Customer Reviews

The Seduction of a Duke (Berkley Sensation)

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This book was the perfect read for the snowstorm I have been stuck in the last couple of days. Sitting next to the fireplace with a cup of tea and Seduction Of A Duke...Yummmm!!!! I think Macmeans is an awesome writer and I hope she keeps those novels coming. I love this book!

I love this author and this book is another delightful example of her work. I won't go into a summary (enough of those are posted) but MacMeans always gives a humorous sexy tale and this one is no exception. Great read for a snowy day.

Francesca Winthrop is an American heiress and finally a bride. But much to her displeasure she is not married to her love Randolph but instead she finds herself betrothed via her mother's arranged wedding to William Chambers, Marquess of Enon and the Duke of Bedford. This is not a fact that brings joy and celebration to her heart as she saw herself the wife of an American barrister not the duchess to an English man. But she is the dutiful daughter and her true love it appears has up and married someone else the bugger that he is. Since her life is over she might just as well find herself a duchess in England than a spinster in America.

After the wedding William and Fran travel from America to England and the sailing is anything but smooth. William has awful sea sickness and Fran has trouble acclimating to the English society aboard the ship. On top of all this conflict Fran discovers that William believes she been with someone else and has become with child. He will not consummate the relationship until he is convinced she is as pure of nature as she is of soul. This makes for very rocky seas because Fran is determined to get pregnant and return home to raise their children since this was a stipulation of the marriage contract.

But once they arrive at Deerfeld Abbey, the family estate, Francesca discovers that that William is an honorable man who is trying to rebuild his family estate and care for his tenants. William plans to utilize the money he has now come into as Fran's husband to restore the family home to its greatness and overcome the financial mess his deceased father had created. The other surprise awaiting them is William's brother Nicholas and his wife Emma are a delight and bring much life to the new couple. Both are such a support system for Fran that it helps her overcome her loneliness and jealousy when William's former mistress comes to cause havoc.

But a determined Francesca decides to use the diary of a renowned courtesan to accomplish her mission of consummating her marriage. She was provided the diary by her former nanny Madame Aglionby and is convinced this will help her seduce her husband and make her marriage a workable relationship. But Fran greatly underestimates William's former mistress, Lady Lily Mandrake and it almost costs her everything she holds dear especially the husband she has come to love. Lily's plans to use her conniving ways to remove Fran from her duchess title and ensure that she become William's wife. When she brings Randolph back into Fran's life much behind the scenes scheming and manipulating takes place all the expense of Fran and the manipulation of not only William but his entire family is at peril.

This book is the sequel to "The Education of Mrs. Brimley" and is as wonderful and entertaining as its predecessor. The characters are such a delight and the mix of Francesca's American upbringing brings a new face to the English storyline. It is an education for the read to remember that these cultures have polar opposite social requirements in order to be considered proper and acclimating oneself to English society is not a feat that comes easily. Both the brothers learn what it is like to be loved and when they discover that which could alter their fate they are able to deal with the repercussions because they know they are loved for who they are not their wealth or title.

I love Donna MacMeans's latest book! Seduction of a Duke is a wonderful storyline with the Duke of Bedford needing an heiress to save his crumbling fortunes. In these economic times, who can't relate to that! The interplay between Francesca and William is sparkling and keeps things moving brilliantly. This was a great read for a snowy weekend. Loved it! All of Ms. MacMeans's books have been fun, so I'm looking forward to the next one too...hurry up and write more!

In 1880 her mother ignores Newport heiress Francesca Winthrop desire to marry someone she loves as inane because social status is everything. Instead mom arranges a marriage for her daughter with an impoverished English duke.

William Chambers prefers to marry for love or not at all, but has no choice except to accept the Winthrop's social climber's offer for her wealthy daughter. Bitterly he accepts his title for her money.

William and Fran meet at a masquerade ball and each is attracted to the other. He gores so far as thinking marriage to an American if it is her will be okay; she thinks similar thoughts. However, both are anxious leading to a great misunderstanding they misconstrue what is happening until Fran reads a courtesan's diary; given to her a few months ago when the American was in Paris by her former tutor. She applies the tips and soon has William out of control with desire. However, her past surfaces and threatens the marriage between the heiress and the duke.

The sequel to THE EDUCATION OF MRS. BRIMLEY, THE SEDUCTION OF A DUKE is a wonderful Victorian romance starring two likable protagonists who fall in love while she applies the courtesan's diary to their relationship. The story line contains droll double entendres, a staple of Donna MacMeans. With a strong support cast and plenty of wit, sub-genre readers will enjoy this intelligent amusing historical.

Harriet Klausner

I enjoy Victorian romances of all stripes, but I find myself especially drawn to those of Donna MacMeans. The Victorian era saw many British nobles strapped for cash and looking to marry heiresses - even American ones! I always find the clash of cultures between the bluebloods and the nouvea riche amusing. I think MacMeans has a deft hand, developing well-rounded and sympathetic characters (and amusing secondaries!) and keeping the sexual tension high, all while tickling our funny bones. Well done!

Francesca Winthrop is not happy when her social-climbing mother unexpectedly arranges an engagement for her--to an English duke she's never met. She is determined to escape the engagement by any means necessary. When she can't get out of it, she decides to use a courtesan's journal to help her seduce her husband.

William Chambers, Duke of Bedford, is desperate. He needs money to save the crumbling legacy his spendthrift father left him. He's even willing to become engaged to an American heiress, sight unseen. Fortunately he finds Francesca quite attractive, but comes to a mistaken conclusion and decides not to consummate the marriage until the first couple of months have passed.

Will Fran and the courtesan's diary break through William's reserve, or will misunderstandings kill their budding feelings before they have a chance to grow?

The Seduction of a Duke is a nice, entertaining story of a marriage of convenience that becomes more. Francesca is independent, stubborn, and clever. She wants to decide her own future, but as a woman she is often unable to do so, being forced to follow the dictates of her parents. She's crushed when she discovers they have engaged her to the duke, especially because she fancies herself in love with someone else. Her frustration was understandable, although some of her scheming to avoid the marriage was a bit silly. William is an honorable man driven to desperate measures. At first, he comes across as pompous and overbearing at times, but his good intentions come through. The conclusion he jumped to was also a bit silly, as it could have been cleared up with some discussion, but I guess it was understandable given the time period. I enjoyed watching Fran and William dancing around each other and slowly getting to know each other. There are some interesting secondary characters, such as Fran's maid, William's valet, and William's family in England. I wasn't too keen on the evil ex-mistress angle that appeared partway through the book and reappeared near the end, but it did add some action. Donna MacMeans isn't breaking any terribly new ground here, but after a bit of a slow start the book picks up and leads to a satisfying conclusion.

Cassie
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

The Seduction of a Duke has some flaws, namely a slow moving story and the age old plot devise of miscommunication. Yet I found myself enjoying the characters too much to let these problems hinder my overall view of the book.

Fran Winthrop is the very rich daughter of an American Industrialist. Her ambitious mother has neatly maneuvered her into an arranged marriage with the impoverished Duke of Bedford. Fran despises that her mother has done this and tries to find a way out of the marriage. She first attempts to run away, and then she sets up an assignation with a handsome gentleman so she will be so scandalized the Duke will cry off. Both of these plans are foiled by the Duke.

William Chambers, the Duke of Bedford is not happy to be marrying an American heiress but he knows his duty. He feels himself lucky indeed that Fran is a beautiful woman but she is not schooled in the art of being a proper British Duchess. Pompously he believes that her social graces can be rectified by his snobbish Aunt and he lets Fran know this. Fran does not appreciate these little criticisms and when she is faced with trying circumstances she develops what can only be described as a cold hard shell around her person. This is one aspect of the book I found strange as she really transforms into her mother, a person she has no desire to become.

At first William comes across as way too arrogant and he jumps to many conclusions about Fran. To his credit, he realizes his ridiculous demands are overbearing and he is not afraid to apologize.

Fran does not like being away from her beloved homeland and cooks up a delicious little scheme to find a way back to New York as soon as possible, but this involves seducing her husband. She reads a courtesan's book to give her some helpful ideas and inspiration. But this couple's romance moves a little too slowly, especially as they are making their Atlantic Crossing. They needed a little more time together and more romantic moments.

There's a lot of irony in this story and it works well with the development of the characters. The author does a good job of giving her hero a well developed past to explain his actions. This is not so true of the heroine. Still Fran was interesting, inventive and resourceful.

I've loved every book Donna MacMeans has written and this is no exception. It's a wonderful love story set against a clash of cultures background, clever and witty as all her books are. The characters are complex and deftly written.

Ms MacMeans has seduced me again. Her latest book THE SEDUCTION OF A DUKE is a delight, engaging me from the first page until the last.

Frosty Franny, the bee lady wants nothing more than a quiet life, possibly as the wife of her barrister friend. Instead she's "sold" for a title by her status seeking mother to William Chambers the impoverished Duke of Bedford. Both Franny and William are likeable characters. They each have their own trengths as well as insecurities. The banter between them is a joy to read and the sexual tension fogged my glasses. The surprising twist in the story kept me guessing until the very end.

Since THE SEDUCTION OF A DUKE is Ms MacMeans sequel to THE EDUCATION OF MRS BRIMLEY I was delighted to be reunited with Nichalos and Emma. I do hope Ms MacMeans plans to tell us Arianne's story.