nogenreleftbehind's review
3.0
Lady Willa has been thoroughly compromised - more than she even realizes. When she returns to the ton and a new season she puts on an icy facade and tries to enjoy the company of her friends. The Duke of Hartwell has been in India, and is unaway of Willa's compromised status. He is instantly fascinated by her intelligence and beauty and set to win her heart. Compromising Willa had a fantastic storyline, and Willa was an amazingly dynamic character - able to roll with the punches and keep her wits about her. The beginning of the story was a little slow though. There was a lot of throwing the word "blackguard" around - I know this was a major part of the times, but it was just overdone. About half way through the story, things become a little more clear and the pace really picks up. It has a lot of very nice twists and side stories.
cocktailsandbooks1's review
5.0
Willa is a 23 year-old young lady in a time where she should already be married with children. However, four years earlier, her childhood friend and love, Augustus, humiliated her and destroyed her reputation completely obliterating any chance for possible suitors.
Augustus, or Gus, devised a plan that would compromise Willa’s “innocence” in order to force his father into allowing them to marry; a plan which both succeeded and failed. Willa’s virtue was compromised but Gus’s father still didn’t allow them to marry, leaving Willa with a broken heart and tarnished reputation.
The story begins--four years after Willa’s humiliation--with Gus’s father taking his final breaths and passing the title of Earl of Bellingham onto his first son, which is Gus. Gus wastes no time in showing up uninvited to Willa’s sister’s coming out party a few days later with the news that his father is dead and he is ready to claim Willa as his wife. Willa has grown up in four years and has learned she can be happy without a man and enjoys her independence. She has no desire for any marriage proposals, especially not from this slimy creep.
As fate would have it, that same night Willa meets the dashing Duke of Hartwell. He has just returned after years of doing business abroad and is mysteriously sexy and an unmerciful flirt. After one dance the duke is intrigued and sets to court the lovely Willa. After years of discourteous stares and rumors, Willa has two suitors vying for her hand.
While Willa is against taking anyone to marry, Hartwell is slowly getting under her skin. The rivalry between suitors heats up when intentions are made known and Willa realizes that her suitors’ have a mutual hatred for one another stemming from their times back in school at Cambridge.
Instead of feeling flattered of being pursued by dueling suitors, Willa gets the feeling that she is only a trophy in the game these men are playing. Can Willa separate truth from lies or will her best-laid plans be destroyed by the one thing that has eluded her the most; love.
It is a well-known fact that I am not a fan of historical romances. But somehow Diana Quincy has made me a believer. Her stories are intriguing, her characters are brilliantly written and the dialogue is witty and hilarious. I really enjoyed reading about Willa and all her follies with these gentlemen. Well, one gentlemen and one complete jerk. Gus was a real piece of work and a total d-bag.
I completely fell in love with Hartwell. He was a terrible flirt but when he loved, he loved hard and put Willa’s happiness above his own, even if it meant they weren’t to be together.
Chronologically, this book takes place before Seducing Charlotte, the first book in the Accidental Peers series. I think I need to go back and reread it to find out how Willa and her chosen suitor are doing. This is an excellent book. Diana Quincy is an amazing writer and I’m looking forward to what’s next in the series.
Reviewed by Elizabeth for Cocktails and Books
Augustus, or Gus, devised a plan that would compromise Willa’s “innocence” in order to force his father into allowing them to marry; a plan which both succeeded and failed. Willa’s virtue was compromised but Gus’s father still didn’t allow them to marry, leaving Willa with a broken heart and tarnished reputation.
The story begins--four years after Willa’s humiliation--with Gus’s father taking his final breaths and passing the title of Earl of Bellingham onto his first son, which is Gus. Gus wastes no time in showing up uninvited to Willa’s sister’s coming out party a few days later with the news that his father is dead and he is ready to claim Willa as his wife. Willa has grown up in four years and has learned she can be happy without a man and enjoys her independence. She has no desire for any marriage proposals, especially not from this slimy creep.
As fate would have it, that same night Willa meets the dashing Duke of Hartwell. He has just returned after years of doing business abroad and is mysteriously sexy and an unmerciful flirt. After one dance the duke is intrigued and sets to court the lovely Willa. After years of discourteous stares and rumors, Willa has two suitors vying for her hand.
While Willa is against taking anyone to marry, Hartwell is slowly getting under her skin. The rivalry between suitors heats up when intentions are made known and Willa realizes that her suitors’ have a mutual hatred for one another stemming from their times back in school at Cambridge.
Instead of feeling flattered of being pursued by dueling suitors, Willa gets the feeling that she is only a trophy in the game these men are playing. Can Willa separate truth from lies or will her best-laid plans be destroyed by the one thing that has eluded her the most; love.
It is a well-known fact that I am not a fan of historical romances. But somehow Diana Quincy has made me a believer. Her stories are intriguing, her characters are brilliantly written and the dialogue is witty and hilarious. I really enjoyed reading about Willa and all her follies with these gentlemen. Well, one gentlemen and one complete jerk. Gus was a real piece of work and a total d-bag.
I completely fell in love with Hartwell. He was a terrible flirt but when he loved, he loved hard and put Willa’s happiness above his own, even if it meant they weren’t to be together.
Chronologically, this book takes place before Seducing Charlotte, the first book in the Accidental Peers series. I think I need to go back and reread it to find out how Willa and her chosen suitor are doing. This is an excellent book. Diana Quincy is an amazing writer and I’m looking forward to what’s next in the series.
Reviewed by Elizabeth for Cocktails and Books
mishukitty's review against another edition
2.0
So predictable
I thought this book started out well -- the crisp writing overcame a predictable setup: girl, who doesn't know how ravishing and sexy she is, is quick witted and cool in control. Of course she meets her match with her mirror image, a quick witted and cooly controlled handsome, honorable hero. As this plot plays out, there is very little surprise or suspense. The typical misunderstandings are quickly settled. I also thought the writing began to suffer as the book continued on, like even the author was bored by the story.
I thought this book started out well -- the crisp writing overcame a predictable setup: girl, who doesn't know how ravishing and sexy she is, is quick witted and cool in control. Of course she meets her match with her mirror image, a quick witted and cooly controlled handsome, honorable hero. As this plot plays out, there is very little surprise or suspense. The typical misunderstandings are quickly settled. I also thought the writing began to suffer as the book continued on, like even the author was bored by the story.
anitalouise's review
3.0
More of a 3.5. Good book but didn't flow well, in my opinion. I liked the premise - dastardly guy, Augustus, is unable to marry Willa because his father disapproves so destroys her reputation so that no one else will want her. Somehow, he will come back and claim her as his own. But Willa doesn't care because she wants more in life than to be a wife stifled by society. Then a hunky guy, the Duke, comes along and falls in love with her despite her sullied reputation. Lots of family stuff going on with secondary characters. Sort of a love triangle but not really because the dastardly guy is really a slime. Not a lot of detail about the environment in which the characters live which I found odd since this is a historical. Really liked Willa. Strong woman - nicely developed character. The Duke was swoon-worthy as well. Good ending. May try the author's other books..
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