Blame It on Bath: The Truth About the Duke [Mass Market Paperback]

Caroline Linden (Author)

Book Description

Release date: February 28, 2012

“[Caroline Linden] touches every emotion.”
—Julia Quinn

What happens in Bath stays in Bath—or not. Blame It on Bath is the second installment in Caroline Linden’s breathtaking new historical romance series, The Truth About the Duke, in which the three sons of the Duke of Durham, at risk of losing their inheritance, seek their fortunes…and, hopefully, love. Writing in a voice that will remind readers of Julia Quinn and Liz Carlyle, RITA Award-nominee Linden spins a wonderfully sensual yarn about a blackmailed nobleman facing the loss of his birthright and bent on revenge, and the willing heiress he intends to marry for her money—a lady who has loved him from afar for years.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Breathtaking romance." - Elizabeth Boyle

“[A] rich and passionate tale.” (Romantic Times)

“Touches every emotion.” (Julia Quinn)

From the Back Cover

A marriage of convenience . . . or of destiny?

Gerard de Lacey is determined to find the man who is blackmailing his family, but with his inheritance and status at risk, a hasty marriage to a wealthy bride also seems in order—just in case things take a turn for the worse. Charismatic and capable, Gerard knows he can win the hand of any lady he chooses. Still, he's not expecting a rich widow to find him and propose the very thing he wants: a marriage of convenience.

Katherine Howe's first marriage was one of dreary duty. Now that she's being pressured to marry her late husband's heir, she's desperate for a better option. Gerard de Lacey, with his sinful good looks, charming manner, and looming scandal, fits her needs perfectly. The fact that she's nursed a secret affection for him only makes it better—and worse. Because Gerard will likely marry her for her fortune—but can he love her for herself, as she loves him?

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Avon; Original edition (February 28, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062025333
• ISBN-13: 978-0062025333
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1.1 x 6.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #348,363 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Caroline Linden knew from an early age she was a reader, but not a writer. Despite an addiction to Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew, she studied physics and dreamed of being an astronaut. She earned a math degree from Harvard College and then wrote software for a financial services firm, all the while reading everything in sight, but especially romance. Only after she had children, and found herself with only picture books to read, did she begin to make up a story of her own. To her immense surprise, it turned out to be an entire novel--and it was much more fun than writing computer code. Nine years, ten books, two Red Sox championships, and one dog later, she has never been happier with her decision. She lives with her family in New England.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Linden does not disappoint February 28, 2012

By Jen TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Caroline Linden hasn't let me down yet and this latest book is no exception. It picks up as a companion story to One Night in London, though I think it would still make sense as a standalone. The premise to the series: after the Duke of Durham's death, his three sons find out that his marriage to their mother may have been invalid. A blackmailer claims to have proof that the Duke was married to another woman first and never divorced. With their legitimacy and estate at risk, the sons now must find out who the blackmailer is --and stop him before he ruins their future.

This story follows the efforts of the youngest son, Gerard. He plans to track down the blackmailer and silence him by whatever means necessary. But as a third son, he knows that even if he is successful, he'll need a wealthy bride to keep up his standard of living. Enter Katherine. She's heard about the scandal surrounding the Durham family and she presents herself to Gerard for marriage. She is a very wealthy widow, albeit a plain one, who has nursed a secret affection for him for years. Of course, he doesn't remember the one time they met years ago, but her offer and her sizable funds prove to be irresistible.

After a quick wedding, the two of them head out for Bath, so Gerard can continue his quest. Katherine, or Kate as he calls her, is quiet and kind of awkward. But Gerard quickly indoctrinates her into the ways of passion. They connect quickly in the bedroom, but Kate finds herself longing for a deeper connection with her husband. It's a pretty straightforward love story, as Gerard slowly realizes what a hidden gem his wife really is. In the meantime, Kate must learn to stop hiding behind the careful façade that she built to deal with her unkind mother and uncaring first husband.

I know I have said it before, but one of the reasons I like Caroline Linden books is because she doesn't rely on standard tropes to advance her stories. I never find myself rolling my eyes or annoyed by unnecessary misunderstandings. We're just watching two people grow and learn what it means to love. Oh yeah, and the sex is hot too.

We don't get much further in the blackmailing arc, but the story sets up Charlie's book nicely, where we're sure to see a resolution. I'm also happy to say that we got an appearance from Margaret, the heroine from "I Love the Earl." We get her perspective on the scandal surrounding her brother (the Duke) and we see how her HEA played out. I enjoyed this one. 4 stars.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Lovely romance February 28, 2012

By Lisa Wolff

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Lady Katherine Howe is feeling quite a bit of pressure to marry her late husbands heir in order to forgive a large debt that must be repaid to her otherwise. Her late husband squandered her entire dowry and her father gave him a loan that must now be repaid. But Katherine does not want to be forced into another marriage not of her choice so she comes up with a rather bold plan. She plans to propose to Gerard de Lacey--yes, that de Lacey of the wild rumors of illegitimacy--as she knows he will be in need of a large fortune if the rumors are true. But her deeper reason for wanting this marriage to the bold captain has to do with one long ago rainy afternoon in which he kindly helped her--a plain, quiet young lady.

Gerard is stunned when he receives a most unique proposal from this rather unremarkable looking woman. Kate, as Gerard grows to call her, is so careful with her wording and demeanor and he just can't understand why she wears such dull, drab clothing and as he is most intrigued to find out more about her, he agrees to her proposal. He steals a kiss and is relieved to find there is a bit of passion hiding underneath her facade. As Gerard was on his way to Bath to uncover clues as to who is blackmailing his family, he takes Kate with him as soon as they are married and together they try to find the right balance for their new marriage of convenience.

If you read the previous book in this series, One Night in London, this book takes place during the same time as that one but with hardly any overlapping as most of the story is set in Bath versus London. I was a bit surprised by this as the ending of One Night in London left me quite anxious for this one and I was a little disappointed that the reveal of what happened isn't almost until the end of this story. I understand that the whole book leads up to the dilemma Gerard got himself into but I was hoping for a bit more scandalous reveal I guess. *shrugs* Once Gerard finally confesses the reason for being in Bath to Kate, they are able to uncover some clues about the blackmailer but overall this book seemed a bit light in the illegitimacy issues and I would have liked it to move forward in that direction more.

I really enjoyed our two characters. I liked that Kate is not a raving beauty and is quiet and we get to see her emerge from her shell and transform into a lovely butterfly and I really enjoyed how Gerard saw her for her true self almost from the start. He quickly learns that getting Kate to smile is one of the best things to do and he loves to watch her transform when she gives a rare smile. Gerard for his part is brash, bold and a bit quick-tempered but he learns to curb this soon around his new wife as she divulges she suffered some abuse from her first husband. Together, they mesh and this is a sweet yet hot romance of two people finding love where they least expect it. Overall, I enjoyed this book for its uniqueness of no titles for the couple, a different location, an unassuming woman just waiting to be polished off a bit and a decisive hero. There really is no major action or danger to take away from the romance so it truly is a lovely romance to watch emerge. I know I am anxiously awaiting the final book in this series and the teaser already has me wanting it right now even though this book left me wanting a bit more from it. 3 1/2 stars

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Needy Heroine Meets Careless Hero April 13, 2012

By E. A. Montgomery TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a decent installment in Linden's The Truth About The Duke series but enjoyment of it will hinge on your tolerance for dependent heroines. After presenting herself as the Powerball Jackpot to Gerard's potential money problems Katherine is disappointed to find he doesn't talk to her or send her letters. Gerard, for his part, rescues her from the completely non dangerous villain of her tale and sets her up in Bath with friends, shops, and free time. (How dare he!). Despite asking for nothing, Katherine expects everything and is devastated when Gerard doesn't confide in her. A few jealous flounces later, Gerard realizes he loves her and gives up everything that was motivating him up to that point.

If you can find sympathy for Katherine, Blame It On Bath is a charming tale of two strangers working their way through their expectations and learning to communicate their needs. Free of manufactured peril, Katherine and Gerard's story unfolds as a tale of a new marriage built on assumptions and hopes. Well written and advancing the story enough, Blame it on Bath is a decent read. I couldn't warm up to Katherine and her inferiority issues. Gerard had far more patience with her than I could.