Customer Reviews

Duel of Hearts

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This is correctly billed as Farr's "wittiest romp ever." Her trademark sparkling dialog makes for a fast, entertaining read. You can always count on this author for a well-drawn cast of characters and intelligent & witty prose. The hero and heroine in this one are strong-willed and spoiled rotten. Their resistance to falling under anyone else's spell causes them to clash hilariously as they try to escape each other's pull. Lots of fun.

"Duel of Hearts" is one of the most amusing romance novels I've read in a long time. In fact the plot and the characters found in the, "Duel of Hearts" reminded me strongly of similar novels written by one of my favourite Regency romance authours, Marion Chesney.

When Delilah Chadwick, the only daughter of Sir Horace Chadwick, receives news that her father is about to marry, the dismayed young lady immediately jumps the conclusion that her father is being manipulated into marriage by an unscrupulous harpy. (Being a tad spoilt and headstrong young lady, and being totally used to running the lives of all those around her, thinking of her father as a used dupe is the only way in which she can currently cope with the notion that her father would choose to marry again after so many years of being a widower.) And so, Lilah decides to immediately make for London, in order to stop her father from making the mistake of his life.

Rich, autocratic and used-to-always-having-things-his-own-way Adam Harlestone, the ninth Earl of Drakesley, had always assumed that he would marry his plain and unassuming cousin, Eugenia, when the time was right. The last thing he expected was to receive intelligence that Eugenia (who is in London for the Season) is being pursued by a gentleman old enough to be her father. Sure that his cousin is need of his protection, he decides to make for London in order to salvage her honour. Unexpectedly, however, Drakesley runs into Eugenia's supposed seducer's daughter on the road. And after the initial barbed exchanges (which are truly quite amusing), the pair discover that they have a goal in common -- extracting their loved ones from the predicament they seem currently find themselves in. And so these two incredibly forceful and spoilt individuals come to an agreement: to put an end to this engagement between Sir Horace and Eugenia that neither Lilah or Drakesley approve of. What happens next is something neither Lilah nor Drakesley anticipated. For Lilah finds to her dismay that the incredibly high-handed and autocratic Drakesley would suit her down to a tee! And while Drakesley finds Lilah very spoilt and stubborn, he also finds her to be very enchanting and tantalising. Will Drakesley and Lilah give up on their plans to break up Sir Horace and Eugenia? And will they decide to pursue the volatile attraction that seems to be growing between them? And then of course there is Eugenia -- an extremely intelligent young lady who sees and understands a lot more than she lets on...

I don't think I've smiled so much while reading one book. "Duel of Hearts" was definitely a fun read. The plot, while a rather well known one with few deviations, thanks to Diane Farr's brilliant handling still seemed fresh and interesting. I loved the manner in which she developed both the plot (the bits where both Lilah and Drakesley try to 'talk' sense to Eugenia) and the romance that was simmering between Drakesley and Lilah. Especially brilliant, however, was the manner in which she brought the characters of Drakesley, Lilah, Eugenia, and a few other minor characters to life -- the changes to Lilah's character, the manner in which her character in particular begins to change and mature, was esp satisfying. If I have any quibbles with this novel, it's that there wasn't enough of Sir Horace and Eugenia. Seeing their story unfold as a backdrop to Drakesley and Lilah's would have been really nice. And I suppose I would have preferred it if Diane Farr had been a little more ironic about Drakesley and Lilah -- a la Marion Chesney. But these are just minor quibbles, not at all to be taken too seriously.

All in all, "Duel of Hearts" is a superb read, and deserves both a lot of rave reviews and a 5 star rating.

Some of the reviewers obviously didn't "get" this book. It's a comedy! Lilah and Drake are made for each other, precisely because nobody else could stand to live with either one of them. They ENJOY their conflicts and it is that air of naughty enjoyment that makes their confrontations so droll.

And, by the way, the cameo appearance made by Lord Rival takes place when he is clearly in his early 20s. He doesn't meet Olivia in THE FORTUNE HUNTER until he is in his 30's. So he's an unrepentant rake because he hasn't repented yet. In other words, DUEL OF HEARTS takes place several years before THE FORTUNE HUNTER. I agree with the other reviewer that he would never cheat on his beloved wife, but he hasn't met her yet. The author could have made this clearer, perhaps, since it probably bothered a few readers who didn't figure that out.

Witty and exuberant Diane Farr again treats the reader to a highly entertaining romp in her novel Duel of Hearts.

Delilah Chadwick is incredulous that her adoring widowed father could really be contemplating remarriage without consulting her, but so the letter she receives from him states. She embarks on a mission to save her beloved father from Eugenia Mayhew, a young woman Lilah has never met but who must be "a mercenary harridan...taking advantage of Papa's good nature."

Lilah is so used to everyone capitulating to her demands that she's failed to notice how headstrong and domineering she actually is. So she's astonished and extremely annoyed by the very forceful man actually opposes her will when, at the local inn, she attempts to wrest from him the carriage he has just rented-the last suitable vehicle in the area to carry her to London where her father is.

Adam "Drake" Harleston, the ninth Earl of Drakesley, is stunned and highly displeased with the forceful harpy who has the nerve to repeatedly demand he give up his rented carriage to her. When he begrudgingly ends up sharing the carriage with Lilah and her companion Miss Pickens, he's even more displeased to discover that she's the daughter of the older gentleman who's no doubt seduced his poor cousin Eugenia into pledging marriage. Drake was raised with Eugenia and always assumed that he would marry her one day. After all, a biddable wife who can offer him a quiet life is just the ticket to enable him to maintain the status quo of his existence. And that's surely what he wants-right?

Drake is alarmed to discover the overwhelming physical reaction he has to Lilah, and she is equally embarrassed by the passion she feels whenever she's near him. Although they form an alliance to stop the disastrous marriage of her father and his cousin, they cannot stop arguing over how to do it. And what a wonderful, feisty argument it is. As they wittily oppose one another's wills, they feel extraordinarily alive and begin falling in love while the reader is treated to highly entertaining repartee.

But nothing goes as planned, and by the time Drake apparently persuades Eugenia to break her engagement and to marry him instead, emotions are running high all around, and it's no longer clear who is tricking whom. What is clear is that Drake and Lilah must stop fooling themselves or an extraordinary love will be lost forever.

Lilah and Drake are lively, well-drawn and thoroughly enjoyable characters who take the reader on a thrilling ride in this witty page turner. The supporting cast is equally endearing and funny. Duel of Hearts is a delightful book that no romance lover should miss.

Fifty-some years ago, a hilariously bickering couple, appropriately named 'The Bickersons' (John and Blanche) made their debut as part of a radio show. They were so funny (as played by Don Ameche and Frances Langford) that they soon acquired a series of their own, and eventually even made it to TV. They were sarcastic and mettlesome, never fearing to go for the jugular, but yet they were never really-completely-mean-spirited. They always kissed and made up by the end of the segment.

I was reminded of them, over and over, while reading this book. And yes-it also brought back memories of the classic Kate Hepburn/Spencer Tracy movies as well. Two attractive and exceedingly confident people who KNEW they were right, never even considering otherwise, they were at the same time, lovers par excellence! They acknowledged the magnetic attraction between them, yet never seeming to quite understand it all.

Lilah and Drake are wonderfully drawn, completely alive characters who are totally dumbstruck by whatever has happened to them, especially as they have had no prior experience upon which to draw. They both knew exactly the type of mate best suited for them, and it certainly is not this! Why, they don't even much like each other, except-why can't they keep away from each other? Why do they always seem to be touching or kissing? It's enough to astonish anyone, let alone the ones to whom it's happening.

I don't believe I've laughed so hard at a book in years and years, and I hated to come to the end of this one. I would happily had read another 342 pages of these two charming people and their wonderment at the situation in which they find themselves. It is greatly to be hoped that the author will find a way to include them as at least minor characters in her future books, just so we may keep an eye on the Regency version of the Bickersons -- the Earl and Countess of Drakesley.

Lilah Chadwick is in for a rude awakening when she receives notice that her beloved father is about to marry a much younger woman. She sets off immediately for London to put a stop to the nonsense, her faithful servant in tow. While attempting to hire the only carriage at a small inn, she runs afoul of the man who has already commandered it; Adam Harleston, Earl of Drakely, or Drake to his friends. They discover that they are on the same mission, since it is his cousin, who has always planned to wed, that Lilah's father is about to marry. Though disliking the necessity, they travel together, trading barbs the whole way. Does their repartee mask deeper feelings?

Once in London, they find that Adam's cousin is willing to break her engagement and marry him, but is that what the oil and water couple truly wants?

***** Delightfully engaging, this novel will provoke laugh out loud moments as this pair comes to the realization that what they thought they wanted might be all together different from what they really want. In dark times, this frothy romance will entertain fans of Regency and historical romances alike. *****

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore.

From the back cover:

Lilah Chadwick thinks she's the apple of her father's eye--until he announces his plans to marry. Hoping to counter his decision, she rushes to London.

Adam Harleston, the ninth Earl of Drakesley, is a man possessed. His young cousin has been seduced by an older gentleman, and he's determined to save her honor before it's too late.

But wedding bells are about to ring for Lilah's father and Drake's cousin. Joining forces, Lilah and Drake vow to stop their loved ones from making a drastic mistake--only to discover that falling in love is never a mistake...

And my review:

I've been on the lookout for this author's books ever since I picked up Under a Lucky Star (Star Trilogy) from a bargain table. I thoroughly enjoyed that book, and hoped I would find another enjoyable read with DUEL OF HEARTS.

Diane Farr has a lovely writing style. Her stories flow beautifully, she has a nice grasp of history (though she wisely refrains from getting to "textbook" in her prose), and she has a nice balance of prose and dialogue. She can also be delightfully funny, and humor is harder to write than you might think.

I just wished she hadn't wasted a tale with such potential with unlikeable characters. I disliked these two almost the instant I met them. As others have said, Lilah is childish. Her jealousy that her father was getting married would have been more fitting from a little girl, not a woman fully grown. She had moments of niceness, but they were few and far between. Overall, I simply didn't like her. If I had met her in real life, she would have been a woman I'd avoid seeing socially if at all possible.

And the hero wasn't much better. Drake was very overbearing. The few times I liked the heroine were when she stood up to him for his controlling ways. I felt both of them were rather self-centered, and it took them a long time to see and admit the truth: that Lilah's father and Drake's cousin were actually in love, and that Drake and Lilah are meant for each other.

Unfortunately, the author spent so much time showing the reader why these two don't belong together (which they themselves agree over and over) that I believed they were correct; that in spite of their mutual physical attraction, they would kill each other if they ever did get married. They did almost nothing but argue, and it got tiresome after a while.

I KNOW this author can write good books. I've read one of them. I can see the potential in this one--it just needed some characters a reader could cheer for, and it would have been delightful. There's a fine line between witty banter and bickering; unfortunately, this leaned towards the latter.

Witty and exuberant Diane Farr again treats the reader to a highly entertaining romp in her novel Duel of Hearts.

Delilah Chadwick is incredulous that her adoring widowed father could really be contemplating remarriage without consulting her, but so the letter she receives from him states. She embarks on a mission to save her beloved father from Eugenia Mayhew, a young woman Lilah has never met but who must be "a mercenary harridan...taking advantage of Papa's good nature."

Lilah is so used to everyone capitulating to her demands that she's failed to notice how headstrong and domineering she actually is. So she's astonished and extremely annoyed by the very forceful man actually opposes her will when, at the local inn, she attempts to wrest from him the carriage he has just rented-the last suitable vehicle in the area to carry her to London where her father is.

Adam "Drake" Harleston, the ninth Earl of Drakesley, is stunned and highly displeased with the forceful harpy who has the nerve to repeatedly demand he give up his rented carriage to her. When he begrudgingly ends up sharing the carriage with Lilah and her companion Miss Pickens, he's even more displeased to discover that she's the daughter of the older gentleman who's no doubt seduced his poor cousin Eugenia into pledging marriage. Drake was raised with Eugenia and always assumed that he would marry her one day. After all, a biddable wife who can offer him a quiet life is just the ticket to enable him to maintain the status quo of his existence. And that's surely what he wants-right?

Drake is alarmed to discover the overwhelming physical reaction he has to Lilah, and she is equally embarrassed by the passion she feels whenever she's near him. Although they form an alliance to stop the disastrous marriage of her father and his cousin, they cannot stop arguing over how to do it. And what a wonderful, feisty argument it is. As they wittily oppose one another's wills, they feel extraordinarily alive and begin falling in love while the reader is treated to highly entertaining repartee.

But nothing goes as planned, and by the time Drake apparently persuades Eugenia to break her engagement and to marry him instead, emotions are running high all around, and it's no longer clear who is tricking whom. What is clear is that Drake and Lilah must stop fooling themselves or an extraordinary love will be lost forever.

Lilah and Drake are lively, well-drawn and thoroughly enjoyable characters who take the reader on a thrilling ride in this witty page turner. The supporting cast is equally endearing and funny. Duel of Hearts is a delightful book that no romance lover should miss.

Delilah Chadwick, upon receiving an epistle from her father Horace that he is about to get married, is tenacious to banish any thoughts of having a new stepmother. She departs hastily with her companion, Ms. Pickens in a barouche to London with a furious storm brewing and heads to the inn to get a travelling carriage. It is coincidental she meets Adam Harleston, ninth earl of Drakesley who has been promised the carriage. Lilah is compelled to share the carriage with the overbearing Drake in her state of urgency and discovers later that Drake is actually going to London to find her father's intended Eugenia to propose. With a twist of fate, the two of them strikes an alliance to separate the lovers only to find themselves falling for each other....

Who can ever imagine a scenario like a carriage ride would be such a theatrical pleasure? Diane Farr creates palpable chemistry between Lilah and Drake with catty sexist barbs, duelling of wits and intelligence that makes this romp a lively and crackling revue from start to finish. Their exchange is quick and with such hostility yet affection that readers will know this oddball couple is destined for each other. Ms. Farr's characters grows on you with their quirky characters and banishes the damsel-in-distress-alpha-male stereotype with their rebellious self.

It is laugh-a-loud hysterics when Lilah finds herself falling for Drake and sees the irony of her separating Eugenia and her father. The stubborn hearts refuses to submit - and so enters the ensemble of memorable side-characters like the concerned Aunt Polly and Uncle Nat as well as the wise Eugenia playing matchmakers.

Ms. Farr has outdone herself this time when the humor comes out fast and furious in the duel of hearts and wits. The passion between Lilah and Drake is tenderly sexy and poignant without the usual open-the-bedroom style in romance novels nowadays. This rip-roaring romantic comedy bolsters on the strength dynamic duo to deliver a joyous comical celebration of bliss and love. How I just love them when they are in love and war.

Another amazing novel by Diane Farr. If you haven't read her other stories, you should. This book is beautifully written. You feel all the tension they feel. Their banter will have you laughing outloud. Truly a classic to read over again.!