The Duchess and the Dragon [Paperback]

Jamie Carie (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2008

Rising romance novelist Jamie Carie’s second book, The Duchess and the Dragon, tells the epic story of two unlikely soulmates who live worlds apart but soon meet and turn each other’s world upside down.

 

Drake Weston, Duke of Northumberland, is accustomed to a life of royalty until a tragic mistake followed by murderous rage results in his darkening character and sudden flee from England. With a hoarde of money on which to survive, Drake hops a ship of indentured servants to America but is duly robbed and taken ill by the merciless sea voyage.

 

In Pennsylvania, Serena Winter is a humble, devoted Quaker on a mission of mercy, ready to tend the sick people aboard a ship that has just arrived from England. Taken by Drake’s air of dark mystery after he begins to serve as an apprentice to her silversmith father, Serena falls in love and is excommunicated by her fellow believers when she accepts a non-Quaker’s marriage proposal.

 

Not knowing Drake’s history, Serena is later shocked to discover her new status as a duchess. What follows are hard truths and softening hearts, romance triangles, webs of deceit, and ultimately, the power of grace, love, and passion.

 

Endorsements:

 

"Enthralling. The Duchess and the Dragon brought me to tears, to joy, and finally the delight of having just read an absorbing-till-the-last-line novel."

—Lauraine Snelling, author of Breaking Free and An Untamed Land

"A thoroughly entertaining and uplifting read . . . an absolute treat."

—The Sunpiper Book Review

"Jamie Carie's characterization is brilliant with . . . a depth and authenticity rarely seen in romance novels . . . With one book she has entrenched herself a place as one of my ‘must read’ authors."

—RelzReviews

"This well-written title deserves a spot on your shelves."

—Christian Retailing

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jamie Carie is the author of Snow Angel, winner of a 2007 National "Best Books" Award and a ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year nominee. She lives with  her husband and three children in Indianapolis.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: B&H Fiction; 1ST edition (April 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805445358
• ISBN-13: 978-0805445350
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #848,726 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Revealing secrets of the Kingdom, one story at a time . . .

Born and raised in Vincennes, Indiana, Jamie is a preacher's daughter. Road trips with her dad--to and from Bible studies across Indiana--were filled with talks of things beyond earth's bounds - creation and the fall, God and Jesus and the rapture, the earthly walk compared to the spiritual walk, and how we are born for more than what we can see or touch.
The highlight of those nights was stopping at a truck stop in the middle of the night where her dad would spend a little of the offering basket on two slices of pie and a couple of Cokes. Nothing ever felt so special as a middle of the night slice of pie with her dad. And nothing could stop the writing pouring out of her.

Poems, short stories, skits and song lyrics later, Jamie grew up and married. When her eldest son turned five she decided to try her hand at novels. Snow Angel was released by B&H Publishing Group in September 2007 and won the USA Book News "Best Books 2007" Awards winner, and 2008 RITA Awards® Best First Book finalist. It was the beginning of her dream career. Jamie has since written several books to great acclaim. Her first novella, a Christmas novella, The Snowflake, is scheduled to release October 2010.

Jamie and Tony have been married for twenty-two years and live in Indianapolis, Indiana with their three sons and a giant of a dog named Leo.

If she could only say one thing to her readers it would be, "Live the dreams God has destined you for!"

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Absurd, Illogical and Contrived, November 6, 2008

By 

Anne B. Duggan (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Duchess and the Dragon (Paperback)

The whole book I continued saying to myself, "I can't believe this is happening. This is ridiculous. Who would ever do this?" The story line in this book was so absurd and ridiculous that the only reason I finished the book was to find out if the author managed to throw in anymore twists that made absolutely no sense. The two main characters aren't believable. They act in ways that are illogical and so contrived to fit the author's plot line that nothing seemed natural. Both characters are introduced and then proceed to act in ways that completely contradict their original personalities, with very thin/weak plot vehicles as reasoning. But even their original personalities are ludicrous, particularly Drake's. Bottom line is that I can't believe that I wasted my time on this piece of garbage.

17 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed, April 14, 2008

By 

Angie (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Duchess and the Dragon (Kindle Edition)

I just finished reading this book and I am so disappointed. I have read many great reviews about this author so I really thought I had found a winner but I was so wrong. I don't think I have ever read a book that has frustrated me so much. The book started off strong but soon fizzled. Characters would pop up and then disappear and you would be left wondering what happened to them. The love story was more like a lust story to me. I want to fall in love along with the characters but I didn't feel like these characters really fell in love. I mean they end up getting married because her parents catch them making out in his room one night....how romantic..not. Another thing that bugged me was here is a Quaker, she's been a Quaker all her life and because she falls in "love" with Drake she has to decide between him or her Quaker life. Well, you would think she would really struggle with this decision...nah, didn't take her too long and that left me feeling like her Quaker life really didn't mean anything to her. I guess the bottom line is that I just didn't feel anything for the characters...I didn't like them and I didn't dislike them...I just didn't care. There were tons of other things that bugged me about this book but in case you want to read this book I won't say anything else so I don't spoil it for you. But I will say if your looking for a good love story I would recommend "The Measure of Lady" by Deeanne Gist or my personal favorite "Roses for Mama" by Janette Oke.

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unmissable storytelling!, March 24, 2008

By 

Rel Mollet "RelzReviewz" (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Duchess and the Dragon (Paperback)

Imperious and commanding Drake Weston, the Earl of Warwick, is betrayed by his father from the grave. Shattered and infuriated, Drake finds himself running from the law after a fit of aggression towards a conniving servant wanting to benefit from his misery. Ever resourceful, Drake concocts a plan to marry quickly, produce an heir, deceive the English court and regain his rightful inheritance.

Escaping to Philadelphia, Drake survives the frightful voyage and finds himself at the mercy of the Winters, a gentle Quaker family, as an indentured servant. Drake's intelligence and forthright manner has Serena Winter second guessing his story but she finds herself drawn to him as no other man before. Forsaking her church, but not her faith, and all that is familiar, Serena follows her heart only to discover Drake's shameful past and his bold plan that will destroy her trust and shatter her dreams forever.

The Duchess and the Dragon is a passionate tale of love and betrayal set in the early 1800's captivating me from beginning to end. Jamie Carie's characterisation is brilliant with both Drake and Serena having a depth and authenticity rarely seen in romance novels. Drake is charismatic and driven but his transformation to a life of servant hood is revealing as he chafes against his new found limitations but is at the same time empowered by the work of his hands. Serena's compassionate nature is palpable and her confusion over her attraction to Drake delightful. The scurrilous intrigue alongside discoveries of faith play out against the backdrop of their growing love and add to the appeal of this evocative and enchanting story. For those who love Deeanne Gist and Julie Lessman, Jamie Carie will not disappoint - with one book she has entrenched herself a place as one of my "must read" authors