Series: Duke's Daughters, #4
Tropes & Traits: former soldier hero; heroine's reputation is ruined
Publication Date: 04.30.19
Genre/Setting: Historical; Victorian; England, 1851
Rating: 3 stars
After running away from the meaningless frivolity of his family's aristocratic existence 12 years previously, Captain Griffith Davies, also Viscount Stanbury, must rejoin society and leave the navy's service. His cousin Frederick, now the Duke of Northam, is dying and Griffith is the only heir. Though the idea of settling down on land and assuming aristocratic responsibility is repugnant to him, he knows he owes his cousin after all the time he's missed. He is, however, determined to avoid the matchmaking mamas of the ton and how better to keep them at bay than a pretend betrothal to one of society's most notorious outcasts. He just can't act on his attraction to the fiery woman. He saw how his parents' marriage deteriorated and doesn't wish to add a wife to his growing list of new responsibilities.
Lady Della Howlett ruined her reputation years ago when she ran off with a man she thought she loved: until he stole her jewels and money and left Della and their daughter, Nora, penniless. A fake and soon to be dissolved engagement can hardly worsen her reputation now. Griffith is also the best chance she and her friend Sarah have of learning what became of Sarah's husband, a navy sailor formerly under Captain Davies' command. She just has to fight her instant attraction to him and remember how irritating he is. She won't repeat her past mistakes and she'll certainly never marry and allow a man to have power over her, much less give one her trust.
When the physical attraction between them becomes to tangible, Della suggests they add an affair to their bargain and the two step in dangerous territory. Neither especially wants to be tied down in marriage, but when neither wants to give the other up either, there could be heartbreak in store for them both anyway.
Griffith genuinely wants to help people and found himself in hot water with Her Majesty's Navy for his efforts and found his imminent position as duke's heir more bearable because of the ability it would afford him to help others. Despite his unapologetic arrogance and reluctant approach to responsibility, this made him rather likable.
*May devolve into some ranting here: I wasn't thrilled with Della or her attitude when I met her in the previous book in this series. She's just so very demanding, but I was hoping to like her more after getting more of her backstory in this one. I totally understand her distrust of men and even her bitterness, but much of her man-hating bravado just came off as selfish and unnecessary, especially when she got to know Griffith more. Her constant need to assert herself came off more haughty than vulnerable. All of her fiery independence and not wanting Griffith to do anything for her, along with her near constant tendency to fly into fits of righteous indignation and temper just got redundant and annoying, especially when it was clear she wasn't actually showing any of the growth and maturity her character had supposedly developed. It just made me unsympathetic to her after awhile, especially when she kept running away and refusing to hear Griffith out or try to understand, even though supposedly she's grown up and doesn't run from problems anymore.
The last few chapters just devolved into feminist propaganda, and don't get me wrong I'm all for equality, but I can't get on board with straight up man-hating and judgmental disrespect, which is Della's behavior in a nutshell for most of the book. I'm just consistently annoyed by the so-called fiery and independent heroine who is just mistrustful because of past hurts but really is just judgmental of others and her lack of communication with the hero is the driving force for much of the conflicts in the plot. It just winds up being a weak story for me and feeling rather cheap. Also, I would've liked to see at least some interaction between Griffith and Della's daughter, Nora, although we didn't really see Della interact with her much either.
I can definitely say at least that these two characters were well suited to each other with their mutual self-absorption and over-the-top confidence/arrogance. We also do get a satisfactory happy ending and some enjoyable secondary characters, especially Frederick, but I would've liked to see more resolution of the conflict between Della and her parents.
Overall, once again some mixed feelings about this one.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Lady Della Howlett ruined her reputation years ago when she ran off with a man she thought she loved: until he stole her jewels and money and left Della and their daughter, Nora, penniless. A fake and soon to be dissolved engagement can hardly worsen her reputation now. Griffith is also the best chance she and her friend Sarah have of learning what became of Sarah's husband, a navy sailor formerly under Captain Davies' command. She just has to fight her instant attraction to him and remember how irritating he is. She won't repeat her past mistakes and she'll certainly never marry and allow a man to have power over her, much less give one her trust.
When the physical attraction between them becomes to tangible, Della suggests they add an affair to their bargain and the two step in dangerous territory. Neither especially wants to be tied down in marriage, but when neither wants to give the other up either, there could be heartbreak in store for them both anyway.
Griffith genuinely wants to help people and found himself in hot water with Her Majesty's Navy for his efforts and found his imminent position as duke's heir more bearable because of the ability it would afford him to help others. Despite his unapologetic arrogance and reluctant approach to responsibility, this made him rather likable.
*May devolve into some ranting here: I wasn't thrilled with Della or her attitude when I met her in the previous book in this series. She's just so very demanding, but I was hoping to like her more after getting more of her backstory in this one. I totally understand her distrust of men and even her bitterness, but much of her man-hating bravado just came off as selfish and unnecessary, especially when she got to know Griffith more. Her constant need to assert herself came off more haughty than vulnerable. All of her fiery independence and not wanting Griffith to do anything for her, along with her near constant tendency to fly into fits of righteous indignation and temper just got redundant and annoying, especially when it was clear she wasn't actually showing any of the growth and maturity her character had supposedly developed. It just made me unsympathetic to her after awhile, especially when she kept running away and refusing to hear Griffith out or try to understand, even though supposedly she's grown up and doesn't run from problems anymore.
The last few chapters just devolved into feminist propaganda, and don't get me wrong I'm all for equality, but I can't get on board with straight up man-hating and judgmental disrespect, which is Della's behavior in a nutshell for most of the book. I'm just consistently annoyed by the so-called fiery and independent heroine who is just mistrustful because of past hurts but really is just judgmental of others and her lack of communication with the hero is the driving force for much of the conflicts in the plot. It just winds up being a weak story for me and feeling rather cheap. Also, I would've liked to see at least some interaction between Griffith and Della's daughter, Nora, although we didn't really see Della interact with her much either.
I can definitely say at least that these two characters were well suited to each other with their mutual self-absorption and over-the-top confidence/arrogance. We also do get a satisfactory happy ending and some enjoyable secondary characters, especially Frederick, but I would've liked to see more resolution of the conflict between Della and her parents.
Overall, once again some mixed feelings about this one.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2534184454?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1
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