A Groom of One's Own [Mass Market Paperback]

Maya Rodale (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 29, 2010

Miss Harlow's marriage in high life
London, 1823
A handsome duke. His beautiful soon-to-be duchess. A whirlwind courtship. It is this author's privilege to report on the event all of London is talking about: the upcoming wedding of the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon to the only daughter of the Duke of Richmond. Every detail of the "Wedding of the Year" will be reported in these pages as a London Weekly exclusive.
But I, Miss Sophie Harlow, must confess to a secret infatuation with this "double duke" that can only lead to trouble. It is impossible that this notoriously upstanding gentleman would ever jilt his bride for a scandalous female newspaper writer. And yet . . . the arrival of a foreign prince, the discovery of a shocking secret, and one passionate kiss could change everything. Will this perfect duke risk the scandal of the year to marry the woman his heart desires?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The twisting paths of love and duty collide in this engrossing and lively romance introducing Miss Sophie Harlow, a journalist whose column has taken 19th-century London by storm. Sophie, herself recently jilted at the altar, has reluctantly taken on the newspaper's task of writing about weddings, and is invited to cover the marriage of the handsome "double duke" of Brandon and Hamilton to Lady Clarissa Richmond. The moment Brandon and Sophie lay eyes on each other, the chemistry is undeniable. But Brandon's reputation as a truly good man, coupled with Sophie's regard for Clarissa, conflict with their deepening desires. Meanwhile, Lady Clarissa's mother will stop at nothing to see the wedding through, despite her daughter's sudden attachment to the Prince of Bavaria (it's mutual). As the wedding day draws neigh, schemes are unleashed and bonds are broken. With wonderfully drawn characters, intrigue, and tantalizing passion, Rodale (The Rogue and the Rival) is certain to delight readers and keep them waiting, with baited breath, for more.
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Review

"For a delightful love-and-laughter, madness and mayhem romance, Rodale calls upon the joy, troubles, triumphs and tribulations of wedding planning. With its quick pace and wonderful sense of humor, Rodale's new entry in the Writing Girl series is a smash."  - RT Book Reviews

"A GROOM OF ONE'S OWN was an absolutely enchanting read." - Romance Reviews Today

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Avon (June 29, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061922986
• ISBN-13: 978-0061922985
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 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: #1,097,942 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Maya Rodale began reading romance novels in college at her mother's insistence and it wasn't long before she was writing her own. Maya is now the author of multiple Regency historical romances. She lives in New York City with her darling dog and a rogue of her own. Please visit her at www.mayarodale.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Dumb on so many levels, August 5, 2010

By 

NM Reader - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Groom of One's Own (Mass Market Paperback)

The reviews here and the back cover blurb made this book sound like such a fun read, but it was tedious and I ended up forcing myself to finish it. Where to start?

The hero is boring. We are told repeatedly how honorable he is. He is constantly pulling the heroine off for trysts, but would never consider breaking his betrothal. He just appears spineless rather than honorable. We are given extensive back stories for the hero, the heroine, even the hero's fiancee's mother, which are supposed to make their actions seem plausible, but instead are just annoying. The heroine is likable enough, too bad she's stuck in such a bad book. Then there is the "big secret" being hinted at, sorry, but by the time it is revealed, I just didn't care.

So many details struck me as ridiculous or just plain wrong: The hero's fiancee is the daughter of a duke, and her mother invites a "popular newspaper" to participate in wedding planning and report all the details - ridiculous. The heroine, who is a "writing girl" for the newspaper, is invited to society events - ridiculous again. The hero (a duke), his mother and prospective mother-in-law (duchesses) are referred to as Lord and Lady over and over - wrong. Ironically, the author includes a note at the end about the historical basis for "writing girls". Too bad nothing else seems correct.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Delightful Regency, August 23, 2010

By 

logophile "Avid Reader" (Connecticut) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Groom of One's Own (Mass Market Paperback)

I'm on the last leg of this book, and it's my first with this author. I don't normally read historicals but read the first few pages in Borders and decided to buy it. I'm enjoying it very much. It isn't great fiction, but it's nicely written, and I don't care a whit that everything isn't perfectly accurate to the time, she isn't looking for a Pulitzer and most people who read historicals are lacking in full knowledge of those eras, it's fiction not biography. It's a charming story, the characters are delightful. It doesn't have the depth of a Mary Jo Putney, or Diana Gabaldon, but for a fun light read it's fine. This appears to be only her 3rd novel and perhaps she'll develop more depth as she continues.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read, June 30, 2010

By 

T. Jones "Crazed about books" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Groom of One's Own (Writing Girls) (Kindle Edition)

The storyline was predictable but very well written. It was good to read a story that showed honorable good people who believed in each other and did not simply walk away from love. I could not put this book down and read it in 1 night. It was beautifully written and I found myself rooting for the 4 main characters.