This was a very sweet redemption story romance and if you like it sappy, this is for you.I liked this story for the first 2/3 of it but then was ready to just be done. The downhill slide began around the 50% mark and was mostly due to a) dragging storyline and b) when it started getting sweet, it was like saccharine. Yuck. That off flavor means you just can't convince your brain it's real sugar you're tasting.Minus the sappy slow downward spiral, the characters were really fun and interesting. I'm a sucker for redemption stories which is why I picked this one up. The storyline was well done and worked with all the characters so that it was really enjoyable to take in and savor the progression. The flirtation and parley made a very enjoyable read. I just found the culmination too Eye Rollingly (score of 7) sappy. I don't really like the traditional "Harlequin" Romance Novel type books but this one was free, and I thought some "fluff" would serve me well. As another reviewer stated on amazon.com, the first part of the book was pretty good. It was still over the top in "wordage" - the author appeared to be tripping over herself to retell every romantic thought over and over - but, I will concede that the first part of "novel" (written by someone more concise or someone better with word flow) would have made a good story. Maybe even one with depth had the author written on a higher level of reading. But! But, sadly, it went on and on and on and on and on - and not in a non-frustrating way! It made me wonder why I even tried this genre in the first place. I am disappointed that the author, who is well educated, could not see that she was writing on a level that, in my opinion, would be in a middle-school library. Even they, I fear, would get bored from the tedious monotony of the author saying the same thing over and over again. In fact, my review - being monotonous itself - is a reflection of the book.
What do You think about The Duke's Undoing (2012)?
This was an enjoyable read despite a few things that I found unlikely for the period.
—gypsy
3.5 starsA little cheesy in places but overall a cute little romance.
—cami
