The Duchess in His Bed: A Sins for All Seasons Novel

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If there’d been more build up in the beginning I’d probably be buying into it big time. As it is, it read a bit like a novella. That rushed feeling. But it’s a full length novel, so I’m not sure why it’s rushed. I felt like I accidentally missed a few chapters where they got to know each other better. Like they were lopped off in the beginning for some reason and now a bunch of context is missing. With that quote alone *swoons* Okay, let's wipe the drool here and commence this review, shall we? Ahem. This story embodies slow-burn and seduction to the freaking max. Did this installment live up to expectations? In one way it did - I fell even deeper in love with Aiden Trewlove who had such an inate goodness, a sweet decency that just pulled at my heartstrings. At the same time he was sexy and very physical which provided some really hot scenes throughout this story. I loved his protective sense and the love he had for his family was heart-warming. There is a second meaning that can be read into Ferdinand’s eyes dazzling. Throughout the play, the Duchess is associated with light and Ferdinand with darkness--as when he insists on meeting her only with all the lights out--so here, when she lies in such angelic repose, Ferdinand is dazzled by the radiance of her goodness, which he had refused to see before. As he is so used to darkness, it hurts his eyes.

This passage marks the transition from the Cardinal and Ferdinand’s warnings to the Duchess against marriage, to her willful decision to propose to Antonio anyway. It is the first real sense we get of her true character. The first introduction to the Duchess is through Antonio’s description earlier in the act, wherein he focuses on her virtue. Thus, when she protests to her brothers that she will honor their mandate, the audience is to believe her in the face of her described honesty.Prior to her romance with Warren, Joan had married film idol Maxwell Reed in 1952 when she was just 19. The couple split up after four years and in 1963 she went on to marry Anthony Newley, and have two children, Tara and Alexander (known as Sacha), but that marriage ended in 1970. She then married Ron Kass in 1972 and they had a daughter, Katyana (Katy), before splitting up in 1983. She will only refer to her fourth husband, Peter Holm, as ‘The Swede’. ‘That was a momentous mistake,’ she says of the marriage in 1985 that lasted just two years. ‘Powerful women are portrayed as dangerous but it’s the predatory men who are the real threat’ You are over 18 years of age and where there may be age restrictions in place, you declare that you and all members of your party are of the appropriate age Bosola’s death speech does little to untangle this complexity. Though almost all of the evil he has done has been motivated purely by selfishness, he here reveals no evidence of selfishness. Though he is facing the physical “pain” of death, he does not regret avenging the Duchess and Antonio, for it is “no harm” “to die/In so good a quarrel.” Though he himself was directly responsible for much of their misfortune, he has taken their side as one worthy of "good" so happily that he faces his own death without care. The story fell a little short for me because of Selena, who I didn't care about for two thirds of the book, which was rooted in her selfish behavior. And that was, put mildly, problematic at best. Look, I know this is Historical Romance but consent goes both ways and this is where Selena really threw me off. If this were the other way around and the heroine said "No, get off me" and the hero didn't follow through we would call it rape (regardless that he'd stop after a bit). So in a way that's actually what Selena did with Aiden.

For once I was not sure how this would end, I mean it is romance so I knew they would end up together but how? Plot wise, it was good, but there was a lot more inner monologue than I would have liked. Selena and Aiden really talk and get to know each other and I was so happy to see open communication; especially when it came to The Secret Plan {which didn't stay secret for too long}. I wanted more more more of them together, but perhaps that's just me being greedy because I loved them together.So far, this has been my favorite if the series! This is a perfect example of LH putting her characters in difficult, morally grey situations. She writes her characters so well that you empathize with them and feel how hard it is for them to get out of their situations.

Aiden was a pretty good hero. He fell for Salena without a really clear cut reason, but I was able to put that aside. Not quite insta-love, but insta-lust at least. He was honorable in his own way and cared deeply about his found family. It was interesting to see the circumstances of his birth unravel and I was happy with how all of that turned out. The romance was OK. Overall, I liked the book. He slammed his eyes closed as those five words— fall in love with you—words no other woman had ever bestowed on him washed over him, through him, around him. How powerful they were. How humbling. How breathtaking. Kitty and Paddy run Spring Park with Kitty's parents Peter and Di and children Billy and Gabe, and they still can’t quite believe what a beautiful place they've ended up in! They used to run two little boutiques on Falmouth's Old High Street selling homewares, vintage finds and handmade dresses, and loves anything old or vintage... Meanwhile, Selena is getting to know more about Aiden – his upbringing with the other bastards sent to Ettie Trewlove, his horrible relationship with his sire, his love for his family. She desperately wants to get pregnant but she is starting to see the larger ramifications of her plan. Eventually, she confesses her plan to Aiden and he must decide if he can give her what she wants.

Conclusion

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