TEST
a Retro Review
originally published on July 25, 1999
There are no two ways about it – Duchess for a Day is a book that defines the word “cheesy.” The love scenes could be entered in the Purple Prose Parody Contest. The plot relies on contrivances like fake amnesia and an unrealistic marriage of convenience. At first, I liked it a little anyway. I couldn’t help getting into the campy spirit of things when the hero and heroine called each other names like “minx” and “cad.” But sadly, the insults started getting a little more serious, and the hero and heroine spent the last part of the book determined to believe the worst of each other. Suddenly the cheesy fun wasn’t so fun any more.
Jocelyn Garnett has been placed in Bedlam by her evil scheming uncle, but just as she’s about to be raped by one of his evil henchmen, her savior arrives in the form of the Agatha Blackburn, Dowager Duchess of Wilcott. A benefactress of Bedlam, Agatha is able to secure Jocelyn’s release – but only by marrying Jocelyn to her grandson, the Duke of Wilcott.
Reyn Blackburn (short for Reynolds and presumably pronounced like the bird rather than the precipitation) is shocked when he returns home to find himself wed. Agatha and Jocelyn feed him a story that Jocelyn is a well-bred woman with amnesia who needs his protection temporarily. Reyn doesn’t believe the amnesia tale for a minute, but he trusts his grandmother, so he’s willing to play along for a while. The truth is that Jocelyn’s evil uncle is out of the country, and she is waiting for his return so she can exact her revenge. There is absolutely no reason she can’t tell Reyn this, but it serves as a convenient plot device. Reyn spends the next two hundred pages trying to get his bride to reveal her secrets, with little success. He does, however, get her in his bed, and the two begin to fall in love. Reyn decides he wants Jocelyn to remain his wife, but she’s not so sure. She feels that she must marry for love, and Reyn doesn’t seem like he will ever love her. Just when Jocelyn finally tells him the truth about her evil step uncle and she and Reyn appear to be working out their differences, they take a bad turn and instead decide not to trust each other. They spend the rest of the book – and I mean right up until the last page – hurling accusations, believing the worst of each other, and hiding more secrets.
It’s really too bad that the book takes such a turn, because I was willing to go along with its cheesy nature up to a point. There was a lot of silliness, but every once in a while it’s kind of fun to read a genuine bodice ripper complete with shredded clothing, manhoods straining against their confines, and the like. And the hero and heroine were both diverting as well, in their own campy way. Unfortunately the lack of trust between the two of them just zapped all fun right out of the story. Jocelyn refused to trust Reyn with the truth about her past, but she would ironically become irate when Reyn didn’t trust her. Then Reyn would return the favor. By the end I really couldn’t keep track of who was mad at whom.
If couples who lack trust don’t bother you, and you enjoy the more flamboyant cliches of romance, then perhaps you might give this one a try. Otherwise, think twice.
Grade: D
Book Type: European Historical Romance
Sensuality: Hot
Review Date: 22/05/21
Publication Date: 1999
Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.
I've been at AAR since dinosaurs roamed the Internet. I've been a Reviewer, Reviews Editor, Managing Editor, Publisher, and Blogger. Oh, and Advertising Corodinator. Right now I'm taking a step back to concentrate on kids, new husband, and new job in law...but I'll still keep my toe in the romance waters.
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Well, this is another D Retro I won’t buy……………
I know… but, there’s something so old skool about this that I feel as if I read it, I’d feel 13 again….
I’m just curious about how the grandmother can marry the heroine to the hero without his consent or even his knowledge. Does she take the vows on his behalf?
That said, the blurb makes it sound delightfully cheesy :
Non-consummated marriage = annulment, check. Exclamation mark overuse, check. Supposedly clever hero might not realize the heroine is Not Like Other Girls, check. I’m actually disappointed the library doesn’t have a copy of this. I wouldn’t mind a bit of time-travel to 1980.
I’m super tempted. It’s very very cheap as an ebook!
22 years after the fact I really can’t remember. Per my own words, the whole thing strained any credulity. I think if you want more old fashioned retro fun I would choose something like The Flame and the Flower, which also got a D from me, but in my (at this point, distant) memory was more fun.
I read The Flame and the Flower, but I’m afraid I couldn’t stand Heather. She just seemed a complete wimp. At least the heroine of this book is out for revenge against the villain.
Heather is THE WORST.
Overall, with Woodiwiss, I would prefer The Wolf and the Dove. Crap, but better quality crap than TFATF. IMO!!
I think the history in The Wolf and the Dove makes it a strong read. And Wulgar does fall so hard and his transformation into a (somewhat) feminist hero is lovely.
Nope……I’m trusting Blythe :-) And she even jumped in (below)
Whoops. This slid down the chain so Blythe is above.