At the Duke's Wedding

by Caroline Linden, Katharine Ashe, Maya Rodale

As society gathers at Kingstag Castle for the wedding of the year, matrimony is in the air. But who will be the bride? With swoonworthy lords, witty ladies, eccentric relatives, a gaggle of free-spirited girls, not to mention the world’s best high perch phaeton, it’s a recipe for mayhem—and romance. Award winning, best-selling authors Katharine Ashe, Caroline Linden, Miranda Neville and Maya Rodale serve up delectable Regency fun and a sexy contemporary twist in this anthology of original novellas.

Four authors, four couples, four deliciously romantic surprises. When it comes to love, anything can happen…

That Rogue Jack by Maya Rodale

Jack, Lord Willoughby is charming, handsome, and utterly irresponsible. In other words, he’s the worst person to entrust with the ducal wedding ring. Miss Henrietta Black is prim, proper and the ideal person to help find the priceless family heirloom that’s gone missing… as long as she isn’t distracted by Jack’s gorgeous smile and tantalizing attempts at seduction. They MUST find the ring before the wedding… if they aren’t too busy falling in love.

P.S. I Love You by Miranda Neville

Handsome, inarticulate Frank Newnham asks for his cousin, Christian's help when he woos Rosanne Lacy by letter. Rosanne falls for Frank's delicious prose, but when they meet in person at the duke's wedding party, Rosanne can't understand why Frank seems so... dull. And why is she drawn to the dark brooding Earl of Bruton, with his scarred face and air of melancholy?

When I Met My Duchess by Caroline Linden

Gareth Cavendish, Duke of Wessex, believes he’s chosen the perfect bride… until he meets her sister, and lightning strikes—literally! Now, he’s the only member of society dreading the wedding of the season. Or is he? Cleo Barrows can’t fathom why her knees weaken every time the handsome duke approaches, or why her sister isn’t in the clouds at the prospect of marrying him. But the more often wedding plans throw Cleo and Gareth intimately together, the faster time is running out to turn the celebration of the summer into the scandal of the year.

How Angela Got Her Rogue Back by Katharine Ashe

When gorgeous Lord Trenton Ascot beckons to history grad student Angela Cowdrey from the pages of a comic book, she thinks she’s going crazy. When Trent rescues her from a lake, and she claims she’s from the future, he knows he is. But a blackmailer is threatening Trent’s family, and Angela is determined to help. While unraveling the mystery of her time-travel trip to the duke’s wedding, this modern girl and Regency lord just might discover a passion that defies centuries.

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Anthologies, Historical, Regency, Historical Fiction, Time Travel

460 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 26, 2013

About the author

Caroline Linden was born a reader, not a writer. She earned a degree in mathematics from Harvard University and worked as a programmer in the financial services industry before realizing writing fiction is much more exciting than writing code. Her books have won the NEC-RWA Readers' Choice Award, the JNRW Golden Leaf, the Daphne du Maurier Award, and RWA's RITA Award, and have been translated into seventeen languages around the world. She lives in New England.

Sign up at http://www.carolinelinden.com/signup.... to get notified about her books and receive a free short story exclusively for subscribers.

Reviews

[Lady Gabriella of Awesomeness (SLOW) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fabulous ! Enjoyed this anthology so much,I'm still dancing ;)



NOVELLA NO.1-That Rouge Jack: 3 stars.
#HR #Hilarious #Soft-n-fluffy #we-were-justfriends #onetimeread

NOVELLA NO.2 - P.S I Love you: 4.5 stars.
#Angst #bestcouple #lovetraingle #swoonworthy-hero #kickassheroine #lovable-secondarychracters #gettinghotinhere #pointsfororginality

NOVELLA NO.3- When I Met My Duchess: 4.5 stars
#insta-love #bestcouple #kickassheroine #pointsfororginality #swoonworthyhero #aldreadyengaged

NOVELLA NO.4-How Angela Got Her Rogue Back :5 stars !
#timetravel #swoonworthyhero #kickassheroine #gettinghotinhere #pointsfororginality #bestcouple

[Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies · Rating 2 out of 5]

Totally forgettable. Four short novellas based around...obviously, a Duke's wedding. Most are insta-love, with not much depth behind any of the relationship.

That Rogue Jack: Prim, proper lady's companion falls in love with a bumbling rake who loses a wedding ring. Lady's companion inexplicably blames herself, both searches for ring and consequently falls in love. Walking clichés abound.

"Jack was the most utterly reckless and reliably unreliable person ever to wake in the morning and sleep at night. If breathing were a task under his command, Jack would probably forget to draw breath. Should he be responsible for the beating of his heart, the thing would skid to a stop. Distractions were aplenty with Jack—there wasn’t a woman, wager, or some manner of trouble that didn’t catch his fancy.
Every twenty seconds.

"Even as a child, Henrietta had been far too proper for her own good. She was Miss Henrietta Black, a chronically well-behaved child who had grown into a terminally proper woman."

P.S. I Love You: less compelling retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac. Scarred, articulate "Lord Cicatrix" hero writes letter to the exquisite and intelligent young lady on behalf of his handsome idiot of a best friend. They subsequently fall in love. The climax had me face-palming. Such fools.

When I Met My Duchess: another trope. Duke engaged to exquisitely proper, diamond of the first water debutante, and he falls in love with her very improper sister instead. More clichés.

"She looked like her sister, but different. Where Helen Grey’s face was tranquil and composed, this woman’s face was lively and expressive. Her eyes sparkled and danced. Her features were sharper than Helen’s and her figure was fuller, almost lush. And as she tipped up her pointed chin and looked at Gareth with openly interested brown eyes, lightning struck."

"...a woman—the wrong woman—looked up at him with sparkling brown eyes and it seemed as though all his logical decisions had been made hastily and foolishly, based on air."

Excuse me while I roll my eyes.

How Angela Got Her Rogue Back: time-travel. Present-day heroine reads a comic featuring a handsome Regency lord, she wakes up in the 19th century, present day Michigan in winter -> Regency Dorset in summer to solve some kind of convoluted mystery concerning his family.

"She was totally in love with him. A man from another century that she'd met five days ago.

Nothing notable here, skip this anthology.

[kris · Rating 2 out of 5]

That Rogue Jack, Maya Rodale
Henrietta Black has been tasked with retrieving a ring from the scatterbrained Jack, Lord Willoughby, who has brought the ring from London for the Duke of Wessex's wedding. Except Jack loses it. Then Henrietta loses her mind while attempting to get it back. They spend 90% of their time kissing, 5% plotting where next to "search" AKA KISS, and 5% ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR THE DAMN RING.

This was terrible. Rodale appears to have wanted to go for a frothy, farcical tone and OMG DOES IT NOT WORK. Instead of being cute idiots for one another, Jack and Hen are both just idiots. Hen's worry about her position is about as deep as a puddle; Jack doesn't have ANY depth to him to speak of. They're both too busy making cow eyes (and I do mean literal cow eyes: they have that much wit) at one another to actually accomplish anything other than a parody of a romance. (Their "attempts" to "search" for the ring are THE WORST; they gave me secondhand anxiety from the sheer ineptitude.) .25 stars. TERRIBLE.


P.S. I Love You, Miranda Neville
Rosanne Lacy gets some excellent letters from Frank, except they're actually written by his cousin, Captain Christian, Earl of Burton. When they're finally all reunited at the Duke's wedding, she realizes that Frank is BORING and Christian is BONE-IN.

(AHEM)

This was cute! The handling of the Christian-covers-for-Frank bit went on a liiiiittle too long, but having Rosanne figure out the letter deception (and the grotto deception) made up for it somewhat. The duel was ridiculous. Most duels are ridiculous. Ultimately, I did like Rosanne and Christian together which means I award this 3 stars.


When I Met My Duchess, Caroline Linden
Gareth Cavendish, Duke of Wessex, is going to marry Helen—until he meets her widowed sister, Mrs. Cleo Barrows. Then all bets are off because he's got FEELINGS. YOU KNOW WHERE. Will he and Helen and Cleo and James Blair (his secretary) be able to get all their knotty emotions straightened out before it's TOO LATE?

I would have liked this more had there been more development in the relationship. Gareth's immediate boners definitely are A Thing, but because we're meant to believe they go from strangers to Truest Loves in 2 weeks, we need more on page romancing—and less wallowing over the inappropriate pants feelings. Overall, the most enjoyable of the quartet. 3.5 stars.


How Angela Got Her Rogue Back, Katharine Ashe
Angela Cowdrey (in "modern America") finds a special comic book about some random hottie. Then she falls backwards in time, only to find said hottie (Trenton Cambridge Ascot, Viscount Everett (future Duke of Ware)) waiting for her. He gets lust-pants; she gets them in return. They fall in love, only to be thwarted by TIME TRAVEL.

I feel like I don't know how to react to this one: it's pure fluffy wish-fulfillment but it skips over any of the interesting parts of said wish-fulfillment. Like: how does Angela adjust to 1813 England? What does Trent think about her anachronisms (other than his belief he's gone mad)? And then it skips right to happy ever after without any true reflection of what that decision means: no more triple shot caramel macchiatos; no more showers; no more birth control; no more modern medicine. Nope: one good dicking, and Angela's down to live in Regency England no questions asked, giving up her entire life as a historian and educator because she got laid. And that, my friends, ain't no wish of mine. 2 stars.

[Ursula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favourite anthology by these ladies. Rodale's was fluffy and forgettable, with a ditzy, rather superficial (and almost dumb) hero requiring an organised and practical heroine- not much to raise the pulse rate here.
Neville's had some nice writing and witty dialogue but kind of faded at the end.
Linden's story was a lovely one but I found the Duke's character (the hero in this one) rather two-dimensional and cold, which spoilt it a bit for me.
Finally, I didn't like Ashe's at all, and this is coming from a huge Ashe fan-girl. It was a TTR, and I don't mind them, but I could not suspend my disbelief in the character of the heroine. She is supposedly a 27 year-old virgin living in modern-day America. despite her alleged inexperience, she dares the poor, bemused and rather gorgeous Regency hero to go skinny-dipping with her, which he does, then gives him a very professional blow-job while masturbating herself to orgasm at the same time while she is in the lake. Yeah... nuh! It may have suffered from novella-syndrome, and God knows it is hard to get depth in characterisation and plot when you have only a limited number of words, but I was by turns confused and disbelieving. Oh well. Maybe next time.

But I do love the way all four authors pick up the ball as it is passed to them and keep running with it. The stories flow beautifully into each other and the whole idea is very clever. Just wish the actual stories were as good as those in At the Christmas Wedding.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this anthology over the course of a couple of months, reading one of the novellas after I'd read a few novels and needed a break. Overall, this was a really fun collection of stories that were light, easy to read, and a perfect break for summer. Steam level: warm (sex scenes in each), Overall rating: 4.5

"That Rogue Jack", Rating: 4 stars, Steam Level: Medium (mostly kissing and one mild sex scene)
Maya Rodale starts off the anthology, which focuses on a close friend of the duke and a spinsterish lady's companion who find themselves responsible for the ducal wedding ring. Jack is a devil may care kind of guy who has a lot of trouble with focus. I think he may actually suffer from ADHD, which I found very interesting and different. Henrietta, or Hen, as Jack calls her is a neat, organized, well behaved woman who has never acted out of line for fear of losing her livelihood as a lady's companion. Jack and Hen are responsible for delivering the ring to the dowager duchess for the wedding, but are thrown together because Jack cannot find the ring! As the two spend time together, the feelings that always hovered in the background for these two begin to deepen. This was fluffy, uncomplicated fun and Jack was a hoot. This was a nice break from the more angsty things I have been reading.

"P.S. I love you," Rating: 5 stars, Steam Level: (Medium-hot: mostly kissing and one more detailed sex scene) Miranda Neville is the author for the second installment in this anthology. I am a sucker for love stories that begin with letters and this one really delivered. Frank Newnham thinks he has found his future wife when he meets Roseanne Lacy, and impulsively asks if he can write her. The problem is, he may be gorgeous to look upon, but he can't write well-at all. Therefore, he asks his cousin, Lord Bruton, who has a wicked childhood scar but great letter writing skills to help him. I knew the inevitability from the beginning, but I was so anxious to see how it all played out. Usually, when there are two parties interested in a woman, authors downplay one character in order to raise the other up. Not so, here. All characters have their likeable characteristics and their foibles and I found myself enjoying all of them for different reasons.

This story, despite its short length, captured the fundamental truth that life is messy. It rarely works out how we think, but there is always some kernel of hope for the future. There was angst here, but it never overpowered the story. I really enjoyed the balance of light and dark and the pull between the characters. A wonderful read.

"When I Met my Duchess" Rating: 4.5 stars, Steam Level: (Medium hot: one detailed sex scene). Caroline Linden is the author of this one. I often enjoy star-crossed lover themes if they are done right. In this novella, I knew what the ending was going to be from the very beginning and so I could settle in and enjoy the ride. The Duke had seemed very aloof and reserved in the other novellas I'd read so far so it was nice to get to see more of him. He is a person dedicated to his family and confused by what his marriage should really be like. Plus, his name is Gareth--one of my absolute favorite names <3

Anyways, he has selected the quiet, reserved Helen to be his bride. He didn't interact with her at all but assumed that a simple marriage with a quiet, graceful woman would be enough. And then he meets Helen's sister and suddenly his world is turned sideways. The story has an urgency to is as there are only 2 weeks until the wedding and Gareth feels a strong dedication to duty and Helen's sister refuses to betray her. The sex scene when it does happen came a bit out of nowhere because the characters hadn't even kissed before this. I know it was a requirement for the story to have steam, but I could've done without it . Otherwise, I thought this was a delightful, easy read that explored marriage, loss, family ties, and sisterhood.

"How Angela Got Her Rogue Back," Rating: 4 stars, Steam Level: Hot (several kissing scenes, one oral sex scene, and one full on sex scene--quite a bit of sex in this little novella!) Katharine Ashe's installment was the odd one of this bunch. It actually features a modern, American woman who time travels back to England and falls in love with a viscount and helps protect his family from ruin using her background as a historian. I will admit that I'm not a huge fan of contemporary romance. I hate the slang and the language of more modern heroines, but I think that is a bias of mine because I tend to be a bit old-fashioned for a women in my 20's! That thought aside, it was definitely a novella with a modern woman's fantasy coming to life. Angela is a 27 year old virgin woman slaving away in graduate school, wondering if her life is ever going to be anything more. When she goes back in time and is rescued by Trent Ascot, she starts to see what she's missing out on. I often don't connect with Ashe's heroines very much, but dang, I love her heroes. Trent is honorable, gorgeous, and has a secret passion for art. What's not to love? Their romance develops quickly and Ashe did a good job of showing how the hero came to believe Angela's crazy story (I'm not sure I would have!) They have a ton of sexual chemistry and this was definitely the steamiest installment of the anthology. The only thing I didn't love was the contrast between Trent's cultured thoughts and actions and Angela's slangy speech--now, I know Ashe actually did a good job doing a contrast of modern heroines and British 19th century heroes, but I'll be honest and say it wasn't fun reading Angela's thoughts. It was less than romantic to have a hero spouting all this super sexy, cultured language and have the heroine thinking she wants to "jump him." Hence, one less star simply for my personal preference, but still an enjoyable story and with nice appearances from the other characters woven in.

[MRB · Rating 5 out of 5]

*****4.5 Stars****

If you don't like novellas, this anthology, which consists of four self-contained yet interrelated ones, probably won't 'wow' you enough to change your mind about the format. As someone who has an oddly deep affection for HR novellas, though, this was a real treat. I feel like novellas in this genre give me just enough to enchant, delight and stimulate my imagination without devolving into the contrived, drawn out conflicts and repetitive, wait-this-AGAIN?! scenes that we often get from today's full-length romances. Plus, the shorter page count forces meander-prone authors to move at a somewhat brisker, smoother pace and to give us a tighter and more streamlined plot. Or maybe my attention span has just grown too short for many of the 350+ page books we get today, especially when about a third of those pages turn out to be nearly identical sex scenes ;) Rest assured, though, that these aren't 12-page, blink-and-you-miss-them short stories; they're certainly long enough to give us actual characters and storylines, at least in this reader's opinion!

Prior to reading this anthology, I wasn't really familiar with any of the four featured authors. Writing style factors extremely heavily into my overall opinion of a certain book (far more so than actual plot!), and I was very pleasantly surprised by how well-written I found the first three of these four stories. Maya Rodale's and Caroline Linden's were particularly witty and engaging to me, with enough clever turns of phrase to keep my Kindle's highlight button active. Reluctantly, I deducted half a star because the fourth story is a time travel tale. Those are pretty much never my cup of literary tea, and this one was no exception.

Overall, this is an utterly charming charming and at times surprisingly clever collection of four stories that can be enjoyed individually while also connecting and overlapping quite nicely with one another. I saw just enough of most of the characters to find them amusing and compelling---and, unlike certain full-length romance novels, not enough of them to start to find them tiresome or to silently scream at the main couple to just stop playing games and *finally* get the heck together ;) Novellas tend to serve as the perfect fix for my romance cravings, and while this isn't a perspective-altering literary masterpiece, it turned out to be one of the more genuinely enjoyable and engaging reads of my entire summer. I highly recommend this reasonably priced charmer to fellow fans...especially the first three of the four :)

[Inna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this has to be one of the best compilations I've read in a long time. I really enjoyed each of these stories and I especially like how this anthology flows together to interweave the stories and characters.

That Rogue Jack by Maya Rodale: 3 stars. This is a light and easy to read romance with minimal angst. The hero and heroine fall in love fairly quickly - considering they had known each other for most of their lives and didn’t have any romantic feelings before this meeting. Safe; not many details given about hero’s past. This is a manwhore hero & virgin heroine matchup. 😭

P.S. I Love You by Miranda Neville: 3.5 stars. I liked this story more than the first. I felt like overall this one had a decent amount of depth for a novella… but the ending was a little bit lacking. Still a very enjoyable story. SWE, h kisses H’s cousin, and thinks she’s in love with him. H has a mistress at the beginning before meeting the h, all off page, he ends it when feelings develop for the h, before they meet in person.

When I Met My Duchess by Caroline Linden: 4 stars. I really enjoyed this one, Caroline Linden has been one of my favorite HR authors for a long time, and this novella really shows her talent. She packed a lot into this story and all the very uncomfortable loose ends were even wrapped up nicely. I’m usually very quick to avoid to this trope, but it was written in the best possible way. Safety was surprisingly good given the trope.

How Angela Got Her Rogue Back by Katharine Ashe: 4 stars. Wow, I really liked this story! It is less than perfect in a few ways, but oh so good in others. First, I think the author fudged a lot on the reasoning behind things because this is a novella and she maybe didn't want to spend extra time on explanations. Like the time travel was totally unexplained and just happened to progress the story. The heroine and hero both make some odd decisions that just didn't seem to make much sense to me. In general though, the story was so fun and random and unique - I stayed up way too late last night finishing it. Safe.

[Caz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've given this a B+ overall at AAR, so 4.5 stars, and have also rated the individual stories - B; A-; B+ and B-

At the Duke’s Wedding is a set of linked novellas, each one written by a well-known author in the world of historical romance.

Each of the stories takes place in and around the two weeks leading up to the wedding of the eponymous Duke, and one of the things I particularly liked was the way in which each of the stories gives us glimpses here and there of the protagonists and events featured in the others, and how their actions are seen by the other characters.

I confess to having a favourite among the four, but I’ll talk about them in the order in which they appear.

In That Rogue Jack by Maya Rodale, our hero is Lord Jack Willoughby, a man so handsome and raffishly charming that he has inspired a brand of smelling salts! (Named after him because of the propensity toward swooning of the women on the receiving end of his gorgeous smile!). The trouble with Jack is that while he is far from stupid, he is easily distracted and well-known to have a very limited attention span – is he the first Regency hero to suffer from ADHD? – and as such, the Duke’s decision to entrust Jack with the transportation of the family wedding ring from London to Dorset is not thought to be a particularly wise one.

Miss Henrietta Black has known Jack since their younger days, and now resides at Kingstag Castle as companion to the elderly and eccentric Lady Sophronia. The soon-to-be dowager Duchess asks Henrietta to retrieve the ring and deliver it to her as soon as may be; a prospect which makes Henrietta’s heart sink. Knowing Jack as she does, she is sure something will have happened to the ring and she is going to have to be the one to bear the bad tidings.

Despite his good-looks, Jack is not vain. He knows he’s devastating, but deep-down wants to be good at something other than being gorgeous. It’s also clear that, in spite of his reputation for air-headedness, when Jack puts his mind to something, he can determinedly and single-mindedly pursue his goal. It’s also obvious from the outset that Hen (as Jack calls her) is more than fond of him, even though she is well aware of his shortcomings; and that although Jack thinks highly of her, he’s never really thought of her as “wooing material”. But he suddenly finds himself desirous of her good opinion – and more; and given that he has, in fact, misplaced the ring, the two are thrown together in search of it … and from there things progress as one might expect. The sexual tension between them is skilfully built and I loved their bickering and teasing as they became partners-in-crime through their search for the ring. Most importantly, Jack’s affection for Hen is shown to be genuine and deep-rooted as is the fact that her level-headedness makes her the perfect foil for him.

That Rogue Jack is the shortest of the four stories, and set the tone nicely for the anthology as a whole. I particularly enjoyed the establishment of the impromptu “gentlemen’s club” in the stables, as the men at the party used the excuse of viewing Jack’s famous phaeton – named Hippolyta – as a way of escaping the ladies! It starts out with a couple of them sneaking out a bottle of brandy, and before long, there are comfy chairs, card tables and a well-stocked bar out there!

My favourite of the four is the second story, by Miranda Neville - P.S – I love You, which is loosely based on the story of Cyrano de Bergerac. I’m rather a fan of epistolary romances, so the premise of this one, where the hero and heroine begin their relationship by getting to know each other through letters was one that attracted me immediately.

Frank Newnham and his cousin Christian, Lord Bruton, are both members of the Household Cavalry. Frank is handsome, carefree and popular with both sexes. Women find him attractive, men find him good company, a good sportsman and a thoroughly decent chap, and he is universally liked. By contrast, Christian is rather intimidating and aloof, his features marred by an ugly scar running the length of one cheek about which he is particularly sensitive.

Despite his popularity with the ladies, Frank has never been a real ladies’ man and when he tells Christian that he has fallen in love and received permission to write to the lady of his choice, he finds himself unable to think of a single thing to say to her. Knowing of Christian’s love of poetry and his greater skill with the written word, Frank persuades his cousin to help him; and Christian, treating it as somewhat of a joke, duly dictates the first letter.

Letters are exchanged regularly and their tone grows increasingly intimate until such time as Christian realises that what he is doing is no longer a joke and that he is in danger of falling in love with the lady himself.

He and Frank are distantly related to the Duke of Wessex and have been invited to the latter’s wedding; as has Miss Rosanne Lacy, who resides in Dorsetshire with her family. Rosanne and Frank are excited at the thought of seeing each other once again, and Frank hopes to secure her hand before the end of the house party.

Miss Lacy is intelligent, well-read and witty - and when they meet, Frank is tongue-tied once more. He begs Christian to help him again – but now he has had the opportunity to meet and converse with Rosanne, Christian realises the damage has been done: he is in love with his cousin’s intended. He is filled with guilt at his part in the deception, realising not only that he has behaved badly, but that Roseanne will be miserable should she marry Frank – and worse, he can’t do a thing about it.

Fortunately for all of them, however, Roseanne is a very intelligent young woman and soon realises that all is not as it seems. She is alarmed at the fact she is finding herself drawn much more to the dark and brooding Lord Bruton than to his cousin, and is naturally furious when she realises she has been deceived. But she does not allow her anger to prevent her from acknowledging that while the means may have been somewhat questionable, the deception has actually saved her from making a huge mistake – and once she has calmed down, she decides to go after the man she truly wants, knowing his sense of honour will not allow him to come to her.

I loved the way this romance was developed, how the letters between Roseanne and Christian became gradually more personal and deeply affectionate. Their regard for each other shone through their words and I felt that here was a couple that was truly meant to be.

If I were ranking all the stories, then the next one, When I Met My Duchess would be my second-favourite. Up until this point, we haven’t seen much of Gareth, Duke of Wessex or his intended bride, the lovely Miss Helen Grey. Gareth has chosen his future duchess very carefully and to his mind, Helen Grey embodies all the qualities required. She is beautiful, well-mannered, well-bred, has good taste and carries herself well. She is eminently suitable, and having decided he wanted to marry her, he wasted no time in sending his secretary to propose to her.

How could a girl resist such a romantic overture?

Or in Helen’s case, how could she possibly resist the blandishments of her cash-strapped, yet spendthrift parents, to marry a wealthy duke whose money will end all their financial worries?

It’s immediately obvious to the reader that that is Helen’s principal motivation for agreeing to the marriage, because from the moment we meet her, Helen is reserved in public and miserable in private. As well as her parents, she has been accompanied by her widowed sister, Mrs Cleopatra Burrows, whose presence is merely tolerated by their father because she is there at Helen’s request. Cleo eloped at seventeen with a young man who was in “trade”, and her parents had as little to do with her from that point – despite the fact that the money she was making from a successful business was keeping them out of debt.

Gareth has never been troubled by strong emotions, and is happy to keep it that way. But the minute he sets eyes on Cleo, he experiences a real coup de foudre and finds himself unable to stop himself from thinking about her or seeking her out.

I thought the relationships in this story were well written, particularly that between Helen and Cleo and between Cleo and her parents. That’s not to say the latter is at all pleasant – it isn’t – but the degree to which the Greys disdain their independent and somewhat free-spirited daughter, despite all she does for them is gut-wrenching to read.

Gareth makes for a very attractive hero as he struggles to reconcile own desires with what he owes to the dukedom and with his sense of honour. He and Cleo are obviously as perfect for each other as he and Helen are not, but he can see no way out of marrying her and making them both miserable – until Helen finally acts in line with her own desires and sets him and Cleo free to do as they both wish. The eagle-eyed reader will have spotted a tiny clue as to the way the wind is blowing very early on in the first chapter, so can be assured that Helen is going to get her HEA, too.

The final story seems rather an odd choice as something to include in an anthology of Regency romances. How Angela Got Her Rogue Back is a time-travel romance in which a 21st century American historian travels back to the 19th century in order to solve a mystery and, in the process, help a gorgeous earl to prevent the ruin of his family.

I’m a huge fan of Doctor Who and I love a bit of sci-fi. But I prefer to keep my time-travel stories separate from my romances, so this was the first time I’ve actually read a time-travel romance… and I’m not sure I’ll be rushing to read another one. I know reading historical romances often requires a degree of suspension of disbelief, but I’m not sure I can suspend it enough for the implausibilities inherent in the romance and the time travel. Add in that this particular story involves the heroine changing history, or even, as she says herself making it – and my head started spinning with all the paradoxical ideas that immediately sprang to mind. (That’s another thing about being a Doctor Who fan – most of us have spent a fair bit of time pondering paradoxes!)

The idea that Angela could pass herself off easily as a guest at the house party, and convince Trent so easily that she wasn’t mad but was from the twenty-first century were some of those credulity-stretching elements I couldn’t reconcile myself to. Having said that though, I did like the fact that Angela was able to express some of those things that we must all think at times about all those impossibly handsome, incredibly muscled, superbly well-endowed historical heroes we all love to read about ;-)

For me, this was the least successful of the stories in the anthology. It was well written, and the conclusion was definitely emotionally satisfying, but it seemed like the cuckoo in the nest when set against the other stories in the collection.

I think that the shorter format worked very well for each of the stories in the anthology, as I felt it led the characters to act in a far more realistic manner than they may have done in a full-length novel. For example, had Roseanne and Bruton’s story been novel length, I suspect that there could have been a much more drawn out period of “How could he have deceived me like that – I hate him!”, and other misunderstandings before the couple got their HEA; whereas I think that as it is, Roseanne’s anger, followed by her rational consideration and realisation that whatever the means, she has actually found the love of her life – felt much more convincing and true to her character. I suspect there was also the potential for a lot more angst in the third story, with Gareth and Cleo agonising over the impropriety of their relationship, but again, I think that the story works very well as it is and doesn’t need to be any longer.

To sum up; At the Duke’s Wedding is a very enjoyable collection of well-written romances that can be read individually or at one go, as the mood strikes, and I have no hesitation in heartily recommending it.

[Ewa ❀ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read. I enjoyed.

[HR-ML · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stories were:

(1) That Rogue Jack.
Story was a farce. Charming unreliable Jack was
entrusted (why?) to deliver an heirloom ring for
his cous the Duke's wedding. But Jack became side-
tracked by love while trying to locate the ring.

(2) P.S. I Love You.
A deeper story. Two cousins both served in the Horse
Guards (Army). Christian had a facial scar and likened
himself to caustic Darcy in P&P novel. Frank got by on
his good looks. Frank fancied Roseann. Frank convinced
more articulate and more well-read Chris to dictate love
letters to Frank, as if Frank wrote them, to Roseann.
Who was unaware she increasingly became involved in
a love triangle. A variation on Cyrano de Bergerac.

(3) When I Met My Duchess.
Engaged couple the Duke of Wessex & Helen planned to
wed in 14 days. Helen's obnoxious money-grubbing baronet
father forced her into this. Father treated widowed daughter
Cleo with distain b/c she'd wed a tradesman. Over time this
main couple concluded their hearts were engaged elsewhere.

(4) How Angela Got Her Rogue Back.
Did not read.

#2 was my favorite story.

[Pam Rosenthal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love ensemble plots, most especially when point of view makes a shift, figure and ground trade places, and hitherto minor characters grab the reins of the narrative. You go, the small-d democrat in me exults: in fiction as in life, everybody ought to be hero or heroine of his or her story. Every life story has a place for romance; and there’s nowhere I’d rather be than in a world of simultaneous he-said/she-saids, bouncing off each other like electrons generating a magnetic field to set that world spinning.

The critic L.C. Barber wrote of a “green world,” the magical forests and groves of Shakespearean comedy, ill-assorted lovers careening through an enchanted space where true love finally binds to its right object. It’s no accident that Shakespeare scholar Eloisa James is so good with ensemble plots.

But by and large, the economics of romance publishing don’t encourage this sort of thing. Romance novels are mostly single-threaded: in the interest of conserving scarce resources, the hero’s dashing brother must be saved for the sequel. This is understandable: we all want more books; but what’s often sacrificed is depth, the positive irony of interlacing stories, the human truth that lives don't stop and start at the behest of a goddamn plot, our tacit, shared understanding that when lives interweave, plot becomes story and story mimics life.

How to square the circle, enjoy the imagined community of the extended romance series while avoiding the dreariness of prior couples reappearing in later books, the life drained out of them by perfect wedded bliss? How, moreover, to combine the depth of a lovingly and carefully configured fictional world with the energy of shorter forms like the novella? And finally, how to give the authors a chance to play? Shared genre expectations are romance’s bread and butter, but why not leaven the loaf with a sprinkling of off-market daring and originality?

It seems to me that that the four lady authoresses of At the Duke’s Wedding have accomplished all this and maybe a little more in this smart, self-published quartet of linked Regency novellas. A Rubik’s cube of smoothly moving parts, right-sized gratifications, and a shared, infectious sense of fun: at the two-week houseparty leading up to the Duke of Wessex’s wedding at Kingstag Castle, four sets of lovers find their happy endings while a whole materializes around them that’s greater than the sum of its parts.

The setting is grandly Arcadian: I thought “Midsummer Night’s Dream” from the very start. And I like to suppose that Maya Rodale was thinking along similar lines when she had the eponymous hero of her opening story, “That Rogue Jack,” drive up to Kingstag in a new high perch phaeton he has named Hippolyta. In this most conventional story of the group — Charming Rogue and Deserving, Penurious Young Lady are thrown together by Bawdy, Truth-telling Old Lady — Rodale makes graceful work of a lot of narrative heavy lifting while deftly keeping hold of her own McGuffin. A lost wedding ring must be found; as a ten-day countdown to the wedding ensues, not only do scatterbrained Jack and levelheaded Henrietta find their ways to each other, but their author introduces other characters and gives us a tour around the space they inhabit, both architectural and social.

Kingstag isn’t merely pretty period wall-paper; it’s kind of a map of Regency era beautiful-people-land, sex-segregated to provide space for beautiful (and also silly) male muscle-flexing. As the gentlemen guests make their ways to the stables to pay admiring respects to Hippolyta, a male sub-society arises; port and brandy, card tables and upholstered armchairs appear among bales of hay and against walls hung with tack. Like the giggly cohort of teenage girls who flit through the proceedings and peek in at the stable windows, the stories’ female readers are afforded a glimpse of a wildly sexy masculine world of manners and honor, linen and leather, and all that other good stuff. I’ve long contended that the sexiest f-word in historical romance is “fetish” and I’d hazard these authors think so too.

Within the world of Regency romancelandia, it’s not only clothes and accouterments that are fetishized; social relations are stylized, aestheticized. The pleasures and obligations of inherited wealth and position (all of which this small-d democrat confesses to swooning over) are matters of play as well as work. For men who derive power from the accident of birth, duels, betting, and the rest of it are the emotional toys for playing out the vagaries of this destiny. But if power is sexier when it dresses itself in hyper-masculinized symbol and ritual, it’s sexier still when triangulated, when male-male peer rivalry and loyalty and male-male generational duty are challenged by female calls to the rules of the heart.

The sex-segregated social geography that springs up at Kingstag sets the rules of the game. But after that it’s up to each couple to cut its own deal. If Jack and Henrietta are a relatively simple case of opposites attracting and fulfilling each other, Christian and Rosanne in Miranda Neville’s “P.S. I Love You” undertake the more challenging project of shared sensibility.

What is a “marriage of true minds” anyway? In this reworking of “Cyrano de Bergerac,” it begins in a delicious shower of literary reference and wordplay, and goes on to weigh them against loyalty and obligation. Needless to say the deal is also worked out in bed, but what I like and admire most about Neville’s contribution is that – true to the French roots of their story – this hero and heroine are just a bit snobbish about their intellects, un petit peu dismissive of those less quick than themselves.

I can easily imagine an overzealous editor hissing “make them nicer here, dammit.” Which makes me all the more grateful that this story was self-published, because for me it’s precisely their shared self-approbation that makes this couple so romantic. “When Rosanne smiled at the foolishness of the world, [Christian] wanted to love it as much as she did." Isn’t romance about an opportunity to fall in love with the world as seen through the eyes of a lover? As Mrs. Giggles might put it, at this point in the story, I’m a goner.

And as “P.S. I Love You” draws to a close, I’m ready to find out what’s up with the Duke and his story. Enough hints have been dropped that all is not well with the coming nuptials; the impatient reader is happy to turn to Caroline Linden’s “When I Met My Duchess,” which begins a few days earlier, when lightning struck, physically felling a ancient oak, and metaphorically… well, I needn’t tell a romance reader what it also meant, and so I’ll keep it to myself except to say that the moment, spanning a break between chapters, is beautifully executed, all of nature conspiring in the fortunes of this pair of lovers.

And that if the collection had ended here, I would have gone away happy. But the final story, Katherine Ashe’s time travel “How Angela Got Her Rogue Back,” made me more than happy. I haven’t read a lot of time travel; for me, I guess, the experience of reading historical romance is time-travel fantasy enough. But when Ashe’s twenty-first century heroine Angela Cowdrey is somehow suddenly, inexplicably transported from the history department at the University of Michigan to the Duke’s wedding at Kingstag, I recognized her as a kindred spirit. “She loved this era. No wonder she studied it.[…] She’d been looking for honor and decency in the nineteenth century for years.”

Like every Regency romance author I love and every Regency romance reader I identify with, I’m always looking for the hero who combines elegant manners with political and economic fairness, personal sensitivity. There’d have to be one among them, wouldn’t there — the guy who’s gentleman enough, strong and sexy enough, to be a man we can love and respect for his decency to the people around him and perforce dependent upon him. And so there always is, in my favorite stories of the genre.

Because even if (like Angela, who studies the British Empire) we know deep down that “there was nothing decent about” nineteenth century social and economic arrangements, we nonetheless love the symbols of honor and decency its male culture created for itself. And one of the ways we try to square the circle and make it come out right by injecting a smart, slightly outlandish woman rather like… well, our selves… into the mix. We always go a little meta when we read and write period romance, and that, imo, is what the time travel metaphor of Katherine Ashe’s story is for. To bring us closer to the slightly abashed truth of our fantasies. To delight and teach – which is to say to surprise through unexpected recognition. As this wonderful, surprising, self-published collection does, a feast of imagination meeting and surpassing expectations.

[Beebs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four delightful short stories set at the same house party, celebrating the Duke's Wedding ( :O ) . Really enjoyed it, great read for a lazy, sunny afternoon.

[Jewlsbookblog · Rating 3 out of 5]

That Rogue Jack by Maya Rodale
Jack and Henrietta’s story was light and humorous. Jack was quite an airhead, but have no fear, Henrietta kept him grounded.

P. S. I Love You by Miranda Neville
Christian and Rosanne’s relationship developed under innocent deceit, which I didn’t really care much for, however, I liked the banter and conversations. It poor Frank....for he really was dull as dishwater.

When I Met My Duchess by Caroline Linden
I liked both Gareth and Cleo and thought their chemistry was good, but I think this would have been better as an actual story.

How Angela Got Her Rogue Back by Katharine Ashe
DNF this wasn’t my cup of tea.

[Joana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve received an eARC at no cost to the authors.

Of the four authors who wrote this anthology, I had only ever read books written by two of them, Caroline Linden, and Katharine Ashe – both authors I had really enjoyed and, therefore, had expected a good book from. They did not disappoint.

The first three stories are historical regency, and the last one has a paranormal/magical setting involving both the our current time and the Regency era, which I thought I wasn’t going to like because I was hoping for a typical historical romance story – it ended up being my favourite!

It was a fun and enjoyable book, with our usual rogues, and heroines that dazzled us with their intelligence and witty retorts. Each novella brought a unique element to complete the story, and it was exciting to see how every piece started to fit and make sense as a whole. I’ll, definitely, be reading more books written by these authors.

[Samia Ruponti · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last story, "how Angela got her rougue back" was awesome!

[Lady Wesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four delightful novellas that work very well together. I even liked the time-travel story, which is a genre that generally does not appeal to me.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Each story in this anthology is written by a different author and is about a different couple who is attending the Duke's wedding at Kingstag Castle. I'm sure some of their storylines will intersect, and I am stoked to read each one!! I will review each one and give my castings.

That Rogue Jack by Maya Rodale
This is my first novel/novella by Maya Rodale--though I have many of her works downloaded on my tablet--and I have to say it will not be my last! I thoroughly enjoyed this short as Rodale seemed to pack so much into it. Jack is a total charmer, complete with a Smile that inspired a brand of smelling salts(!!), while Henrietta is the no-nonsense, staid companion to the older Lady Sohpronia. All her life, Henrietta has had to be proper and responsible in order to keep her position as companion to Sophronia, so she has watched from the sidelines as Jack charmed his way through life and countless adventures. However, when the Duke entrusts Jack with safekeeping the family ring, the Duke's mother enlists Henrietta to make sure whimsical Jack actually has them in time for the wedding. Thus, Henrietta is swept into a whirlwind of secret rendezvous and nighttime adventures with Jack as they search for the ring (that Jack lost/misplaced), while Jack learns to see Henrietta (whom he's known all his life) in a new and lovely light. A wonderful romance of two unlikely people getting to know each other and falling in love because of the balance they bring the other! 4.5 stars

My Jack, gorgeous blue eyes and his infamous Look ;)


P.S. I Love You by Miranda Neville
Ugh, this novella. It disappointed me so much!! For me, the pacing was too slow and I think the courtship between Frank and Rosanne went on for much too long. The beginning chapter was interesting at first, then seemed to drag and morphed into a dragging story as well. I think part of the problem was the MCs didn't do anything (besides mope for someone they couldn't have). Unlike the first novella where the MCs had a goal they were trying to accomplish, Rosanne and Christian (and Frank) weren't really worried or occupied with anything besides falling in love with each other. Add in the fact that I wanted Rosanne to hurry up and realize what an amazing and broken hero Christian was (my favorite kind really), and I was definitely ready for the next installment. Christian was really the saving grace in this novella for me; he was so caring and sarcastic and beautiful inside and out. I LOVED him, so when Rosanne finally realized he was her REAL messenger of love I just about died. Overall, it was an boring start, an okay but long middle with a much better ending. 3.5 stars

My lovely Captain Christian Lord Bruton, with his hardly visible scar..


When I Met My Duchess by Caroline Linden
I found this story to be much more enjoyable than the last, but definitely not up to par to the first one. I keep comparing each story to the first (and subsequently find them lacking) which I find very telling. I did enjoy this one though. Gareth, Duke of Wessex, thinks he has found the perfect bride. Miss Helen Gray is polite, reserved, and perfectly demure--the perfect candidate to become Duchess to his grand estate. Except when she and her family arrive at Kingstag Castle for the wedding, lightning strikes (literally) and he has eyes only for her scandalous and outspoken sister, the widowed Cleo Barrows. I liked their chemistry and Gareth's complete fascination with her and Cleo's independence and openness. However, again my main problem with this story was the character's lack of action! Maybe it's unfair to hold novellas to the same standard as I do to full-length historicals, but I've read other novellas (by the amazing Tessa Dare) that include adventure, mystery, and of course a lovely HEA. Even the first story of this anthology included a mission for the characters to complete (and ultimately bring them together), which is what I love to read. Anyway, enough of that. Overall, this story was cute in its forbidden and star-crossed love, and I really did enjoy the neat way it all worked out in the end. 4 stars

My Gareth, Duke of Wessex, looking on as Cleo steps down from the carriage, lightning strikes, and his world tilts on its axis....


How Angela Got Her Rogue Back by Katharine Ashe
What a fabulous ending to this anthology! Ashe completely succeeded in pulling me back into this world and the intertwining characters, leaving me breathless for more. This was my first time-traveling historical romance (no I haven't read Outlander, don't kill me!!!), so I really didn't expect much going in. But I have to say, I kinda loved it. I haven't been into contemporary romances lately, but this story nicely blended the contemporary genre into the historical world that I love so much and I found myself really enjoying it. Angela was a very relatable, strong, and tenacious heroine (which I love), and Trent was just lovely--he was kind, caring, artistic **swoon**, yet vulnerable and unsure. I LOVED their courtship/romance, and their ending had me on the verge of heartbreak and tears at the unfairness of it all. Overall, this is a tie for my favorite with the first story That Rogue Jack because this story wasn't just about the romance--the MCs (mainly Angela) were looking/working towards SOMETHING and there was a villain to vanquish. Love! 4.5 stars

My lovely Trenton "Crash" Ascot, Viscount Everett, comtemplating what the hell he's gotten himself into with the crazy beautiful American :)


Overall rating for the anthology, 4 stars!!! Definitely worth the read!

[Catherine Stein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love these novellas (particularly That Rogue Jack and How Angela Got Her Rogue Back). The audio version was well done. I have to say, being from Ann Arbor, I was amused every time I heard the narrator say it in her British accent. :)

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun stories. Very engaging. Great job by narrator.

[Christiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the D's wedding
Maya Rodales story was okay, not her best work. Willoughby seemed rather dull. I liked how the men lusted after the phaeton like men in the present lust after some new sportscar. Maybe because it was the first story, it seemed bland in comparison to the next two.
Miranda Nevilles story was very entertaining. I loved Christian, his intelligence, eloquence, sense of decency. The letters were great fun and I love stories with a good duel scene in it. I hope to read more of her works after this, I really enjoyed her writing style.

Caroline Linden's How I met my Duchess is my favourite. I loved how the couple fell in love at first sight when lightning struck. Cleo was a fantastic heroine, previously married, at odds with her parents, devoted to her sister, had married a man of a lower class etc This story also explained why the duke and Helen were disinterested in why Jack had not yet produced the ring in the first story. I think it would have been better if the eventual 2 weddings had been detailed.

The last story involved time travelling which is not a sub genre that I have read before although I've seen many movies or tv series involving time travelling. The comic book being the catalyst was not a convincing idea to me but after Angela arrived in Regency England, things got very interesting. Sophronia was a wonderful ally to Angela. She said things like “You must look in a man’s drawers to discover his vital assets, child,”
Given the length of the story, Trenton was credible enough although I would have like to have known him better. However I didn't think Angela could have gotten away with her eccentricity with the strict pompous rules of the Ton but I assume most time travel stories require a fair bit of suspension of disbelief.

The best part of this anthology is how the characters from the other stories crossover into a mashup of a montage. Nice to see Willoughby picking the flowers for his bouquet mentioned in the first story, also Sophronia's flamboyant appearances added to the stories. I imagine she was probably a good friend or worst enemy to Lady Agatha from Maya Rodale's Wallflower.

[Maria Almaguer · Rating 5 out of 5]

"That Rogue Jack" by Maya Rodale
Henrietta Black is a companion to a lady and, as such, dependent on her goodness for security and a roof over her head. But she has a charming relationship with her employer, Lady Sophronia, great aunt to the Duke of Wessex, the groom. Sophronia has a sharp wit and tongue to match and Henrietta has her hands full keeping her from saying all sorts of rude and offensive things to the guests. For her part, Sophronia thinks Henrietta is much too uptight.
For the full review: http://bit.ly/1mrwon1

"P.S. I Love You" by Miranda Neville
This is a beautiful and romantic novella. I have not read much by Neville but this is the best I’ve read by her. It’s a story based on the theme of Cyrano de Bergerac, of mistaken identity, and of seeing a person’s true inner worth and beauty.
For my full review: http://bit.ly/1mrwon1

"When I Met My Duchess" by Caroline Linden
What a charming and breathtaking novella.
Gareth, the Duke of Wessex, is awaiting the arrival of his bride, Miss Helen Gray, at a house party celebration. But when he meets his fiancée’s vivacious and lively sister, Cleopatra Barrows, all bets are off.
Cleo, a widow, astounds him with her freshness, her bold and direct manner, and her ability to befriend everyone—even his sharp-tongued Aunt Sophronia.
For my full review: http://bit.ly/Usmhrb

"How Angela Got Her Rogue Back" by Katharine Ashe
I do not like time travel stories, however, this is Katharine Ashe, a writer whose voice I absolutely love. She tells amazing and beautiful (and breathlessly romantic) stories that I love to read. So, if you think you don’t like time travel, you will enjoy this.
For my full review: http://bit.ly/1rhge3Y

One more review coming soon!

[My Book Addiction and More MBA · Rating 4 out of 5]

AT THE DUKE'S WEDDING by Katharine Ashe, Caroline Linden, Maya Rodale,and Miranda Neville is an exciting Regency Historical Romance Anthology. Four talented authors four wonderful stories. Where you mix four talented ladies you get dynamite stories that sizzles off the page. Filled with romance, passion,danger,scandal, and love. You can not go wrong with "At The Duke's Wedding". The characters are engaging,the plots interesting as well as intriguing and the passion is fulfilling. Fast paced and passion packed. You do not want to miss this intriguing story of Duke's,and their ladies. Wonderful job ladies! I am eager to see what comes next from these four ladies. They are simply wonderful,each and everyone of them. But,then, I enjoy their stories and "A The Duke's Wedding" was no exception. A must read for any historical romance readers as well as any reader who simply enjoys an great read! Received for an honest review from one of the authors.
RATING: 4.5
HEAT RATING: MILD
REVIEWED BY: AprilR, Review courtesy of My Book Addiction and More

[Tracy Emro · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was extremely well done. All the stories flowed perfectly with each other - without being repetitive.

I have read and enjoyed all these authors before and was delighted they combined their talents to put this book together - it was by far one of the best anthologies I have ever read.

I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite, so I will not. However, I will say, I wasn't expecting to enjoy How Angela got her Rouge back, as it is a time travel story, but Ms. Ashe nailed it. I loved it and that is coming from someone who does not like time travel stories.

I would recommend this book to anyone.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars
Loved this, especially Caroline Linden's and Katherine Ashe's stories. Such a lot of fun. They did a great job of incorporating certain elements into all their stories without spoiling the other stories.

[Joy (Cheery♡Reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!!!!

[whimsicalmeerkat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Drop an iPhone in 19th century Dorset...

[Tabassum Fariha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Among the 4 stories, the Last two, about Gareth+Cleo and Angy+Trent was the coolest... The story line is okay, nothing spectacular, but it has a nice soft tone. Great for happy gooey puffy moments...

[Lyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only story I enjoyed was When I Met My Duchess by Caroline Linden - 4/5 stars. Well written, low angst, likable main characters and relatively believable love story wherein the characters cared for each other for more than just physical attraction (despite it happening very quickly).

That Rogue Jack by Maya Rodale - 1/5 stars
Extremely tedious to read. More of falling in lust, than love. Characters had no personality, dialogue was boring and the plot just dragged on and on, only to be resolved in the most ridiculous manner. They barely spent any time looking for the ring, like it was of no importance at all.

P.S. I Love You by Miranda Neville - 2.5/5 stars.
I thought Frank seemed like brainless idiot but I liked Christian's sardonic nature. The chemistry between Christian and Rosanne was well done. Didn't much like the elaborate deceptions. Some enjoyable moments but I would have preferred it if the story had ended on a less contrived note.

How Angela Got Her Rouge Back by Katharine Ashe - 1.5/5 stars.
This story was just too jarringly different (modern) from the others and I couldn't get into it.

[Roo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the first story, though it seemed a little too long and out of order. The second was better, a mix between Cyrano and Beauty and the Beast trope. I like the moody, scarred Duke and the smart heroine who saw through the scheme.
The third, by Caroline Linden, was my favorite. Both the heroine, who’s wedding was the overall theme, and the feisty, independent sister were decent people, fighting their feelings and trying to act honorably. And the second couple, was obvious from the beginning but still very likable.
The last story took me completely out of the book. It was a quick DNF for me. Granted, it might’ve been a cute TT story but it just didn’t fit with the rest of the book. And the MCs were hardly mentioned previously, so seemed too unrelated.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was just okay. Between her voice and the last story, I couldn’t rate this anthology higher.

[Ki · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Originally posted on doingsomereading.wordpress.com)

Oh My Gosh!!! Oh My Gosh, Oh My Gosh, Oh My Gosh~!!!! I love this book so much! Every time I read an anthology from these ladies I fall head over hills for them and just want to jump through time to be with their characters. This is their second work together and I just want to weep for more.

I am so shaky and giddy right now I can’t stop smiling and typing is taking me forever to type what I’m feeling. I just want to bounce round the room and roll around the floor in giddy bliss!

I can’t even begin to describe what an out of the world this book was. Every story was like dragging me through a field of rose bushes. They’re beautiful to look at then- wham! The vines pulls you right in and you can’t get out because all of the thorns are hooking and grabbing on to you not wanting to let you go. You began to feel the pain as each one stabs you everywhere you turn, but it’s okay because you want to keep on moving. Then once you’re out and on the other side: beat up, torn, weeping with giddy bliss with a nice banquet of roses in your arms, you just want to dive back in and feel the joy and pain and bliss of the effects all over again.

It might even take me days just to recover from this book because I don’t think I’ll be able to move on to a new book anytime soon. Just writing about this book now is difficult enough let alone writing about all four stories!

I haven’t felt like this in awhile about a book! I love everything about it: how it started, the middle stories, how it ended, EVERYTHING~!

First, here you have Ms. Maya Rodale’s Jack, Lord Willoughby, the troublemaker whose appearance and mesmerizing smile will need the servants running for smelling salts for the ladies. And Miss Henrietta Black, whose prim and proper tidiness will faulter under the nose of Jack. They will have to team up in search of the Wessex heirloom ring- which Jack was suppose to be in possession of and misplaced lost. Their adventure will take them to dark brooding corners, shaded grassland, secret meetings, hiding in stables, and a very inappropriate Great-great aunt. And hosts a very nice curricle. :D

Next, we have Ms. Miranda Neville’s love letter confessions. The brooding and elusive Captain Christian, Earl of Bruton has taken it upon himself to help his quiet and un-wordy cousin write a love letter to his intended. Un beknowest to him that he’ll end up falling for a girl he barely knew through the letters! Miss Rossane Lacy fancy herself in love with the very handsome man whose letters has been keeping her on her toes, Mr. Frank Newnham. Romantic letters about books and literature, she found it strange how the same man whose letters has given her hope in a love-match marriage is nothing like the letter proclaim him to be. Instead he’s quiet and dull. But his scarred and too dark and too mysterious cousin has attracted her attention. Maybe befriending the cousin will better her chances to getting to Frank? This has night walks in the garden, witnessing a gentleman picking flowers, kisses on a balcony and in a grotto, stable brooding, disguises and fraud, and guns.

Here comes the Duke in Caroline Linden’s sister love story. Gareth Cavendish, Duke of Wessex is getting married in a fortnight but why is he uncertain when he finally see his bride at his family country home? It’s because his bride’s elder and widowed sister has accompanied her and has lightning striking the day she arrives! Cleo Barrows has accompanied her family and only sister to her wedding week. Not wanting to be thrown out by her father, she has managed to stay out of trouble and gossip, that is until she starts inquiring about her sister’s feelings towards the wedding. Lots of laughter and smiles between the Duke and Cleo ends up making it difficult for a wedding to transpire. It hosts lavish parties, games outdoors, giggling girls in white dresses, stable refuge, annoying mothers, a night to Gretna, and strolls.

And Lastly, Katharine Ashe’s time traveling romance. Trenton “Crash” Ascot, Lord Everett, is in thrall at the American girl who just appeared out of nowhere who speaks her mind and is Intelligent! He thinks she’s a madwoman and probably a criminal and she thinks him a great actor in costume. Angela Cowdrey is a grad student working on her report and have no time to take a break for some fun, but then she couldn’t believe that she got transported back in time. Her savoir, Lord Everett, on the other hand was handsome and familiar! Because she was certain she saw him not to long ago in her comic book calling – and winking! – at her. But she was there for a reason and she was going to find out why, even if the tempting Lord Everett was distracting her. There will be a lot of intelligence, bold speaking, inappropriateness, dips in the lake, night strolls, nature talk, girls in white, carriage race, and stress.

I can not say how much I love each of these stories! I was kind of thrown off when I read Caroline’s story of the Duke, whose wedding everyone were attending, came before Katharine’s time traveling romance but since I’ve finished it, everything was in the right place and order!
Though there were some grammar and typo problem but it wasn't a problem for me.

This will most definitely be on my keeper list and will have to buy the paperback version when it comes out~! In July.
I’ll have to go back and re-read their first anthology again: Once Upon a Ballroom

These ladies are AMAZING!!!!

This book was bought as an ebook.