11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic Regencies from a Great Author, August 8, 2000
By A Customer
This review is from: The Duke's Wager and Lord of Dishonor (Paperback)
I have been a fan of Edith Layton since the original publication of 'The Duke's Wager' in the mid 1980's. I was blown away the first time I read this book, especially since it came from a first-time Regency author. I'm pleased to see Signet reissuing two of the best stories ever written by anyone and certainly my two favorites by this author. Both of these are original, well-written books that would be worth twice the price singley. Here you get 2 great books for the price of one!
'The Duke's Wager' features the Duke of Torquay, a hero to die for, in pursuit of a beautiful, poor woman without family to protect her. He discovers that not the love OF a good woman will redeem him but the love FOR a good woman.
'Lord of Dishonour' has a handsome but decadent hero who is living down to his expectations of himself, based on what he believes to be true about his family. Through the machinations of the heroine's mother, he becomes engaged to a virtuous maiden who is determined NOT to live down to the expectations of society which are based on her mother's past. How these two grow as people and develop respect and love for each other is truly a beautiful story. I highly recommend both of thes books!
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Oh, joy!, August 21, 2000
This review is from: The Duke's Wager and Lord of Dishonor (Paperback)
Oh, frabjous day! Thank you, Signet, for giving us this perfectly splendiferous double-dip, just in time for those hot summer days when reading the ultra-cool Ms. Layton is the perfect answer for what to do while lazing in a hammock under a big, green, leafy tree.
Forget the champagne, you won't need it with this wonderful duo. Any time you feel the need to treat yourself to something truly splendid, there is no vintage as splendid as vintage Layton.
THE DUKE'S WAGER is a re-issue of her very first book, and all the reasons for her continuing success swirl and bubble around the reader like the very finest of sparkling libations. Who else but Edith Layton could--or would?--write a Regency romance in which the supposed villain gets the girl?
When Regina Berryman, a beautiful commoner with no family and no dowry, is left totally adrift by the death of her uncle, she is perceived as a target for the affections of two of the most attractive men in London--the Duke of Torquay, Jason Thomas, and the Marquis of Bessacarr, Sinjun St. Charles. One offers love, the other wants her for his mistress. Although men have, for centuries, made a near-crusade about male honor, it is Regina's own sense of honor which brings both men literally to their knees. Within the space of an hour, she receives the final accolade from each of them--a proposal of marriage. Regina has learned her lessons only too well, and makes the only possible choice.
You'll want to thrust your fist in the air and shout, "YEESSSS!" when you come to the end of this book. But you don't have to wonder whatever happened to these stay-in-your-mind characters. Layton brings many of them into her subsequent books.
LORD OF DISHONOR didn't follow the above book chronologically, but no matter. It's still a marvelous--and unusual--vintage.
Amanda Amberley is visiting her mother when Christian Jarrow, Viscount North stops to visit. Her Mama, the Countess of Clovelly, who has had a stable relationship for lo, these many years with the Duke of Laxey, (in spite of having a husband of her own somewhere else) seizes the moment and misdirects the handsome young man to the blue room rather then the gray one where he was supposed to be. But then, the blue room is where Amanda has been tucked away. It's so hard to pay attention to these details, given the fact that the dashing young lord has one eye of blue and one of gray. So distracting. Especially when he smiles just so.
Thus begins this tale of two splendidly handsome young folks, with outwardly not a care in the world. Inwardly, however--ah, that's a different story entirely. Being deprived of a loving family, of course that is the thing each most wants, and yet finds it the hardest to acquire.
Edith Layton is a wordsmith deserving of that term. She uses words in a way that no other has--or does. She's long been one of my very favorites, if for no other reason than her incredibly enticing heroes. Indeed, this book contains my all-time favorite Layton line - ". . . the only task more difficult than seducing a lad of eighteen might be that of breathing in and out . . ."
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Tour de Force, July 26, 2001
This review is from: The Duke's Wager and Lord of Dishonor (Paperback)
I've only just finished the first book in this 2 volume edition -"The Duke's Wager". I was deeply moved by this story - it was not the usual Regency novel - it was dark, deep and difficult - sometimes almost painful to read. Others have summarised the plot (and the very few faults which appear) and pointed out the main area of conflict betwen two seemingly similar but ultimately different men.
From the start I was attracted to the "Black Duke". Very recently I read an outstanding new biography published in the UK of the 2nd Earl of Rochester by Cephas Goldsworthy ("The Satyr"). Lord Rochester is best known as a Restoration Poet and is given a bit of coverage to high school students. However, what your teacher never told you was that he was not only a poet but a rake, debauchee (possibly bi-sexual), pornographer in chief to Charles II, sufferer of syphillis and a man bent on self-destruction who was redeemed on his deathbed (I think) by his love of life, the arts, women and the passions of friendship. The character of the Duke of Torquay in many facets of his personality, attitudes and experiences put me in mind of Rochester. However, Torquay is able to redeem himself before sinking into the abyss of total despair, self-loathing and possibly, even, a prolonged and ugly death from venereal disease. How he does this is the core of the novel. That the heroine was able to allow and encourage him to do it made me admire her when at first I despaired of her good qualities.
I have found a copy of "The Disdainful Marquis" and will now read that to see if the Marquis of Bessacarr is able to put his experiences in this story to his advantage.
A well written, passionate, deep and unusual story. I am so glad I read it - thank you, Edith Layton!
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