Customer Reviews

The Duchess's Next Husband (Harlequin Historical)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I just didn't see it. Yes, Ms. Brisbin knows how to plot her characters, but I didn't see the spark between them. They were bland and plodding throughout the story; I never got a sense of urgency over Adrian's impending death, nor of Miranda's feelings over this, which should have been devastating. There was simply nothing there. Everything simply moved along. I really enjoyed Miranda's friend, Sophie, much more than Miranda herself, but she was regulated to the extreme background, as with all Harlequin books.

Still, the medical knowledge portrayed in this was extremely well done. Kudos to Ms. Brisbin for that.

I need to stop reading romances for a while, I think. I know Ms. Brisbin is a wonderful writer, but this story just didn't work.

Ms. Brisbin has penned a very sweet read. Our hero and heroine Adrian and Miranda are the Duke and Duchess of Windmere. There are already married but have fallen into the trap that so many aristocratic couples fall into, duty, duty, duty, to the title that is held. This is a story is about falling in love all over again and realizing that life is too short to spend it playing games.

Adrian Warfield is the Duke of Windmere. He has just been told by his team of physicians that he is dying. He won't make it to the end of the year and that he should really get his affairs in order. Or at least that's what he overhears. Knowing that his time is short he begins to take stock in his life. He is married to a dutiful and kind woman, but their relationship is not what it used to be. There was a time long ago, before the title was his that they laughed and shared things. Now they live the proper aristocratic life and he must consider what should be done to protect Miranda when his death occurs. They have not been able to produce a child and the title will be forfeited to a cousin. This situation weighs heavily on Adrian. He takes a trip to the country and soon Miranda follows. Their time in the country seems to change things. Miranda seems more beautiful and open then she had been before, and Adrian begins to realize that although they have grown apart there is a part of him that misses her badly. It's only a matter of time before this Duke realizes that he is in love with his own wife. His love motivates him to find a new husband for his Miranda. Can he do this without Miranda figuring out what he is up too?

Miranda has come to terms with the way her life has played out. She knows that she would not have been the choice of the Dowager Duchess for her son Adrian. She tries very hard to be the wife that she thinks Adrian needs and wants. What she wants though is love, respect, and caring. Than all of a sudden Adrian seems to be spending more time with her and their physical relationship is changing...for the better what has brought on this change...and will it last or is it too good to be true?

Adrian and Miranda were compelling characters. The fact that these two were already married at the beginning of the story made the storyline a little more unique. The concept of facing your own mortality is a very interesting vehicle for a storyline and Ms. Brisbin has made the most of it. I truly felt invested with the characters and the change in their relationship was sweet and tender to read. I highly recommend Ms. Brisbin if you are in the market for a fast-paced read that will touch on your emotions.

Official Reviewer for www.romancedesigns.com

This usually ain't the kind of romance that I read: husband and wife married for years who finally start to love each other. But I found myself reading this into the night and actually enjoying it. However I only gave it three stars because when Adrian, Duke of Windmere finally starts to treat his wife with more than cool tolerance, it just seems highly unlikely.

Adrian overhears his doctor outside discussing his case and saying that he will die soon. Panic overcomes him and he decides that he needs to work it out where his wife, Miranda is still taken care of. He starts to realize that he loves his wife and starts making a list of eligible men to marry her after he is gone.

This is a sweet romance that really has no punch to it. But, it's still a great read. I didn't like how cold he was to his wife at the beginning but he comes around in time. Not as good as most historical's like Gaelen Foley and Johanna Lindsey. Still, you should give it a try.

The Duke and Duchess of Windmere have been married for 7 years and have a barren marriage. It is both physically barren (the Duchess has never gotten pregnant) and emotionally barren.

One day, overhearing his doctors talking about a terminal case, the Duke believes that he has less than a year to live. After indulging in self-pity and getting roaring drunk, he decides to set his will in order and make sure that his mother, his wife, and his mistress will be financially secure after his death. He gives his mistress her conge and generous parting gifts. He knows his mother, the Dowager Duchess, will always have her homes. However, he finds out that the Duchess would face an uncertain future if he dies without producing any issue.

When the Duke got drunk, the Duchess knew that something has happened. She follows him to their country estate in the hope that they might get closer as they used to be in the first year of their marriage when her husband was just the Second Son and not the Duke overwhelmed by the grandeur and rigid demands of his position after his older brother's death.

The title of the novel is misleading. The Duchess's next husband is never named altho the Duke does make up a laundry list of candidates. The book is less about the Duke looking for his replacement than it is about dealing with barrenness.

The barrenness is the symbol of their marriage. In the Prologue, you see the Duke in one of his weekly visits to the Duchess's bed and it's a clinical procedure with the Duke thinking of the Dukedom the whole time. As the Duke reaccesses his life and starts to fall for his wife, he begins to want pregnancy for her own sake. To me, this part was probably the most poignant part of the novel.

I love Troubled Marriage stories so enjoyed TDNH. This is my second Terri Brisbin after the medieval The King's Mistress (a B- read) and I can see that Brisbin is unafraid to have far-from-perfect H/Hs in both books, which I applaud.

The thing I did not like was that there was nothing in the book anywhere that told me whether it was Regency period or Victorian. Also, I found the Duke rather on the dumb side and too easily manipulated by the Dowager Duchess, the villainess of the story. As a rule, I dont necessarily mind dumb H/Hs as long as they are equally matched in stupidity. (My favorite example of well-matched dum-dums is in Beast by Judith Ivory.) However, the Duchess was a bit smarter than the Duke. She knew something was up immediately and the Dowager had to work a lot harder to manipulate her. I couldnt help thinking their HEA was a bit dubious as long as the Dowager was in their lives.

So, am I ever gonna read another Terri Brisbin? That depends. If she does one with another of my favorite tropes, then Yes. Otherwise, No.

Series: Stand Alone (Yay!)

Sensuality: PG-13

This was a very enjoyable read. The characters seem like real people who act from reasonable motivations, and both their verbal and physical interactions are warm and witty. Even though there are some misunderstandings and a runaway heroine near the end - which is something I normally despise - it doesn't feel frustrating to read it. I took this book out from the library, but if I had bought it, I would have been quite satisfied with my purchase.

If you like the theme of seeing what a hero does when faced with imminent death, check out One Perfect Rose (Fall Angels, Book 7), by Mary Jo Putney, who handles it splendidly.

this book was really well written... kind of a reminder to pay attention to the important things in life... was a okay story of a man realizing that he loved his wife after years of lying to her and neglecting her and letting his mother control and emotionally abuse her..... i was cheering for miranda getting what she wanted and deserved out of life.. there is a good grovel at the end by the duke..

only a few things i didn't like about this book... i didn't like that the Hero never lavished more attention and gifts on miranda his wife after he realized how important she was to him... yet he spent years buying gifts and a house for the mistress.. also the when he meet his ex mistress to talk... his thoughts seemed more affectionate for her then the dialogue thoughts about his wife... i never felt like he thought the betrayl of his wife was a big deal...

i wanted miranda to confort her husband and his mistress too... at vauxhall and at the new house..grr... wanted hair to fly.

i felt the issue of the old mistress meeting him in vauxhall and at the house he bought miranda wasn't explained to miranda after she tells the duke she saw him there with the ex mistress, the only thing he says it caro only came to your new house once.. (how tacky is it to bring the exmistress to your wifes new house to get her advice... I don't think this hero ever GOT IT..... i don't know if i could let that go as a wife if i reinvested trust back into a cheating husband... (maybe a little too much like what happens in real life for me to be comfortable with it..lol..)

just my thoughts..

Miranda and Adrian Warfield have a very proper marriage. They call each other by their titles (they are the Duke and Duchess of Warfield) and consider it improper to make personal inquiries even in the sanctity of their weekly scheduled bedroom encounters. The Duke has the requisite paramour while the Duchess considers his infidelity to be proper for a man of his station.

However, the Duke has been feeling more than a bit indisposed of late, so he consults with his physicians, who prescribe the usual tonics and advise him to take the waters when he can. After the physicians leave his home, he overhears their conversation through a window and understands that he has only a short time to live.

That night, the Duke gets unbecomingly crocked and misses his Thursday night assignation with his wife. This is her first clue that something is terribly amiss, because nothing is more important to the Duke than their weekly attempt to procreate. The Duke and his domineering mother desperately need an heir for their family fortune. Adrian Warfield heads off to his country estate to lick his wounds and consult his barrister. The Duchess, in an attempt to discover just what caused her husband's private bacchanal, follows him there. Initially dismayed by her presence, the Duke soon begins to appreciate his wife's charms. Love rekindles.

There aren't any surprises in this book, but it was a pleasant way to spend a couple of evenings. Recommended for readers of light, period romances.

This was an excellent book. The characters were well written and the story was compelling. This was a story about people who had grown apart during their marriage and finding their way back to each other.

I have read many books by this author and this is her best work. It was refreshing to have this story told. I love books where i can relate to the heroine. I understand why she did certain things. Excellent book