411 pages
English language
Published May 21, 2012 by Windsor.
In One Dance with a Duke--the first novel in Tessa Dare's delightful new trilogy--secrets and scandals tempt the irresistible rogues of the Stud Club to gamble everything for love.A handsome and reclusive horse breeder, Spencer Dumarque, the fourth Duke of Morland, is a member of the exclusive Stud Club, an organization so select it has only ten members--yet membership is attainable to anyone with luck. And Spencer has plenty of it, along with an obsession with a prize horse, a dark secret, and, now, a reputation as the dashing "Duke of Midnight." Each evening he selects one lady for a breathtaking midnight waltz. But none of the women catch his interest, and nobody ever bests the duke--until Lady Amelia d'Orsay tries her luck.In a moment of desperation, the unconventional beauty claims the duke's dance and unwittingly steals his heart. When Amelia demands that Spencer forgive her scapegrace brother's debts, she …
In One Dance with a Duke--the first novel in Tessa Dare's delightful new trilogy--secrets and scandals tempt the irresistible rogues of the Stud Club to gamble everything for love.A handsome and reclusive horse breeder, Spencer Dumarque, the fourth Duke of Morland, is a member of the exclusive Stud Club, an organization so select it has only ten members--yet membership is attainable to anyone with luck. And Spencer has plenty of it, along with an obsession with a prize horse, a dark secret, and, now, a reputation as the dashing "Duke of Midnight." Each evening he selects one lady for a breathtaking midnight waltz. But none of the women catch his interest, and nobody ever bests the duke--until Lady Amelia d'Orsay tries her luck.In a moment of desperation, the unconventional beauty claims the duke's dance and unwittingly steals his heart. When Amelia demands that Spencer forgive her scapegrace brother's debts, she never imagines that her game of wits and words will lead to breathless passion and a steamy proposal. Still, Spencer is a man of mystery, perhaps connected to the shocking murder of the Stud Club's founder. Will Amelia lose her heart in this reckless wager or win everlasting love?From the Paperback edition.
I DNF'd this the moment the "im not like other girls" sh*t started, thankfully Tessa Dare upgraded her writing later
I started out lukewarm on Spencer, but he won me over in the end. But even if he didn't, I would read the next one because I adore Tessa Dare.
While I'm reading, I'm always assigning a star rating in my head. Is this enjoyable enough for 3 stars? Is it creeping into 4? Is it dropping into 2 star territory? I must admit, for most of the book I was giving this one a solid 3 stars. But, you see, I'm a sucker for a flawed hero. I like them to have rough edges and things to work on. Perfection is boring. The same for my heroines. I want them to be smart and unconventional. I like it when they are coming into the relationship after being "put on the shelf" so to speak, and walk into things with their eyes wide open. Amelia is like that. A little …
I started out lukewarm on Spencer, but he won me over in the end. But even if he didn't, I would read the next one because I adore Tessa Dare.
While I'm reading, I'm always assigning a star rating in my head. Is this enjoyable enough for 3 stars? Is it creeping into 4? Is it dropping into 2 star territory? I must admit, for most of the book I was giving this one a solid 3 stars. But, you see, I'm a sucker for a flawed hero. I like them to have rough edges and things to work on. Perfection is boring. The same for my heroines. I want them to be smart and unconventional. I like it when they are coming into the relationship after being "put on the shelf" so to speak, and walk into things with their eyes wide open. Amelia is like that. A little stronger and less ridiculous than some, but Spencer was a little more ridiculous than others so they balanced out.
We have a spinster who has been overlooked, and a Duke who has no interest in marrying. Accidentally in love? You betcha. The best kind. They spar, they kiss, they tackle misunderstandings and obstacles and come out the other side with a love match. Honestly, it's the only kind of book I want, folks. Gotta have that HEA.
I'm still a marshmallow and loved the ending and little plot twist that got us there. 4 stars.
