Customer Reviews

At The Spanish Duke's Command (Harlequin Presents)

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

 

 

The yeech factor comes in when you realize that the hero, Juan the Duke de la Caniza, is 11 years older than the teenage heroine. The author tries to justify his seduction of the heroine by letting her have a resemblance to his dead fiancee, Leonora, the only woman Juan ever loved. But this is only mentioned twice, in passing. If the resemblance to the dead fiancee had been made more of, or if Georgiana (the heroine) had been a bit older (and less controlled by the hero), I might have given this romance 4 stars.

The first few chapters of the book are fairly strong & interesting, but then it all just falls apart when Georgiana (spoiler alert) becomes pregnant, & Juan tells her he would STILL enter into his planned marriage of convenience, despite his love for Georgiana. The ending is a very abrupt HEA which does not ring true in any way, shape or form. While most of the action takes place in Madrid, the final chapter takes place in Tuscany. This is just to bring in another beautiful setting, I guess, since there's no real point to the heroine's being there except that she wanted to get away from it all and find herself again...or some such drivel. The real disappointment in this book is that the hero steadily becomes less & less heroic (downright predatory, actually), and the heroine is just too young for him. But 2 stars for a couple of interesting first chapters.

Have to say that I enjoyed reading this book could not put it down. The relationship between Georgiana and Juan was wow. Georgiana coming to Spain to learn but one problem she would like to stay with real people yet her mother does not like the idea so she will stay with her godmother's son Juan who happens to be a duke. When they meet for the first time sparks sort of fly they both feel something going on. It's not unill Juan has to pick her up at the police station that something does start to happen. Evertime they come in contact with one another something happens that leads them to bed. He is promised to another woman yet he does not love this woman and it was proven with Georgiana come into his life.

So Juan is planning a marriage of convenience w/ a friend, Leticia, when he discovers his unwanted attraction to nineteen year old Georgiana. Georgiana is staying in his household and attending some classes. However, Juan has no intention of breaking the engagement w/ his friend for the innocent, as that would not be honorable. Yet seducing Georgiana would be the epitome of honor! (sarcasm implied)

What bothers me so much about this book is that Juan is 30 years old and "experienced". Yeah why wouldn't he be, but he KNOWS Georgiana is not and he still tells her, "I can't offer you marriage, Georgiana, but I can make your first adventure in love an unforgettable one." He sounded like a predator to her prey. He doesn't want to hurt her, but he KNOWS she is not experienced or as he terms it "sophisticated", yet HE must have her. That is all that matters, what he wants!

He will NOT break off his engagement to Leticia and he constantly tells Georgiana that Leticia would be okay w/ him having a piece on the side. However, Georgiana is not okay w/ that and he doesn't seem to care because it is all about what he wants and what he feels is right - his duty. He says he has honor. Okay I had a problem w/ that because I never really saw that. I'm guessing that he thought it was honorable to corrupt a young innocent who was staying in his household because her mother trusted him; that it was honorable to offer her the bargain of being his mistress while he is married to OW knowing that she has a problem w/ the whole scenario; and that it was honorable to cheat on OW and that it would never hurt her pride. He was a bit bothered by the fact that Georgiana had such a low opinion of him to think that he would come to her from OW's arms, but it IS what he would do!! He thought of it, planned it out, and ran in to an obstacle w/ Georgiana so it didn't go much further.

It would seem that Leticia meant a lot to him. He would never humiliate her by breaking the engagement, however he didn't care about hurting Georgiana (whom he claims to love) and in the end she really did feel like the consolation prize for our "honorable" Hero.
Neither Leticia nor Juan could seem to make up their minds about anything. They were willing to float along in the turmoil that they made hoping someone else could man up - I'm afraid that they both deserved each other in the end. However, because of the news that Leticia gave him he can finally man up! Yet, what he tells Georgiana is not very romantic at all, but I suppose it is to show that he is still honorable - still not buying that either. I never really warmed up to him and I felt sorry for Georgiana in the end. I think one day she will become "sophisticated" and perhaps grow a back bone.

I wish I could gave it a zero star. The h is such a homewreck. She know the H was going to get marry in 1 month and she was H fiancee bride maid. How could you have sex with him and get pregnant without telling the H? This h has no pride or shame sleeping with somebody else future husband.

This was the first time I have bought anything from this author. Yes as they write above the title there is "PASSION", but in my opinion this author needs to learn about "CLOSER". The ending was VERY DISSAPOINTING. Her introduction to her characters was okay, but then, she left holes, you don't get to find out If Letties parent finally accept her guy, Pabilito, or if Condessa, finds out that true love does conquer all. Even though she probably knows it in her head, but at her age, she would probably like to see it. Georgiana mother, has no idea what is actually wrong with her daughter and that she is about to become a grandmother. No closer, and the ending for lack of a better word SUCKED. This author NEEDS to learn about one word, and she needs to write less about Passion and focus more on CLOSER. That word would be EPILOGUE. I would say to read her endings, before you think, about buying her next book. Instead of trying to take three pages, at the end of this book to advertise for your next book, try focusing on a HAPPY ENDING.