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Scandalizing the Duke
So far as the Duke of Wolveton is concerned, Charlotte Longborough is a scandal waiting to happen. Lucien, Duke of Wolverton vowed to lead a calm, deliberate, and entirely proper life after his youth was spent facing down the scandal created by his father. So, when his stepmother invites impulsive Charlotte Longborough and her sisters to stay with them, he is less than pleased. He is appalled when he finds Charlotte sleepwalking in the library, and horrified when he gives in to the temptation to kiss her awake.
Charlotte Longborough's hopes for the Season are simple. She wants an offer of marriage from a gentleman who is both respectable and kind. Of course, it would be lovely if he adored her as well.
But Charlotte knows not all men are kind, and she fears her former neighbor's wife is in danger from her husband. Can she convince the duke that Lady Dalton needs rescuing? . . . And what price will they pay if she does?
Charlotte Longborough's hopes for the Season are simple. She wants an offer of marriage from a gentleman who is both respectable and kind. Of course, it would be lovely if he adored her as well.
But Charlotte knows not all men are kind, and she fears her former neighbor's wife is in danger from her husband. Can she convince the duke that Lady Dalton needs rescuing? . . . And what price will they pay if she does?
256 pages, paperback_ebook
Published February 23, 2021
45 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 9, 2021
Well, that was fun! A lively heroine, a duke with Daddy Issues, and a nice but not over-detailed look at the season with a slowly developing romance, this one doesn’t push the boundaries at all but it’s an enjoyable read.
Here’s the premise: Charlotte Longborough is embarking on her first season, alongside sister Elizabeth, who’s still single after her previous season. They are being brought out by their aunt, who turns out to be surprisingly well connected, for Charlotte soon finds herself awash with lords of one sort or another. In fact, there were so many titled gentlemen swilling around that I lost track of all but a handful early on. The principal one, and the top of Charlotte’s hopeful list of eligible men, is Lucien, the Duke of Wolverton, but their first meeting doesn’t go well. While out walking her very large dog, Charlotte is dragged into the path of the duke’s horse, and ends up almost trampled into the mud. A couple more incidents of the same type convince Charlotte that she’s blown any chance she might ever have had with him, and makes Lucien see her as nothing but trouble. Naturally, with such an inauspicious beginning, the two immediately have the hots for each other (because of course they do).
I found Charlotte a difficult character to get to grips with. She’s very likable, with her penchant for rescuing stray animals and her straightforward manners, but I never got a good sense of where she was coming from. Like any good Regency matchmaker, the interested reader needs to know the precise social standing of the heroine, but with Charlotte the only information I had was that her dowry was modest, and there was some slightly disreputable family history regarding an aunt. I have no idea of the rank of her father, who might be anything from lower gentry up to viscount level (but not beyond, or she’d be Lady Charlotte). Where do they live? Are they connected to any of the great families? Why does she have a duke on her list at all if she’s slightly dubious with only a modest dowry? I don’t even know whether her father is still alive. Maybe I missed the answers to these questions, I don’t know, but it made Charlotte feel rather unrooted.
One thing that bothered me is that Charlotte never sees Lucien as a potential husband. Considering he was top of her list, and therefore she sees herself as (presumably) duchess material, and he treats her in a friendly manner, and considering she’s very drawn to him, it surprised me that she never shows any signs of her attraction. At their first dance, she cheekily asks him to introduce her to some of the other names on his list. Was that a subtle form of flirtation? Or just not particularly caring what he thought of her? I couldn’t make her out at all. And later, after they’ve been sharing passionate kisses, even though she responds to him, I never had the sense of her falling head over heels in love with him, or starting to dream about him. She just seems to dismiss the possibility.
Lucien, on the other hand, felt like a much more solid character. It’s easy to see precisely how he got to where he was and behaved in the way he did, and his past (and his father) provided a solid foundation for his character. I think he may have been intended to be a bit unlikable at first - his own aunt calls him priggish and it’s hard to disagree. Nevertheless, I always found him a sympathetic and very interesting character. My only grumble is that, considering his defining characteristic is his determination to behave with the utmost propriety at all times, he gave way to improper impulses at pretty much every opportunity. From lustful thoughts, he progressed to passionate kisses in rather short order, even when Charlotte is staying at his house. There’s no graphic sex, but the kisses are described in some detail.
The villain is a particularly nasty character, and I was relieved that Charlotte persuaded the duke to get involved in the situation and that the matter was resolved satisfactorily. The resolution was a pretty breath-taking page-turner, but more than that I won’t say. Of the side characters, younger sister Sarah is a very useful plot device, sister Elizabeth seemed to fade into the background and I’d have liked to see more of Lucien’s half brother, who interested me a lot. However, this is the first book of the series, so he might get his own story later.
The romance… well, it was obvious these two were made for each other, but quite why it took them so long to realise it is a mystery. Their encounters in deserted libraries and the like were lovely, if a little too sexy for propriety, but then that was the book’s basic premise, the unravelling of Lucien’s priggishness. But the ending left me a little flat. After all that lusting and build-up of sexual tension, I felt there needed to be an actual sex scene to clear the air, or else an over-blown super-flowery emotional scene, and instead the book just stopped. Which was a bit of a disappointment.
Leslie Knowles is a new author to me, and I thoroughly enjoyed this. The first part of the book was slightly choppy, and there were a fair few minor typos, but nothing to spoil my enjoyment, and I just galloped through it. Four stars.
Here’s the premise: Charlotte Longborough is embarking on her first season, alongside sister Elizabeth, who’s still single after her previous season. They are being brought out by their aunt, who turns out to be surprisingly well connected, for Charlotte soon finds herself awash with lords of one sort or another. In fact, there were so many titled gentlemen swilling around that I lost track of all but a handful early on. The principal one, and the top of Charlotte’s hopeful list of eligible men, is Lucien, the Duke of Wolverton, but their first meeting doesn’t go well. While out walking her very large dog, Charlotte is dragged into the path of the duke’s horse, and ends up almost trampled into the mud. A couple more incidents of the same type convince Charlotte that she’s blown any chance she might ever have had with him, and makes Lucien see her as nothing but trouble. Naturally, with such an inauspicious beginning, the two immediately have the hots for each other (because of course they do).
I found Charlotte a difficult character to get to grips with. She’s very likable, with her penchant for rescuing stray animals and her straightforward manners, but I never got a good sense of where she was coming from. Like any good Regency matchmaker, the interested reader needs to know the precise social standing of the heroine, but with Charlotte the only information I had was that her dowry was modest, and there was some slightly disreputable family history regarding an aunt. I have no idea of the rank of her father, who might be anything from lower gentry up to viscount level (but not beyond, or she’d be Lady Charlotte). Where do they live? Are they connected to any of the great families? Why does she have a duke on her list at all if she’s slightly dubious with only a modest dowry? I don’t even know whether her father is still alive. Maybe I missed the answers to these questions, I don’t know, but it made Charlotte feel rather unrooted.
One thing that bothered me is that Charlotte never sees Lucien as a potential husband. Considering he was top of her list, and therefore she sees herself as (presumably) duchess material, and he treats her in a friendly manner, and considering she’s very drawn to him, it surprised me that she never shows any signs of her attraction. At their first dance, she cheekily asks him to introduce her to some of the other names on his list. Was that a subtle form of flirtation? Or just not particularly caring what he thought of her? I couldn’t make her out at all. And later, after they’ve been sharing passionate kisses, even though she responds to him, I never had the sense of her falling head over heels in love with him, or starting to dream about him. She just seems to dismiss the possibility.
Lucien, on the other hand, felt like a much more solid character. It’s easy to see precisely how he got to where he was and behaved in the way he did, and his past (and his father) provided a solid foundation for his character. I think he may have been intended to be a bit unlikable at first - his own aunt calls him priggish and it’s hard to disagree. Nevertheless, I always found him a sympathetic and very interesting character. My only grumble is that, considering his defining characteristic is his determination to behave with the utmost propriety at all times, he gave way to improper impulses at pretty much every opportunity. From lustful thoughts, he progressed to passionate kisses in rather short order, even when Charlotte is staying at his house. There’s no graphic sex, but the kisses are described in some detail.
The villain is a particularly nasty character, and I was relieved that Charlotte persuaded the duke to get involved in the situation and that the matter was resolved satisfactorily. The resolution was a pretty breath-taking page-turner, but more than that I won’t say. Of the side characters, younger sister Sarah is a very useful plot device, sister Elizabeth seemed to fade into the background and I’d have liked to see more of Lucien’s half brother, who interested me a lot. However, this is the first book of the series, so he might get his own story later.
The romance… well, it was obvious these two were made for each other, but quite why it took them so long to realise it is a mystery. Their encounters in deserted libraries and the like were lovely, if a little too sexy for propriety, but then that was the book’s basic premise, the unravelling of Lucien’s priggishness. But the ending left me a little flat. After all that lusting and build-up of sexual tension, I felt there needed to be an actual sex scene to clear the air, or else an over-blown super-flowery emotional scene, and instead the book just stopped. Which was a bit of a disappointment.
Leslie Knowles is a new author to me, and I thoroughly enjoyed this. The first part of the book was slightly choppy, and there were a fair few minor typos, but nothing to spoil my enjoyment, and I just galloped through it. Four stars.
July 13, 2021
TITLE: Lucien stubbles over Charlotte, and finds a gem he simply must have for himself!
SETTING: London, England, Early 1800’s.
Charlotte Longborough, middle sister of 3, who have come to London for the season to stay with their Aunt and Uncle. Lucien Caldwell, Duke of Wolverton, accompanies his sister to events as she enters society for the first time.
CRITIQUE: Romance, threats, history of a murder, are all woven together in this Regency Romance. (Gratefully, MOST of the violence is in the past, and only kisses with a final fade away just before the couple is married.) It is so enjoyable to watch as Lucien tries his best to remain aloof, and above the match-making Mama’s and their daughters, that I could not put down the book. I look forward to seeing how the other girls find their happily-ever-after.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
SETTING: London, England, Early 1800’s.
Charlotte Longborough, middle sister of 3, who have come to London for the season to stay with their Aunt and Uncle. Lucien Caldwell, Duke of Wolverton, accompanies his sister to events as she enters society for the first time.
CRITIQUE: Romance, threats, history of a murder, are all woven together in this Regency Romance. (Gratefully, MOST of the violence is in the past, and only kisses with a final fade away just before the couple is married.) It is so enjoyable to watch as Lucien tries his best to remain aloof, and above the match-making Mama’s and their daughters, that I could not put down the book. I look forward to seeing how the other girls find their happily-ever-after.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 10, 2021
Charlotte Longborough is a "Clumsy Jane'' - forever in trouble and the Duke of Wolverton seems to be a witness to all her mishaps during the season.
What follows is a sweet romance between Charlotte and Lucien much to their dismay. They fight their feelings for each other but yet cannot seem to look away.
Charlotte is embroiled in a situation that stems from her childhood days and threatens her season in a disastrous way . The way Lucien and Charlotte realize their feelings and find their happy ever after is a sweet tale indeed.
This is my first time reading Ms. Knowles and certainly would not be the last.
Romance Level: 4/5
Steam Level: Hot kisses, mild foreplay , closed door romance
Triggers: Physical violence and marital abuse mentioned
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
What follows is a sweet romance between Charlotte and Lucien much to their dismay. They fight their feelings for each other but yet cannot seem to look away.
Charlotte is embroiled in a situation that stems from her childhood days and threatens her season in a disastrous way . The way Lucien and Charlotte realize their feelings and find their happy ever after is a sweet tale indeed.
This is my first time reading Ms. Knowles and certainly would not be the last.
Romance Level: 4/5
Steam Level: Hot kisses, mild foreplay , closed door romance
Triggers: Physical violence and marital abuse mentioned
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 15, 2021
Charlotte and Lucien are magical together! Their chemistry is dynamic and comes across clearly on the page. They were so compelling I finished the book in two days. The first night I was able to force myself to put the book down and get some sleep. On the second day, all bets were off - I picked it up and read constantly until I finished it around 3 am.
I could easily picture all the scenes and the emotions of the characters. I hope the writer does more books that use the secondary characters of this book. I'd love to experience their stories and maybe even catch a glimpse of future Charlotte and Lucien.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I could easily picture all the scenes and the emotions of the characters. I hope the writer does more books that use the secondary characters of this book. I'd love to experience their stories and maybe even catch a glimpse of future Charlotte and Lucien.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 16, 2021
Because Lucien, Duke of Wolverton, had to endure continuous scandal brought by his father, all he wants is a “normal” life. Unfortunately, his stepmother has invited Charlotte Longborough and her sisters to visit, so calm and quiet will not be the order of the day.
Charlotte Longborough, though good-hearted, is always in trouble of one kind or another and the Duke of Wolverton happens to be involved or at least a witness to pretty much all of her mini-disasters. And yet a sweet romance begins to develop between Charlotte and Lucien despite all attempts to push it away. Will this lead to their HEA?
Charlotte Longborough, though good-hearted, is always in trouble of one kind or another and the Duke of Wolverton happens to be involved or at least a witness to pretty much all of her mini-disasters. And yet a sweet romance begins to develop between Charlotte and Lucien despite all attempts to push it away. Will this lead to their HEA?
July 4, 2021
TW: Domestic Abuse
This was unfortunately a case of not-my-cup-of-tea.
I just couldn't get into this book, there was too much tell not enough show, I found the dialogues stilted and unrealistic, and the plot never did manage to lure me in.
I did like the mystery with the domestic abuse victim, but this was offset by comments such as "[they] have the hard, course features of a woman who would lower herself for coin" regarding sex workers, which I just did not like.
This is not to mean other readers won't like it, I'm clearly in the minority here!
This was unfortunately a case of not-my-cup-of-tea.
I just couldn't get into this book, there was too much tell not enough show, I found the dialogues stilted and unrealistic, and the plot never did manage to lure me in.
I did like the mystery with the domestic abuse victim, but this was offset by comments such as "[they] have the hard, course features of a woman who would lower herself for coin" regarding sex workers, which I just did not like.
This is not to mean other readers won't like it, I'm clearly in the minority here!
July 6, 2021
Scandals run in the family.
After the scandal his father caused Lucien just wants a normal and calm life but thanks to his dear stepmother that is not going to happen. It appears that Charlotte Longborough and her sisters are coming for visit. This was an entertaining book to read there is the romance but also a mystery to solve. The characters were charming, and their interactions with each other made the story such fun to read. I am happy to recommend this gem. I did receive a free copy of this book from Booksprout and voluntarily chose to review it.
After the scandal his father caused Lucien just wants a normal and calm life but thanks to his dear stepmother that is not going to happen. It appears that Charlotte Longborough and her sisters are coming for visit. This was an entertaining book to read there is the romance but also a mystery to solve. The characters were charming, and their interactions with each other made the story such fun to read. I am happy to recommend this gem. I did receive a free copy of this book from Booksprout and voluntarily chose to review it.
July 15, 2021
The first book in the Wolverton World series. A well written story with a very good storyline by a new Author to me, and it looks like this is Leslie V. Knowles debut book. Lucien, Duke of Wolverton and Charlotte Longborough's story of kidnapping, suspense, drama, danger, a villain, twists, turns, and romance. I will be watching to see when she put out something else. I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 20, 2021
Love, love, loved the book! I is a perfect read for a book club. It is a well written period piece with well developed characters. I enjoyed the pace of the book. I read the entire book in 3 sessions. I am looking forward to reading more of Leslie Knowles books.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews