Normally I am a fan of the prim school mistress and charming rake story but I did not care for either of the love interests in this one. They were pleasant but lacked personality. I hoped that Charlotte would start to show more nerve and spirit as the story went but I found her to be pretty bland. Gideon is a wonderful rake, confident and genial with a penchant for flirtation, but his character lacked depth. The love scenes were fun, and Charlotte and Gideon had great physical chemistry. Unfortunately their physical chemistry did not translate as well out of bed. The mystery itself was pretty boring with the plot and villain laid out for us at the beginning of the book. I wish the author would have kept us in a bit of suspense as to who was trying to steal the diary. I also think that the way in which Gideon and Charlotte were forced to marry was a little far-fetched or too convenient. I am not sure why her family showed up right then and why she did not just hide in what I assume is a fairly large house. The circumstances were just a little too contrived for me. A predictable plot and boring protagonists made this one just an OK read for me. *I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book. Charlotte Bocastle has a secret life wherein she dreams of a man she met only once. That would be fine if she kept her dreams in her head but she has, distressingly, written them in a journal. A journal that, by means only found in a romance novel, has found its way into the hands of the Duke of Wynfield (the man of her dreams!)Of course, the road to true love is not smooth. The journal promptly finds its way out of the duke's hands and there are other people looking for this book as well, trying to discredit Charolotte.Hunter is an author that I like... sometimes. The books are often very light and frothy and I have to be in the right mood. It's a very Hunter-ish book so if you like her in general, I think you'll like this one.
What do You think about El Diario De La Duquesa (2014)?
I didn't realize a romance novel could be so boring and stale.
—Meganna
2.5 stars. Half and half. It wasn't the book I expected.
—Srushti
Charlotte deserves 5 stars. The book overall is a 4.
—seraina89
