Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart - Sarah MacLean

 

(Also this picture does not do this cover justice it is like HOT pink!!)

 
She lives for passion.
Bold, impulsive, and a magnet for trouble, Juliana Fiori is no simpering English miss. She refuses to play by society's rules: she speaks her mind, cares nothing for the approval of the ton, and can throw a punch with remarkable accuracy. Her scandalous nature makes her a favorite subject of London's most practiced gossips . . . and precisely the kind of woman The Duke of Leighton wants far far away from him.
 
He swears by reputation.
Scandal is the last thing Simon Pearson has room for in his well-ordered world. The Duke of Disdain is too focused on keeping his title untainted and his secrets unknown. But when he discovers Juliana hiding in his carriage late one evening—risking everything he holds dear—he swears to teach the reckless beauty a lesson in propriety. She has other plans, however; she wants two weeks to prove that even an unflappable duke is not above passion.

This is the third and final book in Sarah MacLean’s Numbers Series. (You can go here to read my reviews of the two previous books - Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake and Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord).  Even though this is only Sarah’s third romance novel I have to say she quickly became one of those authors who I absolutely adore!! I find myself excited to read her newest book.

This book is about Juliana Fiori the half-sister of Gabriel (Nine Rules) and Nicholas (Ten Ways). Juliana is not only the daughter of an Italian merchant but daughter to one of the most infamous Marchionesses that the ton has seen in a while. When she first lands in London she catches the eye of Simon Pearson whom she would later find out to be none other than the Duke of Leighton or more commonly known around the ton as the Duke of Disdain. After finding out about Juliana’s parentage he quickly lets her know that she is unworthy of any kind of association with him.

Simon Pearson wants nothing more than to protect his family. His sister is off in the country about to give birth without being married. He thinks by marrying a completely respectable English girl whose family has plenty of money and power and title then when his secret is revealed the ton may gossip but it won’t be much considering whom they will be talking about.

But Juliana has other plans. She wagers with Simon that within two weeks she will have him on his knees. She will make him succumb to passion which he finds to be a completely useless emotion in a good and proper English life.

Simon wagers that he will teach her a lesson that sometimes life must be lived stricter and that living a life full of passion can only lead to scandal and heartache.

The two set out to prove they are in the right. Juliana by tempting Simon at every turn with her sharp tongue and fiery passion. Simon by showing her that he still plans to marry the English “grape”. 

OMG let me just tell you this book was as I told Mrs. MacLean on Twitter – “bloody brilliant”!! At first you hate Simon and you are thinking how in the world is she going to redeem him? Because in the last book Ten Ways you get a bit of a taste of whom he is but then in this book you really see him. So you are wondering how she is going to turn this around. But she does so just beautifully!!  You actually start to feel a bit sorry for him especially after meeting his mother. Juliana wants nothing more than to fit in to the English society even though she claims it does not matter. She wants Simon to realize that a life lived without love and passion is a life only half lived. The story evolved naturally and without seeming pushy.

I know at the end of this story I was sighing and laughing and crying all at the same time. So if a book can do this then all I know is it has to be good!

I will say this the one character that really caught my eye in this book was Benedick the Earl of Allendale whom is the brother of Callie from Nine Rules. I soo would love to have his story!!

So if you want to read an incredibly beautiful and moving love story then you definitely need to read this book and I have a feeling you want be disappointed!! Get your copy here --> Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart

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Currently Reading: Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn (yes I got my copy early it was not supposed to be released until May 31st!!)

Up Next: Cloudy With a Chance of Marriage by Kieran Kramer

Watching: The French Open

Ten Ways to be Adored When Landing a Lord - Sarah Maclean

"Lord Nicholas is a paragon of manhood. And his eyes, Dear Reader! So blue!”

Pearls & Pelisses, June 1823

Since being named on of London’s "Lords to Land" by a popular ladies’ magazine, Nicholas St. John has been relentlessly pursued by every matrimony-minded female in the ton. So when an opportunity to escape fashionable society presents itself, he eagerly jumps—only to land in the path of the most determined, damnably delicious woman he’s ever met! The daughter of a titled wastrel,

Lady Isabel Townsend has too many secrets and too little money. Though used to taking care of herself quite handily, her father’s recent passing has left Isabel at sea and in need of outside help to protect her young brother’s birthright. The sinfully handsome, eminently eligible Lord Nicholas could be the very salvation she seeks.

But the lady must be wary and not do anything reckless…like falling madly, passionately in love.

Ten Ways is the follow up book to Sarah Maclean's first book Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake.

I loved this book but I must confess I did not love it as much as Nine Rules but please do not take that the wrong way!! I had a huge crush on Nicholas after reading Nine Rules and was sooo happy to read his story and have been waiting for it for what feels like forever!!

I have to say I loved Isabel. She was tough and was willing to do whatever it took, including repairing roofs, to protect her family and the girls she helped. But beneath the toughness was just a girl. A girl who wanted to believe in love but after seeing what happened between her parents it was hard fo her.

Also, Nicholas' parents were not the perfect example for a marriage. Nicholas has searched his whole life to overcome his parents woos. He tries to make his father love him after his mother leaves by being the best in school when that didn't work he felt the compelling need to save women and in one instance it lands him in a Turkish prison and scarred physically and also makes him realize maybe he should not try to save every woman he comes across.

I love how Isabel tries sooo hard to resist Nicholas when all the while he slowly melting her defenses and leaving her with no other option but to love him and maybe to open her heart for the first time.  So needless to say these two would both have to overcome their presumptions of love and marriage and realize that they are not their parents and are not necessarily doomed to repeat their mistakes.

Again, Sarah does a wonderful job with secondary characters...OMG I was in love with Rock (Nicholas' friend) and I was glad to see that he found some happiness too!!

I cannot wait to read the next book in this series and I hope it is about Nicholas' sister and I sooo hope she brings that nasty Duke down a notch we met in the first book. (If you want you can go HERE to read my review of Nine Rules.

If you want to read Nicholas and Isabel's story just go here -->Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord

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Currently Reading - Rules of an Engagement by Suzanne Enoch
Up Next - A Groom of One's Own by Maya Rodale

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake - Sarah Maclean

Synopsis:

A lady does not smoke cheroot. She does not ride astride. She does not fence or attend duels. She does not fire a pistol, and she never gambles at a gentlemen's club.

Lady Calpurnia Hartwell has always followed the rules, rules that have left her unmarried—and more than a little unsatisfied. And so she's vowed to break the rules and live the life of pleasure she's been missing.
But to dance every dance, to steal a midnight kiss—to do those things, Callie will need a willing partner. Someone who knows everything about rule-breaking. Someone like Gabriel St. John, the Marquess of Ralston—charming and devastatingly handsome, his wicked reputation matched only by his sinful smile.
If she's not careful, she'll break the most important rule of all—the one that says that pleasure-seekers should never fall hopelessly, desperately in love . . .

All I can say is WOW, WOW and WOW!!

This book was wonderful!! I mean the chemistry between Callie and Gabriel is like an inferno and I was surprised I did not suffer from third degree burns while holding this book!!

I really admire Callie she is the odd girl out...the wallflower in love with the handsomest of men and thinking that nothing could ever come of it and deciding she really has nothing to lose she makes a list and determines to live life even it means stealing into the house of her long time love and demanding a kiss! And from there on out it is a war of passions and a war for Callie to win Gabriel's heart!

Full of funny, witty dialogue and memorable and lovable secondary characters this book is definitely worth the read. And WOWEE were there some hot, hot, hot scenes in this book....talk about deliciously, wicked and lushily fabulous. Gabriel St. John is one of those dark, brooding heros you can't help but love and Callie is just the kind of girl you would love to be friends with!

I must admit that after I read the last words I felt bereft and I immediately wanted to pick it up and read it again...thank you Sarah for making some of the most wonderful characters that I have read in a very long time. While it is hard for me not to say I love a book because I really do but usually the characters float out of my head but I have a feeling I won't forget these and with Nick's book coming out in October it is something I'm definitely looking forward to!

RATING: ***** (5 which is the bestest)

If you wanna read Gabriel's and Callie's story just go here --->Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake and you can read for yourself but beware you just might be burned from the heat......