In the Bed of a Duke [Mass Market Paperback]

Cathy Maxwell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 25, 2006

The distressed traveler Charlotte Cameron encounters on a rainy Scottish night is absolutely the worst man she could have invited into her carriage! It is Phillip Maddox, the reprehensible Duke of Colster, who brought the full weight of the ton's fury down upon her—simply because Charlotte encouraged her sister not to wed the powerful peer. And now the seductive devil responsible for her social ruin is sitting close enough to kiss . . .

Phillip's distaste for the meddlesome beauty matches Charlotte's—though, under alternate circumstances, he might have enjoyed sampling the sensuous charms of the tempting young chit.

There is grave danger, however, on the journey they now must reluctantly share—and a nemesis who means them both mortal harm. But can a passion that inconveniently ignites in the face of disaster erase a painful past . . . and lead two sworn enemies to a most unanticipated destination: the bedchamber?

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Cathy Maxwell spends hours in front of her computer pondering the question, "Why do people fall in love?" It remains for her the great mystery of life and the secret to happiness.

She lives in beautiful Virginia with her children, horses, dogs, and cats.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Avon; Reissue edition (April 25, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060740582
• ISBN-13: 978-0060740580
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #238,734 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Bestselling novelist Cathy Maxwell, a storyteller since childhood, embraces her writing romance as a way to express her belief that "loving well is the greatest adventure of all," and to explore her fascination with the Regency period.

The author of twenty-five historical romance novels and four novellas Cathy's latest THE SEDUCTION OF SCANDAL, the fifth of her Scandal and Seduction novels, has just been published. The others, also set in the Regency period, are quintessential Cathy Maxwell--traditional historicals with a contemporary sensibility and a touch of humor. They are A Seduction at Christmas, The Marriage Ring, The Earl Claims His Wife, and His Christmas Pleasure. Each has appeared for multiple weeks on The New York Times Best Seller list.


Cathy received recognition from the start with her first novel, All Things Beautiful. Published in 1994, it was nominated for Best First Book by the Romance Writers of America and for Best First Historical by Romantic Times magazine. It also received first place recognition as Best Read of 1994 from the Reader's Voice

Born in Olathe, Kansas, Cathy's family roots go back to the Mayflower and the Revolutionary War. She has long called Virginia home, noting she is "a Virginian by choice, but a Kansan by nature." She worked in television news and spent six years in the Navy. She attended Air Force intelligence school, worked in the Pentagon and did a tour with Naval Intelligence.

Cathy began her writing career in 1991. Now, twenty years later, she is the author of sixteen national bestsellers and her novels appear regularly on The New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists. Her books include In the Highlander's Bed, Bedding the Heiress, In the Bed of a Duke, The Price of Indiscretion, Temptation of a Proper Governess, and The Seduction of an English Lady. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Washington Romance Writers, Virginia Romance Writers, and Novelists Inc., and she is a frequent speaker at writers' conferences, libraries and special events.

She lives in rural Powhatan County with her rescued dogs Rico and Maya and with her son during college breaks, and is just a few miles from her horses, Duncan and Dinero.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars storyline was good, even if the romance angle was a bit wanting, April 29, 2006

By 

tregatt (Portland, Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In the Bed of a Duke (Mass Market Paperback)

"In the Bed of a Duke" is the second installment in a trilogy featuring three American sisters who have come to England in order to claim their place in English society (the sisters are all granddaughters of an earl). I haven't read the first book in the trilogy "The Price of Indiscretion" and so cannot say how this second installments compares with the first. However, I have read other Cathy Maxwell novels before and on the whole, I have somewhat mixed feelings about her latest "In the Bed of a Duke." On the one hand, this novel is fast paced and possesses a rather interesting plot-line. On the other hand, however, Ms Maxwell seems to have sacrificed proper character development and a "real" love story in favour of quick action and an almost instantaneous falling in lust/love between her hero and heroine. And I'm not much of a fan of the whole falling in lust/love at first sight scenario.

As the eldest Cameron sister, Charlotte believed that it was her duty to steer her sisters right. And when it became clear to her that sister Miranda was prepared to marry the wealthy and powerful Duke of Colster even though she was in love with someone else ("The Price of Indiscretion"), Charlotte urged her sister to break things off with the Colster. Unfortunately, Charlotte also urged her sister to jilt Colster publicly. Charlotte hadn't realised that in doing so she would be damning her family to scandal so much so that all of society's doors would be closed to them. Now the only way for her to repair things is for her to marry Colster's enemy, Laird MacKenna. Which is why she's off on a journey up north. The last thing Charlotte expected was that she would cross paths with the dreadful Colster, that she would become deeply involved in a mystery involving Colster's family, or that she would find herself perilously attracted to Colster himself...

The plot premise for "In the Bed of a Duke" was a very well done and rather exciting one with almost nonstop action. But, as a result, the slow build to a romance between two characters who, at the start of the book, don't seem to like each other very much, gets lost in the mix. A plot contrivance in the early chapters allows for the couple to indulge in some seamy kisses, and all I could think was that this wasn't very romantic at all. Both Colster and Charlotte fall in lust-love with each other and it just didn't ring true for me. So, even though I enjoyed the entire subplot involving Colster's missing brother and the part Charlotte played in everything, romance-wise, this book could have been better. But I did enjoy "In the Bed of a Duke" and liked both Charlotte and the duke immensely, and so am giving the novel a 3 1/2 to 4 star rating.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Mourning the "old" Cathy Maxwell, April 27, 2006

By 

Kathy Kaiser - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In the Bed of a Duke (Mass Market Paperback)

Where did the old Cathy Maxwell go? She used to be one of the best Regency romance writers in the genre. Her earlier works were so much better than this one. Yes, plot moves along quickly (too quickly, at some points) and the hero and heroine are likeable, but Maxwell's writing has been "dumbed-down." I think that the Avon editors have really done a disservice to Maxwell. Read some of her earlier books to see the way she can really write. I think it's time she switched publishing houses and allowed her creativity and intelligence to shine through again.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars read well, but not exciting., May 11, 2006

By 

S. Squires "romance bookworm" (Idaho) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In the Bed of a Duke (Mass Market Paperback)

I was really excited for this book to be written, and was left a little disappointed. I had read the other books in this series and thought this would be a great story of conflict and forbidden desire. They were suppose to dislike each other with intensity but that feeling was not well protrayed. In fact they were in each other's arms in the first few chapters. Cathy Maxwell never really explored his relationship with his dead wife enough to explain why he never again planned to wed.
The story wasn't bad but despite the fact that they fell in love so soon in the book, there wasn't much burning romance and desire. Overall it just left me disappointed, Her other works are much better!