DESPERATE DUCHESSES

Author: Eloisa James ISBN: 0060781939 6/2007 HISTORICAL Publisher: AVON
Time Period: Georgian, 1783 England

A marquess's sheltered only daughter, Lady Roberta St. Giles falls in love with a man she glimpses across a crowded ballroom: a duke, a chess player of consummate skill, a notorious rakehell who shows no interest in marriage—until he lays eyes on Roberta. Yet the Earl of Gryffyn knows too well that the price required to gain a coronet is often too high. Damon Reeve, the earl, is determined to protect the exquisite Roberta from chasing after the wrong destiny. Can Damon entice her into a high-stakes game of his own, even if his heart is likely to be lost in the venture?

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Being an Eloisa James fan, I was thrilled to get the first book in her new series. And I am happy to say that after turning the last page of DESPERATE DUCHESSES, she did not disappoint. I usually prefer a story that has depth beyond the romance, specifically in the form of suspense and danger. It is a true testament to the novel and its author when these things are not in a story, yet I am still able to give it the highest marks when reviewing it.

Lady Roberta St. Giles knows the only way she will find a suitable husband is if she leaves her eccentric father, the poet, and his latest lady love, the flamboyant ex-actress, Mrs. Grope, far behind in the country while she attends her first season in London. She sets out to find her second—or maybe third—cousin, the Duchess of Beaumont, to sponsor her in the coming season. But when she finally meets Jemma, she realizes that her cousin may actually stir up more scandal than her father, who is known throughout the ton as the Mad Marquess. But gossip aside, Roberta and Jemma immediately take a liking to one another, and helping Roberta find a spouse is the perfect distraction for Jemma who has just come home after spending a few scandalous years in France.

Jemma's brother, Damon Reeve, the Earl of Gryffyn, has agreed to move in with his sister for a month or two, so she can get to know her 5 year-old nephew, the motherless Teddy. Though Damon has avoided marriage-minded mama's for years, there is something about Roberta's innocent beauty and intelligent wit that has him deciding he would be the perfect husband for her. Unfortunately, Roberta has already decided the husband for her is the dark and elusive Duke of Villiers.

Ms. James has a way of weaving a tight tapestry of colorful characters, interjected with vulnerable emotion and realism, that draws the reader into the story and has them wishing they never had to leave. DESPERATE DUCHESSES has the perfect blend of humor, tears and sensual romance, and fortunately for us, all this is only book one. I am desperately waiting for the next installment to see what she has in store for all of these beloved characters. Happy reading!

Deana Monteleone