How to Lose a Duke in Ten Days (What Happens In Scotland #1)
by Kate McKinley
Blurb:
Lucas
Alexander, the ninth Duke of Arlington, is a man who gets what he wants. So
when he sees the alluring Miss Pippa Welby from across a crowded ballroom, he
vows to make her his. But the bold and spirited Pippa has sworn never to marry
into the haute ton. Now Lucas must win her the only way he knows how—one wicked
kiss at a time.
The
daughter of a wealthy tradesman, Pippa has been sneered at by the upper
echelons her entire life. So when the duke arrives on her doorstep with an
invitation to her own engagement ball—to him—in ten days, Pippa hatches a
daring plan. She must lose the duke before the ball, or risk losing her own
heart.
Themes: historical
Rating: 3.25 stars
Review:
Well that was certainly one of the hotter historical romances I’ve read recently. I’ve never read
anything else by Kate McKinley, but she has me intrigued with this new series
and I think I will be hunting for book two as soon as it’s available. The story is set in the not too distant past
and revolves around a spirited merchant’s daughter whose father is trying to
nudge his way into the haute ton and
a strict and sexy duke who is looking for a way to ensure his family never has
to deal with financial hardship again.
An instantaneous connection and an attraction that neither can deny
leads to some fun and sexy challenges for both lovers and soon leads them into
the dangerous territory of the heart. There
were lots of laughs, sexy fun, and sweet love, and I cannot wait to find out what
happens in Scotland in the future.
Pippa
was a great character, one of the few women who really doesn’t have any use for
the ton and is certainly not
interested in marrying some stuffy and arrogant duke just to get in their good
graces. Faced with her future being
dictated by the duke she immediately decides that she has to do whatever she
can to make him change his mind about marrying her. Hatching an outrageous scheme she sets out to
make Lucas’s life a living hell, but no matter what she does he just seems to
be more and more determined to make her his wife. When the passion between them becomes
undeniable, leading them down a road that can’t be turned away from, and there
is no longer an option for her. But when
the truth comes out Pippa is heartbroken because not only has she given in to Lucas’s
demands to marry, but she has given him her heart. Now it is up to Lucas, a man who has never
had to work so hard to make a woman his, to prove to Pippa that he is worth her
heart and if she gives it into his keeping he will treat it with care. While Lucas definitely has his issues, his
vulnerabilities, I liked his determination to earn Pippa’s heart and it was
obvious that his motives for seeking Pippa's hand were never purely financial, though he used
that as a way to get what he wanted--a chance to explore his feelings for her
I
really liked this story a lot. There were
great characters, an interesting plot, several fun twists, and enough drama to
keep it from being too staid. The heat
and intensity between Pippa and Lucas was evident every second they shared the
pages and I can honestly say that it was one of the more passionate historical
romances I’ve read in a long time. Pippa
was a fiery, sweet, and loving woman who knows her worth to the world and will
settle for nothing less than true love in her marriage. Lucas has been his family’s only support for
a long time and has always gotten what he went for in his life, but Pippa seems
to be the one thing he can’t seem to get a good grip on, until he finally
understands that a woman like Pippa will never be his unless he gives all of
his heart to her. I enjoyed the
secondary story in the book as well and am looking forward to seeing where that
might go in the future. I will definitely be adding Ms. McKinley to my list of authors to look out for in the future.
*eARC provided by publisher (via
netgalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review. No
compensation was provided.
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