At the Duke's Pleasure

I think this is the best of the series so far. It was a light fun read. I do not agree with a lot of the reviews about the heroine. I thought it was nice to see a heroine that was not a doormat. Most of her escapades were funny and harmless and all she really wanted was to be loved. She might of acted a little immature at times but she is fairly young and being sentenced to a supposed loveless marriage. This is the only way she thinks she can end the marriage. I thought the hero dealt well with her. I only wish he had confessed his love for her sooner.

I have read almost all of Tracy's books and loved them all. This series is fabulous. The Byron's are rowdy, full of life and love for each other. At The Duke's Pleasure is Edward and Claire's story. Being the head of this boisterous family, Edward has been taught that he must control his emotions. He is calm and logical until he decides he will abid by the wishes of his and Claire's father and marry her. Claire is strong, passionate and wants out of the arranged engagement but Edward doesn't. How these two manage their differences are what makes this book absolutely wonderful! Ms. Warren brings her characters to full and glorious life. I am eargerly waiting the next book in this series. Too bad it takes so long to write one. Ah well, patience is a virtue so I will wait and preorder as soon as I can.

I'll admit that I liked the drama and angst of Claire. Yes, she did come across as a bit immature and crazy, but I give her a pass since she's a fictional character in a romance novel and they're kinda funny when they're crazy. Ned was a great hero, strong and determined and puts up with a lot from the heroine so you could see them together and happy for a long time. he can take a lot and since her excuse for the craziness is unrequited love, then I guess the craziness ends when she's finally certain her loves her. I was really expecting the heroine to have some deep dark secret of some reason other than unrequited love for not wanting to marry, but nope, that's what it was. The ending of the book is a bit absurd, but that whole spy subplot is a minor part of the story.

Edward Byron, tenth Duke of Clybourne, had been trained from an early age not to show emotions. No matter the provocations, a peer is always in control of both his thoughts and feelings. His marriage has been arranged to Lady Claire Marsden since he was a lad. When duty finally requires he wed, Edward decides the long-standing arrangement will do nicely. Edward thought his betrothed would be thrilled when he finally sends word that their wedding date is nearing. He quickly learns otherwise. Lady Claire is twenty-one by the time Edward decides they are to wed. Claire has been in love with Edward since she met him five years ago. However, Claire does not wish to be wed without her love being returned, even if that means becoming a spinster. Claire informs Edward up front that she does not want a dutiful marriage, but rather a love match. When he refuses to release her from their engagement, Claire decides that her only escape is to force Edward to jilt her. Therefore, during the Season, Claire engages in various eyebrow-raising peccadilloes in hopes of Edward jilting her. Instead, Edward realizes her game and picks up her thrown gauntlet. At the same time, Edward is secretly working to uncover the identity of a spy buried deep within the system - a mole who had access to information at the highest levels of government. Does Lady Claire even stand a chance of shaking Edward up, when even a dangerous spy fails? ***** FIVE STARS! Who could NOT love a lady with the courage to stand up for herself? I was thrilled as each antic Claire engaged in turned out to be grander than the one before! By the last one, Claire even had me admitting that I would never have dared to go half as far. Tracy Anne Warren has brazenly shown that she is one of the best Regency Romance authors of our time! ***** Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

In 1789 Nottinghamshire, England, eleven year old ducal heir Edward Byron meets the Earl of Edgewater. Immediately afterward his father and the earl introduce a stunned Edward to his fiancée newborn Claire as the two dads made a deal. In 1811 Claire receives a letter from Edward, now the duke that he is coming to marry her. She has seen him three times in her twenty-two years of life: as a newborn, as a little girl and when she was sixteen. She fell in love with him as a teen, but he sees her as a duty. Claire needs Edward to jilt her so she sets in motion a plan to achieve her goal; instead he kisses her and Claire knows she is in trouble. At Clybourne House, Edward's sister Mallory greets Claire with enthusiasm. At dinner she meets his twin brothers and another single sibling Drake the genius. Edward receives a note and leaves abruptly. He goes to the prison where he finds traitor Lord Everett dead with a knife in his chest and no witnesses. Meanwhile Claire continues to try to get her fiancé to dump her, but she fails even when she becomes notorious as Claire the Dare doing the outrageous while he investigates who in the Ton is spying for the French. The lead couple has a fascinating history though they met only three times before while his sister Mallory is a terrific support character though what appears to be a setup for a sequel has been overdone. Adding to the overall fun is a locked door murder mystery inside a prison. Although Edward is too patient with Claire for someone used to being obeyed and a major coincidence is the key to resolving the plot readers will enjoy this strong investigative Regency romance. Harriet Klausner