Miranda Fenster was known as the Fairy Tale Miss during the one disastrous London season that convinced her she would never have a happily-ever-after. But when her brother's love match is thwarted by the impossibly proper Duke of Kerstone, Miranda sets off to convince the duke to champion her brother's cause for love. Unfortunately, he is too proper to consider love a suitable reason for marriage, and too proper not to marry Miranda when they find themselves compromised. Now, Miranda has a second chance for happily-ever-after, if she can uncover her new husband's darkest secret. Originally published by Kensington Zebra Ballad, October 2000.
This Victorian give to us some advantages, like this :
1. A scandalous secret comes between a duke and his new duchess
The Duke of Kerstone had planned on offering for Miranda Fenster five years ago...until his mother revealed a scandalous secret that made him determined to remain childless.
Then their paths crossed again, and he found himself offering to marry her after all in an effort to protect her reputation. He was looking forward to the joys of married life...until his mother reminded him of the family secret and the importance of not continuing the family line. Now he found himself living a tortured existence...denying his own desire to consummate his marriage and trying to explain his decision to his loving and eager new wife.
Miranda is determined to get past her husband's defenses, although she doesn't know exactly what the problem is. She does know, however, that her mother-in-law is the key to the solution. Miranda, alway a strong believer in the happy-ever-after ending, must somehow convince the Dowager Duchess to tell the truth and free her son from the bitterness that controls him...
2. Enjoyable, but...
The characters and the story were engaging and intriguing. One particular twist completely took me off guard and I usually see them coming a mile off.
The one thing that annoyed me to no end was the heroine's "cutesy" way of likening everything around her to various fairy tales. Every time it made her seem like a juvenile, naive idiot, when the rest of the time she was rather level-headed and even cynical at times. It was jarring each time, but I enjoyed the rest of the aspects of the book.
Need more appointment... ?
A big disappointment
Based on the other reviews, my expectations were high. I'm sorry to say I was very disappointed. The first part where Miranda is "ruined" is truly unbelievable. When Miranda and the Duke meet again five years later, there seems to be a lot of missing information. I thought there was a chapter missing. Then, the rest of the action is either predictable or far-fetched. I've read Romance for 30+ years, and I could barely finish this book. I'm sorry to say this, since I always am on the lookout for a new author and a new plot twist.
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