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LOVE LETTERS FROM A DUKE
Elizabeth Boyle
Avon
ISBN: 978-0-06-078403-4
September 2007
Historical Romance
Do you like light, witty historicals that have
nothing to do with history? Likable characters in an
interesting but implausible plot? Do you enjoy other
authors such as Eloisa James, Julia Quinn, or even
Stephanie Laurens? If you answered yes to any of the
above questions, then you should enjoy Elizabeth Boyle’s
LOVE LETTERS FROM A DUKE.
Lady Felicity Langley is a practical, smart, and capable
young lady. For the past four years she has been
hell-bent and determined to marry a duke….the Duke of
Hollindrake to be exact. She writes to him from her
school for young ladies and proceeds to have a long
correspondence with him….or who she thinks is him.
Captain Thatcher, now the Duke of Hollindrake is the
third son of the third son and never expected to inherit
the title. At a young age, to escape his reckless ways,
he buys himself a commission in the army treks off to
France to fight Napoleon. When he finds out what his
grandfather has done - basically engaging him to
Felicity - he is angry and attempts to put this chit in
her place. What he finds will change his life forever.
The majority of this story works around the Big
Misunderstanding. Hollindrake spends the entire book as
Felicity’s footman Captain Thatcher, and misleads her
and her sisters. While I understand the reason for it
(he wants Felicity to love him, not the title), I think
it is reprehensible to lie to someone like that and
seriously, what kind of foundation for a relationship is
it? Interestingly enough, this issue alone should have
me absolutely hating this book, but I don’t. Quite the
opposite actually. The plot is implausible, the
characters act in a way no nobility in Regency England
would act, the relationship is based on lies and there
are other contrivances that I have not even mentioned
which would usually make me throw a book far across the
room. LOVE LETTERS FROM A DUKE, even with all these
issues worked for me as a reader.
It was fun, light and kept my attention throughout the
story. The characters were interesting, both the primary
character and the secondary ones, and overall the flow
of this book was worth reading. I have long been an
Elizabeth Boyle fan, one of my favorite all time books
is her earliest book, Brazen Angel. Since reading that
original book, Ms Boyle’s books have been hit or miss
for me. LOVE LETTERS FROM A DUKE was a hit! For a light,
fast read set in Regency England, don’t miss this one.
Reviewed by Sarah Silversmith
Rating: 4 |
