’s rescuing of girls felt meh to me, I wasn’t interested.
The chemistry between them is non existent. They basically get together and suddenly realize they have feelings for each other.
I started getting bored out of my mind after reading the first half of the book. Decided to continue reading instead of stopping because I was just hoping it would become better, but alas it did not.
A disappointing read.
December 29, 2015
If you are looking for a romance with a repressed and scarred hero, learning to come out of his shell, I think you would enjoy this story. The Duke of Lasham is awkward and unhappy and he has no idea who is really is inside. He only knows that as a duke, he has a responsibility to be proper, to do the right thing, as befits his station. Then he meets a bold and fiery lady who turns his world upside down when she makes him realize there is another way to live.
Lady Margaret thumbs her nose at convention and that is why she teeters on the fringe of society. She turned down the marriage her parents set up for her and they disowned her. Now she lives life on her own terms. She makes her living writing serials and playing cards, and she devotes her time and money to helping other women with even fewer options in life than she had. When she first lays eyes on Lasham, she has no idea of his title, but even once she learns of it, that’s not what shapes her opinion of him. She sees beyond his nobility, beyond the patch he wears over his eye, to the man underneath. And she likes what she sees.
Lasham has never even asked himself what he wants to do. It’s always been about what he should do. Suddenly, he realizes he wants the kind of adventures that Margaret can bring to his life. The story follows them as they form a partnership… a friendship… that becomes so much more, despite the fact that neither believes a future is possible between them.
Poor Lasham is so bleak. I loved watching him come to life with Margaret. His mantle of responsibility is so heavy, but being with her transforms him. I like that it’s not like flipping a switch. It’s a gradual change, but a profound one. There was less focus on his disfigurement than I expected, rather, most of his angst came from the strictures of his class conformity. But I liked that it never made him a snob and that his heart was always in the right place.
Margaret is a worthy heroine. She follows her heart and her own internal code. She takes risks, which aren’t always smart, but are always honorable in her own way. I loved what she saw in Lasham. How she took his need for adventure as seriously as she took all of her other causes. And I loved how they were together. The sexual tension is good… the sexytimes are hot… and the romance is satisfying.
I enjoyed.
Rating: B
*ARC provided by publisher
Lady Margaret thumbs her nose at convention and that is why she teeters on the fringe of society. She turned down the marriage her parents set up for her and they disowned her. Now she lives life on her own terms. She makes her living writing serials and playing cards, and she devotes her time and money to helping other women with even fewer options in life than she had. When she first lays eyes on Lasham, she has no idea of his title, but even once she learns of it, that’s not what shapes her opinion of him. She sees beyond his nobility, beyond the patch he wears over his eye, to the man underneath. And she likes what she sees.
Lasham has never even asked himself what he wants to do. It’s always been about what he should do. Suddenly, he realizes he wants the kind of adventures that Margaret can bring to his life. The story follows them as they form a partnership… a friendship… that becomes so much more, despite the fact that neither believes a future is possible between them.
Poor Lasham is so bleak. I loved watching him come to life with Margaret. His mantle of responsibility is so heavy, but being with her transforms him. I like that it’s not like flipping a switch. It’s a gradual change, but a profound one. There was less focus on his disfigurement than I expected, rather, most of his angst came from the strictures of his class conformity. But I liked that it never made him a snob and that his heart was always in the right place.
Margaret is a worthy heroine. She follows her heart and her own internal code. She takes risks, which aren’t always smart, but are always honorable in her own way. I loved what she saw in Lasham. How she took his need for adventure as seriously as she took all of her other causes. And I loved how they were together. The sexual tension is good… the sexytimes are hot… and the romance is satisfying.
I enjoyed.
Rating: B
*ARC provided by publisher
August 13, 2017
4.5 Stars. I so enjoyed this sweet story of two people that shouldn't fit together according to their temperaments and stations in life. Margaret is a somewhat disgraced sister of a duchess, card shark, and crusader for downtrodden women. She is out-spoken and direct, but loving. The Duke of Lasham forbidding in appearance due to his missing eye and withdrawn behavior. He is ultra-responsible and probably shy. Their initial attraction slowly blossoms as Margaret helps Lash connect with his emotions and enjoy life. There is some humorous and realistic dialogue that I really appreciated, but this book is not like Frampton's often-quirky style. The building relationship between the H and h touched me -- I teared up once and got that tight feeling in my chest once. These are signs that the book engaged my deeper emotions. A very good book.
January 8, 2016
This wonderful humorous historical romance is the story of the Duke of Lasham (whose first name we don’t even know until much later in the story, as he goes by Lasham, or ‘Your Grace’) and Lady Margaret. They are as opposite as can be. Lasham is a staid, upstanding, respectable (i.e boring) gentleman. He always does what is right and what is expected of him. He had the misfortune of losing an eye, and wears an eye-patch that ensures he can’t go anywhere without notice. When Lady Margaret, a scandalous woman (by way of having refused a marriage of convenience and who now supports herself by being a bit of a card shark and as a writer under the pseudonym of ‘A Lady of Mystery’) catches his eye, he’s not quite sure what to do about it. She makes it clear that no matter the circumstances, she won’t expect marriage from him, and an unlikely friendship forms. But as they draw closer together, they find that their feelings turn into something much stronger. Can their relationship beat the odds?
What a fun read! There is so much dry wit in this story that it was impossible to read a single page without a smile or a laugh, as the story is told from both points of view and these two characters have such amusing thoughts, often self deprecating, but wholly enjoyable for the reader. The Duke has the weight of his world on his shoulders – his responsibilities to the people under his care, his duty to his title, and all of society’s expectations make him afraid to step out of his comfort zone. He’s got a single friend, James, who understands him (and James is quite the opposite to Lasham, fun and carefree and it’s hard to believe they could be friends except that it’s a childhood friendship that solidified early and continues to this day). He’s not looking for any kind of romantic entanglement (and dreads the thought of being in a compromising position that would entail he propose marriage). Margaret therefore is a breath of fresh air and sparkling possibilities. She meets Lasham accidentally in a quiet library at a ball and immediately reassures him that she won’t press for any kind of commitment were they to be discovered, a fact that puts him at ease with her (note: they are only talking, but unchaperoned!) When they encounter each other next at an art gallery, she continues speaking her mind, declaring what she feels about the art (and life, and society), and generally making Lasham feel inadequate and tongue tied. It’s delightful to see him so put out by her.
Lady Margaret knows how fortunate she is to be able to support herself without a man (and without her parents who have disowned her for not agreeing to the marriage they had arranged for her). She has a keen memory when it comes to cards, and is able to use that to her advantage to play and win. She’s also an accomplished writer, her serials having a strong following. Her sister is a duchess and is still very friendly with her, which makes her admittance to society gatherings still acceptable. Her earnings keep her and her maid Annie in a comfortable style, but also enable her to seek out and help less fortunate women – a task that gives her immense satisfaction. When Lasham discovers what she’s up to he’s concerned for her well being and can’t help but offer her his services for protection, which she reluctantly agrees to, knowing that having a silent and dangerous looking (with his piratical eye patch ) man at her back will give her a bit more legitimacy when dealing with nefarious men. From there, their friendships grows in leaps and bounds, and one thing leads to another as they find the attraction they feel towards each other is quite strong too. In return for Lasham’s protective services he proposes that she teach him how to be more adventurous, which means flouting the rules of society and doing fun things that eventually lead to some sweet and sensual scenes between them. Honestly, their thoughts throughout all the story just made it a fun adventure for the reader too, wondering if their kisses would lead to more (and they do). They are such opposites, yet drawn to each other. There are times in the story when it seems as if there is no way they can be together out in society (especially as Margaret worries about how her scandalous reputation will damage Lasham’s upright one). But eventually we get a sweet and very satisfactory happy ending. I really loved that he supported her work with the other women and didn’t expect her to change anything about herself. He loves her as she is, not as she thinks she needs to be to fit into the expectations of his ducal position. As an enjoyable addition, there is also one of the serials that Margaret has written as a Lady of Mystery, entitled Georgiana and the Dragon, sprinkled throughout the book at the start of each chapter. The whole thing worked for me and is a prime example of what I love about historical romances. 5 stars.
Note: a copy of this story was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss for review.
This review appears as a blog post at http://straightshootinbookreviews.com...
What a fun read! There is so much dry wit in this story that it was impossible to read a single page without a smile or a laugh, as the story is told from both points of view and these two characters have such amusing thoughts, often self deprecating, but wholly enjoyable for the reader. The Duke has the weight of his world on his shoulders – his responsibilities to the people under his care, his duty to his title, and all of society’s expectations make him afraid to step out of his comfort zone. He’s got a single friend, James, who understands him (and James is quite the opposite to Lasham, fun and carefree and it’s hard to believe they could be friends except that it’s a childhood friendship that solidified early and continues to this day). He’s not looking for any kind of romantic entanglement (and dreads the thought of being in a compromising position that would entail he propose marriage). Margaret therefore is a breath of fresh air and sparkling possibilities. She meets Lasham accidentally in a quiet library at a ball and immediately reassures him that she won’t press for any kind of commitment were they to be discovered, a fact that puts him at ease with her (note: they are only talking, but unchaperoned!) When they encounter each other next at an art gallery, she continues speaking her mind, declaring what she feels about the art (and life, and society), and generally making Lasham feel inadequate and tongue tied. It’s delightful to see him so put out by her.
Lady Margaret knows how fortunate she is to be able to support herself without a man (and without her parents who have disowned her for not agreeing to the marriage they had arranged for her). She has a keen memory when it comes to cards, and is able to use that to her advantage to play and win. She’s also an accomplished writer, her serials having a strong following. Her sister is a duchess and is still very friendly with her, which makes her admittance to society gatherings still acceptable. Her earnings keep her and her maid Annie in a comfortable style, but also enable her to seek out and help less fortunate women – a task that gives her immense satisfaction. When Lasham discovers what she’s up to he’s concerned for her well being and can’t help but offer her his services for protection, which she reluctantly agrees to, knowing that having a silent and dangerous looking (with his piratical eye patch ) man at her back will give her a bit more legitimacy when dealing with nefarious men. From there, their friendships grows in leaps and bounds, and one thing leads to another as they find the attraction they feel towards each other is quite strong too. In return for Lasham’s protective services he proposes that she teach him how to be more adventurous, which means flouting the rules of society and doing fun things that eventually lead to some sweet and sensual scenes between them. Honestly, their thoughts throughout all the story just made it a fun adventure for the reader too, wondering if their kisses would lead to more (and they do). They are such opposites, yet drawn to each other. There are times in the story when it seems as if there is no way they can be together out in society (especially as Margaret worries about how her scandalous reputation will damage Lasham’s upright one). But eventually we get a sweet and very satisfactory happy ending. I really loved that he supported her work with the other women and didn’t expect her to change anything about herself. He loves her as she is, not as she thinks she needs to be to fit into the expectations of his ducal position. As an enjoyable addition, there is also one of the serials that Margaret has written as a Lady of Mystery, entitled Georgiana and the Dragon, sprinkled throughout the book at the start of each chapter. The whole thing worked for me and is a prime example of what I love about historical romances. 5 stars.
“Lady Margaret, I will promise to be less…gentlemanly in the future,” the duke said in a very low voice, so low she wasn’t sure even Annie could hear it.
The woman had gone and closed her eyes again anyway, no doubt thinking the danger of illness was past, and not wanting to interfere with whatever scenario she’d concocted in her head.
Less gentlemanly. Of course that conjured up the memory of the last time — last night– when he’s been less gentlemanly.
And look what had happened there. No wonder his words sent a shiver up her spine and down several other parts of her.
“In fact, ” he said, still in that low, thrilling tone, “I was thinking that if you were amenable, we could enter into a reciprocal arrangement.”
A what? And why did that sound both scandalous and wonderful?
He couldn’t mean what Margaret immediately thought it meant.
“What kind of arrangement?” she asked, acutely aware of Annie snoozing in the corner. Just as she’d thought, however, Annie emitted a soft snore that was either an actual snore, or the kind of snore she might emit if she wanted her mistress to continue an inappropriate conversation.
He glanced over at her, a spark of — mischief? — in his eye. “I have come to realize that I am not perhaps the most adventurous of souls. ” He turned away to gaze out of the window on the other side of the carriage. “In fact, some have accused me of being a stick-in-the-mud. If you would, I would like you to accompany me on some…adventures.”
Note: a copy of this story was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss for review.
This review appears as a blog post at http://straightshootinbookreviews.com...
January 29, 2016
Reviewed @ Confessions From Romaholics
Review copy kindly provided by publisher in exchange for a honest review
review
The catchy title and series name drew me to this book despite knowing next to nothing about the author or the book for that matter. But I was immediately taken with Lash and Margaret who are two individuals determined to live life their way on their terms.
Margaret is the second daughter and has always felt slighted when it comes her parents. As they always fawned over her pretty older sister until she become of marrying age when they realised her potential to them. However Margaret is enjoying her life on her terms thanks to her scandal that changed things back to the things to way that there where. Now that her social climbing parents can’t use her to make a suitable marriage
A scandal that you wouldn’t exactly but it a bit fun as you wouldn’t expect Margaret to do otherwise. By refusing the proposed suitor and topping it off by revealing she was in fact an authoress and the author of a popular scandalous serialized fiction. Her parents are now of her back and now she is free to be a free spirit, pursing the life she wants
Until she meets the Duke of Lasham and her life is turned upside down as the Duke is exactly what she needs. A much talked member of his ton thanks to his eye patch and the fact he a Duke. Lash doesn’t know how to have fun and much rather avoid the ladies and spend time in his own company. As he knows nothing else, being moulded since he was little for the responsibilities . Until He meets Margaret and realises that he missing out and wants to experience the wild side that she offers.
Two total opposites who could be describe as prim and proper and a wild child. But something clicks in both them that leads to this delightful tale that slowly brings them together as they grow up and wise up that need more in their life then their arrangement and the zeal for life.
It sounds so straightforward but the author captures these two perfect with some twist and turns that will keep you entertained until the last page.
This may be my first Frampton book but it won’t be the last
4 couples
For more of my reviews, visit Confessions From Romaholics.And drop by the blog's Facebook page
Review copy kindly provided by publisher in exchange for a honest review
review
The catchy title and series name drew me to this book despite knowing next to nothing about the author or the book for that matter. But I was immediately taken with Lash and Margaret who are two individuals determined to live life their way on their terms.
Margaret is the second daughter and has always felt slighted when it comes her parents. As they always fawned over her pretty older sister until she become of marrying age when they realised her potential to them. However Margaret is enjoying her life on her terms thanks to her scandal that changed things back to the things to way that there where. Now that her social climbing parents can’t use her to make a suitable marriage
A scandal that you wouldn’t exactly but it a bit fun as you wouldn’t expect Margaret to do otherwise. By refusing the proposed suitor and topping it off by revealing she was in fact an authoress and the author of a popular scandalous serialized fiction. Her parents are now of her back and now she is free to be a free spirit, pursing the life she wants
Until she meets the Duke of Lasham and her life is turned upside down as the Duke is exactly what she needs. A much talked member of his ton thanks to his eye patch and the fact he a Duke. Lash doesn’t know how to have fun and much rather avoid the ladies and spend time in his own company. As he knows nothing else, being moulded since he was little for the responsibilities . Until He meets Margaret and realises that he missing out and wants to experience the wild side that she offers.
Two total opposites who could be describe as prim and proper and a wild child. But something clicks in both them that leads to this delightful tale that slowly brings them together as they grow up and wise up that need more in their life then their arrangement and the zeal for life.
It sounds so straightforward but the author captures these two perfect with some twist and turns that will keep you entertained until the last page.
This may be my first Frampton book but it won’t be the last
4 couples
For more of my reviews, visit Confessions From Romaholics.And drop by the blog's Facebook page
August 16, 2017
4 Stars
One-Eyed Dukes Are Wild is a fun and romantic romp through Victorian England with two characters that couldn't be more opposite. Lady Margaret caused enough of a scandal last Season that she was disinherited by her reputation-obsessed parents and now survives thanks to her writing and her married sister's kindness. She is always looking for the next bit of entertainment and thinks she finds it when she spots a handsome gentleman with an eye patch. Unfortunately, her expectations are dashed when she discovers that the Duke of Lasham is actually one of the most proper and stoic gentlemen in the ton.
Both Margaret and Lasham are well-written and very likable. I'm not sure how historically accurate Margaret's situation was, but I was able to suspend reality enough to appreciate what the author was trying to do with her character. I admired her determination to live through her own means and not let her parents' behavior dictate her entire being. Lash was just so adorable with his introverted nature and awkward approach to courtship. I loved watching him grow confident and happy through the various adventures that he and Margaret go on.
Though it is a bit unrealistic, I really liked the premise behind this entire story with the heroine thinking that the hero is going to be a bad boy (based on his appearance), figuring out how wrong she is, and then falling for him while teaching him to have adventures. This is a couple that had immediate chemistry (despite how different their personalities are) yet I appreciated the way their relationship developed into friendship before turning to love. I went through the whole gamut of emotions while reading this book. I laughed at the banter between Margaret and Lash, teared up as they both began to their vulnerabilities, and swooned at the way they learned to appreciate one another's various idiosyncrasies.
One-Eyed Dukes Are Wild was a great way to begin my 2016 reading year. The writing was engaging and the plotting was efficient. I was definitely rooting for Margaret and Lash to get their happy ending and enjoyed the ride. This is the first full-length novel that I read from Megan Framption and I am intrigued to see what I think of the rest of the Dukes Behaving Badly series.
I received an e-ARC of this book from Avon via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
One-Eyed Dukes Are Wild is a fun and romantic romp through Victorian England with two characters that couldn't be more opposite. Lady Margaret caused enough of a scandal last Season that she was disinherited by her reputation-obsessed parents and now survives thanks to her writing and her married sister's kindness. She is always looking for the next bit of entertainment and thinks she finds it when she spots a handsome gentleman with an eye patch. Unfortunately, her expectations are dashed when she discovers that the Duke of Lasham is actually one of the most proper and stoic gentlemen in the ton.
Both Margaret and Lasham are well-written and very likable. I'm not sure how historically accurate Margaret's situation was, but I was able to suspend reality enough to appreciate what the author was trying to do with her character. I admired her determination to live through her own means and not let her parents' behavior dictate her entire being. Lash was just so adorable with his introverted nature and awkward approach to courtship. I loved watching him grow confident and happy through the various adventures that he and Margaret go on.
Though it is a bit unrealistic, I really liked the premise behind this entire story with the heroine thinking that the hero is going to be a bad boy (based on his appearance), figuring out how wrong she is, and then falling for him while teaching him to have adventures. This is a couple that had immediate chemistry (despite how different their personalities are) yet I appreciated the way their relationship developed into friendship before turning to love. I went through the whole gamut of emotions while reading this book. I laughed at the banter between Margaret and Lash, teared up as they both began to their vulnerabilities, and swooned at the way they learned to appreciate one another's various idiosyncrasies.
One-Eyed Dukes Are Wild was a great way to begin my 2016 reading year. The writing was engaging and the plotting was efficient. I was definitely rooting for Margaret and Lash to get their happy ending and enjoyed the ride. This is the first full-length novel that I read from Megan Framption and I am intrigued to see what I think of the rest of the Dukes Behaving Badly series.
I received an e-ARC of this book from Avon via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
January 3, 2016
3/3.5 Stars | Hot Steam
One look at that smoking hot piratical duke on the cover of ONE-EYED DUKES ARE WILD, and I leapt at the chance to read Margaret and Lasham’s fun, seductive and unexpected story!
Accustomed to cocksure, larger-than-life and overtly sexual alpha-male heroes commanding their way around town and their willing women, it was delightful to read a hero so entirely opposite from the norm. Handsome, smart and big-hearted, Lasham is a very likable character who sympathetically struggles with social awkwardness, personal loneliness and repression. Fatigued and frustrated with always having to be an upstanding and respectable leader in society, it’s no wonder that Margaret’s refreshingly progressive, audacious and alluring presence tempts him to daringly explore her own unique kind of adventure. Their unconventional and nicely heated courtship gave me hours of steamy entertainment and made me long for my own sizzling, scarred and stifled Duke to unravel! Because, for all of Lasham’s public floundering and shyness, behind closed doors that man is on fire! Intense, ravenous and oh so talented, Lasham positively burns it down. Margaret is one VERY lucky lady!
Not only did I enjoy this pleasing romance, I am also thrilled to have finally experienced Megan Frampton’s sharp and talented writing and eagerly look forward to reading more of her novels in the future!
Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review.
One look at that smoking hot piratical duke on the cover of ONE-EYED DUKES ARE WILD, and I leapt at the chance to read Margaret and Lasham’s fun, seductive and unexpected story!
Accustomed to cocksure, larger-than-life and overtly sexual alpha-male heroes commanding their way around town and their willing women, it was delightful to read a hero so entirely opposite from the norm. Handsome, smart and big-hearted, Lasham is a very likable character who sympathetically struggles with social awkwardness, personal loneliness and repression. Fatigued and frustrated with always having to be an upstanding and respectable leader in society, it’s no wonder that Margaret’s refreshingly progressive, audacious and alluring presence tempts him to daringly explore her own unique kind of adventure. Their unconventional and nicely heated courtship gave me hours of steamy entertainment and made me long for my own sizzling, scarred and stifled Duke to unravel! Because, for all of Lasham’s public floundering and shyness, behind closed doors that man is on fire! Intense, ravenous and oh so talented, Lasham positively burns it down. Margaret is one VERY lucky lady!
Not only did I enjoy this pleasing romance, I am also thrilled to have finally experienced Megan Frampton’s sharp and talented writing and eagerly look forward to reading more of her novels in the future!
Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review.
September 10, 2015
Margaret is disowned by her parents when she refuses to marry Collingwood. They are further outraged that she is "The Lady of Mystery" writer of a popular serial in one of the penny papers. They insist that her newly married sister (to Collingwood's brother)cut her off as well.
Margaret must rely on her wits and ultimately the affection of her sister to keep her household together. She derives income from her writing and her card playing. She uses her winnings to support herself, her servants and her cause. She rescues women and supports The Quality Employment Agency that trains destitute women and men in a salable skill. To do this she fleeces her wealthy friends at the gaming tables.
Her eye is caught by a stunning, piratical man in black one evening. Upon conversing she realizes he is a staid Duke. She knows that she is completely unsuitable because of her lifestyle. The thing is they keep running into each other and find that they are becoming friends. Sadly there can be no future for them, right?
Margaret must rely on her wits and ultimately the affection of her sister to keep her household together. She derives income from her writing and her card playing. She uses her winnings to support herself, her servants and her cause. She rescues women and supports The Quality Employment Agency that trains destitute women and men in a salable skill. To do this she fleeces her wealthy friends at the gaming tables.
Her eye is caught by a stunning, piratical man in black one evening. Upon conversing she realizes he is a staid Duke. She knows that she is completely unsuitable because of her lifestyle. The thing is they keep running into each other and find that they are becoming friends. Sadly there can be no future for them, right?
June 23, 2019
Great H, lives a life of dedication and isolation. We are told the h is scandalous because she refused to marry, so family shunned her. In this very unlikely plot, she lives alone, and plays cards to supplement her income as a writer. When they meet he is both horrified and enthralled by her. She challenges him to live and shows him how to play at life. This is such a good plot but the pacing was off, so the story and my interest stalled in the middle. Such a shame.
May 9, 2017
Charming and engaging. A pleasure.
May 18, 2017
Margaret Sawford is an original and a free spirit. No one is gonna dictate her how to live her life, so when her parents announced her she was to marry Lord Covington, she simply ran away from home and became quite the talk of the ton, not only because such an independent nature for a woman is unheard of but she also revealed she's A lady of Mystery, the writer behind a popular serial. It doesn't matter what people think, Margaret is perfectly capable to survive on her own.
The first time she set eyes on the Duke of Lasham, she was in awe. He looks exactly like a hero from a book she could have wrote and like no other man she saw before. His eye patch certainly draw attention, but it's not the only thing that attract the heroine.
When he first saw her, Lasham recognized she would be dangerous for his peace of mind. Not comfortable being in public, especially with all the looks he get, whether it's fear or disgust or just plain curiosity, the hero never do things that could draw more attention to him if he did something not proper. He became a duke at fifteen and took his role seriously, but maybe too serious. Mostly, he's just existing, not living. When Margaret asks him : "What would you do if you could do anything you wanted?", he's got no answer. He doesn't know. He's lonely too and have only one friend, but who's always traveling. In exchange for her showing him how to misbehave and try different things, she ask for his presence and his protection, if necessary, when she goes in different quarter of town to help and rescue women in need.
"Why do I have the feeling, Lady Margaret, that you will be writing the lines of my life from now on?"
I don't know if it's because the hero doubt himself constantly and lacked confidence and/or because Margaret was so bold or if it was really intended, but it was as if the role was reversed. Usually it's the woman who have no freedom but this time it was the Duke who's trapped in his responsibilities and his existence. Margaret is like the prince, rescuing the damsels in distress.
I usually like audacious heroine like Margaret. The problem this time is that she's so confident, her mind are already so made up on everything that it made her assume things and sometime seemed judgmental. And she's always thinking about how she find Lasham boring, always thinking about his physical appeal and not much on his other qualities. I understand she wanted to show him to have fun, but to me, it felt too much like she was trying to change him and I don't like that. And I didn't like the fact she wants to bring him with her to scare people when she goes on a rescue mission. Her heart is pure and noble and she's far from selfish, but it was not enough to make me believe she had the hero best interest at heart. At first it was refreshing to see Lasham lacking confidence. I mean, I know it's not sexy but it's not something you see often in a romance novel's hero, so I appreciated the difference, but I would have prefer him not to be that uncertain. Just a little more balance with his negative view of himself and that would have been perfect.
Unfortunately, I never really connected with the characters and lost interest too early in the story.
I usually enjoyed too when there's flouting of the conventions, but when it feel like there's absolutely no rules anymore, it's not that interesting and it doesn't feel daring anymore.
I liked reading the story about the girl and the dragon (one of the serial written by Margaret) at the beginning of each chapter. The tale was really great. I also like the addition of the grumpy maid as a secondary character.
The first time she set eyes on the Duke of Lasham, she was in awe. He looks exactly like a hero from a book she could have wrote and like no other man she saw before. His eye patch certainly draw attention, but it's not the only thing that attract the heroine.
When he first saw her, Lasham recognized she would be dangerous for his peace of mind. Not comfortable being in public, especially with all the looks he get, whether it's fear or disgust or just plain curiosity, the hero never do things that could draw more attention to him if he did something not proper. He became a duke at fifteen and took his role seriously, but maybe too serious. Mostly, he's just existing, not living. When Margaret asks him : "What would you do if you could do anything you wanted?", he's got no answer. He doesn't know. He's lonely too and have only one friend, but who's always traveling. In exchange for her showing him how to misbehave and try different things, she ask for his presence and his protection, if necessary, when she goes in different quarter of town to help and rescue women in need.
"Why do I have the feeling, Lady Margaret, that you will be writing the lines of my life from now on?"
I don't know if it's because the hero doubt himself constantly and lacked confidence and/or because Margaret was so bold or if it was really intended, but it was as if the role was reversed. Usually it's the woman who have no freedom but this time it was the Duke who's trapped in his responsibilities and his existence. Margaret is like the prince, rescuing the damsels in distress.
I usually like audacious heroine like Margaret. The problem this time is that she's so confident, her mind are already so made up on everything that it made her assume things and sometime seemed judgmental. And she's always thinking about how she find Lasham boring, always thinking about his physical appeal and not much on his other qualities. I understand she wanted to show him to have fun, but to me, it felt too much like she was trying to change him and I don't like that. And I didn't like the fact she wants to bring him with her to scare people when she goes on a rescue mission. Her heart is pure and noble and she's far from selfish, but it was not enough to make me believe she had the hero best interest at heart. At first it was refreshing to see Lasham lacking confidence. I mean, I know it's not sexy but it's not something you see often in a romance novel's hero, so I appreciated the difference, but I would have prefer him not to be that uncertain. Just a little more balance with his negative view of himself and that would have been perfect.
Unfortunately, I never really connected with the characters and lost interest too early in the story.
I usually enjoyed too when there's flouting of the conventions, but when it feel like there's absolutely no rules anymore, it's not that interesting and it doesn't feel daring anymore.
I liked reading the story about the girl and the dragon (one of the serial written by Margaret) at the beginning of each chapter. The tale was really great. I also like the addition of the grumpy maid as a secondary character.
February 22, 2020
This is one of those moments when I’m glad I didn’t give up on the author after not really liking their previous books.
I didn’t enjoy Dukes Behaving Badly’s second full length book, Put Up Your Duke , and I wasn’t sure I’ll be picking up another Megan Frampton’s titles any time soon.
But then I realized One-Eyed Dukes Are Wild was already in my TBR folder, so here we are.
I immediately noticed the prose and word flow is far better than in the previous books. I don’t know if the first two installments were written significantly earlier before they were published, and the author simply had more writing experience while working on this one, but there is far less awkwardness to it. Sentence structures and vocabulary improved significantly, while still being light and not too dense to overshadow the story.
But not only the technical aspects seem to be much better than in the previous books. Maybe even far more significant, the plot itself was much more engaging, the story structured better, and the romance developing naturally and smoothly. Not to mention, compared to the previous books, chemistry between the main couple felt real and thrilling. There was a palpable passion to Margaret and Lasham’s romance that sadly lacked before.
Furthermore, the characters were much more fleshed out. Lasham had depth to him, he wasn’t just a secondary character to Margaret's outgoing and more colorful personality. And she, despite her "scandalous" personality, was really gentle and almost immediately understood from where his awkwardness came from. I enjoyed how seemingly different they were yet how perfectly they complete each other.
One-Eyed Dukes Are Wild is not only a huge improvement in the quality of the series, but perhaps marks a moment when its author found her writing voice and started to feel much more comfortable writing her characters and their stories.
I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone thinking about picking up Megan Frampton’s books. Make it your first and leave older books for later, it’s worth it.
4/5 stars
I didn’t enjoy Dukes Behaving Badly’s second full length book, Put Up Your Duke , and I wasn’t sure I’ll be picking up another Megan Frampton’s titles any time soon.
But then I realized One-Eyed Dukes Are Wild was already in my TBR folder, so here we are.
I immediately noticed the prose and word flow is far better than in the previous books. I don’t know if the first two installments were written significantly earlier before they were published, and the author simply had more writing experience while working on this one, but there is far less awkwardness to it. Sentence structures and vocabulary improved significantly, while still being light and not too dense to overshadow the story.
But not only the technical aspects seem to be much better than in the previous books. Maybe even far more significant, the plot itself was much more engaging, the story structured better, and the romance developing naturally and smoothly. Not to mention, compared to the previous books, chemistry between the main couple felt real and thrilling. There was a palpable passion to Margaret and Lasham’s romance that sadly lacked before.
Furthermore, the characters were much more fleshed out. Lasham had depth to him, he wasn’t just a secondary character to Margaret's outgoing and more colorful personality. And she, despite her "scandalous" personality, was really gentle and almost immediately understood from where his awkwardness came from. I enjoyed how seemingly different they were yet how perfectly they complete each other.
One-Eyed Dukes Are Wild is not only a huge improvement in the quality of the series, but perhaps marks a moment when its author found her writing voice and started to feel much more comfortable writing her characters and their stories.
I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone thinking about picking up Megan Frampton’s books. Make it your first and leave older books for later, it’s worth it.
4/5 stars
January 4, 2016
I had a lot of fun reading this book, the hero is prim and proper and rarely does anything out of his comfort zone and the heroine is ready to show him a different side of life. Opposites attract is one of my favorite tropes and Ms. Frampton has given us a delightful story.
The Duke of Lasham is a serious man, he was raised to be regal and duke-like in every situation, although to look at him, you may think he is wild and dangerous with is eye patch and handsome looks. When he first sees Lady Margaret he is intrigued and fascinated, especially when she barely notices him, something that never happens to him as he is one of the most desired men in London.
Lady Margaret has come back to London after leaving in the wake of scandal, she refused to marry a man her parents wanted her to and now they no longer acknowledge her. She makes her way in life playing cards which only adds to her reputation. She is very close with her sister the Duchess of Gage, and comes back when her parents leave in order to meet her new niece. Margaret is not new to scandal, with her card playing abilities and writing a serial story for the newspaper, she is well known in London. What is not known is how she helps the less fortunate women in town.
When Margaret rescues Lasham from the clutches of unmarried women and their mothers, they begin a friendship that takes them to the poorer parts of town to help others and in turn she shows him how to have fun in life. Their relationship grows into much more, yet their social statuses are harder to overcome.
I enjoyed this different take on a historical romance, the heroine is the one with the scandals attached to her and the hero is the perfect duke who does nothing wrong, yet they complement each other perfectly.
Margaret is an amazing heroine, we met her in the previous book and I remember commenting in my review that I adored her and looked forward to her book. She dismisses the fact that her parents have nothing to do with her, which I understand knowing her parents, but it seems too easy, yet she seems happy with her sister and helping women who have nothing. When she first meets Lasham she is intrigued but quickly finds he is not what he seems, she calls him a pirate duke but he is far from that. She is determined to challenge him as he never learned to have fun and she wants to change that.
I love Lasham; he is such a proper duke but hates how he is always on display for everyone to see. When he meets Margaret he yearns to feel like her, the freedom she seems to have and she opens a new world for him. Even his good friend Jamie could never get him to do anything out of the norm no matter how much he tried, but somehow he responds to Margaret.
I like the story’s pace, the relationship grows slowly from friendship to more, each bringing something they crave to the relationship. The chemistry is real and encompassing as their scenes together get more passionate. There are several important secondary characters, his friend Jamie and her sister Isabella are in many scenes and her maid Annie is a hoot, but much of the story surrounds the two of them. Other aspects of the book are also enjoyable, the story about the Princess and the Dragon that the author introduces us to at the beginning of each chapter is fun and there is a bit of danger as Margaret tries to help women with fewer options in their lives. This is the third book in the series and although a few characters are familiar this can easily be read as a standalone, the author keeps the reader up to date. I truly enjoyed this story and recommend it to anyone who likes historical romances with just a bit of a twist.
Review at: Ramblings from a Chaotic Mind
Copy from the publisher for an honest review
The Duke of Lasham is a serious man, he was raised to be regal and duke-like in every situation, although to look at him, you may think he is wild and dangerous with is eye patch and handsome looks. When he first sees Lady Margaret he is intrigued and fascinated, especially when she barely notices him, something that never happens to him as he is one of the most desired men in London.
Lady Margaret has come back to London after leaving in the wake of scandal, she refused to marry a man her parents wanted her to and now they no longer acknowledge her. She makes her way in life playing cards which only adds to her reputation. She is very close with her sister the Duchess of Gage, and comes back when her parents leave in order to meet her new niece. Margaret is not new to scandal, with her card playing abilities and writing a serial story for the newspaper, she is well known in London. What is not known is how she helps the less fortunate women in town.
When Margaret rescues Lasham from the clutches of unmarried women and their mothers, they begin a friendship that takes them to the poorer parts of town to help others and in turn she shows him how to have fun in life. Their relationship grows into much more, yet their social statuses are harder to overcome.
I enjoyed this different take on a historical romance, the heroine is the one with the scandals attached to her and the hero is the perfect duke who does nothing wrong, yet they complement each other perfectly.
Margaret is an amazing heroine, we met her in the previous book and I remember commenting in my review that I adored her and looked forward to her book. She dismisses the fact that her parents have nothing to do with her, which I understand knowing her parents, but it seems too easy, yet she seems happy with her sister and helping women who have nothing. When she first meets Lasham she is intrigued but quickly finds he is not what he seems, she calls him a pirate duke but he is far from that. She is determined to challenge him as he never learned to have fun and she wants to change that.
I love Lasham; he is such a proper duke but hates how he is always on display for everyone to see. When he meets Margaret he yearns to feel like her, the freedom she seems to have and she opens a new world for him. Even his good friend Jamie could never get him to do anything out of the norm no matter how much he tried, but somehow he responds to Margaret.
I like the story’s pace, the relationship grows slowly from friendship to more, each bringing something they crave to the relationship. The chemistry is real and encompassing as their scenes together get more passionate. There are several important secondary characters, his friend Jamie and her sister Isabella are in many scenes and her maid Annie is a hoot, but much of the story surrounds the two of them. Other aspects of the book are also enjoyable, the story about the Princess and the Dragon that the author introduces us to at the beginning of each chapter is fun and there is a bit of danger as Margaret tries to help women with fewer options in their lives. This is the third book in the series and although a few characters are familiar this can easily be read as a standalone, the author keeps the reader up to date. I truly enjoyed this story and recommend it to anyone who likes historical romances with just a bit of a twist.
Review at: Ramblings from a Chaotic Mind
Copy from the publisher for an honest review
December 29, 2015
This the story of a scandalous young lady and a very staid and proper Duke.
We met Margaret in "Put Up Your Duke" , the younger sister of the heroine Isabella.
As this book opens, Margaret has caused a Scandal and is disowned by her parents and living on her own with a maid. She is writing fiction for a publication, and helping woman less fortunate than herself. Her life is full and she is happy, enter the Duke
.
The Duke of Lasham is everything a Duke should be. Responsible, well mannered, rich and unapproachable. To put it in one word, he is dull, but he doesn't know how to be any other way. He always does the right things; never realized there is a way to do things wrong or differently until the day he met Lady Margaret. What would happen to him and his Dukedom if he could be a different person and still be the duke
.
Margaret is irreverent, bold, unapologetic about herself and the life she leads. She is a walking scandal and she is intruigued by the Duke even though he seems a little dull and slow. When he is with her he feels alive and with purpose, something he has never felt before. She made him feel like a man, not just a Duke.
She realizes that being around him was making her happier than she has ever been. But can they have a life together? He is as proper as they come and she is not.
Megan writes a incredibel story with wonderfully complex characters that you will love. This is a about a man and a woman discovering what life is about and what is possible if they are together.
This is a must read for any historical romance fan. Megan really hit the target with this one. Loved it!! Especially loved this Duke!!!
We met Margaret in "Put Up Your Duke" , the younger sister of the heroine Isabella.
As this book opens, Margaret has caused a Scandal and is disowned by her parents and living on her own with a maid. She is writing fiction for a publication, and helping woman less fortunate than herself. Her life is full and she is happy, enter the Duke
.
The Duke of Lasham is everything a Duke should be. Responsible, well mannered, rich and unapproachable. To put it in one word, he is dull, but he doesn't know how to be any other way. He always does the right things; never realized there is a way to do things wrong or differently until the day he met Lady Margaret. What would happen to him and his Dukedom if he could be a different person and still be the duke
.
Margaret is irreverent, bold, unapologetic about herself and the life she leads. She is a walking scandal and she is intruigued by the Duke even though he seems a little dull and slow. When he is with her he feels alive and with purpose, something he has never felt before. She made him feel like a man, not just a Duke.
She realizes that being around him was making her happier than she has ever been. But can they have a life together? He is as proper as they come and she is not.
Megan writes a incredibel story with wonderfully complex characters that you will love. This is a about a man and a woman discovering what life is about and what is possible if they are together.
This is a must read for any historical romance fan. Megan really hit the target with this one. Loved it!! Especially loved this Duke!!!
January 20, 2016
Full Review at: What's Beyond Forks?
One-Eyed Dukes are Wild is the third book in the Dukes Behaving Badly series by Megan Frampton. This book is a stand alone story. Margaret is a little spit fire, rebel with a heart. I think she's the kind of girl everyone one wants to be. Her internal monologue alone was fantastic and fun. I think that's what I liked best about this story. I just loved her character. Equally lovable was the Duke of Lasham for completely opposite reasons. He's very much a play by the rules kind of guy, so watching him attempt to come out of his shell was pretty entertaining. Plus, he's not great at expressing his emotions so, at times, he was down right adorable. These are probably some of the most entertaining characters I've read in a while. I've not even mentioned the romance yet, which was pretty addictive. It had it's steamy moments, but they weren't overboard or nauseatingly detailed. They were just right. It was believable and intoxicating. I enjoyed this story quite a bit in case you couldn't tell.
The ARC of One-Eyed Dukes are Wild by Megan Frampton was kindly provided to me by the publisher for review. The opinions are my own.
One-Eyed Dukes are Wild is the third book in the Dukes Behaving Badly series by Megan Frampton. This book is a stand alone story. Margaret is a little spit fire, rebel with a heart. I think she's the kind of girl everyone one wants to be. Her internal monologue alone was fantastic and fun. I think that's what I liked best about this story. I just loved her character. Equally lovable was the Duke of Lasham for completely opposite reasons. He's very much a play by the rules kind of guy, so watching him attempt to come out of his shell was pretty entertaining. Plus, he's not great at expressing his emotions so, at times, he was down right adorable. These are probably some of the most entertaining characters I've read in a while. I've not even mentioned the romance yet, which was pretty addictive. It had it's steamy moments, but they weren't overboard or nauseatingly detailed. They were just right. It was believable and intoxicating. I enjoyed this story quite a bit in case you couldn't tell.
The ARC of One-Eyed Dukes are Wild by Megan Frampton was kindly provided to me by the publisher for review. The opinions are my own.
May 17, 2016
I... I think I might love the role reversal here. Instead of having the lady being the proper, young miss who finds her wild side, the duke is the one who needs to figure out how to unbend a bit. *swoon*
No, really. Lasham is adorably awkward and proper and he can't quite find the right words when he needs them. He's so...sweet. THEY GUY IS SWEET. He's also sexy and clueless and can look menacing in the right light. Oh, and he's lonely. Which kinda broke my heart because he's fully aware that, as a duke, he has nothing to complain about. But when you're wrapped up in responsibility and what's proper, you sometimes forget how to live.
While Lasham is proper, Margaret is scandalous. She plays cards (and WINS!). She speaks her mind. She does what she can to help others even when it puts her in a tough situation. Basically, they're perfect for one another. Margaret teaches Lasham how to let go and he learns that being a good duke doesn't mean giving up on any chance of happiness.
I really ended up liking this book. Besides the role reversal, it just made me feel good. Margaret and Lasham were sweet. SUPER SWEET. I liked that.
- Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
No, really. Lasham is adorably awkward and proper and he can't quite find the right words when he needs them. He's so...sweet. THEY GUY IS SWEET. He's also sexy and clueless and can look menacing in the right light. Oh, and he's lonely. Which kinda broke my heart because he's fully aware that, as a duke, he has nothing to complain about. But when you're wrapped up in responsibility and what's proper, you sometimes forget how to live.
While Lasham is proper, Margaret is scandalous. She plays cards (and WINS!). She speaks her mind. She does what she can to help others even when it puts her in a tough situation. Basically, they're perfect for one another. Margaret teaches Lasham how to let go and he learns that being a good duke doesn't mean giving up on any chance of happiness.
I really ended up liking this book. Besides the role reversal, it just made me feel good. Margaret and Lasham were sweet. SUPER SWEET. I liked that.
- Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
July 15, 2016
The ARC of One-Eyed Dukes are Wild by Megan Frampton was kindly provided to me through goodreads for review.
The creation of Duke of Lasham went quite well, so pleasant, unique character, adorable (which won’t match with the title of book!) …. And his match Lady Margaret as well, fiery spirited, independent and risky. Even second characters like Annie who couldn’t hold her tongue and Jamie with all teasing Lasham were very well developed. I can say all characters complimented each other.
The plot was nice, fun and delicious, very easy and enjoyable read.
The story about a girl and a Dragon that the author introduces us to at the beginning of each chapter in short pieces with not typical ending is fun and charming.
The creation of Duke of Lasham went quite well, so pleasant, unique character, adorable (which won’t match with the title of book!) …. And his match Lady Margaret as well, fiery spirited, independent and risky. Even second characters like Annie who couldn’t hold her tongue and Jamie with all teasing Lasham were very well developed. I can say all characters complimented each other.
The plot was nice, fun and delicious, very easy and enjoyable read.
The story about a girl and a Dragon that the author introduces us to at the beginning of each chapter in short pieces with not typical ending is fun and charming.
October 30, 2015
Pub date: Dec 2015
This is one of my favorite romances in a while! Margaret is such a wonderful character--I want to be like her when I grow up! Her confidence, her goodness, and most especially her humor, even when she's talking to herself, is super charming and entertaining. And her dragon story interspersed with each chapter had me rolling! Her piratical duke, Lash, is endearing with his vulnerability. Their honesty with each other was refreshing as well. So, home run, Ms Frampton!!!
This is one of my favorite romances in a while! Margaret is such a wonderful character--I want to be like her when I grow up! Her confidence, her goodness, and most especially her humor, even when she's talking to herself, is super charming and entertaining. And her dragon story interspersed with each chapter had me rolling! Her piratical duke, Lash, is endearing with his vulnerability. Their honesty with each other was refreshing as well. So, home run, Ms Frampton!!!
January 18, 2016
With this cover , title ,characters and events in this book ,I should have given it 5 stars but I couldn't. For one reason ,it had so much inner talk that some times it felt repeatable. The fresh scent in it that The duke here isn't the typical kind we have in historical romance , he is not confident .
(Perhaps he should start wearing a bonnet after all.)
The heroine too isn't the typical kind , she is a walking scandel .
At the end , it is a good read .
(Perhaps he should start wearing a bonnet after all.)
The heroine too isn't the typical kind , she is a walking scandel .
At the end , it is a good read .
January 6, 2016
More tending towards 3.5 stars. Sweet story with a delicious Duke! However lots of inner dialogue seemed to drag the story.
September 17, 2020
DNF@25%, but I did read the in-universe short story.
1. Alas, there's nothing that's compelling me to read this book. I like that the hero is socially awkward, but that's not enough to make me slog through pages of lackluster dialogue and attraction that mostly amounts to "you're not like other girls."
2. It's not bad, I suppose. Not really. At least the characters don't fall into the tired and true tropes of "alpha male you want to castrate because it would be oh so satisfying" and "simpering heroine with all the personality of a particularly shiny wet tisssue." But there is nothing new in here, and no conflict interesting enough or emotional enough to drag me into the story.
3. I think part of my reaction stems from me being a veteran of oh so many histroms. But I'm long past my honeymoon phase with the genre, so books have to do a little better than be just unobjectionable to keep my interest. The prose plodded along unspectacularly. There was no real conflict. The protagonists have reactions to each other that are overdone without stumbling into (somewhat more compelling) melodrama.
4. I came here mostly because I was promised the Duke's lost eye was a result of something completely undignified and possibly hilarious but by this point I don't really care to know about it. He can keep his eyepatch and his backstory.
5. The one interesting thing in this book was the in-universe story between th dragon and the not-princess. That was fun, and it buzzed along at a pace far more comfortable than the main story. Possibly because you know- things were actually happening, and the story was actually moving forward and stuff like that. It still employed a fair number of cliches, and I'm not sure I'm supposed to actively like the beautiful cold-hearted bloodthirsty princess but eh. The ending was good, the story had something to say, and it didn't take ten hours to get to the bloody point of what it wanted to say, because "be happy as yourself" is not a terribly complicated idea. By itself, it would probably have rated three stars.
1. Alas, there's nothing that's compelling me to read this book. I like that the hero is socially awkward, but that's not enough to make me slog through pages of lackluster dialogue and attraction that mostly amounts to "you're not like other girls."
2. It's not bad, I suppose. Not really. At least the characters don't fall into the tired and true tropes of "alpha male you want to castrate because it would be oh so satisfying" and "simpering heroine with all the personality of a particularly shiny wet tisssue." But there is nothing new in here, and no conflict interesting enough or emotional enough to drag me into the story.
3. I think part of my reaction stems from me being a veteran of oh so many histroms. But I'm long past my honeymoon phase with the genre, so books have to do a little better than be just unobjectionable to keep my interest. The prose plodded along unspectacularly. There was no real conflict. The protagonists have reactions to each other that are overdone without stumbling into (somewhat more compelling) melodrama.
4. I came here mostly because I was promised the Duke's lost eye was a result of something completely undignified and possibly hilarious but by this point I don't really care to know about it. He can keep his eyepatch and his backstory.
5. The one interesting thing in this book was the in-universe story between th dragon and the not-princess. That was fun, and it buzzed along at a pace far more comfortable than the main story. Possibly because you know- things were actually happening, and the story was actually moving forward and stuff like that. It still employed a fair number of cliches, and I'm not sure I'm supposed to actively like the beautiful cold-hearted bloodthirsty princess but eh. The ending was good, the story had something to say, and it didn't take ten hours to get to the bloody point of what it wanted to say, because "be happy as yourself" is not a terribly complicated idea. By itself, it would probably have rated three stars.
historical
January 23, 2019When does proper behavior deserve a deliciously improper reward?
The scandalously unmarried Lady Margaret Sawford is looking for adventure—and is always up for a challenge. Her curiosity is aroused by a dangerous-looking stranger with an eye patch, an ideal companion for the life she longs for, no matter what Society might say. So when the piratical gentleman turns out to be a duke—and just as boringly proper as any other nobleman—she can't help but incite him to walk on the wild side.
Well-heeled, well-mannered, and well beyond any interest in society's expectations, the Duke of Lasham is tired of being perfect. Margaret's lush beauty and gently laughing eyes are an irresistible temptation to embrace the imperfect—and her. But if a little misbehavior is appealing, unleashing his wild side is completely seductive—as long as the lovely Margaret is the object of his passion . .
The scandalously unmarried Lady Margaret Sawford is looking for adventure—and is always up for a challenge. Her curiosity is aroused by a dangerous-looking stranger with an eye patch, an ideal companion for the life she longs for, no matter what Society might say. So when the piratical gentleman turns out to be a duke—and just as boringly proper as any other nobleman—she can't help but incite him to walk on the wild side.
Well-heeled, well-mannered, and well beyond any interest in society's expectations, the Duke of Lasham is tired of being perfect. Margaret's lush beauty and gently laughing eyes are an irresistible temptation to embrace the imperfect—and her. But if a little misbehavior is appealing, unleashing his wild side is completely seductive—as long as the lovely Margaret is the object of his passion . .
December 6, 2017
Who knew I would love shy heroes so much??
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