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quietbookworm's review
2.0
The story reminds me of [b:The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie|5981872|The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie (Highland Pleasures, #1)|Jennifer Ashley|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1322336718s/5981872.jpg|6155268] which I loved. A son is put away in an asylum by his father because of a deficient (in this case, a social anxiety that renders him mute) yet he escapes and finds love. While Jennifer Ashley's tale was beautiful and felt organic, this tale was forced and felt way longer than necessary given the lack of anything actually happening. My recommendation is read Jennifer Ashley's tale instead, it's a far more enjoyable read.
sandlynn's review
4.0
Jane Goodger’s When a Duke Says I Do, published in 2011, is set in England during the 1860’s. It’s a slightly different spin on the forced marriage trope.
Our hero, Alexander — or Andre to his adopted father, a famous French muralist — is both a painter’s assistant and a mute. Or at least, his father thinks he’s a mute. Alexander actually has a more interesting and troubling backstory for why he doesn’t communicate. What he does do is paint beautifully, especially as his muralist father has begun to suffer from painful rheumatism. Our heroine’s father has engaged the muralist to paint a scene in his home before his daughter’s birthday ball, which will be followed a brief time later by her marriage to the Duke of Kingston’s son and heir — a marriage agreed to for business reasons by their fathers when they were children. Elsie (or Elizabeth) has her own interesting backstory. She tragically lost her beloved sister, who died in her sleep while in bed next to her. Elsie was so traumatized by this she finds it difficult to fall asleep in her own bed and tends to wander her home at night before dropping off herself.
By virtue of Alexander’s painting secretly for his adopted father and Elsie roaming her home at night, the troubled pair meet and form an attachment that is clearly unwise and scandalous since Elsie is engaged to a Duke-to-Be and Alexander is no one but the afflicted son of a painter with a vagabond life — or *is* he?
The secret of who Alexander is and how his connections to Elsie are more tangled than is immediately evident is not kept for long. That’s one of the refreshing aspects of the story. Although secrets are revealed more quickly, the characters inability to confront their traumatic pasts is the biggest stumbling block for both Elsie — and, especially, Alexander. In fact, Elsie is a much happier person than Alexander and he is our real focus for most of the book. I enjoyed this emphasis but towards the end of the story, I thought things were wrapped up much too conveniently. Villains fell away, and I wondered what happened to a couple of important supporting characters who had their own little stories to be resolved. I thought that there must have been sequels to this story and I discovered at least one, involving Elsie’s Aunt Diane. But, what about Oscar? He wasn’t a bad guy. What happened to him and doesn’t be deserve a happy ending?
For these reasons, I think I’d give this book a B. The story was good but it left a few things unresolved for this reader.
Our hero, Alexander — or Andre to his adopted father, a famous French muralist — is both a painter’s assistant and a mute. Or at least, his father thinks he’s a mute. Alexander actually has a more interesting and troubling backstory for why he doesn’t communicate. What he does do is paint beautifully, especially as his muralist father has begun to suffer from painful rheumatism. Our heroine’s father has engaged the muralist to paint a scene in his home before his daughter’s birthday ball, which will be followed a brief time later by her marriage to the Duke of Kingston’s son and heir — a marriage agreed to for business reasons by their fathers when they were children. Elsie (or Elizabeth) has her own interesting backstory. She tragically lost her beloved sister, who died in her sleep while in bed next to her. Elsie was so traumatized by this she finds it difficult to fall asleep in her own bed and tends to wander her home at night before dropping off herself.
By virtue of Alexander’s painting secretly for his adopted father and Elsie roaming her home at night, the troubled pair meet and form an attachment that is clearly unwise and scandalous since Elsie is engaged to a Duke-to-Be and Alexander is no one but the afflicted son of a painter with a vagabond life — or *is* he?
The secret of who Alexander is and how his connections to Elsie are more tangled than is immediately evident is not kept for long. That’s one of the refreshing aspects of the story. Although secrets are revealed more quickly, the characters inability to confront their traumatic pasts is the biggest stumbling block for both Elsie — and, especially, Alexander. In fact, Elsie is a much happier person than Alexander and he is our real focus for most of the book. I enjoyed this emphasis but towards the end of the story, I thought things were wrapped up much too conveniently. Villains fell away, and I wondered what happened to a couple of important supporting characters who had their own little stories to be resolved. I thought that there must have been sequels to this story and I discovered at least one, involving Elsie’s Aunt Diane. But, what about Oscar? He wasn’t a bad guy. What happened to him and doesn’t be deserve a happy ending?
For these reasons, I think I’d give this book a B. The story was good but it left a few things unresolved for this reader.
ingypingy2000's review
3.0
It was cute. I enjoy the innocence of the beginning. I wish it'd followed through until the end.
mixedishshelby's review
2.0
This book was ok. I figured out the plot twist (Alexander was the Duke's son) within the first few pages, but it was still worth the read. If nothing more than to pass the time. I found Elsie to be a vapid heroine. She made all these threats to Alex's father, the Duke of Kingston, but when push came to shove, she caved under the pressure. In the end, it was a fine thing to pass a few hours away.
gijanechosen's review
3.0
It was pretty good until near the end where the two main characters decide to be stupid for silly reasons. It was close to getting another star until that ending.
avoraciousreader68's review
5.0
Elizabeth ‘Elsie’ Stanhope has been betrothed since she was a child to the future Duke of Kingston. She is not happy about having her life planned, but is willing to do her duty so that her father and sister can continue living a comfortable life. Then Elsie meets a most unusual man. She falls in love with him and he falls in love with her even though they both know they are doomed to never be together. However, Fate just may have something else planned for them.
I loved this story! Well-written and smooth-flowing the characters in this story came alive for me. I could see them and hear them as if they were standing in front of me. I liked Elsie, how she was good-natured and naturally optimistic, but Alexander was so real to me that my heart ached for the things he’d had to endure, what he continued to endure. He needed someone just like Elsie and I’m glad he found her. Never have I loved a flawed hero so much and rooted so hard for his victory.
I sincerely hope Jane Goodger is planning a story about Elsie’s Aunt Diane. It seemed as if we were given a bit of a beginning for her and Lord Braddock and I sincerely hope it comes about. Now, I need to check out other of Ms. Goodger’s books and hope they are as wonderful as this one.
*The publisher provided a copy of this book to me for review. Disclaimer on my blog.
I loved this story! Well-written and smooth-flowing the characters in this story came alive for me. I could see them and hear them as if they were standing in front of me. I liked Elsie, how she was good-natured and naturally optimistic, but Alexander was so real to me that my heart ached for the things he’d had to endure, what he continued to endure. He needed someone just like Elsie and I’m glad he found her. Never have I loved a flawed hero so much and rooted so hard for his victory.
I sincerely hope Jane Goodger is planning a story about Elsie’s Aunt Diane. It seemed as if we were given a bit of a beginning for her and Lord Braddock and I sincerely hope it comes about. Now, I need to check out other of Ms. Goodger’s books and hope they are as wonderful as this one.
*The publisher provided a copy of this book to me for review. Disclaimer on my blog.
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