Author: Sophie Barnes
Rating: ★★
Sometimes happily ever after…
Anthony Hurst, Duke of Kingsborough knows the time has come for him to produce an heir. But first he must find a bride. When he meets the most exquisite woman at his masquerade ball, he thinks his search is over…until the breathtaking beauty runs off. With few clues other than her figure, her scent, and the memory of her kiss, Anthony must find his mystery lady.
…needs a little bit of help.
Isabella Chilcott can scarcely believe it: she is finally at the Kingsborough Ball. As a child, she dreamed of dancing a waltz here and now, thanks to a gorgeous gown she’s found in the attic, Isabella is living her fairytale fantasy. And she’s waltzing with the Duke of Kingsborough himself! But she must escape before he discovers her secrets…for she is not who she pretends to be, and falling in love with Prince Charming is the last thing she can allow herself to do…
Anthony Hurst, Duke of Kingsborough knows the time has come for him to produce an heir. But first he must find a bride. When he meets the most exquisite woman at his masquerade ball, he thinks his search is over…until the breathtaking beauty runs off. With few clues other than her figure, her scent, and the memory of her kiss, Anthony must find his mystery lady.
…needs a little bit of help.
Isabella Chilcott can scarcely believe it: she is finally at the Kingsborough Ball. As a child, she dreamed of dancing a waltz here and now, thanks to a gorgeous gown she’s found in the attic, Isabella is living her fairytale fantasy. And she’s waltzing with the Duke of Kingsborough himself! But she must escape before he discovers her secrets…for she is not who she pretends to be, and falling in love with Prince Charming is the last thing she can allow herself to do…
I was really excited for this latest book, but I almost DNF'd it. There were some illogical leaps of judgment, such as the time when Mr. Chilcott called his wife Margaret, and the Duke immediately realized she's the long-lost daughter of the Marquess of Deerford. What, there's only one Margaret in England?
Second, Isabella saw the determination in the duke's face and "as he turned his head to face her, she saw him for who he really was... The Duke of Kingsborough had resolve, but it was born from the love of a man he'd admired more than any other..." She saw that just by seeing his face?
Isabella also seemed to bring out the worse side of the Duke of Kingsborough. He became manipulative and selfish, and he stopped acting his best since he met her. His best friend, Casper, the infamous rake, acted more honorably than he did throughout the book.
The story is also a case of insta-love. They haven't spent that much time with each other and yet they're already in love. I didn't like the characters, they were too immature, even the duke, who has been acting responsibly for the past five years. I didn't like the two of them, but I did like the duke's mother. She was classy and loves her children very much.
I just finished the book because I really like Sophie Barnes, and I was hoping that the book would improve. But until the end, I was just frustrated. Weird as it may sound, I'm actually looking forward to the sequel, The Scandal in Kissing an Heir, because the plot seems more intriguing, and hopefully the characters have more depth and are more likeable.
