Mr. Cavendish, I Presume

Mr. Cavendish, I Presume by Julia Quinn

Amelia Willoughby has been engaged to the Duke of Wyndham for as long as she can remember. Literally. A mere six months old when the contracts were signed, she has spent the rest of her life waiting. And waiting. And waiting . . . for Thomas Cavendish, the oh-so-lofty duke, to finally get around to marrying her. But as she watches him from afar, she has a sneaking suspicion that he never thinks about her at all . . .

It's true. He doesn't. Thomas rather likes having a fiancée—all the better to keep the husband-hunters at bay—and he does intend to marry her . . . eventually. But just when he begins to realize that his bride might be something more than convenient, Thomas's world is rocked by the arrival of his long-lost cousin, who may or may not be the true Duke of Wyndham. And if Thomas is not the duke, then he's not engaged to Amelia. Which is the cruelest joke of all, because this arrogant and illustrious duke has made the mistake of falling in love . . . with his own fiancée!

I had high hopes for this book. I loved the first book and even rate it a 5/5, but this one failed to deliver on all that promise.

It builds from the previous storyline, but instead of giving us any new insight or storyline this is literally a retelling of the exact same story from a slightly different view point and simply does not work. There's little new information, there's very little character development, and the plot is ... very blah.

Sadly I give this book a 2/5

The Lost Duke of Wyndham (The Two ukes of Wyndham)D

The Lost Duke of Wyndham by Julia Quinn

Jack Audley has been a highwayman.

A soldier. And he has always been a rogue. What he is not, and never wanted to be, is a peer of the realm, responsible for an ancient heritage and the livelihood of hundreds. But when he is recognized as the long-lost son of the House of Wyndham, his carefree life is over. And if his birth proves to be legitimate, then he will find himself with the one title he never wanted: Duke of Wyndham.

Grace Eversleigh has spent the last five years toiling as the companion to the dowager Duchess of Wyndham. It is a thankless job, with very little break from the routine . . . until Jack Audley lands in her life, all rakish smiles and debonair charm. He is not a man who takes no for an answer, and when she is in his arms, she's not a woman who wants to say no. But if he is the true duke, then he is the one man she can never have . . .

Julia does it again, this is one of the best historicals I've read in quite a while.
The premise is actually quite original, our heroine is held up by a highway robber who turns out to be the real duke of Wyndham. This obviously causes problems for the current duke, hence the title (The Two Dukes of Wyndham). A charming tale that I just breezed through and I can't wait the the sequel, Mr. Cavendish, I Presume (Two Dukes of Wyndham, Book 2)

Overall Rating : 5/5

The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever

2 March 1810 . . .
Today, I fell in love.

At the age of ten, Miranda Cheever showed no signs of Great Beauty. And even at ten, Miranda learned to accept the expectations society held for her—until the afternoon when Nigel Bevelstoke, the handsome and dashing Viscount Turner, solemnly kissed her hand and promised her that one day she would grow into herself, that one day she would be as beautiful as she already was smart. And even at ten, Miranda knew she would love him forever.

But the years that followed were as cruel to Turner as they were kind to Miranda. She is as intriguing as the viscount boldly predicted on that memorable day—while he is a lonely, bitter man, crushed by a devastating loss. But Miranda has never forgotten the truth she set down on paper all those years earlier—and she will not allow the love that is her destiny to slip lightly through her fingers . . .

The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever by Julia Quinn

A good historical like most of Ms. Quinn's books but not her best storyline. It felt a little slow at points.

Overall Rating : 4/5
Sizzle Factor: 3/5