TEST
Loretta Chase’s books just resonate with me. One reason is that she is such a master at building sexual tension with her battles of the sexes and there is no better foreplay then the hero and heroine engaging in a clash of wits. Along with that, her books tend to be wonderfully unpredictable.
Marcelline Noirot is a woman with aspirations. She knows that she is the “greatest modiste in all the world” and only needs to convince the woman of the beau monde of this fact. In the last three years, her clientele has grown to include the gentry or the newly rich, however the upper echelons, the duchesses, marchionesses and countesses of the world, still don’t patronize her shop, Maison Noirot. Marcelline knows if she can just get one high ranking lady to change the others will follow. So when she reads the speculation about the upcoming wedding of the Duke of Clevedon to ill-dressed Lady Clara Fairfax in the gossip pages, she and her sisters realize that this is their opportunity. The Duke is still in Paris, so Marcelline takes a well calculated gamble and travels there to convince him to let her shop design his future bride’s wardrobe. Using her stunning looks to gain his interest, Marcelline finds that she overestimated her ability to resist his seductive appeal, and now is playing with fire. Still she knows that if there is gossip about her and Clevedon, there is no way that she will obtain Lady Clara’s or any other lady’s patronage.
After his father died Gervaise Angier, the seventh Duke of Clevedon, became the ward of Marquess of Warford. The marquess’ son, the Earl of Longmore, and his daughter, Lady Clara Fairfax, became Gervaise’s best friends. While Gervaise has the upmost respect for the Marquis and doesn’t even mind when it is assumed that he and Lady Clara will marry, he chafes under his strict rules and respectability. When the time is right, both he and the Earl of Longmore leave London for Europe and their Grand tour. When the Earl of Longmore returns home, the Duke of Clevedon stays in Paris. After three years, his friend Longmore tells him it is time to either ask for his sister’s hand in marriage or set her free. Clevedon knows that he loves her, and their letters have kept them close, so he agrees to come back to England. He plans on one last fling in Paris and has already selected his paramour. But after seeing Marcelline, he becomes obsessed with her.
As this cat and mouse game roars out of control, Marcelline decides to fold her hand and flee for London, but Clevedon is not that easily deceived. As both attempt to do the right thing, their feelings for each other become more and more impossible to ignore.
The beginning of the book is flawless with exquisite game playing, sexual tension, and conflict between overwhelming lust and the characters’ consciences, knowing that one wrong step will destroy what they both hold most dear. Marcelline is my favorite type of heroine: Intelligent, resourceful, seductive, devious. The quibbles that distracted me revolve around Clevendon. With Marcelline, Clevedon is dangerous, intimidating, and daunting more because he is a duke and has a life of privilege than because of his own accomplishments. While there are justifiable reasons for his apathy and lack of ambition based on his family situation and lack of need to scrabble for a living the contrast between the two is remarkable. Also, while reading the story, I found myself wishing that the war between Clevedon’s sense of duty and his desire didn’t involve an innocent bystander. And finally, I found his status as a duke more of a distraction then an asset in believing the incredible although happy ending.
Even with those thoughts I still sped through this book in record time. Every year I look forward to Ms. Chase’s releases, and there is still considerable material to enjoy in this book. Luckily for us this book is the first in a series. I hope that the other books showcase Marcelline’s two sisters, Sophia, and Leonie.
Grade: B
Book Type: European Historical Romance
Sensuality: Warm
Review Date: 30/06/11
Publication Date: 2011/07
Related Reviews
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.