My Darling Duke (Sinful Wallflowers)

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I’m not sure why I didn’t connect with Stacy Reid’s writing style. It wasn’t bad but felt too matter of fact? Not descriptive enough? Like a hybrid first person inner monologue but written from a detached third person POV? *shrugs* Never to you,” he reassured, sounding earnest and bemused in the same breath. “Everyone else but you.” He stopped rowing. The eyes that peered at her were unfathomable. He reached for her, his fingers tracing the lines of her cheekbones and jaw. In him she had found the man she loved and respected. A man she could see herself growing old with, a man she saw walking by her side for as long as God would allow it, in this life and the next.” In regards to Alexander's disabilities, and without giving too much away, I must say that I was so impressed with the way the author handled everything. Stacy Reid was really able to bring something new to the table and offer a different depiction of the 'Beast'. Sorry that this sounds so vague, but you have to read this book for yourself!

It is not often I have read about the impotency a crippled person might suffer, as the usual historical hero is generally more a rake than a saint. Mrs Stacy Reid does not shy away, and her hero must deal with his inability, the humbling that goes it and what it calls for the future. I do wish the main characters had met sooner than they did, but I enjoyed the banter/interplays between them, and loved how gutsy Kitty was. There is a lot of push and pull from Alexander, but it was completely understandable and the pain (emotional and physical) made me ache for him. Katherine Danvers and her family were in a poor financial position which had worsened considerably since the death of her father. In an attempt to give her sisters the best shot at making good marriages she lies and tells society that she is the fiancé of the well-known but very reclusive, Duke of Thornton, Alexander Masters.Maryann is by far my favorite Stacy Reid heroine. She was so smart and sassy! I loved her sense of humour. She had her daring and bold moments that made me admire her so much! Maryann was a woman who knew her self-worth and was determined not to let a man control her. The romance was stars aligned, and we were meant for each other kind. They had a lovely friendship in the making, a feeling of belongingness, and all of it was sweet, especially their conversations, the teasing, and the pretty letters. The chemistry was little on account of the accident, but it was rife with sensuality. Alexander considered himself incapable & impotent. Major spoilers ahead, and I am not adding the spoiler tag as it might take away from the review, so please read at your discretion.

She is aware of the risk, she knows ruin lurks in the corner if she is caught; whatever, she will do it. The stag with the lily in its mouth was the most brutal, for it was that one who taught me that fear and pain lie in a touch. A soothing caress on my forehead transforms to a savage squeeze of the jaw. The duality of tenderness and savagery will be impossible to erase from my heart, for I never dreamed they could belong to one.

This story goes beyond the usual scarred lord, it is not about a disfigured man, it is a demonstrative tale showing all the sufferings a crippled man went through and still faces. Miss Katherine Danvers is a desperate wallflower. Her family is on the brink of financial ruin, and it is up her to save her mother and sisters from a life of indignities. So she transforms herself into the incomparable Kitty Danvers, the fiancée of the enigmatic and reclusive Alexander Masters, Duke of Thornton—once dubbed the mad, bad, and dangerous catch of the Season. This was a really enjoyable regency romance, and the antics of the ton and the flirty banter between characters was exactly what I needed at this moment in time. It's Bridgerton season on Netflix, so I was in the mood for a historical romance! Katherine has finally decided she has reached her breaking point, she has to do something or there will be no HEA awaiting her family, and even if it is deceptive, it is to offer her sisters a better outcome than hers. Closure: This ends with a HEA they’re married and she thinks she’s pregnant, but as always — I wanted some more...maybe their wedding or them being an official couple in public?!? Maybe I’ll get some more of them if I continue with the series...

There was so much I adored about this story. I only wish we would have gotten more of this couple as a couple, still it was a wonderful read. I'm looking forward to more by this author!Soon, though, everything is out of control. At first, it’s just a few new ball gowns on the duke’s accounts. Then, it’s interviews with reporters eager for gossip. Before she knows it, Katherine has transformed herself into Kitty Danvers, charming and clever belle of the ton—with everyone eager to meet her thankfully absent fiancé. Marry me,” he groaned. “Be my friend…be my wife…my duchess. I promise to love you with every breath in my body and every emotion in my heart until the end of my days, Katherine. I vow it."