ARC Review: The Truth About Love and Dukes by Laura Lee Guhrke

I have read Laura Lee Guhrke before and everytime I read her I think,” I need to read her more.” Her heroines are always very unique and fun! I especially love that her heroines aren’t all from the same class and may even be considered “modern.”  I was super excited to see that this was the first in a series. I was instantly hooked on Henry, Duke of Torqui and Irene Deverill.

Irene although a part of high society is also part of the working class.  Irene has taken over her family business and runs a gossip column that is wildly popular. One of the topics of her column catches the eye of Henry, especially when the famous advice columnist, Lady Truelove’s encourages Henry’s mother to follow her heart and elope with a man below her station. Henry immediately searches out for Irene but he is nothing like he expected. 

Henry is a Duke and he takes his responsibilities very seriously.  Henry is determined to stop his mothers wedding at any cost even if it means blackmailing Irene and buying her paper from her. Unfortunately for Irene, her father is more than happy to sell the paper to Henry but stopping Irene’s gossip paper is not the only thing that Henry is after. He is determined that Irene has to convince his mother not to marry and thus bring ruin on the rest of the family. Henry makes Irene and Clara, her sister, stay with him and his family in the hopes that his mother will come to her senses. What Henry doesn’t calculate is that being so close to Irene might be more than he can handle.

Guhrke’s books are always so fun and filled with witty dialogue, “The Truth About Love and Dukes” is no exception. Henry was a bit of a stiff but Irene was a perfect balance. I’m counting down to the next book in the series. 

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: Catch a Falling Heiress by Laura Lee Guhrke

When I saw Laura Lee Guhrke had a new book out, I jumped at the chance to read it. I really liked the first book in the series, When the Marquess Met His Match (An American Heiress in London, #1). I think that Guhrke is a very original storyteller and her heroines are usually pretty strong, which I love. She always has unique storylines and I know that I’m in for some surprises.

In her new book, “Catch a falling Heiress”, Guhrke follows the same recipe. Linnet Holland is a strong heroine. She is an heiress and although her mother has tried to marry her off to a British member of the ton she has not succeeded. Linnet had her heart broken by a member of the ton before and she is not about to fall into the same trap again. Now that she is back in America, she is ready to pick a husband and she has one in mind.

Jack Feathersone is the brother-in-law of Lady Belinda Featherstone from her first marriage. Jack is not very stable and he is known for his philandering ways. When his friend, the Duke of Margrave asks him to ruin the man that caused his love-Edie (from the previous book-How to Lose a Duke in Ten Days). He travels to America to help him see to this.

When Jack is at a ball his plan has come to fruition, Frederick Van Hausen is near ruin. He’s only way out is to find a rich heiress to help him by marrying him. The minute that Jack sees Frederick speaking with Linnet he knows that Frederick is desperate and will do anything. He instantly jumps in to help her. To help Linnet he kisses her as her mother and another member of the party find them. Jack proposes marriage and Linnet quickly refuses him.

Linnet is beside herself that she is caught in this situation with Jack, he is a stranger and she swore off British men. After many arguments with her father and mother she travels to London and asks Belinda Featherstone, now married to Trubridge, to help her find a husband.

Overall, this was a cute story and I liked both the hero and the heroine but I didn’t love them. Also, so much happens at the very beginning of the story that towards the middle it begins to drag. I did enjoy seeing Belinda again, she is always such a great and witty character. I had really high expectations for this book and some of them were not met however,I plan to read more by this author.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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Audiobook Review: Scandal of the Year by Laura Lee Guhrke, Narrated by Anne Flosnik

When I finished the audiobook “When the Marquess Met His Match (An American Heiress in London, #1) I was so captivated by Laura Lee Guhrke. She weaved together such an interesting storyline that I jumped on my local library for the chance to read something else by her. When I saw “Sandal of the Year” on audiobook I jumped at the chance to check it out.

Needless to say, I loved it! First! What an amazing heroine. Julia was everything! She was frustrating, endearing, tough, and vulnerable! I absolutely adored her! The author was so creative with her character that I just wanted to know more about Julia. Who is she? Why is she like this? Why is she such a conniver? Well, the author answered ALL these questions and more! Loved her!

Aidan Carr, the Duke of Trathen was also such a fantastic hero! They were a wonderful pair!!! To fully appreciate Aidan it’s important to realize just how much he went through with Julia. When the story starts, page one, Julia is getting a divorce from her then husband because she had an affair with Aidan. This, of course, is sucking because of the time period but also because Aidan is really the epitome of all that is proper. Both Julia and Aidan were in the previous books but I did not read or hear them-yet! From the back story we understand that Aidan had two failed engagements. Beatrice, Julia’s cousin, basically dumps him for the love of her life.

Aidan and Julia have known each other for many years. He met her before she was to be married to her husband. Aidan and Julia could not be more different. She is outgoing, friendly social. He is more reserved and proper. Julia likes to smoke and drive her Mercedes and Aidan is a quiet and responsible citizen looking for a wife to build a family with.

Julia feels awful that she dragged Aidan into the middle of her scandal but she is desperate to escape her husband. The wagging tongues of society have her pegged as a light skirt and although everyone is scandalized they are more shocked that she had an affair with Aidan, of all people. Although Julia dragged Aidan into the middle of a scandal when she has serious financial problems, she turns to Aidan and he offers her a job. Needless to say there are so many layers to Julia. Her story is so rich that it’s impossible not to love her and really want her to have a happily-ever-after. Aidan really was her prince in shining armor.

I absolutely loved the story, the characters and the plot! One of my favorites, hands down!

Anne Flosnik, the narrator, was phenomenal. She really got Julia and Aidan. She was able to distinguish their personalities perfectly and I really enjoyed her narration.

Purchase: | Audiobook | Amazon | Kindle | B&N |

Two Dukes and a Scandal Tour with Gayle Callen, Laura Lee Guhrke and Caroline Linden

Meet Gayle Callen, author of Redemption of the Duke.

After a detour through fitness instructing and computer programming, Gayle Callen found the life she’d always dreamed of as a romance writer. This USA Today bestselling author has written more than eighteen historical romances for Avon Books, and her novels have won the Holt Medallion and the Laurel Wreath Award.

Gayle lives in Central New York with her three children, her dog, Apollo, and her husband, Jim the Romance Hero.

Places to find Gayle: 

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Review: Scandal of the Year by Laura Lee Guhrke

I am a huge Laura Lee Guhrke fan and I was extremely anxious to read Scandal of the Year. This book definitely did not disappoint.

SOTY, picks up two years after Wedding of the Season left off. SOTY opens up with Julia Yardley being accused of having an affair with Aidan Carr, the Duke of Trathen by her husband. After publicly declaring her affair, she obtains a long sought after divorce from her abusive husband.

Now six months later Aidan Carr is once again looking for a wife when he encounters Julia at a ball. Aidan knows that they had an affair but cannot remember all of the details because he was heavily intoxicated when it happened. He finds himself continuously battling a strong desire for Julia. Julia has always had strong feelings for Aidan and feels terrible for using him to obtain her divorce. She is now trying to become more respectable and wants to pay her debts so she goes to Aidan for help with a job. Aidan, who is looking for a wife that compliments him and is suitable for becoming a Duchess ask Julia to become his social secretary.

Whenever the two are together we see lots of sparks flying. Both are attracted to the other but neither wants to act on it. Julia is still trying to get over her horrendous marriage. She has made herself not feel anytype of emotions in twelve years to help herself cope. When she is with Aidan he makes her feel things and she hates it. So she keeps running away from him. Aidan, just can't seem to get Julia off his mind so he is continuouly chasing her.

Eventually the two come together and it's wonderful to see Julia's walls come down. We also see the proper and staid Aidan reconize his feelings and realize that he's loved Julia since they met twelve years ago.