the richness of personalities is why i read the occasional romance. If it were not for the sex scenes this one would be close to perfet ( )

This story was such a pleasure to read. Patricia Rice gives us her version of the beauty and the beast, and I really liked her take on it.

Gavin Lawrence, recently titled Marquess of Effingham, a badly scarred man, has finally arrived in England to claim his title and properties, including an old and run down castle with hardly any servants. His brother Michael accompanies him for this adventure, and as younger brothers go, Michael is ever so obliging in throwing Gavin for a loop, and the latest one is particularly troubling to this impoverished newly minted aristocrat.

Dillian Whitnell has lived with her young cousin Lady Blanche Perceval for a while now, and to many in the society, she’s known as Miss Reynolds, Blanche’s companion. The pretence is deliberate even though the name is legitimate. The women have become very close confidants and mostly rely on each other, and not on Lady Blanches cousin, young Neville, Duke of Anglesey who neither of them trust and are suspecting of trying to kill Blanche.

The two main characters were very likable once you got to know them better and understand their backgrounds. Trust never came easy to them and trusting each other took some time. Once Gavin finds out who Dillian really is and learns of her childhood, he can’t help but admire the woman she’s become. The same goes for Dillian, although it was much harder for her to get to know the man behind the scars.

What I also appreciated in this story is ...for the rest of this review, please visit me at...
http://bookworm2bookworm.wordpress.com/2012/07/05/the-marquess-by-patricia-rice/

Thanks,

Melanie ( )

I liked this book - though predictable. Gavin and Dillian - he's a very reluctant Marquess who is from America and she's a hellion basically. First of the series I read and definitely decent. ( )

Beauty and the Beast but oh so much more!

What a wild and wonderful, action-packed, romance-filled, delightful story set in the early 1800’s. And, it is predominately about family, family ties and family loyalty.

Gavin Lawrence comes from America to take up the title of Marquess bringing his younger brother along. Living in his crumbling estate he is surprised by the return of Michael who brings a woman injured in a fire to his home. Little did Gavin know that her companion arrived with her. Not wanting his quiet interrupted he was surprised to find that he was not only taking care of a burn victim but playing hide and seek with the companion, Dillian.

Dillian and Blanche are cousins but also staunch supporters of one another – especially when they realize that someone is trying to kill one or both of them. Gavin and Michael are brothers who care for one another with Gavin as the older always trying to provide for Michael. The brothers become involved in sorting things out for the ladies and this includes riding down a mob, instigating a mob, putting fires out, starting fires, thievery, visits to high society, disguises and a whole lot more.

I have enjoyed every book I have read by Patricia Rice and look forward to reading many more in the future! ( )

Fun. Silly, but fun. Gavin is highly given to histrionics, though once we finally get the full story of his scars I can see why he gets such a fixed idea. Gillian also has some fixed ideas, mostly about her father and her cousin (and Neville). It's quite amusing watching them dismiss and deal with each others' bugaboos. The situation is odd, and very confusing - who was the fire aimed at? What's the point? Michael does a good job of stirring the pot, too. I like when they go into society - both the ball (for Gillian) and the village (for Gavin) have some surprises and cures for silly notions. The assigned pairings are so obvious, and so wrong (speaking of Michael stirring the pot)... But they do make sense at the end. A very good ending, actually - she has the cure for many of his problems, but she _is_ the cure for more of them, and she admits it and gets him to admit it before she offers the papers (before they think of the papers, really). I like. And I do want to read Michael and Blanche's story. Excellent characters, interesting setting, nice mix of motivations (and no cardboard villain - though one comes close). ( )