the meat of this book needed to start earlier. ( )

The Duke and the Lady in Red
4.5 Stars

Desperate times call for desperate measures, and Rosalind Sharpe will do anything in her power to protect those she cares for even if it means targeting the notorious and ruthless Duke of Avendale. But when Avendale discovers Rose's deception, he demands recompense of a most scandalous sort - a week in his bed. Can Rose and her duke put aside their suspicions and mistrust to find happiness together?

It isn't often that a book makes me cry, but this story had me breaking out the Kleenex.

Rose and Avendale have excellent chemistry and the keeping secrets trope is, thankfully, disposed of quickly and with little to no unnecessary angst.

While the romance is engaging, it is Rose's other secret that is the true highlight of the book.

Heath's portrayal of Rose's profoundly disabled brother, Harry, is simply heartwrenching. The pain and suffering he endures in unfathomable, yet he remains a truly good and self-less person. Rose's love and loyalty for her damaged sibling and her willingness to sacrifice everything for him make her an incredible heroine. Likewise, Harry brings out the best in Avendale as well, and it is wonderful to see their male bonding and camaraderie flourish.

Despite the above, the story does have one or two issues. To begin with, it takes time for the plot points to develop and this makes the pacing slower at the start. Nevertheless, once the secrets begin unraveling, the book becomes a page-turner. In addition, Avendale's behavior in the first few chapters leaves much to be desired, and some readers may be put off by his less than savory actions. That said, I recommend persevering as the rest of the romance and the story is well worth it.

All in all, a wonderful book, and I also loved the Joseph Merrick reference (thank you Wikipedia). ( )

Not the usual book I read, I picked this up on a friend’s recommendation and found myself pleasantly surprised. I can see some readers might complain about certain aspects, but this is historical romance for a modern audience so political correctness or errors of the era (and I’m not attesting whether there are any) will be toyed with for entertainment, much as the protagonists Rosalind and Avendale toy with each other. Their misconceptions and mutual attractions are well-played, but it was the perhaps unlikely but heartwarming way in which the story treats Harry that provided the greatest emotional impact. Alas, there’s no way to explain why without spoilers. ( )

Frankly, the second half of The Duke and the Lady in Red is so much better than the first. I was rather worried because the first half failed to grab me. Much of it had to do with the repetitious inner dialogue of the hero and heroine and how much the other would be appalled at their past and that the relationship was only physical, etc. After awhile, I even tired of the smex scenes, because it seemed never ending. The second half of the book, after we find out about the heroine's brother, is true-blue Lorraine Heath and was very touching and wonderful. ( )

3.75 stars

I missed the chase between the leads coming together a little bit but the beginning was a deliciously decadent read followed by a later half of a wallop of emotions.
The love, whether it was between our heroine and her brother or the hero, was so powerful and deeply conveyed; it was amazingly rich and personal to read.

He loved her. It was an emotion he’d never thought to experience, and sometimes he wished he didn’t because it brought with it as much pain as it did joy. He hurt when she hurt. When sorrow visited her, it visited him. But when she smiled, it was as though that smile encompassed his entire body, his entire being. He would do whatever was required to return the smiles to her—­even if it meant taking her to a boring ball.

and

He had to let her go, give up his own hopes, plans, dreams in order to ensure her happiness. He understood it fully now, the sacrifice, the pain of setting aside everything one wanted in order to ensure that someone else realized his or her dreams. It was odd that in the ache of loss there was also some joy in knowing that she would be happy.

Everyone needs an Avendale in their lives; the way he loves Rose will knock your socks off and swell your heart.

If you couldn't tell, I loved the emotion written into the later part of the story but overall, I can't help feeling there was something missing, even if I can't quite pinpoint it. This is definitely worth a read, I just probably won't find myself revisiting it.
( )