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An Unlikely Duchess
THE DEFIANT DAUGHTER
Lovely young Miss Josephine Middleton might be an earl's daughter, but she had no desire to be a duke's wife. Not when the duke was the Duke of Mitford, known to her as a lustful libertine who would be a horror of a husband.
Josephine did the only thing she could. She ran away. Unfortunately the gentleman who helped her, the terribly handsome Mr. Porterhouse, turned out to be no gentleman at all. And Mr. Paul Villiers, who rescued her from ravishment, turned out to be worse.
Lovely young Miss Josephine Middleton might be an earl's daughter, but she had no desire to be a duke's wife. Not when the duke was the Duke of Mitford, known to her as a lustful libertine who would be a horror of a husband.
Josephine did the only thing she could. She ran away. Unfortunately the gentleman who helped her, the terribly handsome Mr. Porterhouse, turned out to be no gentleman at all. And Mr. Paul Villiers, who rescued her from ravishment, turned out to be worse.
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published October 2, 1990
277 people are currently reading
800 people want to read
About the author
Mary Balogh
200 books6,354 followersMary Jenkins was born in 1944 in Swansea, Wales, UK. After graduating from university, moved to Saskatchewan, Canada, to teach high school English, on a two-year teaching contract in 1967. She married her Canadian husband, Robert Balogh, and had three children, Jacqueline, Christopher and Sian. When she's not writing, she enjoys reading, music and knitting. She also enjoys watching tennis and curling.
Mary Balogh started writing in the evenings as a hobby. Her first book, a Regency love story, was published in 1985 as A Masked Deception under her married name. In 1988, she retired from teaching after 20 years to pursue her dream to write full-time. She has written more than seventy novels and almost thirty novellas since then, including the New York Times bestselling 'Slightly' sextet and 'Simply' quartet. She has won numerous awards, including Bestselling Historical of the Year from the Borders Group, and her novel Simply Magic was a finalist in the Quill Awards. She has won seven Waldenbooks Awards and two B. Dalton Awards for her bestselling novels, as well as a Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award.
Mary Balogh started writing in the evenings as a hobby. Her first book, a Regency love story, was published in 1985 as A Masked Deception under her married name. In 1988, she retired from teaching after 20 years to pursue her dream to write full-time. She has written more than seventy novels and almost thirty novellas since then, including the New York Times bestselling 'Slightly' sextet and 'Simply' quartet. She has won numerous awards, including Bestselling Historical of the Year from the Borders Group, and her novel Simply Magic was a finalist in the Quill Awards. She has won seven Waldenbooks Awards and two B. Dalton Awards for her bestselling novels, as well as a Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 154 reviews
September 10, 2017
And this is why Balogh is the queen of category romances and why so many of us remain avid fans of her work.
December 4, 2017
Oh this had so much potential but sadly didn’t quite live up to it.
A cracker cute meet followed by a chase all over the countryside. Few of her relatives chased them as they chased the villain. The comedy of errors soon turned into a farce and the fun became forced.
Still the humor is killing to begin with and these two are just adorable – the stuffy duke and the capricious miss who ran away from home to avoid an arranged marriage to a toplofty duke viz. him.
He’s on his way to meet and pay his address to the granddaughter of his grandfather’s friend, the older gents having arranged the match sight unseen and the H’s been assured that his intended is a gracious and well behaved miss.
He’s a staid dutiful man himself who’s never veered away from the straight and narrow.
And the h’s actually a silly flighty girl who doesn’t want to be a duchess and so plans runs away to her aunt who’d married for love herself, to petition for her help. Only she miscalculates, as she’s wont to do most of the times. She first believes the om – the villain of the story when he fills her head with lies about the said duke’s womanizing and haughtiness, and then takes his help to run away from home.
Coincidentally they end up in the same inn as the H who’s travelling incognito on a whim, hoping for one last adventure before he settles down into an even more staid matrimony. He rescues the h when the om tries to compromise her as he’s been eyeing her substantial dowry throughout. The duke soon realizes who the h is but keeps his own identity hidden and introduces himself as a plain Mr. Villiers. The om has run away with her jewelry and she refuses to go on without retrieving her pieces and so reluctantly the H agrees to escort her in her cross-country expedition.
Some adventure, indeed.
And by some unfortunate coincidence he had met his prospective bride, a delightfully demure young lady who had taken to her heels with a scoundrel rather than stay and listen to his addresses. It seemed that the day had had nothing but humiliations to offer.
The h soon goes from adorable to annoying in my estimation, and even the H's patience and dry tongue-in-cheeks couldn't lift the book back. And I could understand the very fastidious H reacting with heartfelt horror to her scatterbrained shenanigans.
"Good Lord!" he said again. "How have you succeeded in living this long, ma'am, without a brain?"
Still the very strong beginning compel a good rating. And as a couple it's their future that intrigues me more and I wish there was an epilogue for a peek at least.
A cracker cute meet followed by a chase all over the countryside. Few of her relatives chased them as they chased the villain. The comedy of errors soon turned into a farce and the fun became forced.
Still the humor is killing to begin with and these two are just adorable – the stuffy duke and the capricious miss who ran away from home to avoid an arranged marriage to a toplofty duke viz. him.
He’s on his way to meet and pay his address to the granddaughter of his grandfather’s friend, the older gents having arranged the match sight unseen and the H’s been assured that his intended is a gracious and well behaved miss.
He’s a staid dutiful man himself who’s never veered away from the straight and narrow.
And the h’s actually a silly flighty girl who doesn’t want to be a duchess and so plans runs away to her aunt who’d married for love herself, to petition for her help. Only she miscalculates, as she’s wont to do most of the times. She first believes the om – the villain of the story when he fills her head with lies about the said duke’s womanizing and haughtiness, and then takes his help to run away from home.
Coincidentally they end up in the same inn as the H who’s travelling incognito on a whim, hoping for one last adventure before he settles down into an even more staid matrimony. He rescues the h when the om tries to compromise her as he’s been eyeing her substantial dowry throughout. The duke soon realizes who the h is but keeps his own identity hidden and introduces himself as a plain Mr. Villiers. The om has run away with her jewelry and she refuses to go on without retrieving her pieces and so reluctantly the H agrees to escort her in her cross-country expedition.
Some adventure, indeed.
And by some unfortunate coincidence he had met his prospective bride, a delightfully demure young lady who had taken to her heels with a scoundrel rather than stay and listen to his addresses. It seemed that the day had had nothing but humiliations to offer.
The h soon goes from adorable to annoying in my estimation, and even the H's patience and dry tongue-in-cheeks couldn't lift the book back. And I could understand the very fastidious H reacting with heartfelt horror to her scatterbrained shenanigans.
"Good Lord!" he said again. "How have you succeeded in living this long, ma'am, without a brain?"
Still the very strong beginning compel a good rating. And as a couple it's their future that intrigues me more and I wish there was an epilogue for a peek at least.
February 11, 2015
The heroine is literally Too Stupid To Live, so much so it's obviously a parody. At one point the hero even goes:
You can't take this one seriously, and you shouldn't. It made me laugh out loud so many times, that's why the rating. Comedy is very subjective though, so your mileage may vary.
"Good Lord!" he said again. "How have you succeeded in living this long, ma'am, without a brain?"
You can't take this one seriously, and you shouldn't. It made me laugh out loud so many times, that's why the rating. Comedy is very subjective though, so your mileage may vary.
December 17, 2019
Oh wow!!
I never knew that Mary Balogh could write a farce like this. I have read quite a few of Ms. Balogh books, but none like this. The ones that I've read before were quite somber and the h/H were more sensible.
But this one is comparable to any Georgette Heyer's that I love so much 😍😍. It was that good. Have to search for others then.
Ps - Finished the challenge 💃💃
I never knew that Mary Balogh could write a farce like this. I have read quite a few of Ms. Balogh books, but none like this. The ones that I've read before were quite somber and the h/H were more sensible.
But this one is comparable to any Georgette Heyer's that I love so much 😍😍. It was that good. Have to search for others then.
Ps - Finished the challenge 💃💃
February 7, 2022
This one was quite fun. Very light for a Balogh book. A couple of laugh out loud moments. If you don’t mind an airhead (at times TSTL) for a heroine, this would be a good read. The hero was a perfect gentleman. He needed the sort of madness that only the heroine can bring into his life.
June 17, 2019
Now this is exactly what I want from a Mary Balogh novel. It's adorable and humorous and cute and everything fluffy and right with the world. An Unlikely Duchess has a very Shakespearean comedy flair to it, full of improbably chases and engagements to close everything off.
The plot's thoroughly madcap silliness, and I could not have adored it more. Jo Middleton learns that her grandfather wants to marry her to the Duke of Mitford. Grandpa and dad are thrilled, but Jo is horrified, especially when she hears that the Duke is a toplofty, tall, handsome man, not at all what she wants. Instead of doing the obvious and telling her loving family that she's not interested in meeting the man, she concocts a plan to run to her aunt and accepts a ride from a Mr. Porterhouse (whose name made me laugh every time).
Jo, it should be said, is infamous in her family for her poor planning abilities. She has a decided tendency to follow whatever scheme should pop into her head. Belatedly she realizes that Mr. Porterhouse intends to ravish her and have her rather hefty dowry for himself. Meanwhile, the Duke of Mitford, traveling incognito without the title by his given name of Paul Villiers, hears the commotion in the room next door, busts in and rescues Jo. He wouldn't have been able to do it, except that 1) he got a lucky hit and 2) Jo helped.
Porterhouse leaves, absconding with the jewels Jo ill-advisedly brought with her, and Jo comes up with a new plan: follow the ruffian and reclaim her jewels. Paul, not at all what she'd heard, is rather short, plain, and nice as can be. She enlists him in her scheme, mostly because he doesn't want her attempting it alone. By the end of the book, there are several carriages involved in the chase, and everything becomes more and more absurd and convoluted. It's fantastic.
Paul's absolutely precious. He's not at all typical hero material, which is exactly what makes Jo like him so much. Since she's very short, she wanted a short man. He doesn't really save her precisely so much as he restrains her just enough to keep her from doing the worst of her ideas, leaving her free to handle most things independently.
Jo's a bit TSTL, but charmingly so somehow. It's rather impressive Balogh managed that tbh. She has this irrepressible spirit that constantly gets her into trouble, but it's so clear that she doesn't mean to cause trouble. She has the best of intentions at all times, and she's a truly kind, trusting person. She helps Paul live a more exciting life, and he tries to keep her from going too far off the rails.
I'd absolutely recommend this to readers who enjoy romances with a strong comedy element.
The plot's thoroughly madcap silliness, and I could not have adored it more. Jo Middleton learns that her grandfather wants to marry her to the Duke of Mitford. Grandpa and dad are thrilled, but Jo is horrified, especially when she hears that the Duke is a toplofty, tall, handsome man, not at all what she wants. Instead of doing the obvious and telling her loving family that she's not interested in meeting the man, she concocts a plan to run to her aunt and accepts a ride from a Mr. Porterhouse (whose name made me laugh every time).
Jo, it should be said, is infamous in her family for her poor planning abilities. She has a decided tendency to follow whatever scheme should pop into her head. Belatedly she realizes that Mr. Porterhouse intends to ravish her and have her rather hefty dowry for himself. Meanwhile, the Duke of Mitford, traveling incognito without the title by his given name of Paul Villiers, hears the commotion in the room next door, busts in and rescues Jo. He wouldn't have been able to do it, except that 1) he got a lucky hit and 2) Jo helped.
Porterhouse leaves, absconding with the jewels Jo ill-advisedly brought with her, and Jo comes up with a new plan: follow the ruffian and reclaim her jewels. Paul, not at all what she'd heard, is rather short, plain, and nice as can be. She enlists him in her scheme, mostly because he doesn't want her attempting it alone. By the end of the book, there are several carriages involved in the chase, and everything becomes more and more absurd and convoluted. It's fantastic.
Paul's absolutely precious. He's not at all typical hero material, which is exactly what makes Jo like him so much. Since she's very short, she wanted a short man. He doesn't really save her precisely so much as he restrains her just enough to keep her from doing the worst of her ideas, leaving her free to handle most things independently.
Jo's a bit TSTL, but charmingly so somehow. It's rather impressive Balogh managed that tbh. She has this irrepressible spirit that constantly gets her into trouble, but it's so clear that she doesn't mean to cause trouble. She has the best of intentions at all times, and she's a truly kind, trusting person. She helps Paul live a more exciting life, and he tries to keep her from going too far off the rails.
I'd absolutely recommend this to readers who enjoy romances with a strong comedy element.
June 24, 2025
4 stars! Loved it! Finally! I found something out of the ordinary. Loved the mistaken identity plot as well!
This was a very unusual read! In a good way though. :)
Awww. Mitford is not your usual male hero. He's short. He's plain so to speak. He's ordinary. Very much unlike the usual, tall, handsome and rake heroes ugh. Thank god! But god! Mitford is so lovable! Or should I call him, Paul. ^____^ I think he is the epitome of a beta hero. He is so sweet! So dependable! So protective of the heroine and god how he tolerates Josephine even if she drives him nuts! Hahaha.
I definitely love how the story turned out! Josephine is crazy to say the least but she did not annoy me. Ooohh they really suit each other. I specially love the scene towards the end when Paul finally decided it's time to visit Jo and ask for her hand in marriage. :D
This was a very unusual read! In a good way though. :)
Awww. Mitford is not your usual male hero. He's short. He's plain so to speak. He's ordinary. Very much unlike the usual, tall, handsome and rake heroes ugh. Thank god! But god! Mitford is so lovable! Or should I call him, Paul. ^____^ I think he is the epitome of a beta hero. He is so sweet! So dependable! So protective of the heroine and god how he tolerates Josephine even if she drives him nuts! Hahaha.
I definitely love how the story turned out! Josephine is crazy to say the least but she did not annoy me. Ooohh they really suit each other. I specially love the scene towards the end when Paul finally decided it's time to visit Jo and ask for her hand in marriage. :D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2015
Mary Balogh pens a wonderful farce of a Regency romance in "An Unlikely Duchess," a tale of mistaken identity and witless females and wonderful, gentlemanly Dukes.
Josephine Middleton is an idiot, plain and simple. But she's so wonderfully sincere and earnest, and the book plainly pokes fun of her and the conventions of society, that you can't help but like her. She's almost the Chris Farley of regency romance. She's a fun idiot.
Some of my favorite lines that describe Jo:
From a relative: "She don't have any deformities," Lord Ainsbury said, "and she has all her teeth. And she don't have any pock marks."
From her fiancée, the Duke of Milton: "Good Lord!" he said again. "How have you succeeded in living this long, ma'am, without a brain?"
Happy face. A very good read.
Josephine Middleton is an idiot, plain and simple. But she's so wonderfully sincere and earnest, and the book plainly pokes fun of her and the conventions of society, that you can't help but like her. She's almost the Chris Farley of regency romance. She's a fun idiot.
Some of my favorite lines that describe Jo:
From a relative: "She don't have any deformities," Lord Ainsbury said, "and she has all her teeth. And she don't have any pock marks."
From her fiancée, the Duke of Milton: "Good Lord!" he said again. "How have you succeeded in living this long, ma'am, without a brain?"
Happy face. A very good read.
January 29, 2017
A regency comedy. It was light and exactly what I was in the mood for.
Her grand father and the Duke's maternal grand father meet after many years in Bath and decide it is a perfect idea for their grandchildren to marry. Josephine was being courted by someone who needed her large dowry. When he found out the Duke was coming to see Josephine, he lied about how the Duke looked liked and his behavior. Josephine believed him after the Duke's entourage and his valet arrived two days before the Duke was due. She decided to run away to her aunt who lived half a day away and of course the gentleman was available to give her a ride in his closed carriage which had a minor accident just outside an inn and they had to stay over night. The poor duke who had decided to travel alone for the first time in his life was trying to sleep in the adjacent room when the gentleman tried to compromise Josephine and that's how they first met.
Her grand father and the Duke's maternal grand father meet after many years in Bath and decide it is a perfect idea for their grandchildren to marry. Josephine was being courted by someone who needed her large dowry. When he found out the Duke was coming to see Josephine, he lied about how the Duke looked liked and his behavior. Josephine believed him after the Duke's entourage and his valet arrived two days before the Duke was due. She decided to run away to her aunt who lived half a day away and of course the gentleman was available to give her a ride in his closed carriage which had a minor accident just outside an inn and they had to stay over night. The poor duke who had decided to travel alone for the first time in his life was trying to sleep in the adjacent room when the gentleman tried to compromise Josephine and that's how they first met.
May 16, 2014
Another rare comic regency by Mary Balogh. The short statured hero Duke is likable and reminiscent of Georgette Heyer's sweet-natured Duke of Sale in 'The Foundling'. Both young Dukes travel incognito and embroil themselves in amusing adventures and acts of gallantry.
August 6, 2011
What a fun book! This book is so funny and it reminded me of an old movie! Josephine is an heiress who runs away from home to her great aunts to avoid The Duke of Mitfords marriage proposal. She has never met him and is afraid of him. She has a friend, Mr. Porterhouse who offers to take her to her aunts. He tells her awful things about Mitford, which are all lies because he has never met him either. He fakes their carriage troubles and decides they will stay at an inn. He starts to make moves on her( he wants her for her dowry) and she screams. The Duke comes to her rescue because he is in the next room. She thanks him and explains how she is running away from the "awful Duke of Mitford." Soooo he doesn't explain that he IS "The Duke." He introduces himself to her as Mr. Paul Villiers ( his christian name). Together they chase Porterhouse all over England to get back her stollen jewels. Her brother and sister are right behind them looking for Josephine. It was a hoot! When he shows up at her home to ask her to marry him because he loves her....... she realizes that he is "The Horrible Duke".....it is a scene NOT to miss!
January 24, 2016
The Miss Middleton's are almost too stupid to live but without that quality the farce in the story would not have gotten far. Jo doesn't wish to marry a duke her family picked out for her so she flees without understanding she is being abducted. When the villain tries to ravish her an unassuming personage in the form of Mr. Villiars saves her and they go on a wild goose chase to recover jewels the villain stole from Jo. I didn't like this one as much as others I have read by Balogh so I was disappointed.
March 25, 2016
This is one of Balogh's "sweet and cute" type romances, rather than one of her more serious or challenging ones. The protagonists are very young and innocent, and the hero veers toward stodgy while the heroine veers toward silly. But I like a change of pace now and then, and of course Balogh can pull it off.
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March 2, 2018
Today’s post is on An Unlikely Duchess by Mary Balogh. It is 209 pages long and is published by Signet. The cover is pink with the outline of a lady on it. The intended reader is someone who likes madcap adventures with light romance added in. There is no foul language, very mild sexuality, and mild violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the characters moving from one to the next as the story goes. There Be Spoilers Ahead.
From the back of the book- A very proper aristocrat, who always does his duty and never sets a foot wrong, the young Duke of Mitford is on his way into the country to propose marriage, sight unseen, to a young lady of equal virtue and propriety chosen for him by his grandfather and hers. For once in his life, Paul decides to have a little adventure by traveling there incognito and without his usual ducal entourage. He finds the experience disappointing until at an inn one evening he rescues a female from certain ravishment and then learns that she is fleeing from the dreadful fate of having to marry the Duke of Mitford. Before Josephine Middleton discovers the true identity of her rescuer, the two of them are embroiled in a very big, mad adventure after she finds that her would-be abductor has stolen her jewels.
Review- At first when I was reading this book I had trouble with it because I liked it but the heroine is Too Stupid To Live. Then I realized that it was a comedy of errors, a madcap farce, and then I enjoyed the rest of the novel without any trouble. Josephine Middleton is very young and foolish and is scared to marry the Duke of Mitford because he has been misrepresented as a libertine to her by the villain. Add some stolen jewels and hidden identities and you have this novel. It is very funny and the characters are fun once you get over Jo being TSTL. I would feel sorry for Mitford but he had so much fun with her on their adventure that I don’t. He wants to have more madcap rides with her. Going in this novel with that mindset and you will have a very fun read but remember to not take anything serious in this story.
I give this novel a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.
From the back of the book- A very proper aristocrat, who always does his duty and never sets a foot wrong, the young Duke of Mitford is on his way into the country to propose marriage, sight unseen, to a young lady of equal virtue and propriety chosen for him by his grandfather and hers. For once in his life, Paul decides to have a little adventure by traveling there incognito and without his usual ducal entourage. He finds the experience disappointing until at an inn one evening he rescues a female from certain ravishment and then learns that she is fleeing from the dreadful fate of having to marry the Duke of Mitford. Before Josephine Middleton discovers the true identity of her rescuer, the two of them are embroiled in a very big, mad adventure after she finds that her would-be abductor has stolen her jewels.
Review- At first when I was reading this book I had trouble with it because I liked it but the heroine is Too Stupid To Live. Then I realized that it was a comedy of errors, a madcap farce, and then I enjoyed the rest of the novel without any trouble. Josephine Middleton is very young and foolish and is scared to marry the Duke of Mitford because he has been misrepresented as a libertine to her by the villain. Add some stolen jewels and hidden identities and you have this novel. It is very funny and the characters are fun once you get over Jo being TSTL. I would feel sorry for Mitford but he had so much fun with her on their adventure that I don’t. He wants to have more madcap rides with her. Going in this novel with that mindset and you will have a very fun read but remember to not take anything serious in this story.
I give this novel a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.
March 1, 2022
Mrs. Balogh's earlier books are wayyyy different from her Wescott and Bedwyn serieses.
This book (similar to The Lady With A Black Umbrella and The Double Wager) was a hilarious farce, better not taken too seriously. It was fastpaced and I had to concentrate to keep up with the harebrained storyline.
Jo was maybe a touch too silly for my taste, and it's mostly because of that fact that I loved the story less than The Lady With A Black Umbrella or The Double Wager.
4 stars.
This book (similar to The Lady With A Black Umbrella and The Double Wager) was a hilarious farce, better not taken too seriously. It was fastpaced and I had to concentrate to keep up with the harebrained storyline.
Jo was maybe a touch too silly for my taste, and it's mostly because of that fact that I loved the story less than The Lady With A Black Umbrella or The Double Wager.
4 stars.
May 14, 2020
A madcap romp around the countryside. A ditzy silly heroine that still manages to get her own way around the prim and proper Duke. She doesnt know he is her intended as she was running away before meeting him. Howeverr, in the process, she loses her bag of jewelry to the villain.
The Duke is the Hero of the story and he rescues the heroine from the villain but he does not reveal to her, who he is. So he continually needs to save her from her madcap and silly schemes of pursuing the villain and retrieving her jewels. In the process he is exasperated and realizes that she would make a very unlikely Duchess, but ultimately she brightens his dull and staid life.
It was cute. Mary Balogh has refined these theme especially with Slightly Dangerous (Bedwyn saga #6).
The Duke is the Hero of the story and he rescues the heroine from the villain but he does not reveal to her, who he is. So he continually needs to save her from her madcap and silly schemes of pursuing the villain and retrieving her jewels. In the process he is exasperated and realizes that she would make a very unlikely Duchess, but ultimately she brightens his dull and staid life.
It was cute. Mary Balogh has refined these theme especially with Slightly Dangerous (Bedwyn saga #6).
November 22, 2023
Cette romance historique est une déception.
Je n'ai pas aimé du tout l'héroïne que j'ai trouvé vraiment très cruche (à la limite de la surenchère) et immature. Malheureusement même le héros ne m'a pas permis de faire abstraction de la crétinerie de la fille. Franchement... je n'ai pas pu, je levais tout le temps les yeux au ciel devant ses motivations et réactions impossible. Quant au héros, on se demande bien pourquoi il la suit dans ses stupidités... et comment il a fait pour tomber amoureux d'elle. Pour moi, c'est un grand mystère.
Bon, le roman date de 1990 alors je pardonne à mon autrice de RH préférée... Je ne retiendrai pas ce titre, ça, c'est certain.
Je n'ai pas aimé du tout l'héroïne que j'ai trouvé vraiment très cruche (à la limite de la surenchère) et immature. Malheureusement même le héros ne m'a pas permis de faire abstraction de la crétinerie de la fille. Franchement... je n'ai pas pu, je levais tout le temps les yeux au ciel devant ses motivations et réactions impossible. Quant au héros, on se demande bien pourquoi il la suit dans ses stupidités... et comment il a fait pour tomber amoureux d'elle. Pour moi, c'est un grand mystère.
Bon, le roman date de 1990 alors je pardonne à mon autrice de RH préférée... Je ne retiendrai pas ce titre, ça, c'est certain.
March 1, 2011
Not typical Balogh -- much funnier and sexier than normal!
September 28, 2022
3.5/5
https://my-bo0ks.over-blog.com/2022/0...
Je ne passe jamais à côté d'une sortie de Mary Balogh dans la collection Regency. C'est mon petit plaisir à moi. Il faut dire que l'autrice est clairement devenue une valeur sûre pour moi au fil de mes lectures. J'avais donc plus que hâte de découvrir cette Miss Catastrophe.
Joséphine se doit d'accepter son futur mariage avec le duc de Mitford, qu'elle n'a jamais rencontré. Il faut dire que c'est son grand-père, et le sien qui ont tout organisé. Comment refuser un aussi beau parti ? Les rumeurs au sujet de ce duc sont toutes plus folles les unes que les autres. Alors quand il est sur le point de débarquer chez elle pour demander sa main, elle prend la fuite avec un bon ami. Mais c'est le début des galères pour elle. D'autant que sur son chemin, elle fera la rencontre, sans le savoir de Paul Villiers, qui n'est autre que le duc en personne... De catastrophe en catastrophe, la demoiselle va s'enliser.
Avec ce roman Mary Balogh prend le parti d'une héroïne à des kilomètres des jeunes femmes bien sous tout rapport. Joséphine n'a pas sa langue dans sa poche mais n'a également aucune idée des galères dans lesquelles elle se met... quoique, elle s'en fiche un peu. Ainsi, en partant en compagnie d'un homme, seule, elle s'attire déjà bien des soucis. Encore plus quand cette escapade tourne au désastre et que le gentleman en question n'en a qu'après son argent. Je l'avoue, elle m'a beaucoup faite rire au début, même si par moment, elle a un petit côté exaspérant dans son comportement.
Fort heureusement, Paul Villiers, un gentleman, banal au premier abord va lui venir en aide. Ah! Quel homme ! Notre cher Paul sera donc incognito dans cette folle aventure aux côtés de sa supposée fiancée. Et autant dire qu'il est assez surpris de voir une jeune femme se comporter de la sorte. Lui qui a toujours respecté les convenances, les règles et j'en passe va devoir s'armer de patience car Joséphine va le pousser bien au delà de ses limites. Il est vraiment drôle de le voir si attentionné et maitre de lui même alors que Joséphine ne sait pas qui il est et le critique a tout va. Pour autant, il se montrera toujours en véritable soutien pour elle.
La romance démarre donc pas sous les meilleurs hospices. Et pour cause, Joséphine déteste le duc et se fie aux commérages. Pour sa part, lui voit la jeune femme comme un nid à problème (ce qu'elle est clairement). Sans savoir qui il est, elle va le découvrir véritablement et nous autres, lecteurs, nous rendons vite compte qu'entre réalité et rumeurs il y a un sacré écart. Le fait de faire semblant d'être un couple pour sauver les apparences dans cette course-poursuite va indéniablement les rapprocher mais Paul sera toujours si respectueux que finalement la romance sera digne des plus grands slow-burn de romances historiques. Quant à la révélation finale sur sa véritable identité, cela donnera lieu a un moment épique et si drôle !
Miss Catastrophe est un peu moins centré sur la romance du couple que je m'y attendais. En fait, le roman dispose de nombreux passages avec les personnages secondaires. La famille de Joséphine, l'ami de Paul ou encore quelques personnages que nous rencontrons au cours de cette course-poursuite géante. Paul et Joséphine après le fameux gentleman fourbe, le frère de Joséphine après celle-ci etc. Bref, on est embarqué dans une folle aventure suite à quelques mauvaises décisions d'apparence anodines. C'est drôle et parfois un peu fou mais très prenant. Après, je ne vous cache pas que par moment, j'avais tendance à plaindre Paul, Joséphine étant butée comme pas possible. Mais ces moments étaient éclipsés par d'autres donc... !
En conclusion, j'ai passé un bon moment de lecture avec Miss Catastrophe. Très différent des autres de l'autrice mais avec sa petite touche d'originalité. Ce n'est pas mon préféré de l'autrice mais j'ai beaucoup aimé tout de même !
https://my-bo0ks.over-blog.com/2022/0...
Je ne passe jamais à côté d'une sortie de Mary Balogh dans la collection Regency. C'est mon petit plaisir à moi. Il faut dire que l'autrice est clairement devenue une valeur sûre pour moi au fil de mes lectures. J'avais donc plus que hâte de découvrir cette Miss Catastrophe.
Joséphine se doit d'accepter son futur mariage avec le duc de Mitford, qu'elle n'a jamais rencontré. Il faut dire que c'est son grand-père, et le sien qui ont tout organisé. Comment refuser un aussi beau parti ? Les rumeurs au sujet de ce duc sont toutes plus folles les unes que les autres. Alors quand il est sur le point de débarquer chez elle pour demander sa main, elle prend la fuite avec un bon ami. Mais c'est le début des galères pour elle. D'autant que sur son chemin, elle fera la rencontre, sans le savoir de Paul Villiers, qui n'est autre que le duc en personne... De catastrophe en catastrophe, la demoiselle va s'enliser.
Avec ce roman Mary Balogh prend le parti d'une héroïne à des kilomètres des jeunes femmes bien sous tout rapport. Joséphine n'a pas sa langue dans sa poche mais n'a également aucune idée des galères dans lesquelles elle se met... quoique, elle s'en fiche un peu. Ainsi, en partant en compagnie d'un homme, seule, elle s'attire déjà bien des soucis. Encore plus quand cette escapade tourne au désastre et que le gentleman en question n'en a qu'après son argent. Je l'avoue, elle m'a beaucoup faite rire au début, même si par moment, elle a un petit côté exaspérant dans son comportement.
Fort heureusement, Paul Villiers, un gentleman, banal au premier abord va lui venir en aide. Ah! Quel homme ! Notre cher Paul sera donc incognito dans cette folle aventure aux côtés de sa supposée fiancée. Et autant dire qu'il est assez surpris de voir une jeune femme se comporter de la sorte. Lui qui a toujours respecté les convenances, les règles et j'en passe va devoir s'armer de patience car Joséphine va le pousser bien au delà de ses limites. Il est vraiment drôle de le voir si attentionné et maitre de lui même alors que Joséphine ne sait pas qui il est et le critique a tout va. Pour autant, il se montrera toujours en véritable soutien pour elle.
La romance démarre donc pas sous les meilleurs hospices. Et pour cause, Joséphine déteste le duc et se fie aux commérages. Pour sa part, lui voit la jeune femme comme un nid à problème (ce qu'elle est clairement). Sans savoir qui il est, elle va le découvrir véritablement et nous autres, lecteurs, nous rendons vite compte qu'entre réalité et rumeurs il y a un sacré écart. Le fait de faire semblant d'être un couple pour sauver les apparences dans cette course-poursuite va indéniablement les rapprocher mais Paul sera toujours si respectueux que finalement la romance sera digne des plus grands slow-burn de romances historiques. Quant à la révélation finale sur sa véritable identité, cela donnera lieu a un moment épique et si drôle !
Miss Catastrophe est un peu moins centré sur la romance du couple que je m'y attendais. En fait, le roman dispose de nombreux passages avec les personnages secondaires. La famille de Joséphine, l'ami de Paul ou encore quelques personnages que nous rencontrons au cours de cette course-poursuite géante. Paul et Joséphine après le fameux gentleman fourbe, le frère de Joséphine après celle-ci etc. Bref, on est embarqué dans une folle aventure suite à quelques mauvaises décisions d'apparence anodines. C'est drôle et parfois un peu fou mais très prenant. Après, je ne vous cache pas que par moment, j'avais tendance à plaindre Paul, Joséphine étant butée comme pas possible. Mais ces moments étaient éclipsés par d'autres donc... !
En conclusion, j'ai passé un bon moment de lecture avec Miss Catastrophe. Très différent des autres de l'autrice mais avec sa petite touche d'originalité. Ce n'est pas mon préféré de l'autrice mais j'ai beaucoup aimé tout de même !
July 10, 2023
This is such a mad book, good mad , fun mad. It's a roller coaster of situational madness. I almost gave up after the first 30 pages, run of the mill trope, but I'm so glad I persevered.
For the first time, a Duke is described as ordinary and non-descipt. He's disciplined and conscious of his responsibilities. He's actually described as a dull dog, and that really is used as a negative against him. Jo, on the other hand, is a scatter brain, many a time I've read of a feather brained and witless female, and here's a fantastic example of just that. She's not the contemporary awkward woman - just someone who jumps into the action and thinks of the consequences later. The side characters support and give a good rounded tale.
This is a fun, quick read that's mindless and silly but definitely worth your time.
Recommended 👍 👍 👍 👍
For the first time, a Duke is described as ordinary and non-descipt. He's disciplined and conscious of his responsibilities. He's actually described as a dull dog, and that really is used as a negative against him. Jo, on the other hand, is a scatter brain, many a time I've read of a feather brained and witless female, and here's a fantastic example of just that. She's not the contemporary awkward woman - just someone who jumps into the action and thinks of the consequences later. The side characters support and give a good rounded tale.
This is a fun, quick read that's mindless and silly but definitely worth your time.
Recommended 👍 👍 👍 👍
August 17, 2022
Vous connaissez mon addiction aux titres de la collection Regency donc vous savez que chaque sortie est suivie de très près. J'ai déjà lu les précédents tomes parus de Mary Balogh et je savais que j'allais passer un super moment avec cette héroïne qui va vivre en quelques jours de sacrées épopées. Un vaudeville très réussi et une lectrice conquise.
Bref, je peux vous assurer que vous passerez un bon moment de lecture en compagnie de ces charmants personnages. Nous n'allons pas nous ennuyer un seul instant car le ballet exercé par les divers personnages nous tiendront en haleine. Une comédie romantique adorable, qui ne peut que nous ravir.
Avis complet à lire sur: https://thelovelyteacheraddictions.bl...
Bref, je peux vous assurer que vous passerez un bon moment de lecture en compagnie de ces charmants personnages. Nous n'allons pas nous ennuyer un seul instant car le ballet exercé par les divers personnages nous tiendront en haleine. Une comédie romantique adorable, qui ne peut que nous ravir.
Avis complet à lire sur: https://thelovelyteacheraddictions.bl...
January 22, 2017
I love reading books like this from time to time. Sweet and adorable ^^ While the h was extremely silly with a capital S, she did not irritate me at all. The reviews did push me away initially, but i love Mary Balogh...... i was probably in a silly mood too lol Those who do not mind a silly but sweet h and a serious but lovable H, a book fully of silly and funny antics and sweet romance will like this book.
August 7, 2023
On a souvent envie de remettre le personnage principal sur la planète terre, parce qu'elle est souvent dans la lune. Son histoire est complétement folle, ce qui prouve la très bonne écriture du personnage. J'ai adoré l'histoire, comme toujours, je ne suis pas déçu de Mary Balogh.
December 7, 2023
Quite horrible, lol. 5/5 for dialogue, but this quote says it all:
"Good Lord!" he said again. "How have you succeeded in living this long, ma'am, without a brain?" Josephine's smile faded.
I had to speed read from 50% onwards or this novel would have become a DNF. Some people find airheaded behaviour funny, but I cannot abide it.
"Good Lord!" he said again. "How have you succeeded in living this long, ma'am, without a brain?" Josephine's smile faded.
I had to speed read from 50% onwards or this novel would have become a DNF. Some people find airheaded behaviour funny, but I cannot abide it.
October 24, 2024
Amazing book! Into my top 5 it goes :)
Josephine:
The heroine is adorable but stupid. Not annoying-stupid, the girl is actually dumb. Doesn't know half the time which way her head is facing, as her father says. After she announces proudly, to the hero, that she's about to do the DUMBEST THING IN HISTORY:
"Good Lord," he said. "Good Lord!"
Josephine smiled at him in some triumph.
"Good Lord!" he said again. "How have you succeeded in living this long, ma'am, without a brain?"
Yes, Josephine. How? She's delightful, way past naive, all the way to completely brainless but she's so funny, delightful and sweet she's one of my top favorite heroines of all time. And when it comes to not sticking to stereotypes we got...
Paul:
Up there with Josephine. A contestant for best-hero-ever. He's short (I like short heroes and its the first time I get one in a book), he's average looking, he's sweet, he's nice, he's brave, he's responsible... I could go on. He's got brown curly hair that refuses to stay combed. Why can't we get more heroes like this? I'm in love!
The plot:
Funny. Comedy. Won't spoil it. Someone said it reminds of Shakespeare comedy plots. It does kinda: double identities, people chasing people who are chasing people all over the countryside and lots of fun scenes.
This novel is clean btw. Just one quite chaste makeout scene.
I love Mary Balogh's work. I also love average height/build/looks heroes with loads of character and she's given me that twice. I'd suggest Lord Carew's Bride (No1 on my list) for another lovable average looking beta hero.
Josephine:
The heroine is adorable but stupid. Not annoying-stupid, the girl is actually dumb. Doesn't know half the time which way her head is facing, as her father says. After she announces proudly, to the hero, that she's about to do the DUMBEST THING IN HISTORY:
"Good Lord," he said. "Good Lord!"
Josephine smiled at him in some triumph.
"Good Lord!" he said again. "How have you succeeded in living this long, ma'am, without a brain?"
Yes, Josephine. How? She's delightful, way past naive, all the way to completely brainless but she's so funny, delightful and sweet she's one of my top favorite heroines of all time. And when it comes to not sticking to stereotypes we got...
Paul:
Up there with Josephine. A contestant for best-hero-ever. He's short (I like short heroes and its the first time I get one in a book), he's average looking, he's sweet, he's nice, he's brave, he's responsible... I could go on. He's got brown curly hair that refuses to stay combed. Why can't we get more heroes like this? I'm in love!
The plot:
Funny. Comedy. Won't spoil it. Someone said it reminds of Shakespeare comedy plots. It does kinda: double identities, people chasing people who are chasing people all over the countryside and lots of fun scenes.
This novel is clean btw. Just one quite chaste makeout scene.
I love Mary Balogh's work. I also love average height/build/looks heroes with loads of character and she's given me that twice. I'd suggest Lord Carew's Bride (No1 on my list) for another lovable average looking beta hero.
September 26, 2022
Romance historique à l'ancienne, plutôt farfelue. Notamment à cause de l'héroïne super-cruche.
September 6, 2017
Romanul scriitoarei Mary Balogh a apărut în limba română cu titlul " O altfel de ducesă" în colecția " Cărți romantice" scoasă de editura Litera. Traducerea din limba engleză aparține lui Larisa Din / Graal Soft. este vorba de un alt roman marca Mary Balogh a cărui acțiune se petrece în perioada regenței din Anglia începutului de secol 18.Intalnim două familii nobile obișnuite, cu o bună situație materială fiecare, fără mari probleme care sunt fiecare în parte preocupate de căsătoria copiilor lor. Tânărul Paul Viliers, marchiz de Mitford acceptă fără problemă propunerea bunicului său de a se căsători cu Josephine Middleton, o tânără de care nici nu auzise până atunci. Așa că se decide să facă o vizită cu care prilej să se și logodească. Dar nu pleacă sub numele i titlul său de marchiz ci ca simplu Paul Villiers care își conduce singur cabrioleta. trăsura cu bagajele sale de mare nobil ajunge la familia Middelton aduse de valetul său. aerele d emăreție ale acestui valet o vor determina pe tânără și impulsiva Josephine să decidă să fugă la o mătușă căreia să-i ceara ajutorul penru a nu se căsători cu marchizul necunoscut. Pleacă împreună cu un bărbat arătos care îi atrăsese atenția fără însoțitoare și luând cu ea caseta ei cu bijuterii. Dar lucrurile nu merg așa cum plănuise. Băbatul cu acre pelcase avea propriile sale planuri atras de zestrea ei deosebit de mare așa că nesocotita Josephine s-a trezit noaptea într-un han atacată de cel cu acer plecase. Din această încurcătură este salvată de Paul Villiers i din clipa salvării viața celor doi intră pe panta aventurii , a descoperiri de sine și a descoperiri celuilalt. Un roman care oferă o lectură extrem de plăcută.
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