Customer Reviews

The Dangers of Deceiving a Viscount (Desperate Debutantes)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

If you are looking for a bit of fun with plot twists and a heroine thrown into impossible situations, then The Dangers of Deceiving a Viscount is definitely one to buy!

Phoebe is a "Desperate Dubutante" who was left penniless and needs to make some money. So, why not go out to make some by creating some gowns for the undeserving sisters of a Viscount. Of course, all the right people would frown on our heroine engaging in a trade. But, she needs the money. What to do? Go out in disguise as Mademe Dupree and, of course, complicate things by falling in love with the Viscount while living under outrageously awful circumstances.

I recommend this book highly as a fun bit of escapism sure to entertain!

I am giving this book 2 stars because I absolutely love Julia London's books. All of her books previous to this one have been keepers. This one won't be. I didn't like it--at all. First of all, it was boring. I started to read it, couldn't believe I didn't like it, put it down, picked it back up, and had to force myself to finish it. Not a good thing in a romance novel. I read Lisa Kleypas's newest and The Education of Mrs. Brimley both in one sitting. Couldn't put them down.

What I felt was lacking in this book were magnetic lead characters. Phoebe was just sort of bland and Will wasn't too likable. I really liked the previous 2 books in the Desperate Debutantes series. But, the idea of a lady masquerading as a servant, okay a seamstress, same thing, just didn't work. And, it went on right up to the end of the book. That means that the whole time they are playing around, the hero thinks she is a servant. That, to me, is not honorable and not the way a hero should behave.

Will's family was just positively horrendous. His sisters were awful and I couldn't stand them. I certainly have no wish to read any more of their exploits in future books. They were screeching shrews. And, his brother Joshua certainly doesn't have hero material written all over him. I found it hard to believe that this family could fall apart so quickly in Will's absence.

Anyway, for me, this book failed on several levels. I didn't like the premise of the heroine pretending to be a servant for so long into the story. I didn't like the fact that the hero seemed to be taking advantage of a servant while planning who he would marry. I didn't like the hero's family at all and, worst of all, the book was boring.

So, 2 stars for Julia London, because I know she can do better.

Great ending to The Desperate Debutantes trilog. Phoebe character was great and the Viscount of Summerland character wasn't too shabby either. Had a few tears in my eyes when Phoebe thought she had lost William. Enjoyed this book, as well as the other two, their on my book shelf to read again, another day. Thanks Julia for 3 great books.

Wow, I liked the first two quite a lot, but this one was Fabulous! I liked the characters, the story was good, and the H/H chemistry was really great. I like enough passion and humor mixed to make a great story, this book had that. I would have liked a little more info into his travels and a more in depth ending, but don't get me wrong, I Loved this book. The best I have read in a while.

I thought that book #2 (The Perils of Pursuing a Prince) was my favorite, but I've changed my mind after finishing this book. I loved Summerfield - his inner conflict about feeling confined by British society after living a life of adventure for so long was believable and sympathetic. Several reviewers said that they didn't believe Phoebe's circumstances or the fact that she gave in to being blackmailed. However, after the build-up of the first two books, I did think it was perfectly in line with everything we knew about her circumstances and her history. I think one thing I enjoyed most was that the hero and heroine fell in love in a believable way - not an instant flash before they even know each other. I cried through the final chapter and a half and that's just the way I like it. (Oh, and Summerfield's tattoo is delicious!)

This book was a big disappointment. For one thing, nothing of interest happens romantically for more than half the book and what does happen is rather dull. For another,the premise is entirely unbelievable (an aristocrat with powerful connections being blackmailed by a seamstress into an untenable situation). The book had Phoebe constantly explaining to herself why she was accepting this, and the logic seemed unconvincing and contorted. This is, unfortunately, a book I would put in the category of having an "idiot plot". Meaning, all the protagonist had to do was tell the right people what was going on, and the threat would go away. Phoebe allows herself to get treated like a drudge, be insulted by servants and employers, and tolerates it all. None of the action seems believable. After coming to the wealthy Viscount's household as a modiste, she is handed a bucket and rags and told to clean her own room because there aren't enough servants to do it. HUH?!NEVER!! She is a well-bred 19th century virgin who is willing to accept having a rather sordid romance with an employer that tells her to do work that keeps her up most of the night, treats her as an inferior, makes it clear he is in search of an appropriate bride and she's not it, while still trying to seduce her. DOUBLE HUH? 3. After becoming friendly with Will, there's no good reason for her not to tell him who she is, and avoid a great deal of trouble. Even she can't come up with a good reason while constantly debating it with herself. Her behavior with him is, at all times, grossly inappropriate as either servant or social equal. WHY DOES SHE BEHAVE THIS WAY? I can't mention the other contradictions without giving away too much of the book, but there were many. Unlike Phoebe, Will's behavior is fully consistent with his position and times, so it seems as if London was just careless about creating Phoebe. I'm a fan, so I hope the next book is better.

Forced by circumstance to work, Lady Phoebe Fairchild secretly designs and makes gowns for the ton. If her secret were to be exposed, Lady Phoebe would be ruined. To prevent her unveiling as the very much sought after modiste, Madame Dupree, Phoebe is blackmailed into journeying to the country to design and make gowns for the sisters of William Darby, the Viscount of Summerfield.

William is unaware of Phoebe's deception and believes Phoebe to be the widowed Madame Dupree. When William asks Phoebe to become his mistress, she declines. Phoebe responds to his kisses with passion and William sets out to seduce Phoebe into his bed. Will falling in love with the Viscount of Summerfield as Madame Dupree ruin Lady Phoebe's chance for happiness?

What a tangled web! The Dangers of Deceiving a Viscount has sizzling sexual tension and nerve-wracking conflict. Both the sexual heat and the conflict make The Dangers of Deceiving a Viscount a real lip biter. Julia London is a master at making my heart race!

Annmarie
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

I enjoy romantic fiction and this one didn't disappoint. I didn't give it 5 stars only because I didn't quite buy into why Phoebe had to keep the deception going so long. However it delivered all the required elements for a very sexy, romantic story between two very likable characters.

I was very disappointed with this book. First of all, the set up was absurd. A Lady going off to work as a seamstress? Surely three such clever women could have come with a method to foil the evil shopkeeper! Also the Viscount is totally horrified when his younger sister slaps the supposed servant. He feels that servants should be protected by their employers, yet at the same time he makes it very clear that he plans on sleeping with the same servant! Interesting set of ethics, but not hero material to me. Additionally, the younger brother gets in trouble for cheating at poker. Poker? In England in the first quarter of the 1800s? Hmmmm.
my recommendation is to give this one a miss.

Julia London just doesn't write a bad book. This one is a winner and I was pleased with Phoebe's story - I hate spoilers so I won't go into storyline. I just want to say it's worth buying. I read about a book a day and love it when I find one with characters that are memorable and well developed. Also, reading so much makes the really good books and good authors stand out, so I was quite pleased when I read this one. I liked these characters early on which makes me want to read the book without putting it down. I recommend reading all of London's books.