Customer Reviews

To Ruin the Duke

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

 

 

To Ruin the Duke has a sad but well written opener, Miranda's best friend is dying after giving birth to her illegitimate son. Miranda is heartbroken but promises to take care of her friend's baby and to find the boy's father the Duke of Wyldehaven so the boy can have his place in society.

A few months later Wylde, the Duke of Wyldehaven is attending the funeral of a deceased friend in London when he discovers that an imposter is in town running up bills, getting into fights and carousing about London smearing his good name. Wylde has been in mourning for the loss of his wife and child for two years and this is his first extended stay in London as he has cloistered himself at his ducal estate.

Miranda confronts Wylde about the baby while he is in London and he is astounded at Miranda's claim that he has fathered a child. He knows he was not the one to do so and questions Miranda's honesty then throws her out of his home. Later he sees her masquerading as an Italian Contessa at a musical soiree and is completely enchanted with her voice.

Wylde wants Miranda for a mistress but she will have no part of the arrangement. Miranda's mother was a mistress and her father a nobleman and Miranda saw the life her mother lived after she was cast aside by her lover, instead she plans to earn her money with her voice.

The two leads argue about the paternity of Miranda's charge constantly with Wylde refusing to acknowledge the baby as his and Miranda deeming Wylde as a dishonorable rogue. In the meantime Miranda is getting threatening notes from an anonymous enemy and Wylde is hot on the trail of his imposter.

This novel moved along at a steady pace but the leads didn't have a lot of emotional conversations and their feelings were on the back burner for a lengthy time. They desired one another but did not act upon their feelings for a long while. The mystery with the imposter was rather easy to figure out, in fact Wylde does so about three quarters way through the book. I wanted more emotional depth in the leads. By far the best parts of this book are the beginning, when Miranda is mourning over the loss of her friend and the end, when Wylde recounts the tragedy of his wife and child's death.

The heroine in this story promises her dying friend that she will care for her friend's newborn baby boy and that she will find the boy's father and give the boy his birthright. The alleged father, our hero and a Duke, denies the child is his because he has been in mourning for 2 years and not even in London where the child was conceived. The hero thinks the heroine is just an opportunist, and the heroine believes the hero must be a terrible man because he refuses to acknowledge his own son. The hero is drawn to the heroine like no other woman but needs to focus on finding a man who is pretending to be the Duke and is ruining his name all over town. Nevertheless, sparks fly between Miranda and the Duke as they work through this conflict and search for the impostor.

This was an enjoyable read, albeit predictable without really any surprises. It is a quick and easy read for a lazy afternoon. The characters are likable enough and the story entertaining enough to recommend but I'm not sure it will be one you remember.

The book starts out with Miranda's best friend
Lettie dying and giving birth to a son. Lettie
named him James. She told Miranda: "You must
take care of my son." Miranda swears that she
would make certain that James will get what he
deserves--A place in society with his father.

Miranda arrived unannounced at the Duke of
Wyldehaven, to inform Wylde that Lettie had
died giving birth, and he has a son named
James. The Duke denied that he was the
father, and claimed to be unacquainted with
Lettie Dupree.

I liked the heroine and hero. Wylde and Miranda
were a perfect match. Miranda grew up in a small
town. Her mother, Fannie Fontaine, was a famous
actress who disappeared from London rather
suddenly. Miranda's mother named a friend the
trustee of an investment account in Miranda's
name. Miranda never knew her father. Wylde,
the Duke of Wyldehaven, had his own demons to
content with when his wife and child died. He
retreated in the country, but came back to London
to a friend's funeral. Wylde discovered someone
was impersonating him as the Duke of Wyldehaven,
running up bills and causing malicious mischief
around London.

The story line moved pretty fast. There were
moments that had me guessing. At the end, all
the pieces came together nicely. To Ruin the Duke
had amazing plot that kept me intrigued throughout.

I highly recommend "To Ruin the Duke" Debra Mullins

it was good. not great and not a must read but good entertainment. the story could have been more involved and ended less abruptly and the charcters developed more fully but i would still recommend as brainless reading and i would try another of her books

This was a pretty good book. Kind of slow but I rather enjoyed it. The plot was too predictable. The hero (Thorton) and heroine (Myranda) were likable characters. However, there are not many romantic scenes through out the story. THe ending was a bit corny.

Miranda Fontaine finds the aristocracy useless though she is one of them; albeit from the wrong side of the sheets as her mom was a famous actress. Her opinion of the Ton is further affirmed when her best friend Lettie dies holding her hand while giving birth to the illegitimate son of Lord Wylde. Miranda promises her dead friend she will force Duke Thornton Matherston to claim the newborn James as his.

Thornton has begun hearing rumors of his scandalous behavior as an out of control Wylde who is a womanizing, drinking, and gambling rogue. When Miranda confronts him with his son, he denies siring any offspring. She believes his insistence as evidence mounts someone is impersonating him. They begin to investigate, but as they fall in love, the truth instead of setting them free leaves them in peril.

This entertaining historical romance focuses on identity theft as someone steals the Duke of Wyldehaven's name and destroys his reputation while seemingly having a grand old time. The story line is fast-paced once the heroine challenges the Wylde Duke and never slows down until a final confrontation. Fans will enjoy Debra Mullins delightful nineteenth century romance that showcases the twenty-first century concept of identity theft is not confined to modern day society.

Harriet Klausner

Quick and ez transaction! BCE/HC book LN! I'm very pleased and would readily buy from seller again! Thank you!

First let me say the Hero Duke Wyldehaven was a WHIMP I didn't like the way he was portrayed. For the longest time he just let someone else assume his identity and paid all the bills the imposture incurred, Please wasn't he suppose to be a Duke!!!! Their was very little Romance between the Hero/Herion, No sexual chemistry at all. When they Finally get around to Making Love it is WHAM BAM THANK YOU MAM!!!!Miranda, a Virgin only feels a Sting and than The Duke reaches his climax and its over!!! That is what one calls Boring Sex!!! Please read authors like Lisa Kleypas Seduce Me At Midnight or Seduce Me At Sunrise or her Wallflower series and see how Romance Novels should be Written Their is also the wonderful author Julia London!!! Sorry Debra Mullins needs to take notes!!! I guess I have to continue searching for new Romance Authors!!