Publishers Weekly
01/13/2020
Jeffries’s lackluster second Duke Dynasty Regency romance (after Project Duchess) follows Lady Gwyn Drake, whose youthful indiscretion has blighted much of her adult life. Gwyn is set to make her London debut at the improbable age of 30 when her former flame, the odious Lionel Malet, uses their past relationship to blackmail her. Imprudent Gwyn responds to his threats by confronting him with a gun that she admittedly has “no clue” how to use and has to be rescued by dour war hero Joshua Wolfe, a relative by marriage who is working on Gwyn’s brother’s estate as he recovers from injuries. Wolfe is attracted to Gwyn despite his better judgment and agrees to accompany her to London as her bodyguard at her brother’s insistence. Their inevitable romance encounters very few obstacles, and Malet’s continuing, misguided attempts at coercion, espionage, and rape are easily quashed. Readers new to the series will find it difficult to keep track of the tangled branches of the Drake family tree, and, despite Jeffries’s lively narration, the characters’ banter is oddly wooden. This one’s a disappointment. Agent: Pam Ahearn, Ahearn Agency. (Mar.)
From the Publisher
Praise for The Bachelor
“The Bachelor, the second entrancing book in Jeffries’ Duke Dynasty series (Project Duchess, 2019), beautifully showcases the author’s gift for creating vividly etched characters (including a well-matched pair of protagonists) and then expertly placing them within a tautly constructed plot spiced with danger and plenty of red-hot sensuality.” – Booklist
“Jeffries explores the cultural mores of early Regency London to weave a tale of blackmail, spies, and a Season debut. Joshua is a fascinating hero, the only untitled male among the series’ rather gentried family and always aware of the fact. There is an overarching series mystery developing, but readers yet to pick up the previous title, Project Duchess, shouldn’t be deterred.” – Library Journal
Praise for Sabrina Jeffries' previous romance, Project Duchess
“Jeffries’s riveting first Duke Dynasty regency has a little bit of everything: an independent, forthright woman; a handsome duke with trust issues; and a mystery…Complex, intense characters heat up the pages with scintillating love scenes amid the intrigue. Jeffries continues to impress, and romance fans will eagerly await the next book.”- Publishers Weekly
“Readers will love Grey and Beatrice, and the nicely paced, intriguing plot will keep them engaged…An appealing historical romance from a fan favorite.”– Kirkus Reviews
"Excellent blend of great characters and witty dialogue makes this a delicious first in a new series." —BookPage (Starred Review)
"Best-selling Jeffries brilliantly launches her new Duke Dynasty series with another exemplary Regency-set historical brilliantly sourced from her seemingly endless authorial supply of fascinating characters and compelling storylines." —Booklist
Praise for Sabrina Jeffries’ previous novels
“Anyone who loves romance must read Sabrina Jeffries!”—Lisa Kleypas, New York Times bestselling author
“Quick pacing, witty dialogue, and charmingly original characters set Jeffries’ books apart”—Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Master storyteller Jeffries is at the top of her game.” —RT Book Reviews, Top Pick on The Secret of Flirting
“Quick wit, lively repartee, and delicious sensuality drive the elaborate plot of this sinfully delightful addition to Jeffries’s latest series.” —Library Journal, starred review on The Pleasures of Passion
“With its irresistible combination of witty banter, well defined characters, and a wonderful surfeit of breathtaking sensuality, the latest in Jeffries’ Sinful Suitors series is a straight flush.” —Booklist, starred review on The Danger of Desire
“Lovely, poignant, and powerful.” —Kirkus Reviews on The Study of Seduction
Library Journal
02/01/2020
Lady Gwyn Drake may pretend not to notice the handsome family estate gameskeeper, Maj. Joshua Wolfe, but she's outraged when her twin brother appoints him her bodyguard for the Season. He doesn't seem to like her, and Gwyn was hoping to spend that time figuring out how to get rid of a previous lover threatening to divulge their past. For Joshua's part, Gwyn is untouchable; the chemistry between them is a curse. As the couple travels to London, the blackmail Gwyn faces becomes more serious. When the War Office sends Joshua on a new assignment to locate a spy in London, he and Gwyn discover they can work well together despite society's views. VERDICT Jeffries ("Sinful Suitors" series) explores the cultural mores of early Regency London to weave a tale of blackmail, spies, and a Season debut. Joshua is a fascinating hero, the only untitled male among the series' rather gentried family and always aware of the fact. There is an overarching series mystery developing, but readers yet to pick up the previous title, Project Duchess, shouldn't be deterred.—Kellie Tilton, Univ. of Cincinnati Blue Ash
Kirkus Reviews
2019-12-23
A war veteran and a woman who has suffered a personal betrayal are thrown together during her debut London season in 1809.
Gwyn Drake is a 30-year-old heiress who's been avoiding marriage because of a past liaison that threatens to cloud her future prospects. When her brother asks their cousin by marriage, estate gamekeeper Maj. Joshua Wolfe, to be her bodyguard in London, she worries about keeping her secrets from both and avoiding infamy. Seriously wounded and left with a disability after a naval battle, Joshua just wants to serve his country again, but being forced to spend time with Gwyn is tempting him to risk intimacy and marriage. The novel is concerned with representing veterans' issues, notably PTSD, and with highlighting the unfair and unequal consequences, physical and emotional, that women face in sexual relationships, especially with predatory men. Gwyn's wariness also comes from her wealth (and Joshua's lack thereof) while his stems from his leg impairment and scarring. Though the themes are worthwhile, the romance is uneven in tone, with sudden bouts of passion between the couple interspersed with arguments, doubts, and dishonesty. Most of the episodes, whether in parks, ballrooms, or London streets, feel wooden, never quite allowing readers to identify with the feelings of the characters. The villain does double duty as both Gwyn's ex and the major's professional antagonist but feels like a plot device without substance. A related subplot about espionage is an unnecessary addition meant to pad out the story's drama. The novel also relies a little too much on the reader's prior knowledge of the family—it is the second in Jeffries' Duke Dynasty series (Project Duchess, 2019, etc.)—and some details require a rereading to register.
Standard Regency fare with a cast of gentry who are fairly indistinguishable from many such characters.
