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Duke's Daughters #1
Lady Be Bad
Once upon a time, a duke had five daughters who never made a stir. They practiced their French, their pianoforte, and their dancing…until one ran off with the dancing instructor, and the rest were left to face the scandal.
Lady Eleanor, the Duke of Marymount’s eldest daughter, knows the burden is hers: she must marry well to restore the family name. So a loveless match is made and her fate is set. But then Eleanor meets her intended’s rakish younger brother. With his tawny hair, green eyes, and scandalous behavior, Lord Alexander Raybourn makes her want to be very bad indeed.
With his very honorable sibling too busy saving the world to woo Eleanor, Alexander is tasked with finding out her likes and dislikes for his elder brother. But the more time he spends with the secretly naughty Eleanor, helping her tick off all the things on her good list for being bad, the more he knows what they want, and need, is each other.
Lady Eleanor, the Duke of Marymount’s eldest daughter, knows the burden is hers: she must marry well to restore the family name. So a loveless match is made and her fate is set. But then Eleanor meets her intended’s rakish younger brother. With his tawny hair, green eyes, and scandalous behavior, Lord Alexander Raybourn makes her want to be very bad indeed.
With his very honorable sibling too busy saving the world to woo Eleanor, Alexander is tasked with finding out her likes and dislikes for his elder brother. But the more time he spends with the secretly naughty Eleanor, helping her tick off all the things on her good list for being bad, the more he knows what they want, and need, is each other.
347 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 25, 2017
109 people are currently reading
907 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 123 reviews
August 9, 2017
I should have realized this was a bad idea in the beginning when the heroine, who desperately needs to wear glasses, doesn't wear her glasses in public because her parents forbid it. Like, I can tolerate a lot of self-sabotaging behavior in a heroine, but this is a step too far. She's walking around practically blind, probably has a fucking monster migraine, and ends up looking vapid because she's squinting at things all the time. Nope, sorry, this feels forced.
And then the book has the audacity to take a moderately promising plot - hero falls for his brother's prospective bride - and does absolutely nothing with it but bore me.
Oh, and Eleanor's pathetic list for "being bad" includes gems like: Expect more. o__O And: Be alone in a room when not sleeping. And I get that she's coming from a deep place of 19th century suppression of female thought and expression, but I just don't ... care? Is it okay to come out of reviewing hibernation and be this apathetic right away? Eh, what the hell. I don't care.
About three-quarters through, Eleanor starts calling Alex Hercules as a pet name, and I almost died laughing.
I've read far worse, but this is obviously not my style of book. If you check out the positive reviews, people who gave it good ratings love it for exactly the same reasons that I hate it. So be your own pioneer, wear your glasses for god's sake, and decide if this is the book for you. Alas, I'm clearly not the intended audience.
And then the book has the audacity to take a moderately promising plot - hero falls for his brother's prospective bride - and does absolutely nothing with it but bore me.
Oh, and Eleanor's pathetic list for "being bad" includes gems like: Expect more. o__O And: Be alone in a room when not sleeping. And I get that she's coming from a deep place of 19th century suppression of female thought and expression, but I just don't ... care? Is it okay to come out of reviewing hibernation and be this apathetic right away? Eh, what the hell. I don't care.
About three-quarters through, Eleanor starts calling Alex Hercules as a pet name, and I almost died laughing.
I've read far worse, but this is obviously not my style of book. If you check out the positive reviews, people who gave it good ratings love it for exactly the same reasons that I hate it. So be your own pioneer, wear your glasses for god's sake, and decide if this is the book for you. Alas, I'm clearly not the intended audience.
February 19, 2021
NOTE TO THE FUTURE LISA - this series has weird empowering phrases that are supposed to make you smile with content but it just ends up being cheesy and dumb. Also the audiobook narrator sucks so much. She paused akwardly and made the book longer.
2.5 definitely very disappointed with this one as I heard that Megan wrote funny books. While our hero and heroine met under really cute circumstances (she fell on top of him in a bookstore and they found a sex book) I could not find anything interesting in this book. It was sexy but so boring at the same time. They explore themselves sexually but as characters they are so fucking bland. I feel like I can swear since this book swore so much
But nothing happened!!! They were hanging out a lot and they kissed and she whined about never getting to marry for love and he was struggling a little bit over liking his brothers fiance. I just... bleh.
2.5 definitely very disappointed with this one as I heard that Megan wrote funny books. While our hero and heroine met under really cute circumstances (she fell on top of him in a bookstore and they found a sex book) I could not find anything interesting in this book. It was sexy but so boring at the same time. They explore themselves sexually but as characters they are so fucking bland. I feel like I can swear since this book swore so much
But nothing happened!!! They were hanging out a lot and they kissed and she whined about never getting to marry for love and he was struggling a little bit over liking his brothers fiance. I just... bleh.
July 30, 2017
I had read a different book from this author and liked it, but it was the comparison to P+P they caught my eye.
I loved Eleanor and Alexander. They're both in a similar situation of being told what to do and within that situation they find themselves. Eleanor is smart and sassy. She loves books and snark. Alexander love banter and books of a...different kind. Together they're adorable and it was easy to root for them.
Plot wise, it was delightful. There is essentially no angst and I adored Eleanor's sisters being so supportive. Even better was that the ladies were involved in figuring out how it was all going to work out.
Overall, it was a quick and fun read. I'll definitely be looking for the next in the series.
**Huge thanks to Avon Books for providing the arc free of charge**
I loved Eleanor and Alexander. They're both in a similar situation of being told what to do and within that situation they find themselves. Eleanor is smart and sassy. She loves books and snark. Alexander love banter and books of a...different kind. Together they're adorable and it was easy to root for them.
Plot wise, it was delightful. There is essentially no angst and I adored Eleanor's sisters being so supportive. Even better was that the ladies were involved in figuring out how it was all going to work out.
Overall, it was a quick and fun read. I'll definitely be looking for the next in the series.
**Huge thanks to Avon Books for providing the arc free of charge**
June 25, 2024
Review from 2018
I've given this a B- for narration and a C- for content at AudioGals.
I’ve enjoyed some of Megan Frampton’s historical romances in print, so when I saw her latest book, Lady Be Bad, pop up in audio format, I decided to give it a listen. Ms. Frampton’s work is in similar vein to that of authors such as Tessa Dare and Maya Rodale; generally light-hearted and peppered with witty dialogue and with a slightly more serious undercurrent that lends a bit of depth and colour to the story overall. In the case of Lady Be Bad, that undercurrent is to do with the lack of options available to well-born young women in the early nineteenth century and how stifling it was to know that one was being brought up to have no individuality, no opinions and no choice in the direction of one’s own life. That’s a theme often explored in historical romance, but it’s been done much better than it is here, and this first instalment in Ms. Frampton’s The Duke’s Daughters series falls very flat. The storyline is clichéd and predictable, the characters are two-dimensional stereotypes, the writing is stodgy and repetitive; and while Jilly Bond is a very experienced narrator, her somewhat quirky delivery generally proved to be more hindrance than help.
Lady Eleanor Howlett, the eldest daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Marymount, knows it’s up to her to salvage the family name after it was dragged through the mud following her youngest sister’s elopement with the dancing master. It’s not fair, but Eleanor is prepared to do her duty and sacrifice herself on the hymeneal altar so that her three sisters can have the chance to find love and make good matches. The gentleman chosen by her parents, Lord Bennett Raybourn, Viscount Carson, is the son and heir of the spendthrift Marquess of Wheatley, who has so ruined his family finances, that the viscount must, of necessity, marry a woman of considerable fortune. Such is the motivation behind many an aristocratic marriage – the Raybourns need money, the Howletts need consequence – and everything is settled.
Except it isn’t. Eleanor knows her duty, but she doesn’t want to settle into what promises to be a dull, average life-sentence without having first experienced some of the delights life has to offer. When the viscount proposes, Eleanor asks him for more time to make up her mind – sending her mother into conniptions – which confuses Bennett, who had thought it a done deal. He agrees to Eleanor’s request, although a long engagement is not what he had in mind, given that he has no time for courtship; he has taken over the running of the family estates and finances in an attempt to prevent disaster and is forever in meetings or engaged on estate business. So he asks his younger brother Alexander, the family scapegrace, to spend time with Eleanor and use his considerable powers of persuasion with the ladies to induce her to accept him sooner rather than later.
Oh, dear. (Did I mention that Eleanor Must Marry in order to repair her family’s reputation?)
I really don’t need to tell you where this is headed, do I? I certainly don’t object to the “falling for the wrong brother/sister” trope, but to make it work properly, there needs to be some prospect of the “wrong” sibling winning out – and it’s clear from the get-go that Bennett is a merely a convenient plot device to provide the requisite roadblock along the path to true love. Eleanor and Alex actually meet shortly before Bennett’s proposal, when they literally bump into each other in a bookshop; an encounter which ends up with Eleanor falling on top of Alex and getting all hot under the collar at the sight of the illustrations in the naughty book he’d been looking at before their collision. This naturally leads to the usual musings on the hardness of the long, lean body beneath her by the heroine and the softness and curvaceousness of the one on top of him by the hero. Honestly, I was yawning before I’d even made it half-an-hour in.
By the way – did I mention that Eleanor Must Marry in order to repair her family’s reputation?
The story proceeds predictably, with Eleanor – who also has a bucket list of sorts – wanting to be “overwhelmed” and to “find her joy” – we’re not allowed to forget either of those things, and are hit over the head with them repeatedly. She and Alex somewhat implausibly manage to gallivant about unchaperoned on several occasions so he can take her to a gambling den and somewhere else proper ladies aren’t supposed to go (yep, there’s the bucket list in action) and then Alex, who, owing to a youthful error or judgement is persona non grata with his father, comes up with the most ridiculous idea imaginable to shore up the family finances so he can marry Eleanor. There’s no character development, no real chemistry between the characters, and if I hadn’t been listening for review, I would have DNFed.
And did I mention that Eleanor Must Marry in order to repair her family’s reputation? Because I lost count of the number of times Ms. Frampton mentioned it.
Jilly Bond is an extremely experienced narrator, and I’ve listened to her a few times – most recently in Georgette Heyer’s Cousin Kate which, admittedly, was a few years ago now. Her tone and style of delivery remind me a little of Alison Larkin, but Ms. Larkin has a better sense of comedic timing and pacing; Ms. Bond’s pacing is on the slow side and peppered with too-long pauses. Her vocal acting is very animated and her performance is lively and upbeat, but sometimes that liveliness crosses the line into “twee” or “over the top” territory, and while I do enjoy a narrator who acts rather than just reads, this was one of those times I’d have liked it toned down a little. That said though, the material was so dull, I doubt that would have helped.
Ms. Bond differentiates well between all the characters; Eleanor and her mother and sisters are all easy to tell apart, and she’s very good with the ‘character’ roles of servants and older gentlemen like Eleanor’s father and Wheatley. The male voices she adopts for Alex and Bennett are… okay and I’ve heard worse, but – and I said this about Cousin Kate, too – she employs this sort of “rounded” tone that conjures an image of a puffed-up, slightly portly older man rather than a seriously hawt six-footer with a gorgeous bod and a wicked smile.
Lady Be Bad isn’t (quite) the worst audiobook I’ve listened to in 2017, but it’s certainly one of the most disappointing. As is obvious, I’m not going to recommend it.
I've given this a B- for narration and a C- for content at AudioGals.
I’ve enjoyed some of Megan Frampton’s historical romances in print, so when I saw her latest book, Lady Be Bad, pop up in audio format, I decided to give it a listen. Ms. Frampton’s work is in similar vein to that of authors such as Tessa Dare and Maya Rodale; generally light-hearted and peppered with witty dialogue and with a slightly more serious undercurrent that lends a bit of depth and colour to the story overall. In the case of Lady Be Bad, that undercurrent is to do with the lack of options available to well-born young women in the early nineteenth century and how stifling it was to know that one was being brought up to have no individuality, no opinions and no choice in the direction of one’s own life. That’s a theme often explored in historical romance, but it’s been done much better than it is here, and this first instalment in Ms. Frampton’s The Duke’s Daughters series falls very flat. The storyline is clichéd and predictable, the characters are two-dimensional stereotypes, the writing is stodgy and repetitive; and while Jilly Bond is a very experienced narrator, her somewhat quirky delivery generally proved to be more hindrance than help.
Lady Eleanor Howlett, the eldest daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Marymount, knows it’s up to her to salvage the family name after it was dragged through the mud following her youngest sister’s elopement with the dancing master. It’s not fair, but Eleanor is prepared to do her duty and sacrifice herself on the hymeneal altar so that her three sisters can have the chance to find love and make good matches. The gentleman chosen by her parents, Lord Bennett Raybourn, Viscount Carson, is the son and heir of the spendthrift Marquess of Wheatley, who has so ruined his family finances, that the viscount must, of necessity, marry a woman of considerable fortune. Such is the motivation behind many an aristocratic marriage – the Raybourns need money, the Howletts need consequence – and everything is settled.
Except it isn’t. Eleanor knows her duty, but she doesn’t want to settle into what promises to be a dull, average life-sentence without having first experienced some of the delights life has to offer. When the viscount proposes, Eleanor asks him for more time to make up her mind – sending her mother into conniptions – which confuses Bennett, who had thought it a done deal. He agrees to Eleanor’s request, although a long engagement is not what he had in mind, given that he has no time for courtship; he has taken over the running of the family estates and finances in an attempt to prevent disaster and is forever in meetings or engaged on estate business. So he asks his younger brother Alexander, the family scapegrace, to spend time with Eleanor and use his considerable powers of persuasion with the ladies to induce her to accept him sooner rather than later.
Oh, dear. (Did I mention that Eleanor Must Marry in order to repair her family’s reputation?)
I really don’t need to tell you where this is headed, do I? I certainly don’t object to the “falling for the wrong brother/sister” trope, but to make it work properly, there needs to be some prospect of the “wrong” sibling winning out – and it’s clear from the get-go that Bennett is a merely a convenient plot device to provide the requisite roadblock along the path to true love. Eleanor and Alex actually meet shortly before Bennett’s proposal, when they literally bump into each other in a bookshop; an encounter which ends up with Eleanor falling on top of Alex and getting all hot under the collar at the sight of the illustrations in the naughty book he’d been looking at before their collision. This naturally leads to the usual musings on the hardness of the long, lean body beneath her by the heroine and the softness and curvaceousness of the one on top of him by the hero. Honestly, I was yawning before I’d even made it half-an-hour in.
By the way – did I mention that Eleanor Must Marry in order to repair her family’s reputation?
The story proceeds predictably, with Eleanor – who also has a bucket list of sorts – wanting to be “overwhelmed” and to “find her joy” – we’re not allowed to forget either of those things, and are hit over the head with them repeatedly. She and Alex somewhat implausibly manage to gallivant about unchaperoned on several occasions so he can take her to a gambling den and somewhere else proper ladies aren’t supposed to go (yep, there’s the bucket list in action) and then Alex, who, owing to a youthful error or judgement is persona non grata with his father, comes up with the most ridiculous idea imaginable to shore up the family finances so he can marry Eleanor. There’s no character development, no real chemistry between the characters, and if I hadn’t been listening for review, I would have DNFed.
And did I mention that Eleanor Must Marry in order to repair her family’s reputation? Because I lost count of the number of times Ms. Frampton mentioned it.
Jilly Bond is an extremely experienced narrator, and I’ve listened to her a few times – most recently in Georgette Heyer’s Cousin Kate which, admittedly, was a few years ago now. Her tone and style of delivery remind me a little of Alison Larkin, but Ms. Larkin has a better sense of comedic timing and pacing; Ms. Bond’s pacing is on the slow side and peppered with too-long pauses. Her vocal acting is very animated and her performance is lively and upbeat, but sometimes that liveliness crosses the line into “twee” or “over the top” territory, and while I do enjoy a narrator who acts rather than just reads, this was one of those times I’d have liked it toned down a little. That said though, the material was so dull, I doubt that would have helped.
Ms. Bond differentiates well between all the characters; Eleanor and her mother and sisters are all easy to tell apart, and she’s very good with the ‘character’ roles of servants and older gentlemen like Eleanor’s father and Wheatley. The male voices she adopts for Alex and Bennett are… okay and I’ve heard worse, but – and I said this about Cousin Kate, too – she employs this sort of “rounded” tone that conjures an image of a puffed-up, slightly portly older man rather than a seriously hawt six-footer with a gorgeous bod and a wicked smile.
Lady Be Bad isn’t (quite) the worst audiobook I’ve listened to in 2017, but it’s certainly one of the most disappointing. As is obvious, I’m not going to recommend it.
August 3, 2017
This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance
Lady Be Bad is the first book in the newest series by Megan Frampton and what a book this one was and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I will say that I haven't read this author in a little while, but now picking this one up made me realize how much I love her unconventional themed romances and Lady Be Bad was definitely that.
The story is focused on our heroine more than our hero. Lady Eleanor, is the eldest daughter of Duke of Marymount, and Eleanor is completely bored with her life. With the focus on being the perfect Duke's daughter, more pressure on her to marry who they expect her to, because her sister ran off to Gretna Green to get married. Eleanor is looking for any way to find some true happiness in her life before she has to marry a man she barely knows, a man that has more important matters than getting to know who she is. Lord Alexander, is loyal to his brother. He is the second son and as such has had way more freedom than his older brother. When his brother asks him to take "Eleanor" in hand, convince her of his virtues so she will agree to marry him. Alex is more than willing to do so, he would do anything for his brother. But from the moment of his first meeting in a bookshop with Eleanor, he wanted more than to have her marry his brother, he wants her for himself even though he knows it could never be.
What was quite wonderful about this story was seeing the way these two are completely good for one another. Our heroine is the focus of the story, but I did feel that Alexander is a good match for her. He understands her needs and desires and what she really wants in life. He genuinely wants to know who she is. Eleanor is getting to know herself. She is starting to want more than the dull and dreary life of white gowns, parties and balls, and having tea every morning. She wants adventure, to live life, to explore her boundaries and have passion. Alexander inspires her wants and dreams even. With Eleanor its merely the simple things in life that drives her. She just wants to find contentment and fulfillement in life, and this book focuses on her dreams for that. I admired the way she goes about it. Its not huge and out of this world crazy things she wants. We see how much her character needs to stretch herself a little and be more than what everyone around her expects her to be.
I want to be more than that. I want to find a way to be happy, no matter what circumstances I find myself in. I want to make some sort of difference. I want to---I want to do more than wear white gowns, and curtsey appropriately. I want to find my joy. I have no idea why I come speaking like this to you. Perhaps it was the kiss. Ir how we came to meet, which was the most shocking thing that has ever happened to me. I think that you might be the person who can help guide me. Not least because I am too poorly sighted to find the way myself.
We get some teasers of future books too....especially Alexander's brother---I have a feeling he will have a book sometime soon. *crossing fingers* because even though he isn't a good match for Eleanor, he still is a good man who is determined to save his family's estates because of his father's gambling and risk taking.
The romance that develops between Eleanor is playful, sweet and charming. Its lighthearted and has such a "happy" feeling to their love story. Normally I am not always a fan of the light hearted reads, but I think one...I was really in the mood for one, and two it totally worked for this pair and the story as a whole. The writing did start out a bit slow at first, but it does pick up pretty quickly once you get through a third of the story. I honestly couldn't get enough of this pair, and the way that Eleanor fights for what she wants in the end, was priceless. So many fun moments, a few self discovery build ups and a love story that leaves you with a smile on your face. A happy and joyful romance to life your spirits!!!
Lady Be Bad is the first book in the newest series by Megan Frampton and what a book this one was and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I will say that I haven't read this author in a little while, but now picking this one up made me realize how much I love her unconventional themed romances and Lady Be Bad was definitely that.
The story is focused on our heroine more than our hero. Lady Eleanor, is the eldest daughter of Duke of Marymount, and Eleanor is completely bored with her life. With the focus on being the perfect Duke's daughter, more pressure on her to marry who they expect her to, because her sister ran off to Gretna Green to get married. Eleanor is looking for any way to find some true happiness in her life before she has to marry a man she barely knows, a man that has more important matters than getting to know who she is. Lord Alexander, is loyal to his brother. He is the second son and as such has had way more freedom than his older brother. When his brother asks him to take "Eleanor" in hand, convince her of his virtues so she will agree to marry him. Alex is more than willing to do so, he would do anything for his brother. But from the moment of his first meeting in a bookshop with Eleanor, he wanted more than to have her marry his brother, he wants her for himself even though he knows it could never be.
What was quite wonderful about this story was seeing the way these two are completely good for one another. Our heroine is the focus of the story, but I did feel that Alexander is a good match for her. He understands her needs and desires and what she really wants in life. He genuinely wants to know who she is. Eleanor is getting to know herself. She is starting to want more than the dull and dreary life of white gowns, parties and balls, and having tea every morning. She wants adventure, to live life, to explore her boundaries and have passion. Alexander inspires her wants and dreams even. With Eleanor its merely the simple things in life that drives her. She just wants to find contentment and fulfillement in life, and this book focuses on her dreams for that. I admired the way she goes about it. Its not huge and out of this world crazy things she wants. We see how much her character needs to stretch herself a little and be more than what everyone around her expects her to be.
I want to be more than that. I want to find a way to be happy, no matter what circumstances I find myself in. I want to make some sort of difference. I want to---I want to do more than wear white gowns, and curtsey appropriately. I want to find my joy. I have no idea why I come speaking like this to you. Perhaps it was the kiss. Ir how we came to meet, which was the most shocking thing that has ever happened to me. I think that you might be the person who can help guide me. Not least because I am too poorly sighted to find the way myself.
We get some teasers of future books too....especially Alexander's brother---I have a feeling he will have a book sometime soon. *crossing fingers* because even though he isn't a good match for Eleanor, he still is a good man who is determined to save his family's estates because of his father's gambling and risk taking.
The romance that develops between Eleanor is playful, sweet and charming. Its lighthearted and has such a "happy" feeling to their love story. Normally I am not always a fan of the light hearted reads, but I think one...I was really in the mood for one, and two it totally worked for this pair and the story as a whole. The writing did start out a bit slow at first, but it does pick up pretty quickly once you get through a third of the story. I honestly couldn't get enough of this pair, and the way that Eleanor fights for what she wants in the end, was priceless. So many fun moments, a few self discovery build ups and a love story that leaves you with a smile on your face. A happy and joyful romance to life your spirits!!!
August 6, 2017
Lady Be Bad was delightful, and I can't wait to read about Eleanor's sisters in the future! Frampton did really well with this one.
August 12, 2017
I’m a fan of Megan Frampton’s witty humor. I loved her Dukes Behaving Badly series, and the new series promises to be just as delightful. The story had me from the first bookshop scene in the opening chapter. It combines physical humor with amusing dialogue, and the book just got better and better. Frampton not only makes her readers laugh, but she also makes them feel the darker emotions beneath the humor and leaves them with things to think about. Eleanor is truly a woman of her time. Eleanor’s conforming to her parents’ plans for her is more than her playing the good daughter. She also recognizes the effect her actions will have on the lives of her three younger sisters. I really enjoyed the sororal elements of this book: the various family roles, the strengthening bonds among the sisters, and their responses to Della. Equally interesting is the relationship between Alexander and Bennett and Alexander’s journey to self-discovery. Family dynamics generally are an essential part of the story, and yet that emphasis never detracts from the engaging, sigh-worthy romance. Alexander and Eleanor are so good together—funny and vulnerable, sweet and sexy, smart but without all the answers.
When I finish a book looking forward to a reread and eagerly anticipating the next book in the series I know I have another keeper in my hand. Such was definitely the case with Lady Be Bad. Megan Frampton has penned one of my favorite romances of the year. Lady Be Reckless, Olivia’s story, releases on February 27, 2018. I’ve already pre-ordered it, but Della’s story is the one for which I am most eager. Oh, yes, I am hooked on this series!
See full review at The Romance Dish:
http://www.theromancedish.com/2017/08...
When I finish a book looking forward to a reread and eagerly anticipating the next book in the series I know I have another keeper in my hand. Such was definitely the case with Lady Be Bad. Megan Frampton has penned one of my favorite romances of the year. Lady Be Reckless, Olivia’s story, releases on February 27, 2018. I’ve already pre-ordered it, but Della’s story is the one for which I am most eager. Oh, yes, I am hooked on this series!
See full review at The Romance Dish:
http://www.theromancedish.com/2017/08...
March 23, 2018
I enjoyed this title and will definitely be reading the next!
I liked both Alex and Eleanor and thought they complemented each other. I liked how both grew as the story moved along and were better versions of themselves by the end. I was entertained throughout the book even though it wasn't very action-filled. Still kept my attention, though, and I wanted to find out how the hero and heroine got their HEA. And I only read one or two "or somethings"!
My only issues with this book would be the fact that the main problem isn't really treated like THAT much of a problem by the H/h and that there were a few instances where we were told about events instead of them being shown to us.
I definitely feel like Ms. Frampton's books are improving as she goes along, and I look forward to the next book!!
An eARC was provided by Edelweiss and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I liked both Alex and Eleanor and thought they complemented each other. I liked how both grew as the story moved along and were better versions of themselves by the end. I was entertained throughout the book even though it wasn't very action-filled. Still kept my attention, though, and I wanted to find out how the hero and heroine got their HEA. And I only read one or two "or somethings"!
My only issues with this book would be the fact that the main problem isn't really treated like THAT much of a problem by the H/h and that there were a few instances where we were told about events instead of them being shown to us.
I definitely feel like Ms. Frampton's books are improving as she goes along, and I look forward to the next book!!
An eARC was provided by Edelweiss and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
October 5, 2017
Delightful, fun and steamy distraction from RL! I highly recomend it as a much needed break from what's going on around us. Megan Frampton honestly made my week - her style is frothy and sweet and her characters are honest and sparkling, just what the doctor ordered!
January 30, 2021
♡ Bookish heroine
♡ Adorable meetcute
♡ Historical Romance
♡ Rake
♡ Brother's betrothed
♡ Super-tall hero
♡ Sweet sister relationships
I haven't read any of the other Goodreads reviews for this one, but when I added it as "Reading," I noticed how low this was rated, and after having read this - I have no idea why! It was such a fun historical!
The hero and the heroine meet at a bookstore where she literally falls on him and starts rambling. It turns out, though, that she is betrothed (getting married for convenience as opposed to love) to his brother and when they meet in that capacity for the first time, it's shocking to them both.
My ONLY issue with this book was that I never fully understood why the hero decided he need to court her for his brother? And why his brother went along with it, no problem. I felt like maybe there could've been other ways to keep putting them together that made more sense. However, if we overlook that, everything else was a lot of fun.
The hero had a lot of qualities that I really like in a contemporary hero - he's like the historical romance hero equivalent to a charming playboy, he's even described as super tall as most heroes are in contemporaries.
There is one glaring difference, though, that I get SO distracted by when it comes to rakes in historical romances vs. playboys in contemporaries... is no one concerned with how many STDs these rakes are probably passing along to the heroines? It's so hard not to think about when I read a historical and it's talking about how many partners the hero had (or heroes who visited brothels). Granted, my historical knowledge of how they prevented STDs is limited, but I'm pretty sure condoms weren't a thing until the late 1800s.
Anyway, that's 100% a me thing and should not deter you from this book because it was super fun.
Triggers: serious illness of a loved one
♡ Adorable meetcute
♡ Historical Romance
♡ Rake
♡ Brother's betrothed
♡ Super-tall hero
♡ Sweet sister relationships
I haven't read any of the other Goodreads reviews for this one, but when I added it as "Reading," I noticed how low this was rated, and after having read this - I have no idea why! It was such a fun historical!
The hero and the heroine meet at a bookstore where she literally falls on him and starts rambling. It turns out, though, that she is betrothed (getting married for convenience as opposed to love) to his brother and when they meet in that capacity for the first time, it's shocking to them both.
My ONLY issue with this book was that I never fully understood why the hero decided he need to court her for his brother? And why his brother went along with it, no problem. I felt like maybe there could've been other ways to keep putting them together that made more sense. However, if we overlook that, everything else was a lot of fun.
The hero had a lot of qualities that I really like in a contemporary hero - he's like the historical romance hero equivalent to a charming playboy, he's even described as super tall as most heroes are in contemporaries.
There is one glaring difference, though, that I get SO distracted by when it comes to rakes in historical romances vs. playboys in contemporaries... is no one concerned with how many STDs these rakes are probably passing along to the heroines? It's so hard not to think about when I read a historical and it's talking about how many partners the hero had (or heroes who visited brothels). Granted, my historical knowledge of how they prevented STDs is limited, but I'm pretty sure condoms weren't a thing until the late 1800s.
Anyway, that's 100% a me thing and should not deter you from this book because it was super fun.
Triggers: serious illness of a loved one
July 25, 2017
An entertaining story about self-discovery and daring to live life to the fullest.
Lady Eleanor's marital fate is sealed. She will wed Lord Carson, a perfectly amicable gentleman with whom she can expect a comfortable life. The union will save her family's reputation while giving Lord Carson the fortune he needs. It's the perfect marriage of convenience, crafted by the parents. Until Lady Eleanor stumbles into a devil-may-care scoundrel during a visit to a book shop, responding to him and the wicked book he's buying, in a way she's never responded to any man before. Which leads to a tricky situation when she discovers that the man in question is in fact her intended's brother.
Lord Alexander Raybourn loves his brother and wants nothing more than to see him happy. A disappointment to their father, Alexander knows no one expects much of him, least of all after he gambled away a large chunk of the family fortune in an effort to fix his father's poor business decisions. So when his very busy brother tasks him with spending more time with Lady Eleanor in his stead, he agrees, even though he knows it's a terrible idea. Because there can be no denying his attraction toward her - an attraction that only grows by leaps and bounds when he also agrees to help her live a little before facing the dutiful state of matrimony looming before her.
This was a lovely story of two people torn between doing the 'right thing' and their own happiness. It's about taking a leap of faith, of risking it all for love and a chance at a better future than anyone could have predicted. Megan Frampton's writing is wonderfully witty and this new book in The Duke's Daughters series is definitely worth picking up.
Originally posted on: https://sophie-barnes.blogspot.com/
July 25, 2017
A lovely story of two people who are opposite in situation and temperament who find themselves falling in love with each other. Lady Eleanor has just been told by her father that her future husband has been chosen and she must marry him to help pull her family out of the scandal of one of her sisters running off with the dancing master. She is to marry Lord Carson. The problem is that she is attracted to Lord Alexander, Lord Carson's younger brother. Alexander is a devil make care rascal who loves his older brother and will do anything to make him happy. His father has no respect for him because of a mistake he made when he was younger. All Alex has ever heard is that he is useless and he has no potential to be a productive member of Society. Can Eleanor and Alex be together without causing pain to their families or can they find a way to help to make everyone happy?.
I liked that Eleanor didn't just do what was expected of her. She is determined to take charge of her life and Alex is the man she wants. Alex gradually realizes that he is capable of so much more and he wants to prove to his father, brother and Eleanor that he is a grown man who knows what he wants and he wants his brother to he happy and Eleanor to be his.
Megan writing is smart, witty and her plots are intelligent and her characters are wonderful, sensual and likable. Alex and Eleanor are perfect for each other. There is no hemming and hawing, or misunderstandings that sometimes plague romance novels. They are both strong and honorable and know how they feel about each other. A very nice romance that you will enjoy.
Received complimentary copy for an honest review.
I liked that Eleanor didn't just do what was expected of her. She is determined to take charge of her life and Alex is the man she wants. Alex gradually realizes that he is capable of so much more and he wants to prove to his father, brother and Eleanor that he is a grown man who knows what he wants and he wants his brother to he happy and Eleanor to be his.
Megan writing is smart, witty and her plots are intelligent and her characters are wonderful, sensual and likable. Alex and Eleanor are perfect for each other. There is no hemming and hawing, or misunderstandings that sometimes plague romance novels. They are both strong and honorable and know how they feel about each other. A very nice romance that you will enjoy.
Received complimentary copy for an honest review.
October 27, 2019
1.5
This is my first book by this author. It was really slow during the first half. Perhaps it was the narrator? I stopped listening for a few days, because nothing was really happening, and had to force myself to begin listening again. I wanted to know how it ends, because I like this trope: heroine falls for the man's (she's expected to marry) brother (aka hero).
Some pluses: Heroine initiates first kiss with hero (yay!), rain scene (either playing in it or kissing in it), sex in a carriage, doggy style, and while the carriage was in motion! I thought the book tried too hard to be erotic and steamy that I didn't feel the heat that much.
The other books in the series seems interesting, so I might try another book by this author.
This is my first book by this author. It was really slow during the first half. Perhaps it was the narrator? I stopped listening for a few days, because nothing was really happening, and had to force myself to begin listening again. I wanted to know how it ends, because I like this trope: heroine falls for the man's (she's expected to marry) brother (aka hero).
Some pluses: Heroine initiates first kiss with hero (yay!), rain scene (either playing in it or kissing in it), sex in a carriage, doggy style, and while the carriage was in motion! I thought the book tried too hard to be erotic and steamy that I didn't feel the heat that much.
The other books in the series seems interesting, so I might try another book by this author.
August 5, 2017
I've been dragging along with this book for a week just trying to get interested. But it's time to give up the ghost... it's boring me. DNF at 43%.
Read
April 4, 2018Pages survived: 152
Y'all know that feel when you can see a potential future good book hiding in the depths of an author's bad book? But you're still staring at 195 pages of unread story that you can tell ain't gonna work?
That's me on Lady Be Bad.
The thing that just didn't work for me was, well, our hero. Boy don't pop with personality like Eleanor, which super sucks because I wanted her to get a dude who was equally interesting!
The whole setup to the story [he's tasked by his bro/her future fiance to get the 411 on our heroine]...it just, didn't vibe for me. I never bought the stakes, and I read 150 pages, so the stakes should've been stakey by then!
I like Megan's characterization of her heroine, and she does great with other characters. So fingers crossed my next Frampton book will work for me.
Y'all know that feel when you can see a potential future good book hiding in the depths of an author's bad book? But you're still staring at 195 pages of unread story that you can tell ain't gonna work?
That's me on Lady Be Bad.
The thing that just didn't work for me was, well, our hero. Boy don't pop with personality like Eleanor, which super sucks because I wanted her to get a dude who was equally interesting!
The whole setup to the story [he's tasked by his bro/her future fiance to get the 411 on our heroine]...it just, didn't vibe for me. I never bought the stakes, and I read 150 pages, so the stakes should've been stakey by then!
I like Megan's characterization of her heroine, and she does great with other characters. So fingers crossed my next Frampton book will work for me.
March 5, 2018
2.5 stars
February 12, 2020
DNF'd at 53% then skimmed through the end.
Since a romance novel sounded good and I wanted to read something from the worst rated books on my tbr (anything under 3.5), I chose this. (Why do I want to read the worst rated books on my tbr? Who the hell knows? It always sounds like it might be fun, but they're badly rated for a reason. This book wasn't too bad at 3.46 so I thought it might be better).
Frampton is an author I've never been totally able to get into to the point I've placed her on my authors to avoid in the future list. I'm clearly not the only one with that problem since her books are usually rated lower than other romances. Her main issue aren't anger-inducing like other authors though. She's just bland. Her characters have some personality but not enough to carry a story or the traits that might propel a plot are pushed to the side. Her plots are thin. Everyone's nice or well-meaning, so there's little to no conflict and even when it does happen it's over quickly.
Look, while it's nice to read a romance where the hero isn't awful and the heroine isn't reduced to a dumbass of epic proportions to make the hero always looks right, Frampton does it in the dullest way possible. There isn't even any outside problems. In this book, Alex falls in love with the woman his family expects his brother to marry. Bennett can't be bothered to do anything like spending time with her because he's busy and he cares even less than she does, so he asks Alex to convince her, leading to Alex falling in love. He and Eleanor spend all their time together. The climax is the families pushing Eleanor and Bennett together, but there's no real conflict here when all is said and done. They just get their happy ending, and then it's over. I can't even describe the plot to you. The first half is boring, the second filled with sex. Everything that happens doesn't threaten them because there's no legitimate threat. There's no real reason to hide their relationship. Sure, Alexander isn't the heir, but I can't imagine that it would be that big of an issue. The family wants money, and Alex won't be required to give it up to them but we all know he would. It's just... there's no real reason for them not to be together. So there's no plot or conflict or anything keeping me reading.
Since a romance novel sounded good and I wanted to read something from the worst rated books on my tbr (anything under 3.5), I chose this. (Why do I want to read the worst rated books on my tbr? Who the hell knows? It always sounds like it might be fun, but they're badly rated for a reason. This book wasn't too bad at 3.46 so I thought it might be better).
Frampton is an author I've never been totally able to get into to the point I've placed her on my authors to avoid in the future list. I'm clearly not the only one with that problem since her books are usually rated lower than other romances. Her main issue aren't anger-inducing like other authors though. She's just bland. Her characters have some personality but not enough to carry a story or the traits that might propel a plot are pushed to the side. Her plots are thin. Everyone's nice or well-meaning, so there's little to no conflict and even when it does happen it's over quickly.
Look, while it's nice to read a romance where the hero isn't awful and the heroine isn't reduced to a dumbass of epic proportions to make the hero always looks right, Frampton does it in the dullest way possible. There isn't even any outside problems. In this book, Alex falls in love with the woman his family expects his brother to marry. Bennett can't be bothered to do anything like spending time with her because he's busy and he cares even less than she does, so he asks Alex to convince her, leading to Alex falling in love. He and Eleanor spend all their time together. The climax is the families pushing Eleanor and Bennett together, but there's no real conflict here when all is said and done. They just get their happy ending, and then it's over. I can't even describe the plot to you. The first half is boring, the second filled with sex. Everything that happens doesn't threaten them because there's no legitimate threat. There's no real reason to hide their relationship. Sure, Alexander isn't the heir, but I can't imagine that it would be that big of an issue. The family wants money, and Alex won't be required to give it up to them but we all know he would. It's just... there's no real reason for them not to be together. So there's no plot or conflict or anything keeping me reading.
August 5, 2017
Prepare to be overwhelmed! In Lady Be Bad, we are introduced to the protagonists in the most unusual of circumstances. Lady Eleanor is arranged to be married to Lord Carson, a purely business arrangement by both of their parents for reasons revealed to the readers from the start. But Lord Carson is too busy trying to keep his family's finances in the black and so has asked his brother to woo her for him. Enter the dashing Lord Alex, the younger brother, the charming one, the one his father has decided as not amounting to anything. Little does anyone know, both Lady Eleanor and Lord Alex had already met in a nearly scandalous encounter. And so it begins, a most unusual courtship that of course ends in the most expected way.
Lady Be Bad will keep readers turning the pages, constantly entertained and heavily invested in Eleanor and Alex's relationship and their self-discovery that there is more to what is expected of them and what they can achieve by believing in themselves.
*ARC provided*
Lady Be Bad will keep readers turning the pages, constantly entertained and heavily invested in Eleanor and Alex's relationship and their self-discovery that there is more to what is expected of them and what they can achieve by believing in themselves.
*ARC provided*
July 31, 2017
A very enjoyable read! It is a story of star-crossed lovers caught up in their obligations to their families. Unfortunately, these obligations clash. Eleanor, the eldest daughter of the Duke of Marymount, is facing an arranged marriage to a marquess in order to alleviate the scandal caused by her youngest sister (shades of the Bennett sisters? I think so.). Alexander is the marquess's younger brother who has lacked direction and purpose. In the midst of this situation Eleanor and Alexander unsuccessfully fight a growing attraction.
I so enjoy Megan Frampton's somewhat snarky humor and it is very evident in Lady Be Bad. The relationship between Eleanor and Alexander was cute, clever and touching. Each one had to find their personal strength to be able to make their families understand them.
A clever story with more depth than you might expect. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I so enjoy Megan Frampton's somewhat snarky humor and it is very evident in Lady Be Bad. The relationship between Eleanor and Alexander was cute, clever and touching. Each one had to find their personal strength to be able to make their families understand them.
A clever story with more depth than you might expect. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
October 6, 2018
Lady Eleanor, the Duke of Marymount’s eldest daughter, must marry well and must marry quick in order to save her family from ruin after one of her sisters ran off with the dancing instructor. She's always followed the rules, including not wearing her much needed glasses in public, and will marry whomever her family sees fit.
When her parents find a suitable man, it turns out he's just a bit too busy and way too disinterested in wooing Eleanor, so he asks his brother to press his suit. And his brother, Lord Alexander Raybourn, turns out to be the one whom Lady Eleanor may just risk everything for.
I enjoyed my first Frampton, but did find the story a bit dull overall. Nothing really stood out to me besides the story being well written and enjoyable. I will definitely continue to read the other books in the series as I've heard great things about the latest title (2018).
When her parents find a suitable man, it turns out he's just a bit too busy and way too disinterested in wooing Eleanor, so he asks his brother to press his suit. And his brother, Lord Alexander Raybourn, turns out to be the one whom Lady Eleanor may just risk everything for.
I enjoyed my first Frampton, but did find the story a bit dull overall. Nothing really stood out to me besides the story being well written and enjoyable. I will definitely continue to read the other books in the series as I've heard great things about the latest title (2018).
August 4, 2022
The polite thing to say would be that I just stopped being interested. The truthful thing to say was that by page 286 I just couldn't force myself to slog through another sentence
July 18, 2017
Lady Be Bad is the first book in the Duke's Daughters series by Megan Frampton.
Lady Eleanor is one of 5 daughters, the second eldest. When the eldest sister runs off to elope her mother and father tell her she must marry, and marry well in order to stave off the scandal that could ruin her family, and her younger sisters' chances of marrying well. She is told she has to marry Lord Bennett Carson, a man fighting hard to keep his family's finances flowing. When he marries Eleanor she will get his title, and he will get her large dowry. Sounds perfect, but it's far from it, neither want to be forced into marriage, yet it's their responsibility to do just that.
Lord Alexander is Bennett's younger brother. He's very tall, handsome, charming, and fed up. He is fed up of not being considered of any worth because he is a second son. When he meets Eleanor it is a definite case of lust at first site, and when circumstances have them spending a lot of time together, Eleanor decides to make the most of it and tells Alex that she wants to be overwhelmed. She wants to experience things and have fun so that when she does have to settle down she won't be forever wondering what she missed out on.
They get up to some fabulously fun things, and share some naughty passionate moments. They both know they have no future together, but they can't fight the attraction between them. Will they be able to find away to be together without more scandal ensuing, or will Eleanor have her fun and settle down as instructed. Neither feel able to stand up to their pushy parents, but can they possibly let each other go??
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, there were some laugh out load moments, and some sensual, steamy moments. There were times when I couldn't help but feel so sorry for Eleanor, she has so much weight on her shoulders, it was a real delight to see her having some fun before her betrothal. All of her sisters were well written characters, each so very different in personality, I am very much looking forward to reading their stories in the future. Alex was a darling, and his love and respect for his brother often made his guilt nearly too much to bear.
The only thing that I didn't like about the book was how quickly and easily it ended. A nice happy ever after, but not totally believable. That aside, I can still recommend it as it's a story that once you start reading you won't want to put down.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers' copy of this book.
Lady Eleanor is one of 5 daughters, the second eldest. When the eldest sister runs off to elope her mother and father tell her she must marry, and marry well in order to stave off the scandal that could ruin her family, and her younger sisters' chances of marrying well. She is told she has to marry Lord Bennett Carson, a man fighting hard to keep his family's finances flowing. When he marries Eleanor she will get his title, and he will get her large dowry. Sounds perfect, but it's far from it, neither want to be forced into marriage, yet it's their responsibility to do just that.
Lord Alexander is Bennett's younger brother. He's very tall, handsome, charming, and fed up. He is fed up of not being considered of any worth because he is a second son. When he meets Eleanor it is a definite case of lust at first site, and when circumstances have them spending a lot of time together, Eleanor decides to make the most of it and tells Alex that she wants to be overwhelmed. She wants to experience things and have fun so that when she does have to settle down she won't be forever wondering what she missed out on.
They get up to some fabulously fun things, and share some naughty passionate moments. They both know they have no future together, but they can't fight the attraction between them. Will they be able to find away to be together without more scandal ensuing, or will Eleanor have her fun and settle down as instructed. Neither feel able to stand up to their pushy parents, but can they possibly let each other go??
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, there were some laugh out load moments, and some sensual, steamy moments. There were times when I couldn't help but feel so sorry for Eleanor, she has so much weight on her shoulders, it was a real delight to see her having some fun before her betrothal. All of her sisters were well written characters, each so very different in personality, I am very much looking forward to reading their stories in the future. Alex was a darling, and his love and respect for his brother often made his guilt nearly too much to bear.
The only thing that I didn't like about the book was how quickly and easily it ended. A nice happy ever after, but not totally believable. That aside, I can still recommend it as it's a story that once you start reading you won't want to put down.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers' copy of this book.
July 18, 2017
Alex and Eleanor star in Megan Frampton's new Duke's Daughters series. When her sister ran off with their dance instructor, and left the family to deal with the disgrace, Eleanor became the one tasked with setting the family's image right. The first task is to marry-and marry well, there by setting the standard for the family and her other sisters. She is set up to marry Lord Bennett whose pedigree is right. She would get the title and he would get her dowry. But neither is happy about being forced into marriage.
Alexander is Bennett's younger brother. When he and Eleanor meet-there are sparks! Under the guise of helping his older brother, he and Eleanor spend a great bit of time together. Knowing nothing can come of it because Eleanor is promised to Bennett, they partake in a lot of fun and share some rather heated moments! Eleanor wants to live life to the fullest with Alex, knowing when she does marry Bennett, she can look back and not think she missed out on so much. But can she give Alexander up when the time comes? Can he stand by and let his brother marry the woman he loves?? Can they find a way to make it work between them or will that make everything even worse??
I have read a lot of Megan Frampton's books and I expect a fun filled time. I got some of that in this book, but not a lot of action. There was enough to keep me interested but it lulled quite a bit for me. I felt really bad for Eleanor because there was so much riding on this marriage. I'm glad she got to throw caution to the wind and let loose for awhile! Alex was such a nice man who truly looked up to his brother. Sad he felt like he was betraying him most of the time, but he was taken with Eleanor. Love makes you do things you may not normally do! Megan doesn't let us down and gives us that HEA we are seeking!! I also enjoyed meeting all of the sisters and I am sure we are in for some treats with each of their stories to come!
3 Stars/3.5 Flames
This book was gifted to me by the Jeep Diva for an honest review. The ratings and review are solely my opinions.
Alexander is Bennett's younger brother. When he and Eleanor meet-there are sparks! Under the guise of helping his older brother, he and Eleanor spend a great bit of time together. Knowing nothing can come of it because Eleanor is promised to Bennett, they partake in a lot of fun and share some rather heated moments! Eleanor wants to live life to the fullest with Alex, knowing when she does marry Bennett, she can look back and not think she missed out on so much. But can she give Alexander up when the time comes? Can he stand by and let his brother marry the woman he loves?? Can they find a way to make it work between them or will that make everything even worse??
I have read a lot of Megan Frampton's books and I expect a fun filled time. I got some of that in this book, but not a lot of action. There was enough to keep me interested but it lulled quite a bit for me. I felt really bad for Eleanor because there was so much riding on this marriage. I'm glad she got to throw caution to the wind and let loose for awhile! Alex was such a nice man who truly looked up to his brother. Sad he felt like he was betraying him most of the time, but he was taken with Eleanor. Love makes you do things you may not normally do! Megan doesn't let us down and gives us that HEA we are seeking!! I also enjoyed meeting all of the sisters and I am sure we are in for some treats with each of their stories to come!
3 Stars/3.5 Flames
This book was gifted to me by the Jeep Diva for an honest review. The ratings and review are solely my opinions.
October 29, 2017
I liked Eleanor's character a lot, especially how she thought of blurry half-seen Alex as a tree. Some of her inner musings made me crack up laughing. I also love how she and Alex both grow and balance each other out from two extremes. She goes from someone who not only doesn't speak her mind but is so penned in by expectations of propriety that she doesn't even allow herself to think and feel fully. On the other hand Alex goes from someone known for his "blunt speaking" and learns to curb his tongue in deference to the feelings and reputations of others. I love that they both feel worthless and help each other find value in themselves, not just because someone else values them but for the people they truly are.
The gambling den scene seems awkward and irrelevant, like it was just stuck in there for filler. About three quarters into the book Alex thinks something like he loves the chaise-lounge red if her face now when he used to hate it. I didn't feel a hatred of her blushes was ever expressed in their early interactions, so that really stuck out as strange to me. Besides, why should such an easy going fellow HATE a lady's blushes, be they ever so red and though he thinks her ever so dim-witted? And, um, why did they all need to meet to strategize a plan of attack when it was decided that Alex would talk to his father and Eleanor would speak with her parents? How does speaking about their wishes to their parents help avoid a scandal for calling off the engagement? Another weird superfluous scene.
I adored this book. Megan Framptons characters are realistically flawed, lovable, and charming, and her writing is wonderfully witty. However I have to knock off a star for the repeated awkward scenes inserted as seemingly superfluous filler, making an otherwise streamlined storyline jerk off course briefly at repeated intervals.
The gambling den scene seems awkward and irrelevant, like it was just stuck in there for filler. About three quarters into the book Alex thinks something like he loves the chaise-lounge red if her face now when he used to hate it. I didn't feel a hatred of her blushes was ever expressed in their early interactions, so that really stuck out as strange to me. Besides, why should such an easy going fellow HATE a lady's blushes, be they ever so red and though he thinks her ever so dim-witted? And, um, why did they all need to meet to strategize a plan of attack when it was decided that Alex would talk to his father and Eleanor would speak with her parents? How does speaking about their wishes to their parents help avoid a scandal for calling off the engagement? Another weird superfluous scene.
I adored this book. Megan Framptons characters are realistically flawed, lovable, and charming, and her writing is wonderfully witty. However I have to knock off a star for the repeated awkward scenes inserted as seemingly superfluous filler, making an otherwise streamlined storyline jerk off course briefly at repeated intervals.
July 25, 2017
Lady Eleanor Howlett is the daughter of the Duke of Marymount. Her younger sister, Della, eloped with her dancing instructor which brought scandal to the family. Now, Eleanor and her three sisters, twins Pearl and Olivia, and their youngest sister, Ida, must do all they can to repair the family’s reputation. As the Duke and Duchess had no sons, the title and holdings will go to the girls’ cousin, Reginald. However, the girls all have substantial dowries. Eleanor’s parents expect her to marry Lord Carson, son and heir to the Marquis of Wheatley.
Today, Eleanor is in a bookshop searching for a book on ancient mythology when she accidentally bumps into a man reading an erotic book on Greek mythology, complete with pictures.
Lord Alexander (Alex) Raybourn enjoys looking at erotic books and is intrigued by the young woman who bumped into him. Alex lives with his older brother, Bennett, and his mother. The lady has been ill from what is probably depression. His father is never around as the man lives with his mistress and their children.
It turns out that Bennett is Lord Carson, the man Eleanor is supposed to marry. As the family funds are dwindling, Bennett’s father and Eleanor’s father have made a business arrangement for them to marry. Lord Carson is nice, but he is just average and does not excite Eleanor.
At a soiree, Bennett introduces Alex to Eleanor who is the woman from the bookstore. When Bennett proposes to Eleanor, she tells him she must think about it. So, as Bennett is so busy, he asks Alex to step in and find out what Eleanor is seeking in a husband and to simply woo her for him.
This is a cleverly written book with a hero and heroine who share a lot of interests. Of course, as the book has been written by Megan Frampton, you can expect some delightful laughs as well. Don’t miss it!
Copy provided by Edelweiss in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Today, Eleanor is in a bookshop searching for a book on ancient mythology when she accidentally bumps into a man reading an erotic book on Greek mythology, complete with pictures.
Lord Alexander (Alex) Raybourn enjoys looking at erotic books and is intrigued by the young woman who bumped into him. Alex lives with his older brother, Bennett, and his mother. The lady has been ill from what is probably depression. His father is never around as the man lives with his mistress and their children.
It turns out that Bennett is Lord Carson, the man Eleanor is supposed to marry. As the family funds are dwindling, Bennett’s father and Eleanor’s father have made a business arrangement for them to marry. Lord Carson is nice, but he is just average and does not excite Eleanor.
At a soiree, Bennett introduces Alex to Eleanor who is the woman from the bookstore. When Bennett proposes to Eleanor, she tells him she must think about it. So, as Bennett is so busy, he asks Alex to step in and find out what Eleanor is seeking in a husband and to simply woo her for him.
This is a cleverly written book with a hero and heroine who share a lot of interests. Of course, as the book has been written by Megan Frampton, you can expect some delightful laughs as well. Don’t miss it!
Copy provided by Edelweiss in exchange for a fair and honest review.
August 17, 2017
In Lady Be Bad, the kick-off to Megan Frampton’s newest series, Lady Eleanor Howlett is carrying the burden of resurrecting her family’s reputation after her younger sister ran off with a dance instructor (the horror!). Thus, she must marry the man chosen for her, one Lord Carson. Lord Carson, is far too busy running his estates to get to know the woman he is to marry, so he dispatches his younger brother Alexander to do the job. Alexander and Eleanor quickly discover a compatibility that not only pushes the boundaries of propriety, but decimates them completely.
In order to maintain the conceit of Eleanor’s betrothal to Lord Carson, while continuing to develop the relationship with Alexander, Ms. Frampton has to do some high-wire tricks with truth and deceit. To her credit, she executes it successfully, complete with her trademark banter and strong characterizations. I greatly enjoyed these characters and getting to know the other sisters with whom we will inevitably spend more time as the series progresses. I did have an issue with the use of deceit as a major plot point, as it’s one barrier I cannot cross, but even if, like me, you are averse to this plot device, I’d still actually recommend the book. Just know going in that you’ll be spending time with lovely people forced by circumstances to engage in cloak and dagger antics to explore their love for one another. Get past that, however, and then get to know these folks. The scenes in the bookshop are worth the price of admission alone, I promise.
https://allaboutromance.com/book-revi...
In order to maintain the conceit of Eleanor’s betrothal to Lord Carson, while continuing to develop the relationship with Alexander, Ms. Frampton has to do some high-wire tricks with truth and deceit. To her credit, she executes it successfully, complete with her trademark banter and strong characterizations. I greatly enjoyed these characters and getting to know the other sisters with whom we will inevitably spend more time as the series progresses. I did have an issue with the use of deceit as a major plot point, as it’s one barrier I cannot cross, but even if, like me, you are averse to this plot device, I’d still actually recommend the book. Just know going in that you’ll be spending time with lovely people forced by circumstances to engage in cloak and dagger antics to explore their love for one another. Get past that, however, and then get to know these folks. The scenes in the bookshop are worth the price of admission alone, I promise.
https://allaboutromance.com/book-revi...
January 7, 2020
I felt so lucky to have run into Megan Frampton's books a month ago! Loved this fun and entertaining series! Lady Eleanor and Lord Alexander's love story was enjoyable. He was supposed to court her for his older brother Bennett, Lord Carson, who had no time because he was too busy with his family's (dwindling) business dealings.
I was so entertained by Eleanor's defiant streaks. She was supposed to be pliant and to agree to the supposedly excellent match to restore her family's reputation so that her younger sisters could enter society and secure good marriages, too. I loved when Alexander's hotness and fan-loving nature spoke to Eleanor's secret desire of being "bad!" Yes! She had shown she could've written an advice to the Ladies on "How To Be Bad!"
Their courtship was sexy and fun. How they managed to get their families' consent to the match made a great read! Sharing one of my favorite scenes:
Or maybe I could switch to the scene Eleanor was translating erotic poetry with illustration from medieval Italian to English for Alexander . . .
I was so entertained by Eleanor's defiant streaks. She was supposed to be pliant and to agree to the supposedly excellent match to restore her family's reputation so that her younger sisters could enter society and secure good marriages, too. I loved when Alexander's hotness and fan-loving nature spoke to Eleanor's secret desire of being "bad!" Yes! She had shown she could've written an advice to the Ladies on "How To Be Bad!"
Their courtship was sexy and fun. How they managed to get their families' consent to the match made a great read! Sharing one of my favorite scenes:
"This is—cricket?" she said, sounding skeptical.
"What did you imagine it was? Unless you thought the actual insects were wondering about playing some sort of organized entertainment," he said, raising an eyebrow at her as he spoke.
She looked at him, her blue eyes wide, . . . "You seem to think I am so idiotic that I would possibly imagine that insects would be engaged in a sporting activity." . . . She withdrew a pair of spectacles from her purse and placed them on her face. . . "As it happens, I am poorly sighted. . . Likely you have misjudged my expression because I have a lack of vision, . . . I might as well wear my spectacles so I can see your disdain." . . .
Or maybe I could switch to the scene Eleanor was translating erotic poetry with illustration from medieval Italian to English for Alexander . . .
dnf
December 3, 2020DNFed @ 10%
This book started ok and it seemed very funny but the narrator - named Jilly Bond - is SO BAD!!! She has terrible male voices and when the heroine is excited about something, the Ms. Bond PANTS! Yes, like a dog!!
Authors - if you're going to have a narrator this bad, just don't bother. It's not worth it.
This book started ok and it seemed very funny but the narrator - named Jilly Bond - is SO BAD!!! She has terrible male voices and when the heroine is excited about something, the Ms. Bond PANTS! Yes, like a dog!!
Authors - if you're going to have a narrator this bad, just don't bother. It's not worth it.
November 13, 2018
I enjoyed reading this story. The ending was a little abrupt though. I thought that the wedding would have been at the and of the book, but alas. I'm hoping that said wedding might be at the start of the next book.
4☆
4☆
January 16, 2021
*3.5 stars ✨
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