Customer Reviews

The Devilish Pleasures of a Duke: A Novel

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

 

 

Why do Adrian and Emma "love" each other? after finishing "The Devilish Pleasures of a Duke" I have no true understanding why or how they fell in "love." There really only seems to be lust between the two, a physicalness, they very rarely speak of anything else than their physical attraction to each other, their encounters are completely limited to fondling and the like. There is no narrative meat to the text. It lacks the wit and banter of Hunter's other works. It is the wit and banter that make the reading of her earlier works in this series so much fun.

The lack that is felt between the two characters is held together by her family and their watchfulness, for a romance novel to focus so much on the family of guard dogs that the Boscastle brothers are relegated to, aptly demonstrates the disconnect between Emma, Adrian, and the character/narrative arc. The text goes nowhere from start to end because it is completely nonsensical how these two came together to find "love."

There is no frothy fun to be found in this text.

I sincerely hope that Emma's tale is not the final note in the Bocaslte ledgers, not for the fact that i loved this story but more so that Ms Hunter will have a chance to redeem herself. Perhaps it's because I'm a picky reader, I can not stand it when the hero and heroines have past loves. Emma was a less than thrilling heroine, rather boring which left poor Adrian to pick up the slack. I felt that Emma and Adrian's relationship could have played out as a "b" line in another Bocastle story.
Though the love scenes were steamy, I was far more interested in the sub characters of Harriet the street smart urchin who had far more emotional depth than Emma, and of Lord Gabriel Bocastle the former outcast who's dark past is only hinted at.
I would also have liked for her to sum up more of the other Bocastle's lives if this was indeed the end.
So, pretty quick read, hot love scenes but nothing more than fluff

Having read the other books in this series, I was anxiously waiting for this one to be released. Both the hero and heroine have been featured as background characters in the earlier books of this series. Emma, a recurring character in all of the previous books, could always be counted on to be the epitome of prim and proper. To have her radically depart from what has always been the very essence of her being and behave as all of the Boscastles before her just didn't ring true for me. Maybe if I hadn't read the earlier books, I wouldn't have had believability issues with the newly sensuous Emma, but I just couldn't help but thinking that maybe it is time for the author, who is one of my favorites, to begin a new series and leave the beloved Boscastles behind.

I was looking forward to this book having met Adrian during Chloe's story and, of course, Emma from all of the stories. Hardly any time was devoted to the relationship between Emma and Adrian - the focus was all over the board with interesting plot lines introduced and not going anywhere and a lot of things remained unresolved - did Julia have her baby? Did Chloe ever conceive again? What's up with Harriet and her past? Gabriel? he was starting to get very interesting. Why spend so much time on other characters when Adrian and Emma had so much potential? They spent most of the book apart and other than initial attraction, what else was there? All of the other books in this series were a lot of fun - the relationships well developed; this one was just a huge let down.

When is Gabriel's story coming? I was very disappointed. I have read all six books and the series needs to end better than this!!! She must write Gabriel's (the cousin's story) in order to help banish this mess of an ending to the series.

I was hoping for a lot more from this book as some of her others are (not great) but at least fun. I agree with the reviewer before me who said that the book made no sense. Why do they fall in love? When even? Just because he can bring her sexual pleasure? Is that this author's idea of what a long lasting commitment should be based on? Because, in this book, we get nothing other than that. They barely talk before they decide they love each other, and then most of the book is taken up with them finding a way to be alone even though her brothers are thwarting them at every turn. Not funny, and a little ridiculous. Hopefully if she writes Gabriel's story it will be much better.

In the third and final book in the second Boscastle trilogy Jillian Hunter has once again written a tale that will entertain and thrill even the pickiest reader. Her writing style is finely detailed and her characters are full of mischief which is definitely a winning combination. I do have to say that I've anxiously awaited this book to be published.

THE DEVILISH PLEASURES OF A DUKE focuses on Emma Boscastle, known to her family as the Dainty Dictator. Emma is a widow who deems it her duty to try to keep the unruly Boscastle clan in line. She runs a girls academy teaching manners and the appropriate traits necessary for an English Lady. Her entire life is focused on making sure everyone around her stays out of scandalous situations and is above reproach. With the Boscastles this is a task not many could achieve and Emma has had her hands full.

Emma herself is above reproach until Adrian Ruxley enters the picture. He is the son of the Duke of Scarfield and has been running from his own demons. Seems his father and he argued while he was growing up and tired of his father's accusations, Adrian left to become a mercenary much to his family's embarrassment. Once he sees Emma he's determined to have her and vows to change his life to a more suitable one in which Emma can survive happily. This means making amends with his estranged family besides convincing Emma's brothers that he is suitable husband material.

With Jillian Hunter, nothing is mundane and the initial meeting of these two is hilarious. At a wedding, Emma is accosted by William, the man who has been courting her. Well actually a maid is accosted by William, Emma intervenes, she's insulted and Adrian steps in to defend her. The maid's boyfriend thinks Adrian was the one who was the villain and hits him over the head with a chair. With Adrian unconscious and in need of nursing, Emma feels it's her duty to take care of him while he heals. Yep, it's definitely not a normal introduction but that's the fun of reading a Jillian Hunter novel - normal isn't in her vocabulary! Fun and laughter is definitely on the top of her list though.

Character development is excellent as I've come to expect from Hunter. Emma and Adrian were so well described that I felt like I'd known them for years. Letting us know what the other Boscastles have been up to was like getting reacquainted with old friends, for which I was thrilled. This family is so full of fun that reading about them always brings a smile to my face. Sub-characters were also well developed and I can only guess as to which sub-characters will be the main focus of future books. Each would be equally interesting.

Scenes were well described and suspense in some of them built until I read as fast as possible. The one scene in which Adrian escapes from the Boscastle home after a liaison with Emma was priceless... I don't want to spoil it but suffice it to say I laughed at the outcome and cheered for the women who outwitted the Boscastle men! Pitting the men against the women in her books is always fun and gets the reader chuckling out loud.

Overall this book is so much fun that you won't want to put it down until you've finished. It's a great way to spend a day or two and you'll enjoy getting reacquainted with the Boscastle clan and introduced more in-depth to The Dainty Dictator who really isn't so different than her siblings; she just hid her devious traits a bit better. THE DEVILISH PLEASURES OF A DUKE definitely should be added to your Must Read list.

Adrian Ruxley is usually very easygoing, but he cannot walk away from
a lady being attacked. Seeing the very proper Emma Boscastle being
manhandled sends Adrian's protective instincts into overdrive and a
scuffle ensues. Although Alex saved the lovely Emma, he is left
wounded and must recover at Emma's home. Delighted to be so close to
Emma, Adrian finds her irresistible.

Although Emma is very tempted by the handsome Adrian, if she succumbs
to her passion for him, her family would be outraged. Emma would need
to keep her affair with Adrian a secret from her overprotective
brothers and from the rest of society as well. Such a secret would be
almost impossible to keep from Emma's very observant siblings. But
the erotic pleasure Adrian gives Emma is too delicious to refuse.

Although Jillian Hunter's The Devilish Pleasures of a Duke is part of
the Boscastle series, it can be read as a stand alone novel. That
being said, I urge everyone to read this entire series as it is
extremely enjoyable. In The Devilish Pleasures of a Duke I was very
amused by the lengths the Boscastle brothers were willing to go to
protect their sister's virtue. Whether she wanted her virtue
protected or not! I adored that Adrian was willing to risk Emma's
brothers' ire to be with her. My heart melted. The Devilish
Pleasures of a Duke is a sigh-inducing, sensual, blissfully good read!


Annmarie
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

England 1815

THE DEVILISH PLEASURES OF A DUKE is an enjoyable read! Adrian Ruxley is everything to love about romance heroes and one can't help but love proper and sometimes stuffy Emma Boscostle! Their tale of love is one you'll enjoy, especially if you're following the Boscastle clan!

If you are a fan of authoress, Jo Beverly, who writes about members of "The Malloren Family" in a series of historical romances, you'll be delighted with Jillian Hunter's 7th book in her series about the scandalous "Boscastle Family" entitled 'Devilish Pleasures of a Duke'!

In Hunter's 7th book about "The Boscastle family, we meet again, the eldest daughter of The Marquess of Sedgecroft.

Emma Boscastle, oldest of her six siblings, is a shining example of a dutiful daughter. Emma married in her debut year, a Scottish Viscount selected for her by her parent's.. In this arranged marriage to an older man she hardly knew, she learned to respect her husband and fulfilled her responsibilites as Viscountess admirably.

She also became,by default, an example of rigid propriety to her siblings by becoming reasonably happy in her childless marriage. When she became a widow, shortly after her marriage, she then opened a School of Etiquette for young girls in Scotland. From there, she became an avid letter writer between her siblings and friends in London. From afar, Emma learned to be self sufficient and did not hesitate to prose on about the deficiencies of her sibling's scandalous behavior.

Through the first six books of this series, Emma pops up, when needed, as a shining example of moral rectitude to her siblings. Her brother, Grayson Boscastle, becomes Marquess of Sedgecroft, upon the sudden death of their parent's. Grayson takes his role as new patriarch of the family very seriously. He convinces Emma to move to London to reopen her School of Etiquette there. Emma is content in her role as Matriarch of the Boscastle Family until her brother marries in "The Seduction of an English Scoundrel". When Emma loses her lease on her school building, she moves in with her brother, Heath, and his new bride, Julia, in their luxurious London mansion.

It is at this point, Emma's story begins in a rollicking misadventure at the marriage of one of her student's which Emma is hosting. During the first meeting between Emma and Adrian Ruxley, a soldier of fortune, sparks fly! From there, the story evolves into a series of romantic encounters between Emma and Adrian, which Emma tries to hide from her siblings. After listening to her moralizing about all their scandalous behavior in the prior books, her siblings can't wait for a little payback when they scent the makings of a juicy scandal involving the "Perfect" sister!

This book is a delight! Meeting familiar characters in this book made me feel like I had come back home! Enjoy!