Un été si particulier

The Matchmaker Trilogy #2

by Theresa Romain

Surnommé le Duc fou, Michael de Wyverne vit reclus sur son domaine du Lancashire où il se passionne pour les innovations techniques qui révolutionnent le monde agricole. Mais, lorsque les banques lui coupent tout crédit, il lui faut se rendre à l’évidence : il doit rejoindre Londres pour dénicher une héritière qui acceptera de devenir sa femme.Là-bas, il retrouve Caroline, comtesse de Stratton, jeune veuve farouchement indépendante qui promet de l’aider à trouver la débutante idéale. Pourtant, plus on lui présente d’insipides ingénues, et plus Michael retombe sous le charme de Caroline pour qui il brûlait déjà de passion onze ans plus tôt. Parviendra-t-il à conquérir cette femme remarquable qu’il a odieusement trahie jadis ?

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Regency, Fiction, Second Chance

380 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 6, 2014

About the author

Theresa Romain is the bestselling author of more than 20 historical romances, including the Holiday Pleasures series, the Matchmaker trilogy, the Royal Rewards series, and the Romance of the Turf series. Praised as “one of the rising stars of Regency historical romance” (Booklist), her books have finaled for the RITA® award, received starred reviews from Booklist, and been named to the Best Books of the Year list by NPR. Theresa is hard at work on her next book from her home in the Midwestern USA.

To keep up with all her book-release news, please visit her online at theresaromain.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter, or find her on BookBub at https://www.bookbub.com/authors/there....

Reviews

[Mary - Buried Under Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

With a set of sublimely crafted characters, magnificently plotted story and an intensely poignant romance set in a Regency England filled with rich historical details, Theresa Romain has gained a perpetual place on my auto-buy list with To Charm a Naughty Countess. None of my praises are given lightly, and even those are insufficient for the amount of depth, feeling, and wit in this story, not in the least between our protagonists, Caroline and Michael.

The widowed Countess of Stratton, Caroline Graves, is the reigning queen of the ton. With beauty, allure, and social stratagems, she has no lack of suitors, and rather relishes the freedom her widowhood allows. She is adept at managing suitors, artfully maintaining a balance between all, yet that is all a clandestine attempt to conceal her lingering emotional attachment to one man – Michael Layward, the brilliant and reclusive Duke of Wyverne.

Michael inherited a dukedom that grew increasingly short of funds as nature – the Year Without a Summer (1816) – played havoc on his lands and crop yields, leaving him with but one method to save his deteriorating estates – marry an heiress. To do that, he must again brave the suffocating ballrooms of London, confronting those who still thought him “mad,” and once again be reminded of his last visit, eleven years ago, when he and Caroline crossed paths and was never the same again. But when Caroline refuses his marriage bargain, instead offering to help him find another heiress, will they realize that their old flame was never extinguished, but was merely waiting for another spark to blaze into an inferno?

Romain takes the Second Chance trope to spectacular heights in this book, guiding two perfectly matched, equally lonely people together in a surge of blinding light, of which both possess and admire. Michael’s world was shrouded in dreary shadows, of solitude and somber responsibilities, taking refuge only in his mechanical interests. His madness is in fact no more than social anxiety, but for that he was treated as an outcast (despite his title) by London society, by his father, and ultimately, by himself. Due to that, Michael has always been attracted to light – to brilliance of mind and spirit, especially the warm radiance which Caroline exudes, and her emotional intelligence. From her, he feared the loss of his reason and the burst of his restrained passions, yet he induces the same fear in Caroline, who feels too deeply, unable to stop herself from falling for the same man who broke her heart when he suddenly left London, and retreated back to his estates.

What started out as a study of opposites between vibrant Caro and brooding Michael has quickly shifted to one of complements, fueled by a hidden desire to find love, acceptance, and understanding in each other. But whether Michael can realize he has the capacity to provide these for Caroline becomes the true conflict of this story, and one which is resolved very nicely; through Caroline’s philosophical insights and social grace, she allays Michael’s psychological tensions, and welcomes with open arms his believed eccentric interests, which served to free Michael’s mind, allowing him to realize that he was who Caroline needed in her life. That requisite longing, in turn, blossoms into a love worthy of spring.

In the end, perhaps this story is really about having the one thing that truly completes one’s life, a noble love as the canon of Michael and Caroline’s lives. And as Michael emerged from his role of the eccentric Merlin to become the noble Galahad, he is ready to battle anyone, including his stubborn self, to win Caroline’s love and transform his monotonous life into one of fantastic colors, incandescent from Caroline’s own brilliance. Brava, Mrs. Romain, brava.

To Charm a Naughty Countess is second in Theresa Romain's Matchmaker trilogy, and I cannot wait to read the last book, Secrets of a Scandalous Heiress. ^_^

Published on Buried Under Romance book blog
*Review copy provided by the published for an honest review

[Caz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've given this an A- at AAR, so 4.5 stars

Theresa Romain has followed up her wonderful It Takes Two to Tangle with another, equally well-written and strongly characterised romance which pairs Caroline, the widowed Countess of Stratton, (a secondary character from the earlier book), with a rather unusual ducal hero.

Caroline is beautiful, wealthy, and is - even nearing thirty - one of the foremost beauties of the ton. As we saw in the previous book, she is never without a coterie of admirers surrounding her, and quite happily plays them off against each other, knowing that most of the men who pay court to her are after her money. She has no pressing need or desire to remarry, takes the occasional lover, and is content with her life as a rich, independent woman.

Until one night, she is confronted with a piece of her past in the form of Michael Layward, Duke of Wyverne. Eleven years ago, Caroline had been a debutante of nineteen, a beauty but without fortune, and had become fascinated with the mysteriously handsome and intense Layward. At a ball one evening the pair were caught in a passionate embrace, but instead of the expected marriage proposal, Michael left London almost immediately for his Lancashire estates, citing the imminent death of his father as the reason for his precipitate departure. His father’s death shortly afterwards left Michael in possession of a depleted estate and fortune and he never returned to London.

Caroline’s reputation was left in tatters and it was only the proposal of the elderly Earl of Stratton that restored her to the bosom of society.

The book is set in 1816, often referred to as “the year without a summer” and the dreadful weather has severely affected the plans Michael has made to further his attempts to pull himself out of debt. He’s a progressive, interested in new scientific advances and keen to employ new methods when it comes to the management and use of his land and assets. But crops are failing, land is flooded and all his avenues for obtaining credit are exhausted. If he is not to go bankrupt and destroy the livelihoods of all those who depend on him, he has but one option – to find himself a rich wife without delay.

Michael is a refreshingly different sort of romantic hero, a brilliant, intense, and very direct eccentric whose preference for tinkering with gadgets rather than schmoozing among the ton led to his being labelled “Mad Michael” all those years ago. He suffers from extreme social anxiety which can lead to panic attacks and headaches, and his dislike of social situations and, above all, situations over which he cannot exert a measure of control, is what caused him to flee London and not return for eleven years. But Michael is nothing if not conscientious. His concern for his land, property and tenants is uppermost in his mind and he knows what he must do if he is to ensure their futures.

Even a gap of eleven years cannot silence the gossipmongers. He’s a duke, so bound to be accepted in ballrooms and drawing rooms across London, but he is still “Mad Michael” to many. Yet to Caroline, he’s still Michael – handsome, endearing , fascinating, socially inept and frustrating in equal measure.

When Michael apprises her of his situation and his need to marry, Caroline – having already turned down his proposal of marriage –takes it upon herself to smooth his path through society and help him to find a bride.

While the direction the novel will ultimately take is no surprise, the journey on which Ms Romain takes her characters and the reader is full of subtlety and rich in emotional depth. Both protagonists change and develop throughout the story, having to face up to some unpleasant truths along the way which ultimately strengthen them and their relationship.

On the surface, Caroline has everything she wants – financial independence, the greater personal freedom that comes with widowhood and the ability, as she remarks several times, to do exactly as she likes. But it’s clear to the reader that she isn’t as happy as she makes out. She wants to be needed, which is partly why she is so keen to help Michael to further his marriage plans. She believes that his proposal to her was motivated purely by the need for her money rather than any need for her as a woman; Michael appears so self-contained and self-sufficient that she fears marriage to him would mean as lonely an existence as the one she lives now, and she is not prepared to settle for that. Especially given the fact that it doesn’t take long for Michael to worm his way back into her heart – not that he’d ever really left it since that fateful night a decade or so before.

Michael is a gorgeous hero, charmingly vulnerable yet implacable at the same time. He finds society completely baffling; people don’t say what they mean or mean what they say and –

The every day tasks that came easily to others – talking about the weather, dancing, laughing, flirting, lovemaking – were a struggle to him.
He is tightly buttoned emotionally most of the time, fearing the loss of control that comes with strong feelings, the sort of feelings that Caroline evokes in him. He doesn’t understand why she lives the way she does, putting up with fops and fools fawning over her when it doesn’t make her happy; and she tells him in no uncertain terms that his way of life – being completely devoted to work and duty – doesn’t appear to be making him happy either. Michael has to learn to make room in his life for happiness, love and affection, emotions with which he doesn’t have a great deal of experience.

To Charm a Naughty Countess is beautifully and intelligently written, with excellent characterisations across the board, and especially of the two principals. Michael and Caro at first seem to be complete opposites – she a social butterfly, he a recluse – but as the story progresses, it becomes clear that they are rather like two sides of the same coin as they seek to truly understand each other. I did think that perhaps Caro should have given Michael a couple of pointers as to her own wants occasionally – knowing him so well, she should have realised that perhaps he wasn’t able to discern her need to be desired for herself rather than for her money – although I can understand her need for him to work it out for himself.

The story is well-developed and displays a maturity in terms of the writing and the outlook of the characters that isn’t often found in historical romance nowadays. Ms Romain has found herself another place on my keeper shelf, and I’m eagerly awaiting whatever she comes up with next.

[Alexis Hall]

I enjoyed this a lot - essentially you have a mature, independent heroine and a nerdy, virgin Duke. What's not to love here?

I think what I was most drawn to was ... and I'm not super sure how to express this ... but the maturity of the characters? I mean, it's a difficult word because 'mature' is often a euphemism for either edgy or old, and neither those things are relevant in this instance. But with the heroine in particular she felt like a woman who had a strong sense of herself and her needs, had made choices, and was creating her own place in the world. Obviously when you're writing in historical settings, you have to work quite hard to give your womanz people agency but it was really refreshing here. And I'd personally really like to see more of this in historicals. Hell, in fiction in general.

I was a bit less enamoured of the Duke, who I think has some kind of social anxiety - but it didn't come across in a particularly joined-together way for me. I liked the concept, especially because nobody knew what social anxiety was in 18-whenever, so he's generally just believed to be a bit bananas and is naturally pretty confused about it himself - but sometimes it seemed to veer perilously close to the book asking us to interpret his behaviour as *maybe* linked to some kind of AS type spectrum? For example, he struggles with social conventions almost to the point of cartoonishness (he dissects a lamp in the middle of a party for example) and there's a bit near the end where Caroline (who has been really clear-sighted throughout) randomly concludes the Duke is incapable of experiencing an emotion like love. When there's absolutely no evidence for this at all - it's just the way he expresses himself to her doesn't exactly match what she wants to hear, and so she concludes he only wants her for his Dukedom. Despite the fact the whole, like, business of the book is them learning to communicate with each other around his awkwardness.

And don't get me wrong, the book is still absolutely lovely - it's just one of my romance bugbears is the whole "you didn't say the magic words I wanted to hear so now I believe we are totally incompatible or whatever" trope. And I think that might just be because, um, I'm more like Michael than I am like Caroline so the idea that I'm not going to say something in the right way and it's going to ruin my life because my interlocutor won't tell me what they actually want is ... uh ... legitimately terrifying?

And also, while I absolutely don't think Caroline has to be perfect or show the Duke infinite and eternal understanding at all times, it just seems out of character for her to be suddenly struck down plot-necessitated foolishness. But I am definitely here for the dynamic of sexually experienced heroine / virgin hero. And I love how kind the book is to its secondary characters. For example, one of the potential suitors for the Duke's hand, is Miss Meredith who is rich and vulgar and generous in the bosom department. And I'm pretty sure when you usually see this character in romances she's there for cheap laughs and to highlight the awesomeness of the heroine who is, of course, Not A Breasty McTartingslap. But Caroline is lovely to and about her - and very supportive of her blatant desire to get laid. And I deeply appreciate neither the text nor characters shamed Miss Meredith for this. Yay!

PS - I understand that all historical romances, much like real life Dukes, have to have the same name but I feel this one really does Caroline a disservice. I mean, she's a grown woman with intelligence and sexual agency. But I suppose to To Establish A Meaningful Emotional and Sexual Connection With The Sex-Positive, Witty and Intelligent Countess is a bit long...It does however represent the contents of the book better than To Charm A Naughty Countess. Naughty? Seriously? Someone in marketing has a lot to answer for right now.

[Mei · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm really sorry to rate this book so low, but I had several problems with it...

I jumped into this story with high expectations: I love tortured heroes and poor Michael fit the role perfectly... almost too much!

Actually I couldn't get involved with both Michael and Caroline.

Michael is obviously a have a mental health issue (and the author explains what it is in the afterword), but, in my opinion, it was too exacerbated. He came out like a heavy case of Savant syndrome.

During the whole book I felt sorry for him, but I couldn't accept some his actions. He's obviously a highly intelligent and logical man, but he doesn't know thatan action causes a reaction - I find it highly improbable. How can a Duke, who is very aware of his position, not understand that is not polite nor right to vent a dirty laundry in front of his guests?

Caroline... what to say... I felt pity for her. She's also presented as a highly intelligent woman, but she is so vain. I don't like vane heroines. And her vanity is not of the physical type... She wants to be needed, to have friends and to be loved for what she is and not for what she has, but goes totally wrong in obtaing all that. As I understand the ton, through all my romance novels education (*wink*), it was not the most friendlier environment. So why she insists on wanting something emotional from such a dry society?

Also the reasons that kept one from the other are weak: his panic attack in their past as a reason of his disappearance, and her inability to accept that he can love her in their present.

Her reason of helping him find a wife is absolutely crazy: to get him out of her mind and at the same time to show the ton how good she is! Really crazy!

On the other hand I appreciated the feeling of the period. It was really well done!

[Mir]

Like the concept but not the execution. I had two main problems:

1) I did not see what the attraction of the protagonists was for one another (aside from looks), nor did I care about them. We're told they had some brief encounter 11 years ago but as of page 212 (where I stopped reading) no indication of why this was so important to either of them.

2) The author did not seem to have a very grounded understanding of autism, falling back on the "no empathy" generalization. Autistic people may have a hard time reading expressions or figuring out subtle social cues, but that doesn't mean they're unable to comprehend feelings. Someone who was smart and functional enough to manage an estate might not know how to chat up a girl, but they would comprehend that saying, "I don't care about you at all, I just want you to marry me so I can have your money" would not work, especially if they had a social coach helping them.

[Seon Ji (Dawn) · Rating 4 out of 5]

++Spoilers++

3.5 stars

Enjoyable and different.

I'm not up for writing a long review so I will just get to the meat.

I loved the hero, but then I'm partial to odd, quirky tormented betas (this one was also a victim of panic attacks). The heroine was likable enough, though there were many times I wanted to throttle her, but she always seemed to redeem herself. She was strong, kind, intelligent and independant. She had a natural knack for diffusing uncomfortable situations which I liked.

The story was interesting but a bit repettitive and could have been much shorter. I felt like I was being beaten over the head with the whole marrying for money thing and being needed etc etc..

The heroine's reason's for refusing the hero's marriage proposals were unconvincing to me. I can't truly explain why, it just didn't feel believable.

This whole story could have been resolved if the to MC's just admitted their feelings and opened up about the incident that happened to them in the past was irritating but not overly so.

The epilogue was disappointing. A very quick summary of the H & Hh's marriage and upcomming baby.

Speaking of which... baby. THAT is what was not clarified.

The heroine was married for 9 years before becomming a widow, but she never had a child. Then she was taking lovers (until she met the hero), still no child. Sheathes were available during this time but the author did not state that they were used nor did the author say the heroine was barren. We find out she was not at the end of the book though.

This is minor, but I found it illogical that a Duke, who needs an heir, or even just a man who knows a woman is a widow doesn't ask if the woman has any children.

The writing was very good and it appeared to me (who is no historian) the historical accuracy and the historical propriety were all accurate to the time period (the early 1800's). The author did some serious research. The characters felt three dimensional the pace steady and there was wonderful detailed descriptions of the clothes, furniture and landscape (but not overdone).

I do admit to skimminng from time to time, but not overly. There was some good conflict and at one point I thought I was having a panic attack right with the hero! It was almost too much for me emotionally, but I stuck it out and was not disappointed.

There were 2 sex scenes, and the first one was ..how shall I say? Overly worded? I was like.. get on with it already! The scenes were also done nicely but could have been more sensual.

Overall I liked it, I felt like I was in the 1800's and I would consider reading more by this author in the future.

Safety:

Hero-Virgin (The heroine is his first, last and only)
Heroine-Experienced. Never strays from hero after they meet, even through the short separations.
OM/OW- The heroine is trying to find a wife for the hero so yes other women are involved, but he does not like any of them nor does he do anything with them, not even kisses them.
Cheating-No
Violence/rape/abuse-No
Sex- see above
Marriage/baby-Eventually yes to both but not until the very very end
HEA/ILY-yes at the very very end

[MRB · Rating 5 out of 5]

24 hours ago, I'd never heard of this particular author. After reading this book, though, she's now near the very top of my increasingly selective "auto-buy" list.

I'd been going through a book slump for months and even starting to question whether I wanted to keep reading historical romances. I can very honestly claim that this book singlehandedly helped to restore my faith in the genre. I place a really heavy emphasis on writing style, and Theresa Romain's is sublime. The book is infused with an uncommon sharpness, wit and insight. The emotions are depicted with depth and poignancy without crossing that sneakily thin line to 'annoyingly angst-drenched melodramatic.' The characters are relatably and interestingly flawed, yet still lovable enough to adore and root for. The heroine, Caroline, seems like the typical 'gorgeous, sought after popular girl' whom I usually find it hard to warm up to or choose to avoid altogether, but she soon emerges as a far more interesting and likable character than I ever would have assumed. We actually get to see her evolve into a more sincere, warm and happy person throughout the novel, one who still retains her core personality but who learns to value real love over meaningless flirtation and dalliances.

The hero, Michael, is literally among my top 5-10 heroes ever...and I read an insane number of novels :) He's shunned by judgmental and rigid society for being (*gasp*!) eccentric, and as a result of that and the worst father on the planet has developed a very understandable and relatable social anxiety. His flaws make him vulnerable and endearingly real, but lest you think he's some sort of weak and quivering mess, I should add that Michael is exceptionally smart, clever, independent, witty, genuine, and sexy in all the ways that really matter. He's an indescribably refreshing change from the icy, snarling, brutish uber-alphas we see too much of these days and the hard partying, frat boy-esque 'rakes.' I find him far more compelling, unique and appealing, not to mention one of the sadly few romance heroes who I'd actually love to date in 'real' life. (If only he weren't so fictional!...*sigh*)

If you like tons of explicit sex and/or a hero who's a typical ultra-"alpha," you might not love this one. For other fellow romance readers, though, I recommend To Charm a Naughty Countess wholeheartedly. It's been a long time since I've been able to gush about a romance without reservation, but this one was weirdly close to my personal ideal. It happily reminded me of why I read this genre!

[Lady Wesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy Theresa Romain's books, and this one was no exception. She creates fascinating characters and plots that do not follow the standard Regency-romance trope. I haven't yet read all of her books, but she is an author whose backlist is on my Kindle.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, I found it boring. I was never that interested in either the hero or the heroine, or invested in them as a couple. Two-thirds of the way through the book, I still couldn't see why they belonged together or why I should care about their relationship. They seemed to have some version of the same conversation over and over, which was frustrating. It felt like nothing was happening and the story was going in circles.

The hero, who had social anxiety disorder and also seemed to be autistic, drew obvious comparisons to Ian from the excellent The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie, and it was impossible not to find him lacking compared to the compelling and sexy Lord Ian.

2.5 stars

[Rosario · Rating 3 out of 5]

Theresa Romain has been on my radar for a while. Her plots sound interesting, and especially the description she posted of her upcoming book in the Dear Author promo thread: "A Pygmalion story with a virgin hero and a rakish heroine." A few of us on twitter have decided to try and read and review at least a classic historical romance a month, trying to rekindle our love for the genre. It hasn't been going great, but this seemed like a good candidate.

Michael, duke of Wyverne, has always been socially awkward. His first real interactions with high society came when he travelled from his Lancashire estate to London at 18, and they ended in disaster. Since then, he's been holed up in his estate, putting in place careful plans to repair the family fortunes. Things are going all right until 1816, the Year Without A Summer. With crop failures all around, the little credit he had left dries up completely. The obvious solution is for Michael to use his biggest asset, his dukedom, and find himself a rich heiress who's interested in a title.

The problem is, Michael's isolated life has led to rumours that he's mad. He hopes that by showing up in London he'll show that this is not the case, but the truth is, he's pretty eccentric and has no idea how to behave. The rumours are not that easy to dispel. And that's where Caroline comes in.

Caroline is now a rich widow, the Countess of Stratton, but when she first met Michael, she was a young débutante. We know from the beginning that she was somehow involved whatever happened to chase him out of London all those years earlier, and that this had social consequences on her as well. However, we don't know the details until quite late. When Michael meets her again, he immediately proposes. For him, she's the perfect solution to his problems. He liked her then and he still likes her now. Caroline, though, can't see what she'll get from the marriage, and instead proposes that she help Michael repair his reputation and find him a bride.

There were many things I appreciated here. I liked Caroline's attitude. Yeah, Michael might be a duke, but she's already a countess, she's rich, she enjoys her life in London and it's not like she's celibate (we even see that classic HR scene of one of our protagonists' post-coital interactions with a lover, but it's the heroine here, rather than the hero). Why on earth would she give up her freedom, and for someone who doesn't love her? Even after they have sex, she's still being cool-headed about it.

I also liked the constant awareness of the unusually cold weather. It's not just the setup, it's how it affects things like the availability of food, even for aristocrats in London, and the activities people do. Without explicitly going on about it, Romain evokes what a tough time this must have been for regular people. And I must say, before I moved to England I think I would have found it unbelievable that people wouldn't have been freaking out much more about a year where there was no summer at all, wondering if it was the end of the world. Having experienced a few "summers" here, I was not quite as worried!

And now we come to the negatives. While I had no trouble believing the stuff above, I had trouble buying character motivations and behaviour. Michael felt unbelievably naive about the way society works, even for someone who's spent his life in relative isolation. The episode with Caroline the first time they met, for instance, which led to him leaving London and her reputation being endangered: I just couldn't buy that he wouldn't have been even dimly aware that there would be consequences for her. Or that if he didn't then, as an 18-year-old, he wouldn't now have caught on. Some of his actions and reactions seem to point towards him having some sort of mental health issue, but that's not really borne out in the text. The conclusion seems to be that he's basically someone who gets stressed out by difficult social situations and can have panic attacks due to that stress, but that didn't seem like quite enough for his behaviour and reactions. I was also doubtful about the way other people react to him, the extent to which his social position was vulnerable. It didn't ring quite true.

I also had issues with the main romantic conflict, the reasons that kept Caroline and Michael apart. I didn't get why Caroline was so convinced Michael just couldn't fall in love. She was awfully certain about it. It all wore a bit thin after a while. It felt like they were going round and round in a circle, never really moving anywhere, and it got very tedious. To be honest, I ended up wanting to skim.

So, another month, another historical that doesn't work. Sigh.

MY GRADE: A C.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a darling, darling book! I had high hopes for this going in, as I really enjoyed the only other novel by Romain that I’ve read, Season for Scandal. And it didn’t disappoint.

Michael, Duke of Wyverne, is a bit of a tech-geek who finds spends his time on expensive and innovative improvements to his lands that, unfortunately, drain his wealth mercilessly, given that the novel is set in 1816, the Year Without a Summer, and there is no income coming into his estate. So he turns his not inconsiderable intellect to the question of finding a wife whose pockets are deep enough to pull him out of ruin and finance his developments. In London, he and and ex-sweetheart, Caroline, the widowed Countess of Stratton, hatch a scheme to set up him with just such a wife… but of course they find themselves falling in love all over again.

On its own, this plot would be perfectly palatable and charming and make for a good read. But Romain does something that goes beyond all that. In Season for Scandal I really paid notice to, and respected, the depth of character and the emotional maturity in Romain’s narratives, which elevates her among other romance writers. Michael suffers from social anxiety–severe social anxiety. He’s gotten burned by his peers before, which is why it’s so difficult for him to come back into their circle and deal with all the convoluted machinations of polite society, and why Caro is willing to help him out, despite their somewhat rocky history. Because Caro has also gotten burned by him. Eleven years ago, when they first fell in love, she was caught in a compromising position with him and then he abandoned her and fled to his estate for good, meaning she had to rush herself into a marriage of convenience with an elderly earl. But they’re still friends, and no matter what else, they care about each other deeply.

As someone who likewise has struggled with pretty severe anxiety, a lot of Michael’s internal journey hit really close to home for me. At one point when he’s put in a novel situation his narration mentions how he doesn’t like to do something new to him, in front of someone else, without knowing he could do it perfectly, and at this spot I had to put the book down for a bit and walk away because, yeah. Really close, dude. Romain’s characters are raw and honest and that’s what makes the dynamic between Michael and Caro so appealing: they are never anything but honest with each other. They always speak the truth when they’re together. That doesn’t mean they don’t have obstacles to overcome, because they do, but their main obstacle is really whether they can reconcile their respective truths and manage to strike the balance between duty and self-gratification, an issue that strikes at the real heart of the novel.

I liked To Charm a Naughty Countess for a lot of reasons; the playing with Regency-era technology was a lot of fun, and the characters and settings were well-drawn, and the plot was compelling and the stakes real. But the reason why I really loved it is simple: it’s so amazingly refreshing to read a romance novel about people who are adults and who act like adults. And for that reason above all others, I definitely recommend it.

It releases on 6 May, so keep an eye out for it in a couple of months!

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley.

[HR-ML · Rating 4 out of 5]

This took place in England 1816 "the year without a
summer." The Northern Hemisphere had colder
temps than usual. Thought caused in part by an 1815
Indonesian volcano, Tambora. The hero/ others in
northern England lost all their crops. Gave this 4 stars.

Michael, a duke, rejected the lifestyle of his late sire
who drank, gambled, wenched, & played the horses.
The H devoted his life to his tenants. He explored new
mechanical inventions. He was serious and did not
pursue pleasure. He had coal and other resources on
his properties. He owed debts & his steward finally
arranged a 2 month only reprieve.

Beautiful widowed wealthy countess Caroline had wed
a man old enough to be her grandfather. This after
Michael had kissed her 11 years prior & left thereafter,
& the ton declared her fast & she wed the old guy. In
present day, young men she called "puppies" romanced
her & tried to seduce her & had an eye on her fortune.

Now the ton perceived Michael as a recluse & "mad
man." He avoided touch and crowds, forgot to eat and
drink. He did not observe social norms. In short, in
modern terms, he had social anxiety.

MCs had an uneasy truce RE the past. Caro introduced
the H to eligible heiresses, & arranged a house party
for this purpose. During this reacquaintance the MCs
had sex, a first for Michael who came across as a
natural lover.

I liked the MCs, but they danced around their emotions
for too long. This story had wit and heart. The MCs
displayed love, as did their friends who assisted with
the couple taking a second chance.

[Wollstonecrafthomegirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this, unusually for me, straight after reading the first in this trilogy because I like an awful lot about Romain's writing. Her characters are multi-layered and interesting and expertly crafted. I loved the socially awkward, anxiety ridden Michael. There is a scene when a chair squeaks and he up-ends it in the middle of a social gathering over tea to try and fix it: completely oblivious to how such actions might be perceived. It was perfection. Then there's Caroline, easily my favourite secondary character from Two to Tangle and she didn't disappoint. Confused by finding she has everything she ever thought she wanted but still bring dissatisfied. She was only slightly eclipsed by Michael because he's so brilliant. Together they were perfectly complimentary and had beautiful interactions. Romain writes in a period-appropriate fashion, the whole book felt very authentic and I like that in my historical romances. The setting is very country house, ballroom, tea, dining table heavy but I'll take great characterisation over all the plot in the world any day of the week. It didn't work so well for me in terms of the conflict keeping the characters apart. Caroline's match-making reasoning seemed, well, daft when it was obvious that she liked, if not loved, Michael herself. There were just one too many big misunderstandings about their feelings for one another. In other words, the conflict keeping them apart wasn't believable enough for me. Then there's the sex. I have thought long and hard about the sex (forgive the pun[s]). It's fine, good even, but there's not enough of it and it's over too quickly. It might be an expectations thing. The characters and the writing promised much, but, for me, Romain didn't quite deliver. That said, the third in the trilogy is loaded onto my Kindle ready to go & I'm definitely picking up more Romain in the future.

[Kit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

This is even better than the first book. I love Caroline and Michael. This is an almost perfect romance novel.

[belle ☆ﾐ (thisbellereadstoo) · Rating 3 out of 5]

i just wanted them to communicate and talk. michael's socially awkward so his self-imposed isolation from society sparked up rumours that he's mad. as he's facing bankruptcy and his dukedom is unstable, michael stepped into the polite society in london once more in search of a wealthy widow. while caroline is a rich widow, she has no intention of being married to someone who's only goal is to get money from her but she offers to help michael find one.

while michael's intelligent and has a knack for engineering, his social awkwardness and social anxiety often lands him up in conversations they dries up after one sentence. his reputation of being "mad michael" doesn't help his case of finding a wife either. through caroline, he discovers that showing a little kindness to others, even though it isn't in his agenda, could go a long way. at the same time, he needs to fight for what he really wants. as for caroline, she's enjoying her time being a rich, single lady. she does whatever she wants. also, she's unflinching in her ways.

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was truly an opposites attract book. Caroline Stratton is a wealthy, beautiful widow with consummate social skills. Michael, Duke of Wyverne, is an impoverished, virgin man with social anxiety. This was also a second chance at love book. Caroline and Michael had fallen for each other eleven years before this book begins, but forces had kept them apart. Caroline married an aging earl to save her reputation and Michael retired to his estate in Lancanshire to the destruction of his. As you can see, this book was riddled with juxtapositions. In some cases, the polar differences made sense, but in other instances, it made the story slow. There is much inner dialogue in this book, and yet, despite the characters' gratuitous inner reflection, they still act unbelievably stupid when it comes for admitting their feelings for one another. This dragged on a bit for me, and kept it from a higher rating.

To be honest, I had the biggest problem with Caroline. She had honed the ability to read others over the last few years as a reigning London socialite, but she could not see that Michael connected with her because he needed her for herself, not for her money. He avoided all others, but he always sought her company. The crucial factor that kept the lovers apart, according to the narration, was because of money, when in fact, in my opinion, this was never about money at all. Michael asked Caroline three times to marry him and she always turned him down. She did not deserve to receive a fourth proposal. She was blind, selfish, and cruel. Her reasons for denying him were that she wanted to be "needed." How could she not see that she was? Take off your blinders and grow up! Caroline is supposed to be 30 years old during this story, but she does not have the emotional maturity to see past her own desires. Michael was socially dysfunctional so I cut him a bit more slack for his faults. He ends up being the person who mends their relationship anyway, when it truly should have been Caroline who saw what needed to happen.

Overall, this book disappointed me somewhat, I think it could have been told in a lot less pages and with a more likable heroine. Granted, I knew that Caroline was shallow after reading It Takes Two to Tangle (I liked that book better), but it still made the book more difficult to enjoy. I also felt that the sex scenes were not as enjoyable as the previous book. I did not feel the connection between the characters at all. It felt disjointed and very one-sided, whereas in It Takes Two to Tangle, the sex scenes were a critical part of the book (in fact, it was probably one of the most well done scenes I've read in a book in a long time).

This book was just average for me, mostly because it did not measure up to its predecessor for me. However, I like the exploration of personalities that Theresa Romain does uniquely in her stories. She is very true to character and I like knowing how characters tick. I will be going back to read her seasonal books, but this book will not be going on my keeper shelf. 2.5 stars.

[Farrah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional, romantic, and absolutely fantastic, To Charm a Naughty Countess was a wonderful historical romance. I loved this book! It was deep, sensuous, and a truly enjoyable read. Loved it!

My favorite part of this book was undoubtedly the portrayal of emotion. I've read a few of Theresa Romain's books, and I've found that she has a gift for showing deep emotions and doing it subtly, so it doesn't become overdramatic. I really like that about her books and this one is no exception.

Caroline was a lovely heroine. She was independent and, after going through scandal and a marriage to an old, but kindly, gentleman, she was determined to live her life on her own terms. She knew what she wanted and refused to compromise. That frustrated me when I just wanted her and Michael to be together, but she wasn't a drama queen about it, so I couldn't get truly bothered by it, other than one scene where she was rather harsh. Overall, I really liked her.

Michael was just amazing. He was the definition of an eccentric gentleman. For example, after dragging himself to a ball, he instead spent his time in a quiet room, dismantling a lamp to see how it worked. He struggled with social niceties and had a habit of saying the wrong thing, but he never did it out of anything bad. He was a truly good man who was just utterly perplexed by the expectations of Society. He was very sweet and very devoted to his land and its people. I totally adored him.

The romance was lovely. Caroline and Michael, thought they don't seem like it on the surface, were a perfect couple. Though I usually get annoyed with romances where one person is trying to find a match for the other. Most of the time, it results in irritating melodrama. But, it was very well done in this book. The progression of their relationship made sense and worked very well. They were very sweet together, and the chemistry between them was steamy. They were wonderful together.

The plot was well paced and I was hooked the entire way through. I liked how the pace was steady, but not slow. More like deliberate, in a way that kept me interested. I really enjoyed the story and I thought the ending was perfect.

To Charm a Naughty Countess was a fantastic historical romance. I totally loved this book! It was a truly enjoyable read. Romance lovers, you definitely need to read this book.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is basically the regency version of a romance between Big Bang Theory's Sheldon Cooper and Penny. Wyverne is a brilliant (or possibly just inquisitive) mind with what the author describes in the notes as social anxiety. His disability reads more like high functioning autism. Not everyone who suffers from social anxiety does so because they have trouble picking up on body language and the subtleties of social convention (as does Wyverne).

So...make of that what you will. It was decently written, but rather exhausting to read. The heroine who was quite good at pinpointing and appeasing his anxieties and cluelessness in every other social situation, never had any real epiphany regarding his treatment of her which was just annoying. Come on lady. Connect the damn dots! But anyway. I finished it. It was ok. The writing is nice. I just don't like extended misunderstandings.

Oh and also, the cover art makes me cringe every time. The expression on that girl's face...

[sraxe · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favourite part of the book is most definitely Michael, Duke of Wyverne. He was such a lovely and refreshing change from so, so, so many of the male protagonists that I've seen in these books. I found him to be completely adorable and endearing and found myself cringing--yet also enjoying--his societal flubs and awkwardness. Although I liked Caroline well enough, it was Michael's POVs that I looked forward to because of how he read as a character and that he had to work out every single nuance -- I found him to be wonderfully charming.

[Corinne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was the second of Theresa Romain's "Matchmaker Trilogy" series. (speaking of which, I'm not sure I understand the series title. I'm not sure who the Matchmaker is in this series. There's a recurring character who is kind of there in both books so far, but she's not so much making matches or even helping them along. She doesn't actually impede them, so that's something, I guess.)

Anyway, as with the last, she's an unconventional heroine. She's older, a widow, and actually enjoying the social freedoms of being a widow. Usually, even when the heroines are widows, they either mourn or go to parties. Caroline is taking full advantage of her situation in every way. He's also an unconventional hero. As I was reading, I suspected that he was somewhere on the autism spectrum. According to the author, I was wrong, but she did give him traits that made him far beyond the normal range of the socially inept hero (the ones who are usually just a little shy or just a little eccentric or just a little rude or just a little bored). They met before to disastrous results. He's looking for a wife. She, for some reason, agrees to help him get married. And we're off.

It didn't quite work. First, it's never really clear what she sees in him. It's clear what's good, even great, about Michael; it's never clear why he appeals to Caroline. The book ended with it never making sense why she's interested, why she helps him out, or why, in the end, she's fallen for him. Also, like the previous book, the author held a deep dark secret from the past until the end of the book for what I think were dramatic reasons (characters kept talking about the event, the scandal, etc.), but since the secret wasn't really that deep or that dark, the characters would have been better served by just getting it all out there at the beginning of the story.

I liked it enough that I'll read the next in the trilogy.

[Prac Agrl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really good read
i would have rated it 4 but could not as i didn't like the few instances in the story
I really hated the fact that it took 11 years for the H and h to meet again
i loved both the H and h
i think it was refreshing to have a hero that too a duke who was so different than the usual crop of alpha heroes am not sure but he seemed to be on autism spectrum which while not being understood in those times seems to come across as madness
How i loved him , his vulnerabilities, his struggles, his loneliness , at times my heart broke for him in spite of all his dedication towards his duties.
Though i really hated the way he left the h before but knowing the circumstances and him i just feel i can't be angry with him about it.
i love h when they are strong , witty confident without being over the top, rude or insulting.
I loved her how she overcame those difficulties and made the best out of her situation, how she helped the H even when she had no reason to, what i didn't like was her refusal to explain the hero the reason for saying no to him for his proposal as well as not letting him know what happened 11 years ago(Special mention to lady emily for help she extended her friend by interceding on her behalf) i just felt when she understood him so well she could have had plain communication but then it's a small matter nothing to detract from the lovely and amazing person she was.

All in all a good read.

[Blodeuedd Finland · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, it works perfect as a stand alone.

Caroline is a merry young widow, she likes her freedom, and who wouldn't like freedom in an age when women were property of men? She has money, she can do what she wants, she can even take lovers, discretely of course.

Michael was different, I could diagnose him but will not, he is the author's invention. So we will just say he is shy, he likes to think, get his hands dirty on his estate, does not really know social codes and is a "tech" nerd.

The ton is so cruel, poor Michael, he does not know the codes, he does not want to know them. The gossip behind his back as he tries to find a way. Sure it is amusing to read about it, but I do felt so sorry for him too.

He and Caroline was quite the pair, and at the same time they fit so well and I could not wait to see them happy.

A good romance

[Rachel-RN · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought Caro and Michael fit each other perfectly. Sometimes slow-burn romances are nice and this one was. But, the journey to get there was slow at times. Both have issues. Said issues could have been dealt with much easier and faster had they just talked. Instead, assumptions were made. And you know how that goes.
One thing I really enjoyed: a beta, virgin hero! Michael also has an anxiety disorder that complicates things for him. Caro was experienced and that was also refreshing. The author's note at the end explaining the historical significance of 1816 (being one of the coldest summers/years recorded) was also interesting.
3.5*- not quite a 3, not quite a 4. For GR purposes I am rounding up.
Looking forward to the last book in this trilogy; the heroine Miss Augusta Meredith made an appearance in this one and she's interesting.

[Mariana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was disappointed in this one. Maybe my expectations were too high. I like Theresa Romain, and I love the virgin hero trope. However, I didn't much care for Caroline Graves, the popular Countess of Statton, or mad, Michael Layward, the impoverished Duke of Wyverne. She sleeps around too much and is not honest with her feelings. He has anxiety and is not open or honest with his true motivations either. Overall, it was okay, but these characters didn't really redeem themselves for me. There were also some loose ends that didn't tie up. The epilogue was too brief, and it didn't make sense they are expecting a child suddenly. She certainly seemed to have enough unprotected sex with enough men to make it odd she gets pregnant in her 30s without any discussion about difficulty conceiving. It wasn't even a subject of the story, just an afterthought.

[Adele Buck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love this book so much. First read...whenever. Two, three years ago? Decided to re-read recently and love it as much as I did before. Romain does such a GREAT job with disability (in this case, panic attacks and social anxiety). While society may label Michael “mad,” Caro always faces him as a person who’s going through something. Even when she doesn’t understand him, she recognizes that it’s not his behavior but her understanding that is lacking.

And the writing is just luscious. Anyway. A favorite.

[Tin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many of the stories I read are told from the third-person omniscient point-of-view, but it was only when I read Theresa Romain's To Charm a Naughty Countess that I realised the value of a story told from this perspective. It has to do with the hero, Michael, Duke of Wyverne and the very quirky way his mind works. We are told that Michael suffers from social anxiety, and we are given a privileged view into his thought processes.

The idea of appearances. If we go by outward appearances, Michael is just a typical lord: arrogant, aloof, and completely misunderstood by everyone, including his own father. After his disastrous first season in London -- something that we don't think gentlemen of the Ton experience -- Michael heads home to Lancashire, to suffer criticism from his dying father, and then staying in Lancashire permanently to take on the job and responsibility of the Duke of Wyverne when his father died.

This is only part of Michael's story, and this is the other part: before he left London, he met Caroline Ward (now Caroline Graves, Countess of Stratton) and kissed her and then left her. To the Ton, Caroline is now damaged goods: once favoured by the heir to a dukedom, and then dumped as quickly. Caroline was left alone in London, salvaging her reputation and her chances for marriage.

Now the tables have turned, and it is Michael who needs to marry well -- and Caroline has the power to help him save his dukedom. I have to admire Caroline at this point, I would not have been as forgiving -- but, I guess Caroline embodies the proverb Kindness begets kindness and helps Michael. There's a giddy feeling in seeing Caroline's thoughts when she sees Michael again:

As swiftly as Wyverne shook of her touch, slanted a reluctant glance over her face, Caroline's old fascination had bloomed again. She wanted to caress away those fine lines, tease his troubles off his soul, feel his skin sliding under hers, hot and tight with desire. She wanted to shake up his sense of honour, unsettle him, enchant him.

She had always wanted that.

But she would not let him know. If he cared only for a fortune, any woman with plump pockets might do.
- Chapter 3

I love the tug between Caro's mind and heart: what she wants to do and what she must do. There's an incredible sense of self-preservation found in Caroline, and it is understandable, considering what she went through all those years ago when Michael abandoned her.

What makes Caro a most admirable heroine is her capacity for forgiveness. She could have exacted her revenge on Michael, could have ignored him and allowed him to suffer society alone -- but Caro does not let this happen. And we realise that we share this privileged view of Michael's mind with Caroline: she understands him and understands how his mind works. And this made me smile: because Michael has finally found someone who understands him in the way his father never did -- and now his challenge is to convince Caroline of this rare connection.

...Like a Carcel lamp, he was constructed in a unique and intricate way that few people could understand.

Caroline was trying, though, and she was determined to succeed. She could never understand a lamp, as Michael did, or calculate the volume of earth to be removed to make an effective canal. But she had pierced her own heart long ago, and she knew how people worked.

She understood the need cloaked by Michael's deep eyes: he craved help, though he would never ask for it. He was a man, and a duke, and he was unimaginably proud -- three reasons to keep that wall around himself.
- Chapter 8

This is a story about a courtship that pretends not to be a courtship -- of two people who try so hard to control the way their emotions move before realising and accepting the inevitability of love that has quietly lain dormant in the years of their separation -- but has now been rekindled and cannot be denied.

This was the first time she had referred openly to that night. Eleven years ago, a passion that had shaken him, unmade him. He had fled the force of it, the evidence of his own madness, and transformed himself instead into Wyverne.

...

Since coming to London, his imaginings crept into every unused corner of his thoughts, kept him awake at night. He was unsatisfied, hungry, and no food would sate him. No body, no woman, but her. The clean sculpture of her face, her lush form -- they were so lovely that he almost forgot to breathe.
- Chapter 11

This is a beautifully written and beautifully moving love story -- a purely pleasurable read, and, perhaps, Theresa Romain's best so far.

[Patrícia⁷ · Rating 4 out of 5]

RATING: 3.5 stars.

The title of this book is misleading, since there is little seducing and the characters and world development are a lot more nuanced than what you would normally find in these types of books.

The romance was cute but it's definitely not one of those sizzling reads, where the characters breathe and "sweat" chemistry and sparks and sensuality.

It was a good read, but it's not your typical romance novel. As such it will probably not be a good read for people that were expecting (as I was, from the cover), a more romantic-centric story.

---------------------

Por vezes, é complicado dar uma opinião sobre romances históricos como "To Charm a Naughty Countess". Toda a gente espera que um livro com a palavra "naughty" (marota, para quem quer saber), com uma mulher e rosas, e com um tipo de letra feminino e cheio de arabescos e curvas seja um livro formulaico, com foco no romance e com tanta substância como algodão doce.

Mas, por vezes, estes livros encerram surpresas e podem ser bastante interessantes. Para quem já está a torcer o nariz, asseguro que já vi os autores destes supostos "bodice-rippers" e "romances" tocarem em assuntos como a diferença entre classes, a Revolução Industrial e diversas doenças, geralmente do foro psicológico (como Síndrome de Asperger) e mesmo problemas de aprendizagem como a dislexia.

Também se deve louvar a pesquisa histórica que algumas autoras fazem; por mais que goste da Julia Quinn, tenho de admitir que os seus livros desenvolvem apenas superficialmente as complexidades da alta sociedade londrina do século XIX e até chegam a modernizá-la.

Mas, como disse, nem todos os romances históricos são assim (apesar das capas serem todas muito parecidas).

"To Charm a Naughty Countess" não se foca, ao contrário do que se poderia pensar, na sedução de uma condessa inglesa. Aliás, o romance neste livro é discreto e não nos é atirado na cara (nada contra isso... adoro esses romances históricos em que o "histórico" só lá está para que as personagens tenham uma dificuldade acrescida em irem para a cama); não é, diria eu, sequer o foco.

Este livro foca-se em Caroline Stratton, uma condessa viúva que é uma referência na alta sociedade londrina. Todos gostam dela e todos seguem a sua opinião.

Do outro lado do espectro, temos Michael, um duque empobrecido que sofre de um problema que, claro, ninguém conhecia no século XIX: ansiedade social. Por isso, Michael é considerado louco e decide refugiar-se na sua casa de campo, até que o estado das suas finanças o obriga a entrar no chamado "mercado de casamento" e a procurar uma herdeira com quem casar. E quem melhor para o ajudar do que Caroline, a mulher que dita as tendências da sociedade?

Mas Caroline e Michael têm um passado, que pode fazer com que a convivência entre eles seja difícil.

É sobre as dificuldades de Michael que o livro se debruça, claro, juntamente com a crescente (mas, novamente, discreta) atração entre os protagonistas. Mas, talvez porque ambos sejam já mais velhos do que a generalidade dos protagonistas (pelo menos femininos) neste tipo de livros, a "fogosidade" que costuma caracterizar estas relações (por vezes até ao ponto de se tornarem ridículas e irrealistas) não está presente no livro.

E Romain é uma das autoras que fez o trabalho de casa: não só a ação se passa num período altamente específico da história inglesa e europeia (1816, o Ano sem Verão), como a autora nos dá imensos pormenores interessantes acerca da forma como as novas tecnologias que utilizavam o carvão, o petróleo e o vapor se estavam a imiscuir na vida das pessoas. O nosso protagonista é um amante das novas invenções e tenta aplicar inovações agrícolas nas suas terras (com pouco resultado devido ao clima).

Adorei toda esta contextualização. Adorei a forma discreta e realista como o romance foi abordado. Adorei a forma como a autora explorou os problemas sociais de Michael e como estes afetam a sua relação com todos os que estão à sua volta, mesmo aqueles que Michael ama. Achei que foi feito de forma realista (tendo em conta a época) e informativa.

No geral, uma ótima leitura. Não, não temos muitas cenas sensuais, nem um foco quase completo no romance (coisa de que também gosto nos romances históricos, nada de enganos) mas isso não significa que não tenha gostado do livro. É algo diferente do que se esperaria, tendo em conta a capa e mesmo a sinopse, mas vale a pena ler. A meu ver, não difere muito de obras que são consideradas "ficção" histórica em vez de "romance" histórico. Recomendado.

[Shauni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally reviewed for Bodice Rippers, Femme Fatales and Fantasy

In To Charm A Naughty Countess, author Theresa Romain offers us a bit of a switch. We have a worldly widow secure in her position in the ton and a socially awkward Duke who everyone thinks is mad and wants nothing to do with.

Caroline Graves, the Countess of Statton barely escaped social ruin her first season out. Fortunately, the aging Earl of Stratton decided he wanted her and she wisely accepted. Over a decade later she is a very wealthy, socially prominent widow. Nothing is ever going to destroy her place in society again. Except, the Duke of Wyverne has returned and he is the one man who could break through her shields.

Michael Layward, the Duke of Wyverne is brilliant. Secure in his knowledge and on his lands but elsewhere is considered the Mad Duke. Suffering from extreme social anxiety he has forced himself into a life of isolation. But the years he has spent trying to save the lands from his father's excesses have been hard. Now at the end of his finances, he has one chance left. Marry money. And there US really only one woman he wants... sadly for him, she won't be married for her money. But she will help him find a suitable bride.

The thing about these two is that they were forever at cross purposes. They both wanted each other, both needed each other but neither knew how to communicate it. Caro was determined to only marry a man who sees her. The real her, Not her money, not her position but her, Caroline, the woman.

Wyverne on the other hand was clueless. Long considered a freak he had no idea how to deal with people. Let alone let someone know that he cared. It was hard watching him deal with life. Even harder watching him deal with his inner self. I think at times even he wasn't sure if he was mad or not. With no one to support him, no one to believe in him he struggled every moment of every day. It seems he only found peace when he was with Cato. But he managed to fumble his communication with her every time it was important.

This novel takes place during the year of forever winter. Not a good year when one is relying on crops to help save the family lands and estates. Ms. Romain does a fabulous job describing the despair that Wyverne had to be feeling. The shortages that the people of England, actually all of Europe, had to deal with. A harsh reality but reality it was.

A very well written novel, no dastardly villains, no monsters or supernatural beings, just two people struggling to be happy in a very difficult time.

Shauni

This review is based on the ARC of To Charm A Naughty Countess, provided by netgalley and is scheduled to be released on May 6, 2014

[Aurian Booklover · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really did not enjoy the first book in this series, so I am very glad that I did like this one. Caroline Graves, Countess of Stratton, is a rich and independent widow, and determined to stay that way. Eight years ago she was a toasted debutante, and she fell in love with Michael Layward, the heir of the Duke of Wyverne. When they were found in a compromising situation, Michael left town without a word for her, and her reputation was ruined. So Caroline had no choice but to marry the Count of Stratton, a man many years her senior, who wanted a lovely young wife to ease his last years. And Caroline dutifully cared for him. But now she is a widow, courted by many who would like to have their hands on her fortune. Like the current Count of Stratton, who wants the money his father left her, back.
But Caroline does not wish to remarry, and give up her indepence and her fortune, let another man rule her. She loves her life as it is, and if she wants to take a man to her bed, that is up to her to decide.
So when the Duke of Wyverne comes to London to find himself a bride, it has nothing at all to do with her ... Michael is rumored mad by his peers and the newspapers, he is a recluse and likes technology. He has spend all those years to improve his estates in Lancashire, as his father did die shortly after he left town and Caroline, and he has never been back. The long winter of 1816 (the year without a summer) has ruined his plans though, and he needs to marry for money. As he is a Duke, he thinks that won’t be too difficult. But his reputation precedes him, and he really has no idea how to act in polite society. He has no taste for the idle life of the rich.

Caroline never did stop loving him, but she refuses to marry him just because he needs a rich wife. She wants to be loved in return. So when he helps her get rid of an unwanted suitor who won’t accept no for an answer, she offers to help him find a bride. But first she will have to teach him how to behave himself in society.


I did enjoy this story, it certainly was refreshingly different. Michael has social anxiety, and that causes him to have sudden migraines and other things. But Caroline understood him, and his love of modern technology. Michael has only known duty in his life, he doesn’t know what happiness means. And he is a virgin, as he really does not like to be touched.
Caroline and Michael do fit together, and I did like how Michael make Caroline look at her own life closer, does she really enjoy this empty existence, or would she be happier as his Duchess, a woman needed by many?

8 stars.