Romance Book Reviews
Page One of TwoThe Duke and I by Julia Quinn
Avon, Jan., 2000.Paperback, 371 pages.
ISBN: 0380800829.
Ordering information:
Amazon.com.
Simon Bassett, the Duke of Hastings, had a
terrible childhood. A stutterer, Simon was shunned
by his father who thought he was a moron.
Actually, Simon is extremely intelligent, earning
a first in mathematics at Cambridge. But Simon
has never forgotten his father's rejection, and
refuses to reconcile with him before his death.
He also vows never to marry or have children.
Enter Daphne Bridgerton, whose mother is determined
to find her a suitable husband. When Daphne and
Simon meet they decide to fake an attachment, so that
other suitors will find Daphne more attractive and
so that Simon is spared the attentions of the matchmaking
mothers of the ton. But the sham soon turns into the
real thing. Can an avowed bachelor give up his
solitary ways for the woman he loves?
The Duke and I is Julia Quinn's best work to date, which is really saying something considering the fact that she is also the author of the immensely popular How to Marry a Marquis and Brighter Than the Sun. The dialogue is crisp and funny, and the story has real heart. You'll fall in love with Simon, the shy little boy who grew into a devastatingly handsome and outwardly cold man, who just needs some tender, loving care. With fiery passion and great fun, this is a story you'll reread many times over the years. Highly recommended.
Forever in Your Embrace (Author's Preferred Version) by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss
Avon, November, 1999.Hardcover, 596 pages.
ISBN: 0380978318.
Ordering information:
Amazon.com.
In 1620 Russia, the Countess Synnovea is mourning
the death of her father. The Tsar, thinking to help her,
sends Synnovea off to the be the ward of his
cousin, Princess Anna. But Anna despises the
young and beautiful Synnovea and her husband,
Prince Aleksei, is a dreadful lecher. Virtually a
prisoner in her new home, Synnovea's thoughts turn to the
handsome British officer, Colonel Tyrone Rycroft,
who saved her from bandits on the long and dusty
road to Moscow. Princess Anna is opposed to
Colonel Rycroft courting Synnovea, and has other
plans for her despised ward. Soon, Synnovea and
Tyrone are drawn into a complex game of intrigue
in the Tsar's court, while their passion for one another
grows daily. With so many people determined to keep them
apart, the pair must show great courage and ingenuity
to find a way to stay together forever.
Forever in Your Embrace was originally published in paperback in 1992. This hardcover re-issue is the author's preferred edition; it is expanded and revised in parts -- with breathtaking results. Woodiwiss' writing style is unmistakable. Her books are told on a sweeping and grand scale, with a simmering sensuality that underlies every scene. Lovers of historical romance will delight in this re-issue of an old favorite.
Romance Reviews
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