Review of "The Seduction of a Duke" by Donna MacMeans

Donna MacMeans is one of the authors I met at the book signing in February, and I remember her being extremely nice and easy to talk to. My copy of "The Seduction of a Duke" is signed, and I smile a little every time I remember the process she went through when signing it. A signature, rubber stamp, peacock feather, and bookmarks were all involved - quite the list! Let's get right into the review..

Disclaimer: Neither this book nor any other form of compensation was giving to me in exchange for a review. The book was purchased by myself, and reviewed solely for fun.

From the back of the book: " Francesca Winthrop had every intention of marrying for love... but her nouveau riche mother, to advance her own social standing, has arranged a bethrothal for her reclusive daughter with an English duke. William Chambers ascended to the title upon his father's death, but he also inherited his father's gambling debts. Desperate to avoid scandal and ruin, he is willing to go to any lengths - including marrying, sight unseen, an American heiress.
A chance encounter and intrigue at a costume ball throw the matrimonially mismatched couple together. Though sparks fly, friction abounds. If Fran is to secure the future of her dreams, she must find a way to reach past the duke's mysterious aloofness. Fortunately, a courtesan's journal suggests there is more than one way to seduce a duke. "

I read this entire book, 331 pages, in one day, because once I started reading, I couldn't put it down for long. I stayed up way later than I intended, but I was so engrossed in the story I lost track of time. While my blurry eyes were complaining the next morning - I totally think this book was worth it. The descriptions were perfectly vivid, enough left alone so that my imagination could fill in all the little details, but enough detail that I knew what was going on, and what objects, movements, etc, were important to the story. It was the epitome of show, don't tell, which is excellent.

The characters were relatable, which is great, considering the time difference. All the characters, most obviously the main ones, felt human, not just created. They had their strengths, and their flaws. And it might be the flaws that you end up falling in love with the most - because you can understand them, and it explains why they act the way they do. And I loved how dynamic the characters were. I understood their motives, even though sometimes I wanted to hate them for it. And for a few sections, I thought about lowering the rating this book will get just because I got so frustrated with Fan and William, because they just couldn't seem to reach each other's level. But then, that's also what makes this such a great story, and why I loved it so much.

And I loved the cover! Most especially the corset - which is actually featured in the book. I think it adds an excellent touch. Occasionally when you're reading a book, you realize a certain piece of clothing, or a certain article of jewelry plays a huge role in the story, but isn't featured on the cover at all. It's was great to see the Unforgetable Corset on the cover - one of Fran's ploys to seduce the Duke.

I am giving "The Seduction of a Duke" by Donna MacMeans FIVE out of FIVE. I loved it, I couldn't put it down, and it's definitely a keeper, one of those books you put aside to re-read when you need something comforting. I really hope to see this author again at future signings/author events, and tell her in person how much I enjoyed reading this. And I definitely can't wait to check out more from her. Donna MacMeans is definitely on my list of authors to look for when browsing the bookstore. Probably need a shorter title for that list, though...

Happy Reading, everyone. And Happy Easter (if you celebrate it)!
~!~ Morning Glow