Making of a Duchess [Kindle Edition]

Shana Galen (Author)

Book Description

A very dangerous attraction...

Julien Harcourt, duc de Valère, is more than willing to marry the lovely young lady his mother has chosen. Little does he know, she's been sent to prove him a spy and a traitor...

And an even more dangerous secret...

Sarah Smith's mission is to find out whether the Duc's trips to the Continent are as innocent as he claims, but the way he looks at her is far from innocent...

Their risky game of cat and mouse propels them from the ballrooms of London to the prisons of Paris, and into a fragile love that may not survive their deceptions...

Praise for Bestselling Author Shana Galen:

"An irresistible mix of sexy romance and sharp wit." -Chicago Tribune

"Spirited characters, lively dialogue, breakneck pace, and great sense of fun." -Publisher's Weekly

"Shana Galen will leave you breathless!" -Julianne MacLean, USA Today bestselling author of When a Stranger Loves Me

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

As far as Sarah Smith is concerned, the whole idea is simply ridiculous: she is a governess, not a spy. But Sarah's employer, Sir Northrop, is a man used to getting his way, and he ultimately convinces Sarah that she is the British government's only hope of catching a French traitor. All Sarah has to do is pretend to be Mademoiselle Serafina Artois, an old family friend of émigré Julien Harcourt, duc de Valere, and find some evidence that Julien is selling British secrets to the French. It sounds relatively easy until Sarah realizes her few days of “training” have not adequately prepared her to take on the role of Julien's new fiancée, the next duchess de Valere. Galen strikes the perfect balance between dangerous intrigue and sexy romance in her latest deftly crafted Regency historical. --John Charles

Review

"Galen's trilogy, the stories of lost brothers, begins with a fast-paced, action-packed, cat-and-mouse spy thriller that will leave you breathless. Her engaging characters and strong plotline enhance the spirited dialogue and sense of adventure. 4 Star Review." - RT Book Reviews

"Galen has written a fun romance." - Historical Novel Review

"Galen did a fabulous job!" - History Undressed

"The dialogue, charming wit, the intrigues, and the steamy love scenes in The Making of a Duchess make the novel a page-turner. " - The Long and Short of It

"Galen strikes the perfect balance between dangerous intrigue and sexy romance in her latest deftly crafted Regency historical. " - Booklist

"[A] well-written, historical romance with lots of detail, interesting and engaging characters and plots with twists and turns. " - Thoughts From Lady Tess

"Exceptionally entertaining reading with a cast of brilliantly written characters." - Rundpinne

"Galen paints an excellent picture... a wonderfully exciting read." - Jenny Loves To Read

"The Making of a Duchess has everything I could ask for--romance... spies... mystery... and even some adventure. " - Linda Banche Romance Author

"Marvelous... the right amount of romance mixed with face-paced adventure" - Readin' and Dreamin'

"A sizzling hot, adventure-filled historical romance." - Romance Junkies

"Witty, romantic and adventurous... Beautifully paced, full of action, charming dialogue and pure fun. " - Bookfoolery and Babble

"A story filled with adventure, charm, romance and wit." - The Romance Dish

" This romance with a flair for dynamics and ironic twists kept me thrilled, wanting to lap up the adventure till the very end" - Aisle B

"A historical novel filled with intrigue, romance and adventure." - Cheryl's Book Nook

"A fun book full of lively characters." - The Broken Teepee

"A highly enjoyable and exciting romance novel." - Laura's Reviews

"The story's concept will draw you in, then the love story begins and you are hooked." - Book Junkie

"This book really hit the spot... Shana Galen has done a wonderful job." - Debbie's Book Bag

"The love scenes are steamy and authentic, and the characters are well written." - Booksie's Blog

"A delightful historical romance... a fast paced page turner and will you not want to put it down." - My Book Addiction and More

"Romantic, exciting, and sweet. " - The Life and Lies of an Inanimate Flying Object

"Galen weaves together a story filled with intrigue, mystery, and romance. " - Mrs. Q Book Addict

"Plot twists, drama, and suspense... a thoroughly fun historical romance!" - Starting Fresh

"A terrific beginning to the series." - The Good, the Bad and the Unread

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 562 KB
• Print Length: 386 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1402238657
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (June 1, 2010)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B003H29CPW
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Not Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #31,449 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Just alright June 17, 2010

By Cheryl Koch VINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

When Julien Harcourt, duc de Valere was just a little boy, he and his mother barely escaped a mob. Of course this could have something to do with what Julien is being accused of today.

Julien is grown up. It is time for him to get married. His mother has the perfect woman for him in mind. Julien can't wait to meet his new bride.

Sarah Smith works for a secret agency. The agency wants Sarah to spy on Julien and find out if he is really a traitor to his country. She poses as Mademoiselle Serafina Artois, Julien's soon to be bride. The more time that Sarah spends with Julien, she can't help but start to have feelings for him. But first Sarah must figure out if Julien is really a spy or just guilty of stealing her heart.

Don't let the title of this book deceive you. The Making of a Duchess is a historical novel filled with intrigue, romance and adventure. I thought this was a pretty good book. It was fun to read. Though, it moved a bit slow in the beginning for me. It took me several tries to get through this book. Also, I didn't feel an instant connection between Sarah and Julien. I felt that Sarah was more animated then Julien's character. I did like the intrigue and suspense. Would try author Shana Galen again.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars DELIGHTFUL READING! May 29, 2010

By LAS Reviewer

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Originally Posted at: [...]

Being told to be a spy and being a spy are two very different things. Sarah Smith, a self-effacing governess, repeats her motto of "chin up" often as she enters the home of Julian Harcourt, duc de Valere to find information her employer Sir Northrop wants concerning Julian's activities.

Sarah, an orphan and considered a bastard, has never felt loved or wanted; even as a governess she is an outsider. However, she has phantom dreams of happiness and love with a mother and father. She is a heartwarming heroine that proves to be intelligent, resourceful, and a force to be reckoned with when pushed too far. She does have one weakness that is embarrassing, but comes in handy in times of extreme stress.

Julian Harcourt, duc de Valere took on heavy responsibilities at an early age when he and his mother escaped the peasant revolt in France. After twelve years in England, he is a wealthy man of business, a very eligible bachelor; but he is still a displaced nobleman. His clandestine actions make him suspect, but his desire to find his brother in France overrides the danger he encounters. Stern and socializing only to further his own agenda, Julian does not play the games of matchmaking in London's High Society. However, when Sarah arrives as Serafina de Greyene, masquerading as another displaced person of French nobility, he decides to do what is expected of him. A new phase of Julian's life kicks in. My goodness, what a phase it is.

Shana Galen creates a captivating tale that has all the trappings of the Regency era as background. But the dialogue, charming wit, the intrigues, and the steamy love scenes in The Making of a Duchess make the novel a page-turner. It bristles with secondary characters like the privateer Captain Stalwart and the forger Thompson that facilitate secret dealings of a shadowy world apart from London's High Society. As Julian and Sarah deal with both levels of the society, they put their lives in peril and question if their relationship can survive amid all the deceptions and turmoil.

Love, wiggling its way in among all the problems, becomes an oasis that succors Julian and Sarah. DELIGHTFUL READING!

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars French Dukes, Regency Spies and a Prison Breakout. Oh My! June 16, 2010

By Linda Banche

Format:Mass Market Paperback

What's a poor governess to do? Blackmailed into spying on an émigré French duke in order to prove him a traitor, untrained and unsure of herself Sarah must convince him she's the aristocratic French lady, Serafina, he's supposed to marry. Julien, forced to flee France for England to escape certain death in the Revolution, considers marriage to the so-called Lady Serafina a duty. As much of a duty as finding his long-lost brothers.

The plot twists and turns as Sarah's contact in the Foreign Office applies more and more pressure for her to prove Julien guilty. But as Sarah begins to know and love Julien, she finds it increasingly difficult to believe him a traitor.

Julien, attracted to Sarah, yet suspicious of the contradictions in her behavior, discovers her true identity. The only way to prove his innocence and give their budding feelings a chance is to find his brother. They join forces in a dangerous journey to France from which they might not return.

I like stories that contain elements in addition to the romance. THE MAKING OF A DUCHESS has everything I could ask for--romance (of course), spies (I LOVE spies), mystery (is Julien a traitor? and what about Sarah's contact in the Foreign Office? ), and even some adventure (a prison break-out).

The plot keeps you guessing until the last few pages where the story resolves with a tense, dramatic confrontation that ties up all the plot lines. For an enjoyable read, try THE MAKING OF A DUCHESS, which continues with THE MAKING OF A GENTLEMAN, which is on my TBR pile.

ARC provided by Sourcebooks

More About the Author

Shana Galen is the national bestselling author of numerous fast-paced, adventurous Regency historical romances, including the award-winning The making of a Gentleman. Her books are published all over the world and have been featured in the Rhapsody and Doubleday Book Clubs. She taught English at the middle and high school level off and on for eleven years. Most of those years were spent working in Houston's inner city.

Now she writes full time. She's happily married to an incredibly supportive man she calls Ultimate Sportsfan, and she has a daughter who is most definitely a romance heroine in the making.

Visit her website at www.shanagalen.com