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American Heiresses #1
To Marry the Duke
My dear sister Clara,
Sophia
London society is so much more complicated than I could ever have known! Every night is a different ball or assembly, and a different swirl of glittering jewels and rustling gowns. Though I fear I am making social blunders left and right I am having some measure of success in my (or rather, Mother's) objective. Mother is beside herself with glee at the attentions I have been receiving from a few gentlemen she finds supremely suitable as husband material.
But my dearest sister, it is so hard for me to even look at any gentleman but a certain duke, who, if I may confess, makes my heart beat so that I fear it can be seen across a ballroom. He is James Langdon, the Duke of Wentworth, and though I may sound dramatic, he makes me feel as no man ever has before.
But I must push these feelings away. I sometimes hear whispers about his dark past, and he is quietly called the Dangerous Duke. Oh Clara! I am secretly overjoyed that he may love me, and at the same time terrified of his attentions. I have waited so long for my true love, and now I must resist him to protect my heart.
If only I knew how to proceed…
Your devoted sister,Sophia
372 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 27, 2003
820 people are currently reading
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About the author
Julianne MacLean
80 books4,299 followersJulianne MacLean is a USA Today bestselling author of more than thirty novels, including the contemporary women’s fiction Color of Heaven Series. Readers have described her books as “breathtaking,” “soulful” and “uplifting.” MacLean is a four-time RITA finalist and has won numerous awards, including the Booksellers’ Best Award and a Reviewers’ Choice Award from Romantic Times. Her novels have sold millions of copies worldwide and have been published in over a dozen languages.
MacLean has a degree in English literature from the University of King’s College in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and a degree in business administration from Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. She loves to travel and has lived in New Zealand, Canada, and England. MacLean currently resides on the east coast of Canada in a lakeside home with her husband and daughter.
For more information about Julianne and her writing life, please visit her website at www.juliannemaclean.com. Be sure to follow her on Bookbub to be notified whenever her ebooks are offered for FREE or 99 cents. (www.bookbub.com/authors/julianne-maclean) and chat with her on Facebook (www.facebook.com/JulianneMacLeanRoman...), Twitter (@JulianneMacLean), and Instagram (@JulianneMaclean).
MacLean has a degree in English literature from the University of King’s College in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and a degree in business administration from Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. She loves to travel and has lived in New Zealand, Canada, and England. MacLean currently resides on the east coast of Canada in a lakeside home with her husband and daughter.
For more information about Julianne and her writing life, please visit her website at www.juliannemaclean.com. Be sure to follow her on Bookbub to be notified whenever her ebooks are offered for FREE or 99 cents. (www.bookbub.com/authors/julianne-maclean) and chat with her on Facebook (www.facebook.com/JulianneMacLeanRoman...), Twitter (@JulianneMacLean), and Instagram (@JulianneMaclean).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 177 reviews
August 28, 2019
4 Estrellas. Me he llevado una muy grata sorpresa con éste libro y con esta autora. “Noble de corazón” es el primer libro que leo de Julianne MacLean, y el libro que inicia la serie de las Herederas americanas.
El libro no ha sido nada novedoso, pues es verdad que en romance histórico hay un montón de escritoras que han publicado libros con éste mismo tema. Una heredera norteamericana que va a la temporada londinense para cazar un título. Escritoras como Laura Lee Guhrke tienen montones de libros con éste tema, de modo que no puedo resaltarlo como algo original; pero “Noble de corazón” ha tenido algo, algo que me ha mantenido enganchada a sus páginas y sin poder soltarlo.
En el caso de este libro, tenemos la historia de Sophia y James. Sophia es una joven norteamericana aburrida de los tediosos pretendientes neoyorkinos que la presenta su madre, de modo que la convence para ir a Inglaterra. Sophia no confiaba en encontrar esposo en Inglaterra, pues lo que realmente quiere es casarse por amor.
Nuestro protagonista, James, el duque de Wentworth, es un hombre sombrío y atormentado por la locura y las pasiones de su veleidosa familia. Está seguro que no querer casarse y dejarle el título a su hermano menor, pues está convencido de que por sus venas corre la mala sangre de sus despiadados antecedentes. James está conforme con la vida que lleva, hasta que entra en ella Sophia, una norteamericana encantadora, pero descarada, con costumbres extrañas y modales horribles. La verdad es que la situación del título es penosa y James necesita dinero ¿Qué mejor que conseguir al mejor premio de la temporada? Además, ése premio es la hermosa Sophia, por lo tanto el matrimonio ya no le parece a James nada desdeñable.
Una vez sucumbe Sophia a las pasiones de James, es llevada al castillo familiar, donde esta no imaginará el enorme sacrificio que ha tenido que hacer. Una casa incómoda, una suegra que la desprecia por ser quien es, y un esposo que no parecía lo que era. En las paredes del castillo Wentworth, Sophia se verá inundada de horribles secretos que arrastra la familia Langdon, secretos que habría sido mejor mantener escondidos, pero quizás, con el encanto y la voluntad de Sophia puedan alejarse esos fantasmas del pasado.
Sí, leyendo críticas de éste libro encontré varias negativas referentes al comportamiento del protagonista, la verdad es que la historia y su protagonista no han sido muy diferentes del protagonista de “El engaño” de Laura Lee Guhrke, pues tiene argumentos muy similares; una heredera norteamericana que solo quiere casarse por amor, y él la engaña y la corteja para que se sienta enamorada y así pueda casarse con su fortuna. Quizás lo que fue mal con este libro, es que como lectora veías desde el inicio a James enamorado de Sophia, y de repente todo se estropea cuando él se da cuenta de que está sucumbiendo a los encantos de su esposa y decide mantenerla alejada para no enamorarse de ella. Pues historias de éste tipo también las hay a porrillos, así que será por eso que a mí no me ha parecido para tanto la actitud de él.
Lo que es cierto es que “Noble de corazón” me ha gustado mucho, mucho más de lo que esperaba, y ahora me alegro de haber ido comprando los libros de ésta serie. No puedo decir que haya sido una maravilla, pero me ha entretenido y me ha gustado mucho, y sobre todo he disfrutado de su protagonista, Sophia, porque ella es la auténtica protagonista de la novela y me ha encantado conocerla, a ella, a su fortaleza y determinación, por no dejarse amedrentar y saber llevar su nueva y solitaria situación.
Con lo que me ha gustado este libro, estoy convencida de que no tardaré mucho en leer los siguientes, sobre todo sabiendo que sus protagonistas son las hermanas de Sophia.
El libro no ha sido nada novedoso, pues es verdad que en romance histórico hay un montón de escritoras que han publicado libros con éste mismo tema. Una heredera norteamericana que va a la temporada londinense para cazar un título. Escritoras como Laura Lee Guhrke tienen montones de libros con éste tema, de modo que no puedo resaltarlo como algo original; pero “Noble de corazón” ha tenido algo, algo que me ha mantenido enganchada a sus páginas y sin poder soltarlo.
En el caso de este libro, tenemos la historia de Sophia y James. Sophia es una joven norteamericana aburrida de los tediosos pretendientes neoyorkinos que la presenta su madre, de modo que la convence para ir a Inglaterra. Sophia no confiaba en encontrar esposo en Inglaterra, pues lo que realmente quiere es casarse por amor.
Nuestro protagonista, James, el duque de Wentworth, es un hombre sombrío y atormentado por la locura y las pasiones de su veleidosa familia. Está seguro que no querer casarse y dejarle el título a su hermano menor, pues está convencido de que por sus venas corre la mala sangre de sus despiadados antecedentes. James está conforme con la vida que lleva, hasta que entra en ella Sophia, una norteamericana encantadora, pero descarada, con costumbres extrañas y modales horribles. La verdad es que la situación del título es penosa y James necesita dinero ¿Qué mejor que conseguir al mejor premio de la temporada? Además, ése premio es la hermosa Sophia, por lo tanto el matrimonio ya no le parece a James nada desdeñable.
Una vez sucumbe Sophia a las pasiones de James, es llevada al castillo familiar, donde esta no imaginará el enorme sacrificio que ha tenido que hacer. Una casa incómoda, una suegra que la desprecia por ser quien es, y un esposo que no parecía lo que era. En las paredes del castillo Wentworth, Sophia se verá inundada de horribles secretos que arrastra la familia Langdon, secretos que habría sido mejor mantener escondidos, pero quizás, con el encanto y la voluntad de Sophia puedan alejarse esos fantasmas del pasado.
Sí, leyendo críticas de éste libro encontré varias negativas referentes al comportamiento del protagonista, la verdad es que la historia y su protagonista no han sido muy diferentes del protagonista de “El engaño” de Laura Lee Guhrke, pues tiene argumentos muy similares; una heredera norteamericana que solo quiere casarse por amor, y él la engaña y la corteja para que se sienta enamorada y así pueda casarse con su fortuna. Quizás lo que fue mal con este libro, es que como lectora veías desde el inicio a James enamorado de Sophia, y de repente todo se estropea cuando él se da cuenta de que está sucumbiendo a los encantos de su esposa y decide mantenerla alejada para no enamorarse de ella. Pues historias de éste tipo también las hay a porrillos, así que será por eso que a mí no me ha parecido para tanto la actitud de él.
Lo que es cierto es que “Noble de corazón” me ha gustado mucho, mucho más de lo que esperaba, y ahora me alegro de haber ido comprando los libros de ésta serie. No puedo decir que haya sido una maravilla, pero me ha entretenido y me ha gustado mucho, y sobre todo he disfrutado de su protagonista, Sophia, porque ella es la auténtica protagonista de la novela y me ha encantado conocerla, a ella, a su fortaleza y determinación, por no dejarse amedrentar y saber llevar su nueva y solitaria situación.
Con lo que me ha gustado este libro, estoy convencida de que no tardaré mucho en leer los siguientes, sobre todo sabiendo que sus protagonistas son las hermanas de Sophia.
October 1, 2021
2 stars… this book had potential, but it fell very flat for me. I’m not in a review writing frame of mind, so I’ll just say that the hero was a major asshole to the heroine for what to me seemed a stupid reason. He lied to her and married her for her money and then ditched her soon after. I think that the heroine was wayyyyy too nice considering how he behaved. He left her for a month right after marrying her, with no warning or contact. Now, (mostly because I’m a freak) I’m very frustrated that the book never clarified if he stayed celibate during that separation. Either way, the way he treated her called for some MAJOR GROVEL, and we got almost none. She forgave him before he even apologized - because she had no backbone where he was concerned. I hate weak heroines.
Safety was fine, heroine a virgin, hero seemed like a manwhore to me, he says he always slept with married women… ugh gross! There’s also some weird thing where the hero previously tried to hook up with the heroine’s host (she’s married in this book) and the hero lies about it to the heroine. Personally, I didn’t really understand why this was included at all.
Safety was fine, heroine a virgin, hero seemed like a manwhore to me, he says he always slept with married women… ugh gross! There’s also some weird thing where the hero previously tried to hook up with the heroine’s host (she’s married in this book) and the hero lies about it to the heroine. Personally, I didn’t really understand why this was included at all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2017
OK, let me start by saying that I don't like gold digging heroes. I really think, and I know it may sound somewhat old fashioned, that a man should be capable of bearing his own financial burdens without having to resort to marrying a woman for her money.
Having said that, I can state categorically that the novel was fairly enjoyable. It was neither intense nor especially dramatic ( even though there was more than adequate conflict provided by the author ) but it managed to hold my attention well enough. I did prefer the heroine to the hero. Sophia was an American heiress with incomparable beauty ( I can't understand why she would need to go husband hunting but then that's just my opinion ) whose parents ( her social climbing mother especially ) want her to marry a titled British man. Her mother got on my very last nerve. It was almost painful to see the way the woman acted in front of British peers who were obviously making snide and condescending remarks behind her back. She meant well but somehow it seemed that she was just trying to use her daughter to accomplish her own dreams.
Sophia, the heroine, was a remarkable and amiable young lady who never acted the way one would expect a rich heiress to act. She certainly with a lot more class than many of the English debutantes did. I hated the H for the first half of the novel. He was an absolute asshole. He made Sophia think he was in love with her just to get her to marry him. Sophia was, of course, in love with him and I felt so sorry for her after their wedding night when the bastard showed his true colours. He stopped acting like the devoted swain and was suddenly very curt and cold. His mother was a prime bitch too. She loathed Sophia because of the latter's merchant background and American heritage, but she didn't seem to mind having access to all that wonderful merchant money. What a old rabid hypocrite witch. Only the H's sister was kind and sweet to Sophia. Further conflict was provided by the existence of an old courtesan mistress of the hero's father; that slutty Frenchwoman had been married to the late duke before he had wed the old bitch. The slutty blackmailer was threatening to destroy everything by revealing the existence of a son. That would mean that the H would not be the rightful duke to his father's estate. I was almost sad for the H.
However, since this is a romance novel with the expected HEA ending, that conflict was quickly resolved ( but not before the H's silly sister made a fool of herself over her pseudo half brother ). The H's declaration of love for Sophia seemed a bit too convenient. I felt the author should have provided a bit more validation for that part of the novel. Part of me will always wish that the heroine had married the H's best friend instead. He had been more sincere and earnest in his courting of her. But that couldn't be allowed to happen since the author wrote a subsequent novel in which the best friend and the hero's sister are the MC's.
Having said that, I can state categorically that the novel was fairly enjoyable. It was neither intense nor especially dramatic ( even though there was more than adequate conflict provided by the author ) but it managed to hold my attention well enough. I did prefer the heroine to the hero. Sophia was an American heiress with incomparable beauty ( I can't understand why she would need to go husband hunting but then that's just my opinion ) whose parents ( her social climbing mother especially ) want her to marry a titled British man. Her mother got on my very last nerve. It was almost painful to see the way the woman acted in front of British peers who were obviously making snide and condescending remarks behind her back. She meant well but somehow it seemed that she was just trying to use her daughter to accomplish her own dreams.
Sophia, the heroine, was a remarkable and amiable young lady who never acted the way one would expect a rich heiress to act. She certainly with a lot more class than many of the English debutantes did. I hated the H for the first half of the novel. He was an absolute asshole. He made Sophia think he was in love with her just to get her to marry him. Sophia was, of course, in love with him and I felt so sorry for her after their wedding night when the bastard showed his true colours. He stopped acting like the devoted swain and was suddenly very curt and cold. His mother was a prime bitch too. She loathed Sophia because of the latter's merchant background and American heritage, but she didn't seem to mind having access to all that wonderful merchant money. What a old rabid hypocrite witch. Only the H's sister was kind and sweet to Sophia. Further conflict was provided by the existence of an old courtesan mistress of the hero's father; that slutty Frenchwoman had been married to the late duke before he had wed the old bitch. The slutty blackmailer was threatening to destroy everything by revealing the existence of a son. That would mean that the H would not be the rightful duke to his father's estate. I was almost sad for the H.
However, since this is a romance novel with the expected HEA ending, that conflict was quickly resolved ( but not before the H's silly sister made a fool of herself over her pseudo half brother ). The H's declaration of love for Sophia seemed a bit too convenient. I felt the author should have provided a bit more validation for that part of the novel. Part of me will always wish that the heroine had married the H's best friend instead. He had been more sincere and earnest in his courting of her. But that couldn't be allowed to happen since the author wrote a subsequent novel in which the best friend and the hero's sister are the MC's.
December 19, 2014
3.5 stars
I would have liked this much more, had the writer not exalted the American spirit so much and presented the British peers as savages, who don't have an ounce of compassion for their servants, family or friends. Really, if they're so bad, I wonder why she bothered with an English hero at all. Americans on the other hand are interesting, unique, caring, loving, clever, kind and are here to save the British ton not only financially, but emotionally too. Excuse me, but not being an American, I found it too much to stomach.
The heroine meets the hero in a ball and they instantly catch each other's eye. However, the duke is determined not to marry because of the bad blood that runs in his family. The heroine has no idea and finds herself more and more attracted to him. When the duke realizes how much money she's worth and how much he needs these money, he decides to put his misgivings aside and ask her to marriage. He wants to believe that it is a business deal, but the fact that he actually desires her is something that scares him and he tries to stay as far away as possible from her after the marriage. The heroine suddenly realizes that she doesn't know the man she married at all and doesn't know what to make of it; she loves him and can't understand why he acts like he does.
The writing is pretty good actually and the plot fast paced. As a fan of marriage-of-convenience plots I was intrigued by this one and I have to say I really enjoyed reading it, though it wasn't as intense as I thought it would be. There were some inaccuracies with the hero's character (he's portrayed as honorable and decent, but not all of his actions agree with that) and his appearence as well (he starts he green eyes but later we learn he has blue) that could be easily avoided. I also wish the writer didn't attribute all the good qualities of the heroine to her American identity. I'm quite interested to read something else from this author, but I think I'll stay away from the American Heiresses series and see what she can do with a British heroine:)
I would have liked this much more, had the writer not exalted the American spirit so much and presented the British peers as savages, who don't have an ounce of compassion for their servants, family or friends. Really, if they're so bad, I wonder why she bothered with an English hero at all. Americans on the other hand are interesting, unique, caring, loving, clever, kind and are here to save the British ton not only financially, but emotionally too. Excuse me, but not being an American, I found it too much to stomach.
The heroine meets the hero in a ball and they instantly catch each other's eye. However, the duke is determined not to marry because of the bad blood that runs in his family. The heroine has no idea and finds herself more and more attracted to him. When the duke realizes how much money she's worth and how much he needs these money, he decides to put his misgivings aside and ask her to marriage. He wants to believe that it is a business deal, but the fact that he actually desires her is something that scares him and he tries to stay as far away as possible from her after the marriage. The heroine suddenly realizes that she doesn't know the man she married at all and doesn't know what to make of it; she loves him and can't understand why he acts like he does.
The writing is pretty good actually and the plot fast paced. As a fan of marriage-of-convenience plots I was intrigued by this one and I have to say I really enjoyed reading it, though it wasn't as intense as I thought it would be. There were some inaccuracies with the hero's character (he's portrayed as honorable and decent, but not all of his actions agree with that) and his appearence as well (he starts he green eyes but later we learn he has blue) that could be easily avoided. I also wish the writer didn't attribute all the good qualities of the heroine to her American identity. I'm quite interested to read something else from this author, but I think I'll stay away from the American Heiresses series and see what she can do with a British heroine:)
September 28, 2025
To Marry the Duke is a wonderful Historical Romance. It written brilliantly!! Wonderful Characters and Excellent Storyline. If you like real HR Romance this is the story for you.
James Langdon Duke of Wentworth needs a rich bride. His estates are going under in debt. What he didn't expect to find was the Obscenely Rich American Heiress Sophia Wilson. James has vowed never to fall in love. He has secrets in his family. His father was a cruel abusive acholic.
Sophia Wilson's father would be consider a billionaire in this era. Sophia has a dowry that could make you faint for the 18th century. I loved her self confidence, her kindness even though she is filthy rich she is gentile and kind. She love James and believed he lover her so she married him. James changes after the honeymoon and becomes cold and distant.
When Sophia realizes James married her for dowry she is hurt and sad. But She is an American Girl so she picks herself up and carries on with her life. She has learned not to take any crap off of anyone after all she is The Duchess. But soon her new attitude causes James to see how loving and caring a person she really is and as hard as he fights falling in love with her. The Iron Curtain Falls!! Before he knows it he is madly in love with his wife.
The story has twist and turns. Blackmail and lies. Secrets of the past that have been hidden.
A beautifully written Love Story!!
James Langdon Duke of Wentworth needs a rich bride. His estates are going under in debt. What he didn't expect to find was the Obscenely Rich American Heiress Sophia Wilson. James has vowed never to fall in love. He has secrets in his family. His father was a cruel abusive acholic.
Sophia Wilson's father would be consider a billionaire in this era. Sophia has a dowry that could make you faint for the 18th century. I loved her self confidence, her kindness even though she is filthy rich she is gentile and kind. She love James and believed he lover her so she married him. James changes after the honeymoon and becomes cold and distant.
When Sophia realizes James married her for dowry she is hurt and sad. But She is an American Girl so she picks herself up and carries on with her life. She has learned not to take any crap off of anyone after all she is The Duchess. But soon her new attitude causes James to see how loving and caring a person she really is and as hard as he fights falling in love with her. The Iron Curtain Falls!! Before he knows it he is madly in love with his wife.
The story has twist and turns. Blackmail and lies. Secrets of the past that have been hidden.
A beautifully written Love Story!!
January 30, 2021
3 MEH STARS
An American heiress who wants a marriage of love and a English lord who has closed his heart and needs a wealthy wife find themselves drawn to one another.
James declaration of love for Sophia seemed a bit too convenient and needed more development/depth.
Freebie on amazon.
An American heiress who wants a marriage of love and a English lord who has closed his heart and needs a wealthy wife find themselves drawn to one another.
James declaration of love for Sophia seemed a bit too convenient and needed more development/depth.
Freebie on amazon.
October 5, 2016
İlk defa beni bunaltmayan, heyecanla sayfalarını çevirdiğim bir historical okudum. Gerçekten şoktayım:O Çok şekerdi bence kitap. James uyuz herifin tekiydi ama bir o kadar da tutkulu ve kararlı.. Sophia ise fazla 'iyi'. Hatta çok fazla iyi.
Sonuçta sevdim mi? Çok sevdim..
Sonuçta sevdim mi? Çok sevdim..
July 23, 2017
3.75 stars
My first Julianne MacLean book and I have to say I really enjoyed her writing style. A lot of attention to detail and POVs with flawed layered characters. This used one of my favorite tropes, the marriage of convenience trope with a gorgeous, stoic Duke with a rumored "temper" and secrets and a rich American heiress who married him for love.
I will say though there was an editing hiccup that is a personal pet peeve of mine. The hero is described in the beginning by the heroine as having "green catlike eyes" but in the second half of the book his eyes have magically turned blue. This happened twice. Mistakes like this drive me insane. 😩 I just don't get how stuff like this gets missed in edits? Things like eye color and hair color always stand out to me since it's such an important visual detail. So it's very hard to forget or miss when an author is so careful in describing her characters and then those details are inconsistent in the book. *sigh*
I didn't realize I already have Book 4 in this series, Lily's book, the hero's little sister. She and Whitby did intrigue me in here so very curious and will definitely read it and more from this author.
My first Julianne MacLean book and I have to say I really enjoyed her writing style. A lot of attention to detail and POVs with flawed layered characters. This used one of my favorite tropes, the marriage of convenience trope with a gorgeous, stoic Duke with a rumored "temper" and secrets and a rich American heiress who married him for love.
I will say though there was an editing hiccup that is a personal pet peeve of mine. The hero is described in the beginning by the heroine as having "green catlike eyes" but in the second half of the book his eyes have magically turned blue. This happened twice. Mistakes like this drive me insane. 😩 I just don't get how stuff like this gets missed in edits? Things like eye color and hair color always stand out to me since it's such an important visual detail. So it's very hard to forget or miss when an author is so careful in describing her characters and then those details are inconsistent in the book. *sigh*
I didn't realize I already have Book 4 in this series, Lily's book, the hero's little sister. She and Whitby did intrigue me in here so very curious and will definitely read it and more from this author.
September 7, 2022
3,5...it was good,just not memorable...
February 7, 2008
Another book that has been on my TBR pile for quite a while. I heard good things about Julianne MacLean but when I received the books there were others I wanted to read and that’s how they were almost forgotten for a while.
My dear sister Clara,
London society is so much more complicated than I could ever have known! Every night is a different ball or assembly, and a different swirl of glittering jewels and rustling gowns. Though I fear I am making social blunders left and right I am having some measure of success in my (or rather, Mother's) objective. Mother is beside herself with glee at the attentions I have been receiving from a few gentlemen she finds supremely suitable as husband material.
But my dearest sister, it is so hard for me to even look at any gentleman but a certain duke, who, if I may confess, makes my heart beat so that I fear it can be seen across a ballroom. He is James Langdon, the Duke of Wentworth, and though I may sound dramatic, he makes me feel as no man ever has before.
But I must push these feelings away. I sometimes hear whispers about his dark past, and he is quietly called the Dangerous Duke. Oh Clara! I am secretly overjoyed that he may love me, and at the same time terrified of his attentions. I have waited so long for my true love, and now I must resist him to protect my heart.
If only I knew how to proceed…Your devoted sister,
Sophia
I was really surprised with how much I liked it. It was a simple story about an American heiress come to London to find a husband and the Duke that she ends up marrying. Sophia is a sensible and level headed young woman that despite her fortune still expects to marry for love. James is seldom seen in society and doesn’t plan to marry to escape the tragic destiny of his father and grandfather whose violent tempers made their families miserable. He does however change his mind when after being introduced to Sophia at a ball he finds himself attracted to her and discovers how much she is worth.
Sophia doesn’t realize that love is not what is making him chase her but the fact that he believes she will make a good duchess and her dowry will help him with the much needed repairs in his estate. At least that’s what he tells himself.
So these 2 people end up marrying with very different expectations of what their marriage is going to be. After the honeymoon James decides to stay away from Sophia to make sure he is not being controlled by his passions but instead that he controls them. Sophia is also dealing with her very difficult mother-in-law who challenges every decision she makes and does not understand James’s change towards her. When she confronts him she realizes that her marriage is not exactly what she was believing it to be. I did like how MacLean pictured that scene without unnecessary drama or excessive coldness.
Although with her illusions shattered Sophia decides to make the best of her situation and behave like the duchess everyone expects her to be. As she shows a more contained and formal behaviour James starts coming around and showing a warmer side of his character. I thought it was perfectly believable how he felt scared of his own feelings after a blissful honeymoon and how when the pressure lightened up he felt like he could trust Sophia and actually love her without being in danger of being like his father.
The story also includes old family secrets and blackmail which Sophia and James will have to face together and solve before they are allowed to live happily ever after.
I really enjoyed MacLean’s writing style and how nicely she wrote this story. I find I also really enjoyed this period when American heiresses arrived in London to obtain titles and in exchange replenish the British nobility’s empty coffers so it’s a good thing that this is the first book of the American Heiresses trilogy.
Grade: B+
My dear sister Clara,
London society is so much more complicated than I could ever have known! Every night is a different ball or assembly, and a different swirl of glittering jewels and rustling gowns. Though I fear I am making social blunders left and right I am having some measure of success in my (or rather, Mother's) objective. Mother is beside herself with glee at the attentions I have been receiving from a few gentlemen she finds supremely suitable as husband material.
But my dearest sister, it is so hard for me to even look at any gentleman but a certain duke, who, if I may confess, makes my heart beat so that I fear it can be seen across a ballroom. He is James Langdon, the Duke of Wentworth, and though I may sound dramatic, he makes me feel as no man ever has before.
But I must push these feelings away. I sometimes hear whispers about his dark past, and he is quietly called the Dangerous Duke. Oh Clara! I am secretly overjoyed that he may love me, and at the same time terrified of his attentions. I have waited so long for my true love, and now I must resist him to protect my heart.
If only I knew how to proceed…Your devoted sister,
Sophia
I was really surprised with how much I liked it. It was a simple story about an American heiress come to London to find a husband and the Duke that she ends up marrying. Sophia is a sensible and level headed young woman that despite her fortune still expects to marry for love. James is seldom seen in society and doesn’t plan to marry to escape the tragic destiny of his father and grandfather whose violent tempers made their families miserable. He does however change his mind when after being introduced to Sophia at a ball he finds himself attracted to her and discovers how much she is worth.
Sophia doesn’t realize that love is not what is making him chase her but the fact that he believes she will make a good duchess and her dowry will help him with the much needed repairs in his estate. At least that’s what he tells himself.
So these 2 people end up marrying with very different expectations of what their marriage is going to be. After the honeymoon James decides to stay away from Sophia to make sure he is not being controlled by his passions but instead that he controls them. Sophia is also dealing with her very difficult mother-in-law who challenges every decision she makes and does not understand James’s change towards her. When she confronts him she realizes that her marriage is not exactly what she was believing it to be. I did like how MacLean pictured that scene without unnecessary drama or excessive coldness.
Although with her illusions shattered Sophia decides to make the best of her situation and behave like the duchess everyone expects her to be. As she shows a more contained and formal behaviour James starts coming around and showing a warmer side of his character. I thought it was perfectly believable how he felt scared of his own feelings after a blissful honeymoon and how when the pressure lightened up he felt like he could trust Sophia and actually love her without being in danger of being like his father.
The story also includes old family secrets and blackmail which Sophia and James will have to face together and solve before they are allowed to live happily ever after.
I really enjoyed MacLean’s writing style and how nicely she wrote this story. I find I also really enjoyed this period when American heiresses arrived in London to obtain titles and in exchange replenish the British nobility’s empty coffers so it’s a good thing that this is the first book of the American Heiresses trilogy.
Grade: B+
December 2, 2013
I don't know what it is about Julianne MacLean's writing. It's not terribly good, but it's far from awful. Her plots keep me intrigued, mostly because her characters are frustrating and I want to figure them out. I enjoyed this one more than a few of MacLean's others. If you're not into stories where the conflict is internally driven, steer clear of this one. But if you enjoy a little character study with your romance, it should keep you at least mildly entertained for a while.
February 12, 2023
Did not enjoy this.
September 3, 2017
Merhaba. Ben okuyup da beğenmediği kitapların yazarlarının, başka kitaplarını alıp ısrarla okumaya devam eden kız. Sanırım bunun sebebi bir yazarı tek bir kitapla değerlendiremeyeceğimi düşünmem.
Julianne MacLean'e gelirsek... Yazarın bundan önce Epsilon'dan çıkan "Ben Sana Tutsak" kitabını okumuştum. İskoçlu bir kitap olduğu için ve ben de daha önce İskoçlu kitapların en iyilerini okuduğumdan dolayı beklentim çok yüksekti. Kitap ise bana basit, yavan ve birazcık da kopya gibi gelmişti. Çevremden yazarın Ephesus'tan çıkan kitaplarının bi tık daha iyi olduğunu duymuştum. Hal böyle olunca 3-5 liraya kitapları bulduğumda almadan duramadım.
Konuya gelirsek... Lisa Kleypas'ın Süs Bitkileri'nden aşina olduğumuz Amerikalı varisler bu kitabın - ve serinin diğer kitaplarının - konusu. Öncelikle James'in çocukken yaşadıkları çok üstünkörü anlatılması karakterin davranışlarına anlam kazandırmamı zorlaştırdı. Her açıdan davranışları mantıksız geldi bana. Yazar tarihi yansıtmada çoğu kez başarılı olmuştu, ancak Sophia'nın çeyiz miktarının imkansız bir miktar oluşu çok rahatsız etti beni. 1 milyon 500 bin sterlin ne kuzum? Kralın hazine odasını mı boşalttınız? O dönemde yıllık 20 bin sterlin gelir ile zengin sınıfına girilirken bu aşırı abartı miktar gözüme çok battı, çok yanlış geldi.
Bunun dışında yan karakterler tam oturmamış gibiydi. Martin oturaklı bir kişiliğe sahip miydi, yoksa değil miydi? Lily şiddet görmüş müydü, yoksa görmemiş miydi? Marion oğluna şiddet uygulamış mıydı, yoksa ilahi bir anne modeli olarak oğlunu mu korumaya çalışmıştı?
Son kısımda sanki yazar karakterlere karşı bütün fikirlerini değiştirip bambaşka kişiler koymuştu onların yerine.
Kitabın beğendiğim kısmı ise dilinin sadeliği, akıcılığı ve betimlemelerin yeterli olmasıydı.
Julianne MacLean'e gelirsek... Yazarın bundan önce Epsilon'dan çıkan "Ben Sana Tutsak" kitabını okumuştum. İskoçlu bir kitap olduğu için ve ben de daha önce İskoçlu kitapların en iyilerini okuduğumdan dolayı beklentim çok yüksekti. Kitap ise bana basit, yavan ve birazcık da kopya gibi gelmişti. Çevremden yazarın Ephesus'tan çıkan kitaplarının bi tık daha iyi olduğunu duymuştum. Hal böyle olunca 3-5 liraya kitapları bulduğumda almadan duramadım.
Konuya gelirsek... Lisa Kleypas'ın Süs Bitkileri'nden aşina olduğumuz Amerikalı varisler bu kitabın - ve serinin diğer kitaplarının - konusu. Öncelikle James'in çocukken yaşadıkları çok üstünkörü anlatılması karakterin davranışlarına anlam kazandırmamı zorlaştırdı. Her açıdan davranışları mantıksız geldi bana. Yazar tarihi yansıtmada çoğu kez başarılı olmuştu, ancak Sophia'nın çeyiz miktarının imkansız bir miktar oluşu çok rahatsız etti beni. 1 milyon 500 bin sterlin ne kuzum? Kralın hazine odasını mı boşalttınız? O dönemde yıllık 20 bin sterlin gelir ile zengin sınıfına girilirken bu aşırı abartı miktar gözüme çok battı, çok yanlış geldi.
Bunun dışında yan karakterler tam oturmamış gibiydi. Martin oturaklı bir kişiliğe sahip miydi, yoksa değil miydi? Lily şiddet görmüş müydü, yoksa görmemiş miydi? Marion oğluna şiddet uygulamış mıydı, yoksa ilahi bir anne modeli olarak oğlunu mu korumaya çalışmıştı?
Son kısımda sanki yazar karakterlere karşı bütün fikirlerini değiştirip bambaşka kişiler koymuştu onların yerine.
Kitabın beğendiğim kısmı ise dilinin sadeliği, akıcılığı ve betimlemelerin yeterli olmasıydı.
February 5, 2023
Sweet!
This was an engaging novel with a lot of emotions. Sophia's warmth thawed James's coldness and everyone around her.
There's a staggering difference between the two cultures and it is highlighted frequently.
I like Sophia's zest for life and relationships and while she adjusted quite a bit into the aristocracy, she remained as she is and didn't bend over backwards for anyone, including her stuffy mother-in-law.
The story developed very well and love blossomed between Sophia and James. I'm curious what would be come of Lily though.
This was an engaging novel with a lot of emotions. Sophia's warmth thawed James's coldness and everyone around her.
There's a staggering difference between the two cultures and it is highlighted frequently.
I like Sophia's zest for life and relationships and while she adjusted quite a bit into the aristocracy, she remained as she is and didn't bend over backwards for anyone, including her stuffy mother-in-law.
The story developed very well and love blossomed between Sophia and James. I'm curious what would be come of Lily though.
September 3, 2012
Amerikan varislerinin hikayesine yer verilen serinin ilk kitabı zevkle okundu ve bitti.
Uzun zamandır historical okumamıştım, bu kitap oldukça iyi geldi.Kitabın ismi, kapağı bence tam anlamıyla doğru tercih edîlmiş.Ben oldukça beğendim zira bi gúnde su gîbi aktı geçti.
Konuya değinecek olursak Sophia Amerikalı bir varis ve ingiltereye gelip soylu bir erkekle evlenme niyetinde.yokda bu ailesinin niyeti miydi :)
James ise evliliğe hiç sıcak bakmıyor, zira geçmişte yaşadıkları onun bu fikri benimsemesine vesile olmuş.Bencede haklı, onca yaşadığı kótú şeyler.
Sonuç olarak çiftimiz ilk górúşte birbirinden etkilenir ama birbirinden uzak durmaya çalışırlar.Ama gónúl bu ferman dinler mi?aradaki çekim (ve bazı yan etkenler) óyle gúçlúdúr ki sonuç evlilikle biter.
Amma velakin cicim ayları çabuk biter ve başlar sorunlar.
Acaba çiftimiz korkularının ústesinden gelip mutlu olacaklar mıdır?
Sophia, James'in derinlerine gómdúğu kederine son verebilecek midir?
okuyup óğrenin derim :)
Uzun zamandır historical okumamıştım, bu kitap oldukça iyi geldi.Kitabın ismi, kapağı bence tam anlamıyla doğru tercih edîlmiş.Ben oldukça beğendim zira bi gúnde su gîbi aktı geçti.
Konuya değinecek olursak Sophia Amerikalı bir varis ve ingiltereye gelip soylu bir erkekle evlenme niyetinde.yokda bu ailesinin niyeti miydi :)
James ise evliliğe hiç sıcak bakmıyor, zira geçmişte yaşadıkları onun bu fikri benimsemesine vesile olmuş.Bencede haklı, onca yaşadığı kótú şeyler.
Sonuç olarak çiftimiz ilk górúşte birbirinden etkilenir ama birbirinden uzak durmaya çalışırlar.Ama gónúl bu ferman dinler mi?aradaki çekim (ve bazı yan etkenler) óyle gúçlúdúr ki sonuç evlilikle biter.
Amma velakin cicim ayları çabuk biter ve başlar sorunlar.
Acaba çiftimiz korkularının ústesinden gelip mutlu olacaklar mıdır?
Sophia, James'in derinlerine gómdúğu kederine son verebilecek midir?
okuyup óğrenin derim :)
February 11, 2022
To Marry the Duke is a wonderful Historical Romance. It written brilliantly!! Wonderful Characters and Excellent Storyline. If you like real HR Romance this is the story for you.
James Langdon Duke of Wentworth needs a rich bride. His estates are going under in debt. What he didn't expect to find was the Obscenely Rich American Heiress Sophia Wilson. James has vowed never to fall in love. He has secrets in his family. His father was a cruel abusive acholic.
Sophia Wilson's father would be consider a billionaire in this era. Sophia has a dowry that could make you faint for the 18th century. I loved her self confidence, her kindness even though she is filthy rich she is gentile and kind. She love James and believed he lover her so she married him. James changes after the honeymoon and becomes cold and distant.
When Sophia realizes James married her for dowry she is hurt and sad. But She is an American Girl so she picks herself up and carries on with her life. She has learned not to take any crap off of anyone after all she is The Duchess. But soon her new attitude causes James to see how loving and caring a person she really is and as hard as he fights falling in love with her. The Iron Curtain Falls!! Before he knows it he is madly in love with his wife.
The story has twist and turns. Blackmail and lies. Secrets of the past that have been hidden.
A beautifully written Love Story!!
James Langdon Duke of Wentworth needs a rich bride. His estates are going under in debt. What he didn't expect to find was the Obscenely Rich American Heiress Sophia Wilson. James has vowed never to fall in love. He has secrets in his family. His father was a cruel abusive acholic.
Sophia Wilson's father would be consider a billionaire in this era. Sophia has a dowry that could make you faint for the 18th century. I loved her self confidence, her kindness even though she is filthy rich she is gentile and kind. She love James and believed he lover her so she married him. James changes after the honeymoon and becomes cold and distant.
When Sophia realizes James married her for dowry she is hurt and sad. But She is an American Girl so she picks herself up and carries on with her life. She has learned not to take any crap off of anyone after all she is The Duchess. But soon her new attitude causes James to see how loving and caring a person she really is and as hard as he fights falling in love with her. The Iron Curtain Falls!! Before he knows it he is madly in love with his wife.
The story has twist and turns. Blackmail and lies. Secrets of the past that have been hidden.
A beautifully written Love Story!!
April 3, 2020
This book was just an ok read for me. The heroine was a little too perfect in every way, and the hero was just cruel most of the time and then nice and then cruel again it got a little tedious but overall it was ok. The other characters in the book were a little one-dimensional for me and the heros excuse for not wanting to love. I would have hoped the author would have come up with something a little better because after I finished the book I still could believe that was all there was to it.
October 31, 2011
No one loves a tortured duke more than me. Add in a spunky " fish out of water" heroine from America and I was fully prepared to love this book. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. The duke, James, seemed pretty wishy- washy in his introspections. "I will marry her. I won't marry her. I can control my passion. I cannot control my passion.". On and on. Sophia, the American heiress, fell in love with the duke a little too quickly for someone who was very determined to take her time choosing a husband. They never clicked as a couple for me and I lost interest in them rather quickly.
I've read other books by this author which I loved. The writing in this wasn't nearly as good as though. Or maybe I just noticed the silly euphemisms and stilted dialogue because the tension and conflict was lacking.
I've read other books by this author which I loved. The writing in this wasn't nearly as good as though. Or maybe I just noticed the silly euphemisms and stilted dialogue because the tension and conflict was lacking.
August 1, 2025
Sofía Wilson es una heredera estadounidense en el Londres victoriano, en busca de un noble a quien pueda amar. James Langson, duque de Wentworth, sería un buen candidato (por el título) pero también malo (no quiere casarse, ni está dispuesto a enamorarse).
Se gustan, pero son muy diferentes: ella una enamorada del amor, él un cínico. Así que tienen que evolucionar a lo largo de la historia. Los personajes no son iguales al final que al principio, y eso gracias a su relación con el otro.
Romance histórico que no tiene nada especial pero resulta muy agradable de leer. Si quieres una romántica de las de toda la vida, pero ya del siglo XXI (To marry de duke es de 2003), ésta me parece una opción bien amena
Reseña algo más extensa, en mi blog.
Se gustan, pero son muy diferentes: ella una enamorada del amor, él un cínico. Así que tienen que evolucionar a lo largo de la historia. Los personajes no son iguales al final que al principio, y eso gracias a su relación con el otro.
Romance histórico que no tiene nada especial pero resulta muy agradable de leer. Si quieres una romántica de las de toda la vida, pero ya del siglo XXI (To marry de duke es de 2003), ésta me parece una opción bien amena
Reseña algo más extensa, en mi blog.
September 1, 2012
Begendim kitabı. Devam kitapları da sabırsızlıklabekliyorum ama kızın kardeşlerinden daha çok Dük'ün kardeşlerinde daha fazla action var gibime geliyor.
P.S: Kitap 1881de geciyor ama benim göz alışmış Regency'e, gözalışınca algımda seçici oldugundan 1818 sandım tarihi, sonra kitabın içinde fotograflar çekildi, gazetelere resimleri çıkdı, trenlere binildi inildi,kızın "Nirede benim merkezi ısıtmalı evimm" diye yana yakıldı. E bende error verdim hemde 404ün en dibinden. Neyse sonra tarihe bir kere daha bakınca her şey yerli yerine oturdu rahat nefes aldım :)
P.S: Kitap 1881de geciyor ama benim göz alışmış Regency'e, gözalışınca algımda seçici oldugundan 1818 sandım tarihi, sonra kitabın içinde fotograflar çekildi, gazetelere resimleri çıkdı, trenlere binildi inildi,kızın "Nirede benim merkezi ısıtmalı evimm" diye yana yakıldı. E bende error verdim hemde 404ün en dibinden. Neyse sonra tarihe bir kere daha bakınca her şey yerli yerine oturdu rahat nefes aldım :)
February 12, 2023
James was a heartbreaker who deceived Sophia into falling in love with him. I was mad at him most of the time I was reading the book.
March 18, 2024
Le he puesto 3.5 estrellas es el primero que leo de la autora y se me ha hecho algo denso, el libro que leí de bolsillo tenía 400 páginas. Tengo la sensación de que pasan muchas cosas importantes y las pasa por encima. Por ejemplo la luna de miel me hubiera gustado que la hubiera contado más y no directamente que se pasen de la noche de bodas a la llegada al castillo. No sé eso pienso que era importante contarlo para darle más credibilidad al cambio de actitud de James. Y bueno por otra parte este libro tenía algunas malas críticas porque supuestamente el prota trata mal a Sophia y le dice que no la quiere y que se casó con ella por su dinero y tenía miedo por si me decepcionaba por eso. Pero si bien esa conversación tiene lugar tampoco se lo dice de mala manera, además ella como bien dice el también buscaba un título y el si que la quiere en ese momento lo que pasa es que por sus miedos y traumas no quiere admitirlo.por lo tanto el prota no me cayó mal por eso. Tampoco entiendo muy bien a que venía el drama de la primera mujer del padre, el chantaje y lo del supuesto hijo que al final queda muy en el aire y no sabía que pintaba el francés. Está hecho para crear más drama y era un poco culebrunesco. Los personajes me han parecido todos bastante bien dibujados y humanos, la madre, los hermanos de ambos la madre de ella, Whitby en general todos. Pero creo que la protagonista gana de calle se roba la novela. El protagonista a parte de ser guapísimo no tiene nada muy destacable.
La autora no describe demasiado a los personajes físicamente solo dice que los protagonistas son extremadamente bellos como casi siempre en estás novelas. Y bueno me ha gustado también saber un poco más de historia con los matrimonios de las americanas con los nobles ingleses. Aunque pinta a los americanos como adelantados en todo y el no va más y a los ingleses como retrogrados anclados en el pasado y las tradiciones. Me ha gustado aunque se me haya hecho un poco meh. Las escenas de sexo están bastante bien. Sobretodo la última de la bañera. Y bueno los personajes secundarios prometen mucho. Es un libro que cuenta muchas cosas y bueno aunque tampoco me parece memorable quiero darle una oportunidad a la saga ya que tengo los libros de la oferta que estaban a 2.80 en Amazon hace tiempo. Y bueno no está nada mal lo recomiendo.
La autora no describe demasiado a los personajes físicamente solo dice que los protagonistas son extremadamente bellos como casi siempre en estás novelas. Y bueno me ha gustado también saber un poco más de historia con los matrimonios de las americanas con los nobles ingleses. Aunque pinta a los americanos como adelantados en todo y el no va más y a los ingleses como retrogrados anclados en el pasado y las tradiciones. Me ha gustado aunque se me haya hecho un poco meh. Las escenas de sexo están bastante bien. Sobretodo la última de la bañera. Y bueno los personajes secundarios prometen mucho. Es un libro que cuenta muchas cosas y bueno aunque tampoco me parece memorable quiero darle una oportunidad a la saga ya que tengo los libros de la oferta que estaban a 2.80 en Amazon hace tiempo. Y bueno no está nada mal lo recomiendo.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2017
For me, this ended up being a good story. At first, I didn't like reading it because I really disliked the hero, James. He had a dukedom that was failing financially and needed a rich American heiress. But I found him to be totally unlikable. He said all the right things but the reader knows they are completely insincere. And poor Sophia. She was completely infatuated and fell for it all. But, naturally, you knew everything would turn around for them. And it did. They ended up with a wonderful romance, thanks to Sophia's American boldness and courage. Great HEA. Almost too good.
October 2, 2025
Good but not great
I wanted more. I was very disenchanted with the Duke after he married Sophia. He became someone I could not like. I do believe.he loved her at the end but the whole beginning just let me down. His,sister ran away with a frenchman and he went to rescue her and there was lots of intrigue for that. Sophia as a perfect duchess. James was a little reticent about love. He had a horrible childhood. But he was a good man deep down inside.
I wanted more. I was very disenchanted with the Duke after he married Sophia. He became someone I could not like. I do believe.he loved her at the end but the whole beginning just let me down. His,sister ran away with a frenchman and he went to rescue her and there was lots of intrigue for that. Sophia as a perfect duchess. James was a little reticent about love. He had a horrible childhood. But he was a good man deep down inside.
November 1, 2023
I really like when heroines are like, nah, eff this, I love you! don’t let that stuffy duke tell you how it’s gonna be.
September 6, 2012
BENİ AŞKA İNANDIR-JULİANNE MACLEAN-YORUMUM-
Ephesus bizi çok iyi bir yazarla daha tanıştırdı.Gerçekten güzel bir historical romandı.Yazarın üslubu , olaylar ve karakterler gerçekten çekiciydi.Ve bence kusursuz bir çeviriyle daha Ephesus benim bütün güvenimi kazandı.
Kapak tasarımı ve kalitesi insanı çeken ilk şey oluyor aslında , kitabı açtığınızda ise devamı geliyor zaten.
…
Sophia , o benim gördüğüm en dişli en çekici ve en kararlı karakterlerden biriydi.Sanırım Amerikalı olması bunun temel nedeniydi.Kabarık bir mirası vardı ama eksik olan tek şey ise soylu olmamasıydı ve bunun için (doğrusu ailesi ve özellikle kız kardeşleri için) soylu bir adamla evlenip kendisini İngiliz soylularına kabul ettirmeliydi.
Arka kapak yazısında okuduğunuz gibi James adında bir dükümüz var , insanın kalp atışlarını hızlandıran ama hakkında hiçde güzel şeyler söylenmeyen bir dük…
Sanırım yasak olan o kadar tatlı olur diye buna derler.
Sophia James’ten çok etkileniyor ama onun yanlış adam olduğunu anlıyor.
‘’Annesinin ağzının suyunun akması ise onu etkilemiyor’’
Ama James’in bu güzel Amerikalı için planları vardır zira James zor durumdadır… Dışarıdan ne kadar soylu görünüyor olsa bile … Topraklarından gelen para azalmış ve hasat zararlara uğramıştır. Güvendiği kardeşinin ise okulda çapkınlık yaptığını öğrendiğinde her şeyin onun omuzlarına bindiğini artık anlamıştır.
Sophia’nın boynunda ki o kolyenin parası bile onu kurtarabilecek cinsteyken James nasıl harekete geçmeden durabilirdi.
Sophia'nın cesur sözleri ve davetleri karşılıksız kalmayacak çünkü James bu güzel kadına hiç karşı koyamaz. Sophia asla açık sözlü olmaktan vazgeçmemesi beni çok etkiledi ama onun bazen üzülmesi gerçekleri anlaması beni gerçekten etkiledi... James'a kızmaktan kendimi geri alamadım...
…
Sophia’nın istediği tek şey aşkken… James buna inatla karşı koyar… Ama Sophia’nın gözlerine her bakışında bir savunma bariyerinin daha yıkıldığına şahit olur…
...
Aşk yine kazanacak ve her ne olursa olsun affedilecek kadar güzel olacaktır…
Ephesus bizi çok iyi bir yazarla daha tanıştırdı.Gerçekten güzel bir historical romandı.Yazarın üslubu , olaylar ve karakterler gerçekten çekiciydi.Ve bence kusursuz bir çeviriyle daha Ephesus benim bütün güvenimi kazandı.
Kapak tasarımı ve kalitesi insanı çeken ilk şey oluyor aslında , kitabı açtığınızda ise devamı geliyor zaten.
…
Sophia , o benim gördüğüm en dişli en çekici ve en kararlı karakterlerden biriydi.Sanırım Amerikalı olması bunun temel nedeniydi.Kabarık bir mirası vardı ama eksik olan tek şey ise soylu olmamasıydı ve bunun için (doğrusu ailesi ve özellikle kız kardeşleri için) soylu bir adamla evlenip kendisini İngiliz soylularına kabul ettirmeliydi.
Arka kapak yazısında okuduğunuz gibi James adında bir dükümüz var , insanın kalp atışlarını hızlandıran ama hakkında hiçde güzel şeyler söylenmeyen bir dük…
Sanırım yasak olan o kadar tatlı olur diye buna derler.
Sophia James’ten çok etkileniyor ama onun yanlış adam olduğunu anlıyor.
‘’Annesinin ağzının suyunun akması ise onu etkilemiyor’’
Ama James’in bu güzel Amerikalı için planları vardır zira James zor durumdadır… Dışarıdan ne kadar soylu görünüyor olsa bile … Topraklarından gelen para azalmış ve hasat zararlara uğramıştır. Güvendiği kardeşinin ise okulda çapkınlık yaptığını öğrendiğinde her şeyin onun omuzlarına bindiğini artık anlamıştır.
Sophia’nın boynunda ki o kolyenin parası bile onu kurtarabilecek cinsteyken James nasıl harekete geçmeden durabilirdi.
Sophia'nın cesur sözleri ve davetleri karşılıksız kalmayacak çünkü James bu güzel kadına hiç karşı koyamaz. Sophia asla açık sözlü olmaktan vazgeçmemesi beni çok etkiledi ama onun bazen üzülmesi gerçekleri anlaması beni gerçekten etkiledi... James'a kızmaktan kendimi geri alamadım...
…
Sophia’nın istediği tek şey aşkken… James buna inatla karşı koyar… Ama Sophia’nın gözlerine her bakışında bir savunma bariyerinin daha yıkıldığına şahit olur…
...
Aşk yine kazanacak ve her ne olursa olsun affedilecek kadar güzel olacaktır…
March 4, 2017
Sophia is an American heiress in London with her mother. She's looking for a husband to love, who wants her for her, and not her money. James, the Duke of Wentworth is a tortured soul who has promised not to marry but considering his finances has made an exception for the very lovely Sophia. And so he courts her, seduces her and gets her to agree to marriage. All the while he tells himself he can control his passions so he won't become like his father - he will never love her.
The premise was okay and I liked the characters initially - they had a lot of promise. But around the 50% the book reached a turning point and I just couldn't like this book after that. It was at that point that James reveals to a completely enamored Sophia that he never intended to love her and he married her for her dowry. Then, he took off to London for a month and left the heroine, an American in a foreign country with a surly mother-in-law and an entire British household to run (and no idea how to do it). At that point, I would have walked right out the door. But no, she decides to stick it out and become the reserved "british" wife that James wants. Except in the bedroom of course, because she's not about to give up on that. I mean, what's the point of punishing him or staying angry with him. She basically becomes a doormat, but at lease she's optimistic about getting him to love her right? It frustrated me to no end that he didn't have to feel guilty about what he'd done to her. As she put it, she gave up her family, her country and her way of life for him and what does he give to her? I couldn't forgive him. And I couldn't respect her for not staying angry with him. It made her seem to Mary Sue. Nor could I fathom Whitby and his completely out of the blue forgiveness of James. People in this story just did not react to events the way they realistically should IMHO.
The premise was okay and I liked the characters initially - they had a lot of promise. But around the 50% the book reached a turning point and I just couldn't like this book after that. It was at that point that James reveals to a completely enamored Sophia that he never intended to love her and he married her for her dowry. Then, he took off to London for a month and left the heroine, an American in a foreign country with a surly mother-in-law and an entire British household to run (and no idea how to do it). At that point, I would have walked right out the door. But no, she decides to stick it out and become the reserved "british" wife that James wants. Except in the bedroom of course, because she's not about to give up on that. I mean, what's the point of punishing him or staying angry with him. She basically becomes a doormat, but at lease she's optimistic about getting him to love her right? It frustrated me to no end that he didn't have to feel guilty about what he'd done to her. As she put it, she gave up her family, her country and her way of life for him and what does he give to her? I couldn't forgive him. And I couldn't respect her for not staying angry with him. It made her seem to Mary Sue. Nor could I fathom Whitby and his completely out of the blue forgiveness of James. People in this story just did not react to events the way they realistically should IMHO.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 11, 2012
Ephesus Yayınlarının yeni yazarı Julianne Maclane 6 kitaplık serinin ilki Goodreads puanı 5/3,71
Benim puanım 5/4 Güzel bir romandı..Ama başlarda kurgu yönünden Daisy Goodwin'in Düşes kitabını andırsa da bu daha bir soft hikayedi..Daha güzel bir hikaye idi..Severek okudum..
Ama başlarda beni biraz sıkıldığımı söylemeliyim...Daha sonra kitap açıldı elimden bırakamadım...
Puanı başlarda sıkıldığım ve uygun olmayan kapak için kırdım...
Roman 19 yy sonlarında 1881 yılında geçmekte..O dönemde Amerikalı zengin genç kızların arasında ki en moda şey soylu bir asilzade ile evlenmektir..Özelikle maddi durumları kötü olanların içinden seçmek ise daha da ikna edici idi..İşte Sophia'da 1881 Londra sezonuna bu fikirle gelmese de annesinin aklındaki tam da böyle bir şeydi..Maddi durumu kötü,ünvanı büyük bir avı kafalamak...
Wenworth Dükü James'in ise başlarda böyle bir evliliğe kesinlikle niyeti yoktu..Sophia'yı ilk gördüğü andan itibaren çok etkilenmişti..Onu merak etmişti..İşte her şey o merak ile başladı ve yakın arkadaşının da gönül koyduğu bu güzel Amerikalı ile ilgilenmekten vazgeçemedi...Ama muhtemel bir evliliği elbette düşünmüyordu..Fakat hiç beklemediği masraflar üzerine Sophia'yı baştan çıkarmakta tereddüt bile etmedi, onu sevdiğine inandırarak evlendi..Evliliklerinin ertesi sabahı Sophia rüyadan uyandı..
Bundan sonra evlilikleri gerçekten de çok ciddi sınavdan geçmeye başladı..Sophia'nın vericiliğini sevdim..Özellikle evlilik sabahı onu bırakıp Londra'ya giden kocasının haddini bildirmesi.. Ne olursa olsun pozitif bir kişiliğe sahip olması sorunlara odaklanarak çözmeye çalışması..Daha doğrusu ailesine ne kadar yabancı olursa olsun sahip çıkmasını çok sevdim..James'in kalbinin üzerindeki buz tabakasını erimesini izlemek çok güzeldi..Tavsiye ederim..
Bir eleştirim de
Hulya YILMAZ
Benim puanım 5/4 Güzel bir romandı..Ama başlarda kurgu yönünden Daisy Goodwin'in Düşes kitabını andırsa da bu daha bir soft hikayedi..Daha güzel bir hikaye idi..Severek okudum..
Ama başlarda beni biraz sıkıldığımı söylemeliyim...Daha sonra kitap açıldı elimden bırakamadım...
Puanı başlarda sıkıldığım ve uygun olmayan kapak için kırdım...
Roman 19 yy sonlarında 1881 yılında geçmekte..O dönemde Amerikalı zengin genç kızların arasında ki en moda şey soylu bir asilzade ile evlenmektir..Özelikle maddi durumları kötü olanların içinden seçmek ise daha da ikna edici idi..İşte Sophia'da 1881 Londra sezonuna bu fikirle gelmese de annesinin aklındaki tam da böyle bir şeydi..Maddi durumu kötü,ünvanı büyük bir avı kafalamak...
Wenworth Dükü James'in ise başlarda böyle bir evliliğe kesinlikle niyeti yoktu..Sophia'yı ilk gördüğü andan itibaren çok etkilenmişti..Onu merak etmişti..İşte her şey o merak ile başladı ve yakın arkadaşının da gönül koyduğu bu güzel Amerikalı ile ilgilenmekten vazgeçemedi...Ama muhtemel bir evliliği elbette düşünmüyordu..Fakat hiç beklemediği masraflar üzerine Sophia'yı baştan çıkarmakta tereddüt bile etmedi, onu sevdiğine inandırarak evlendi..Evliliklerinin ertesi sabahı Sophia rüyadan uyandı..
Bundan sonra evlilikleri gerçekten de çok ciddi sınavdan geçmeye başladı..Sophia'nın vericiliğini sevdim..Özellikle evlilik sabahı onu bırakıp Londra'ya giden kocasının haddini bildirmesi.. Ne olursa olsun pozitif bir kişiliğe sahip olması sorunlara odaklanarak çözmeye çalışması..Daha doğrusu ailesine ne kadar yabancı olursa olsun sahip çıkmasını çok sevdim..James'in kalbinin üzerindeki buz tabakasını erimesini izlemek çok güzeldi..Tavsiye ederim..
Bir eleştirim de
Hulya YILMAZ
August 31, 2016
3,5
Beğendim diyebilirim. Kapak çok hoşuma gitmedi orjinali bana daha çok hitap ediyor. Kitap ismi içeriğiyle gayet uymuş. Yazarın uslubunuda beğendim.
Amerikalı varis kızımız ailesinin isteğiyle -ittirmesiyle birazda- kendine ünvan sahibi bir eş aramak için İngiltereye geliyor ve sezona katılıyor Dükümüzde hem duygusal hemde maddi ailevi sorunları olan iyi bir şöhreti olmayan evlenmemeye kararlı, aşka inanmayan biri. Ama Sophie'yi gördüğünde ona duyduğu çekimi gözardı edemiyor birde kızın beşyüz binlik çeyizine de ihtiyacı var o yüzden kızımızı ayartmaya çalışıyor kur yapıyor evlenme teklif ediyor ve kızımızda kabul ediyor evleniyorlar tabii asıl olay bundan sonra başlıyor ilk geceden sonra aşktan kaçan dükümüz kızla yataktan yatağa varis yapana kadar birlikte olalım moduna giriyor kızımızında çilesi başlıyor anlayacağınız. Bakalım Sophia Dükümüzü aşka inandırabilecekmi ve ailevi sırlar başlarına ne işler açıcak tüm bunlar için okumanız gerekli kitabı:D
Beğendim diyebilirim. Kapak çok hoşuma gitmedi orjinali bana daha çok hitap ediyor. Kitap ismi içeriğiyle gayet uymuş. Yazarın uslubunuda beğendim.
Amerikalı varis kızımız ailesinin isteğiyle -ittirmesiyle birazda- kendine ünvan sahibi bir eş aramak için İngiltereye geliyor ve sezona katılıyor Dükümüzde hem duygusal hemde maddi ailevi sorunları olan iyi bir şöhreti olmayan evlenmemeye kararlı, aşka inanmayan biri. Ama Sophie'yi gördüğünde ona duyduğu çekimi gözardı edemiyor birde kızın beşyüz binlik çeyizine de ihtiyacı var o yüzden kızımızı ayartmaya çalışıyor kur yapıyor evlenme teklif ediyor ve kızımızda kabul ediyor evleniyorlar tabii asıl olay bundan sonra başlıyor ilk geceden sonra aşktan kaçan dükümüz kızla yataktan yatağa varis yapana kadar birlikte olalım moduna giriyor kızımızında çilesi başlıyor anlayacağınız. Bakalım Sophia Dükümüzü aşka inandırabilecekmi ve ailevi sırlar başlarına ne işler açıcak tüm bunlar için okumanız gerekli kitabı:D
April 28, 2013
This was interesting from a historical perspective, to see what the experience of American heiresses who married into the British aristocracy might be like. But Sophia and James never clicked for me. I did not find James' struggle with his emotions compelling. A lot of intimate scenes emphasized their strong sexual attraction with a total denial of any emotional connection on James' part and a strong emotional attachment on Sophia's part. I didn't like that at all, and found myself skimming past those scenes. The fact that I wasn't really sold on their relationship undermined the book for me. I think I would have preferred to see how Sophia would have fared with Whitby instead.
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