Distracting the Duchess (Leisure Historical Romance) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Emily Bryan (Author)
Key Phrases: golden cockerel, Emily Bryan, Thomas Doverspike, The Tattler (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
When handsome spy Trevelyn Deveridge comes to the house of young widowed duchess Artemisia Pelham-Smythe, an accomplished painter, she assumes he is there to be her new nude model. He complies with her request in order to get the information he wants, and they soon develop an immediate, potent attraction to each other. As Trevelyn tries to learn more about Mr. Beddington, the business manager who has a key to Artemisia's father's safe, the spy finds himself falling in love with the spirited duchess. Meanwhile, Artemisia hides secrets of her own related to her professional ambitions, forbidden to Victorian women. Bryan has a great handle on the material and her characters, creating a charming, colorful story with an intricate, fast-paced story line. (Feb.)
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From Booklist
Trevelyn Deveridge, an intelligence officer in Queen Victoria’s government, has been following the trail of the mysterious Mr. Beddington, who is rumored to be a key player in the Great Game. His search leads him right to Artemisia Dalrymple Pelham-Smythe, the beautiful, audacious, and widowed Duchess of Southwycke. But when handsome Trevelyne turns up at her door, Artemisia mistakes him for the new model for her latest painting. Now in order to find out more about Beddington, Trevelyne must first pose as one of the Greek gods for the scandalously unconventional Artemisia. Wickedly witty writing and wonderfully entertaining characters are the key ingredients in Bryan’s sinfully sexy historical romance, which touches shrewdly on many key elements of the Victorian era, from extreme decorum to empire building to passions for the classical past, science (including anatomy), and art. For more delectable Victorian-era romances, see the Read-alikes column on p.36. --John Charles

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 306 pages
• Publisher: Leisure Books (February 26, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0843958707
• ISBN-13: 978-0843958706
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #89,961 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No faint-hearted miss here!, February 26, 2008

By	Detra Fitch (USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Lady Artemisia, Duchess of Southwycke, may only be twenty-five-years-old, but she has already been a widow for two of those years. Knowing Society would snub a female in business, Artemisia does her dealings behind an alias. Artemisia's nom de guerre is Mr. Beddington. In her employ is one assistant, James Shipwash. James runs the day-to-day operations and does interference on the occasions someone tries to call on Mr. Beddington at the office. All goes well until her father, Angus, slips into dementia.

The Honorable Trevelyn Deveridge, second son of the Earl of Warre, is in Her Majesty's Secret Service. The last coherent message received from Angus simply said "Beddington holds the key". However, no one can reach the elusive man. The key refers to a list Angus created of all his operatives. Should it fall into the wrong hands, many would die. When Trevelyn shows up at the Southwycke estate, Lady Artemisia assumes he is the new model she had sent for. Disrobing and posing nude for the lovely lady was not what Trevelyn expected, but he was not one to say no. It is not long before things start getting dicey, as espionage often does. As the intrigue deepens, as well as the passion they share for each other, Artemisia and Trevelyn must team up to figure out where the key is.

***** There are secondary plots, secondary characters, and foreign villains galore, but there was no way I could tell much more in the synopsis without giving away something vital and spoiling the adventure. The amusing mistaken identity at the beginning sure caught my attention and the suspense began quickly thereafter. The character of Artemisia is deeper than I could explain as well. She grew up in Bombay, where riding elephants and going on tiger hunts were considered the norm. Between her background and her stiff backbone, Artemisia is a force to be reckoned with. Trevelyn has his hands full with her. No faint-hearted miss here! I found this story to be downright engrossing and I cannot recommend it highly enough! Author Emily Bryan simply oozes talent! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A tale sparkling with whimsy, humor, and suspense, February 26, 2008

By	M. Weinbeck (West Plains, MO United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

"Distracting the Duchess" is the first novel by Emily Bryan, but not the last, which is good news! This is just the kind of romance that I enjoy most: interesting and individual characters, quickly enmeshed in a story which includes some suspense and a mystery in need of solving, with lots of spicy sexy interludes and a good dollop of humor and whimsy. Can't ask for much more than that, in my opinion!
Artemesia is a wonderful heroine, determined to do her best by her family and also by the artistic gift she's been given -- both of which demand she behaves in a manner contrary to that of a 'normal' well-bred young widow. The "how and why" of her meeting with our hero immediately thrusts the reader into a fast-paced adventure, and sets the scene for these two fascinating peoples' journey toward a bliss that neither expects to find.
Emily Bryan is the not-so-secret pen name of Diana Groe, also the author of historical romances set in Viking times. In each of those three books ("Maidensong", "Erinsong", and "Silk Dreams" -- if you haven't read them, I recommend them highly), I saw a distinct improvement and growth in her story-telling and her writing, and have been eagerly awaiting the next "rung on the ladder" of her talent. With the first Emily Bryan book, I see quite clearly that upward climb; and with more overt sensuality, characters of more subtlety and depth, and stories of more complexity and sophistication, I'm intrigued and satisfied.
Ms Groe is clearly a writer of more than one story-telling voice, something not often found, in my experience. And in those authors who attempt to write in several genres and voices, it's even more rare to find one who can do so successfully and seamlessly. My guess is that there are several more "voices" gestating in Ms Groe's fertile mind right now, and I can't wait to hear them!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Different Story 3.5 Stars, June 25, 2008

By	R. Phillips (MS USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This heroine was definitely different from your typical English miss. The story had some humorous parts that varied from the norm and made it original. Although there was a lot of sexuality, I didn't find it very sensual or emotional. Maybe I just thought that some of the circumstances were awkward and the argument in the end was a bit odd to me in that it was a relationship dealbreaker. It was an easy read and was never boring, so I think many people will enjoy reading this story nevertheless - at least it was different.