Customer Reviews

Guilty Pleasures (Avon Romantic Treasure)

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I read all the reviews posted here on Amazon before beginning to write this review and I was struck by how many referred to Daphne as an "ugly duckling" who turned into a "swan". I did not see her in this way. I thought the author did a wonderful job of describing her as a woman who was normal, like most women in the world. She was not a raving beauty but she was normal. Obviously a heroine must fall into two general catagories. She must be breathtakingly beautiful or she is plain. We as readers don't seem to give authors much leeway in describing their characters. Most people are neither beautiful nor plain, they are just average. That is were that term comes from. Daphne was normal, average. She wore glasses, but only if she wanted to see well (that is a bit of sarcasm for those of you who don't need glasses!). I absolutely loved the fact that Ms Guhrke did not make Daphne undergo dramatic changes in her appearance in order to become the object of the Duke's affection. Instead, he learned to love HER, not her outward appearance.

The Duke of Tremore was not a hard character for me to understand. It was important for me to remember the historical setting of this novel. This man held a title which gave him incredible standing. He ranked above all his peers and beneath only royalty. How could he not have an exalted idea of his place in society? This particular man had assumed the duties of Duke of Tremore while his father was still living because his father was rendered totally incapable of discharging his duties because of his grief for his wife. It is very important to remember that this young man assumed the active role of being in charge of his family at the age of 12. That had to impact his character development in a tremendous way and this author showed that to us over and over in order to make us understand his handling of Daphne resigning her position.

It was fascinating to watch Anthony court Daphne using the language of flowers. That is a subject which has interested me for a long time but this is the first work of fiction where I have been privileged to watch it work. It was very unusual, a very gentle method for allowing him to show his regard and ultimately his love for the woman he wanted to be his duchess. I just loved it. Anyone who doubts his profession of his love for Daphne missed the significance of the single, thornless red rose. This book contains sensual moments but it also contains quiet, gentle moments and I really like and appreciate that combination. I find it to be much more realistic. A relationship between two people can not always consist of physical passion. They need to connect on many levels and I feel this book did that. We were allowed to see the strengths and weaknesses of both the hero and heroine.

An eminently satisfactory read from my standpoint. It will be given a place of honor among the small number of romantic fiction books I choose to keep.

Daphne Wade has been left virtually destitute after her father's untimely death. Luckily, the knowledge she gained by living and working alongside her father, who was a famous and respected antiquarian,has gained her a position working to unearth a Roman villa at the Duke of Tremore's estate. Daphne is immediately dazzled by the Duke's good looks and falls in love with him agaisnt her better judgment. Daphne knows nothing could come out of her hopeless fixation with Anthony but heartbreak but how can she resist him especially when he insists on taking off his shirt and exposing his gorgeous chest. To make matters worse, she is either struck mute or starts stammering wildly whenever he comes near her. The inevitable eventually happens when she overhears the Duke conversing with his sister and comparing her to, among other things, a machine and a stick insect. Daphne is devastated but her spirit is unbroken. She finally regains her senses and hardens her heart agaisnt Anthony and vows to leave her post and start life anew with the help of Anthony's sister Viola, who can see the strong, vivrant woman beneath Daphne's plain exterior. On the other hand, Anthony is flabbergasted when Daphne presents her resignation. He cannot afford to lose her valuable skills when he is so close to realizing his dream of opening a museum displaying his impressive collection of Roman artifacts. Furthermore,Anthony is unused to hearing the word no and refuses to accept the fact that for once in his life he is not getting his way. He begins a concerted campaign to keep Daphne from leaving him. Anthony brings out the heavy artillery and begins to charm and disarm Daphne. The only problem is that Anthony didn't count on his previously mousy ol' stammering employee turning into a strong, smart, sassy woman who is determined it seems, to be rid of him. Slowly but surely Anthony finds himself captivated by this new woman with her flashing eyes and the body of a goddess and begins to see her in a new light. Before long he starts to wonder how he could have ever thought her plain. For her part, Daphne thought she had steeled her heart against Anthony's charm and even though she knows that his sudden interest in her is purely for his own selfish reasons she cannot help but be captivated by him and by her discovery that beneath the haughty aristocratic demeanor lies a warm loving, man who is deeply afraid of falling in love.

I absolutely loved this author's version of the ugly duckling theme because unlike other books I have read with this theme the heroine doesn't turn into a swan by the end of the book. In other words, Daphne doesn't undergo any physical transformation except in Anthony's eyes. She is not a beautiful woman, in fact she isn't even described as pretty just merely attractive in her own way. The way Anthony begins to slowly see beyond the surface and begins to fall in love with the woman beneath made for an absolutely amazing reading experience.If you are a hopeless incurable romantic like me you will not want to miss this book. I highly, highly recommend it.

Handsome Anthony Courtland is excavating Romance ruins on his estate. He pays little attention to Daphne Wade, the woman he has hired to restore the precious artifacts he unearths from the ancient villa. He may pay her little notice, outside of the work, but Daphne is having a hard time keeping her eyes in her head as he strips to the waist, laboring on the dig.

Only, Anthony's sister is itching to play faery godmother to the wide-eyed Daphne. Much to Anthony's annoyance, not only does his sister create a swan from the ugly duckling, but she is determined to see Daphne married.

This begins to upset Anthony because he does not want to lose his valued worker. In order to keep her on, he begins to help polished Daphne's edges, such as dancing lessons, to keep her from slipping away completely. Slowly, a vivacious Daphne is really becoming "Cinderella" before Anthony's eyes, and he is determined not to lose her - and not only for the expert work she does. Sparks fly as Daphne comes into her own, with the repartee between the two wittily crafted. Anthony and Daphane create sexual tension that sizzles.

So, a Guilty Pleasure??? No, just Pure Pleasure from start to finish.

Prim and plain, Daphne Wade has spent her life traveling with her father around the world, assisting him in the work he was renowned for, restoring ancient antiquities. After her father's death, she was able to secure a position in England with Anthony Courtland, Duke of Tremore, restoring the priceless Roman mosaics and antiquities excavated from a site on his estate. Anthony is quite passionate about the artifacts they are recovering, and works daily at the site himself. The heat often forces him to remove his shirt during his labor. Daphne finds she can't help but spy on him during these times, because he looks like a Greek statue come to life. It's her one guilty pleasure.

She's secretly in love with him, and he doesn't know she's alive beyond her consummate skill at restoration. In his presence, she becomes shy and tongue-tied. Anthony's sister, Viola, comes to visit and befriends Daphne. It doesn't take long for her to realize Daphne's in love with her brother, and she decides to do a little matchmaking. Viola discusses with Anthony her plan to sponsor Daphne for a London season, so she can make social contacts, and meet eligible young men. Anthony claims it's a lost cause, because Daphne has no feminine appeal. Little does he know, she's on the other side of the door during this conversation, and hears his comments. Daphne's pain and anger causes her to emerge from her shell, and Anthony is shocked by the woman he's now beginning to take notice of. He doesn't want to lose her skills for his project, but he comes to realize in trying to keep her employed with him, his thoughts of her go way beyond what he hired her for. In the end, he'll openly pursue, and do anything to convince her to stay with him in an entirely different capacity.

When I found this book, I was unfamiliar with this author, but the premise sounded interesting, and one of my favorite authors had a recommendation on the cover. I was definitely not disappointed! This was such a beautiful, romantic, and touching love story that I stayed up way too late reading it. I just couldn't put it down. The archeological angle was a unique plot element, and the fact the whole story was about the two main characters works well here. No other storyline or intrigue was needed. Even though it was basically an ugly duckling transforming into a beautiful swan type of story, it was unique because the change was mostly in the eyes of the beholder. He fell in love with her because he began looking at her differently, not because she made outward physical changes. Needless to say, I definitely recommend this book, and will be looking for this author's backlist titles. I'm also hoping Ms. Guhrke will write the story of Dylan Moore, Anthony's outrageous rogue of a friend introduced here. I would love to know more about him!

I picked this up because I really enjoyed "And then he Kissed her." But this is definately not that novel. The love story and the development of it was enjoyable, it took time, which I think is highly reasonable. However, I did not feel the sexual attraction develop fully on Anthony's part, this desire that made him lose control (and he a man of infinate self-control) and have sexual intercourse with Daphne.
Also, a lot of reviewers played on the ugly duckling story. To me, there was no such thing. It was just a story of a man finally noticing a woman because she stood up against his wishes and decided to do what she desired, as opposed to always trying to please him (quit her job bcs she overheard him calling her "a machine" and a woman who has no womanly qualities).
What really annoyed me about this book - all the Austen interwoven within it. The dialogue, at times was ripped out of Austen's works (both Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility). It was TOO much. So much so that I wanted to pull out a pencil and edit for style. Even some of the secondary characters mirrored Austen's works, not to mention the primary characters. It was a spoiler for me.
Over all, the book is OK. It is nothing that would stay on my shelf though. I did finish it, which at least says something.

Artistically, this book was flawless. Tightly plotted, believable characters, exact pace, interesting secondary characters(and even though there were two sequel baits thrown in, the weren't as obtrusive as they have been in other books), great dialogue and just a sweet,and subtly sensual love story.

Emotionally, this book was flawed. I never felt very connected to Anthony and Daphne for some reason. The emotional tension felt lacking, and the tension of "will he or won't he fall for her and win her hand" was missing until Anthony arrived in London. The slower pacing was beautiful, but it also poked holes in the emotional bonding between Daphne and Anthony, and between the characters and the reader. After I finished this book, I was pleased, but it didn't shake my world up or make me want to instantly re-read it.

But if you want a lyrical historical romance about a completely uncliched ugly duckling transforming into a swan and winning a supposedly loveless man's heart, this is the story for you. I didn't obtain what I had hoped from this story, but I look forward to reading more from Guhrke.

Guhrke's prose are as usual flawless in this ugly duckling turned swan tale. Beneath the watchful eyes of the cynical Duke of Tremore, Dahpne Wade blossoms into a beautiful young woman.

This is my favorite romance theme, and I loved this one. Daphne is an intelligent heroine and Anthony is Hot Hot Hot!!! Do not miss this one!!

I really enjoyed GP and really liked Anthony and Daphne together. It was nice to read a story where no one gets kidnapped and the only obstacles separating them was "real life" issues they had to resolve. The part of what the flowers mean and "buying more time" was a nice touch.

This is the story of an ugly duckling, Daphne Wade, who has, appropriately enough, a "guilty pleasure." She is head over heels in love with her employer, Anthony, the Duke of Tremore, who is excavating a dig on his estate for a museum he plans to open in a few months. She helps with the restoration and cataloging of the artifacts, and he doesn't know she exists.

After I got over some initial difficulty actually getting into the story (it seemed so derivative at first, and I really didn't like the duke's matchmaking sister, but thankfully she soon bows out of the story,) this romance hit all the right notes with me. Even if it isn't that original, I loved watching Daphne and Anthony spar and fall in love, and it was great to see Daphne transform from a self-effacing, shy, infatuated girl into a woman who is honest with herself and knows what she wants. Though her transformation is rather abrupt - it literally happens over night - it was still believable, given the catalyst for her awakening. I liked that Anthony wasn't a typical rake - he's serious and responsible, but so sexy and fun at the same time.

The only problem with Daphne is that she isn't *really* an ugly duckling at all. She just hides her beauty and true self with the magical uglifying power of spectacles and a "functional bun." Such a stereotype. So sigh worthy. Other than that, everything about this romance rang true for me, and I enjoyed every word of it.

Ms. Gurhke has written several of these regency romance novels, and she has a deft touch. I tried her "And Then He Kissed Her," and enjoyed it. Her heroes and heroines are nicely rounded and she has a flair for the period.

"Guilty Pleasures" gives her heroine as rather unusual occupation (antiquarian - she restores Roman frescoes and mosaics found on the hero's estate), but I thought this twist added to the interest of the book. The novel takes the usual twists and turns, and I thought that the hero took rather a long time to truly reveal his love (it only happens on the last two pages.) The ending was a tad abrupt. Perhaps an epilogue would have been nice. But all in all, a nice read for a long rainy weekend day.