Customer Reviews

A Duke For Christmas (Zebra Regency Romance)

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

 

 

A Duke For Christmas is a charming tale about a well-deserved second chance at love. The characters are multi-dimensional, and they make the rich plot fascinating. For all the intrigue lovers out there, this touching novel also contains a lively splash of mystery. Don't wait for Christmas for this present.

I had high hopes since the characters in this book seemed real. They had their flaws. Sophie's marriage, begun with such high hopes and love, ended with a whimper. Except for a slight flash-back to the night before her wedding, most of the book revolves around her life back in England after being widowed in Italy. I liked Sophie because she did not bemoan the fact her flighty poet husband abandoned her before his untimely death. She perceived the marriage soured for both because her husband was unable to sustain his love in the daily (boring) minutia of life! She did not regret loving him. But she will not trust her heart (or men) so easily as before!

Dominic, newly made a Duke (I think we see some of his story in a prequel that I did not read), had fallen madly in love with Sophie even though she was engaged at the time to her poet. They share a magical kiss on the eve of her wedding but Sophie considers it just a mild flirtation and is more embarrassed by the incident than entranced by it.

But as a favor to Sophie's brother-in-law, Dominic meets Sophie at the docks when she arrives from Italy with two of her landlady's daughters (maids) in tow and a friend of her husband. The trip back to her sister's house is pleasant and uneventful and they share some tender if fleeting moments. Sophie guards her heart and Dominic commits to being her friend (though attempting to turn her regard to love).

Sophie is determined to publish her husband's poems and Dominic assists while they linger at her sister's house during the Christmas season. There are adventures to be had, a baby to be born and a mystery to solve. Something strange revolves around the sheaf of poems that Sophie has brought from Italy.

I just found the storyline a bit tedious. There is little romance and Sophie seemed an insipid partner for the more interesting Duke! Handsome and kind, I think he could have found another by the time Sophie returned. She was quite indifferent to him and I found his hanging-on HOPING for a tidbit of affection rather sad. It took me quite a while to finish this book and I normally read these in a day or two. I was interested enough to finish it but.... Not one I would keep and I am not inspired to read others by this author.

When I first started reading this book, I really enjoyed it. The characters were good--Dominic who knows what he wants and is willing to wait and do what he needs to gain Sophie's trust and love. Sophie is trying to regain her independence after living in a bad marriage and living in poverty after her husband left her for another woman. Like I said, it started off great, but the second half of the book feels like it could have ended a lot sooner. It's still a good read so I would rate it 3 1/2 stars.