To Ruin the Duke by Debra Mullins

Engaging story that falls a little flat

3 Stars

To fulfil a promise she made to her dying friend, Miranda Fontaine knows she must find Thornton Matherton, Duke of Wyldehaven. The sinful duke has been shocking the ton with tales of his drinking, gambling and debauchery and he is also the father of the baby Miranda now must care for.

Wylde has made it his mission to show the ton he’s not as disreputable as his father. That’s not so easy when he realises there’s someone posing as him and dragging his good name through the mud with scandalous exploits. He certainly doesn’t have time for a woman who claims he has a son.

Add in threats, betrayal and many secrets and soon Miranda and Wylde feel that they can only trust each other. But is trust all they feel?

If I’m honest, this book fell short of my expectations. There was quite a lot going on and while a lot of it was far fetched, some of it was needlessly pointless.

With so much going on, the romance often took a back seat and there wasn’t really enough interaction for me to ultimately believe in the happy ever after. Miranda and Wylde were enjoyable enough characters but I would have liked to see a little more depth to both them and their feelings. The love scenes were a little tepid, probably due to the lack of emotion between the two main characters.

Another annoyance of mine was the lack of epilogue. It was as if the danger was over, everything’s fine so the book was concluded without tying up a few loose ends. I’m hoping there are books concerning Wylde’s friends so we can see what happens with those loose ends.

I really wasn’t sure how many stars to give this book. The good points are that it is written well and I never got bored or felt it was a burden to continue with the story. It’s also engaging and readable despite all its other faults and so I’ll have to give it a high 3 stars.

Three Nights... by Debra Mullins

Entertaining and engrossing story

4 stars

In order to save her gaming father from certain death, innocent Aveline Stoddard offers herself to rakish, rogue Lucien DuFeron. In return for her father’s vowels, Aveline will submit to three whole nights to satisfy any of Lucien’s deepest, darkest desires and passions. The nights are a revelation for them both but when they are over – Lucien vanishes.

Betrayed by someone close to him, Lucien is handed over to evil brigands and imprisoned by them. Five years later, he manages to escape back to London, determined to find the enemy responsible. Instead he finds the one woman who he has never been able to forget – Aveline. But things have changed a lot in five years and despite passions still running high between the pair, Lucien can’t let go of his need for revenge. If his quest leads him to someone close to Aveline he may destroy a love that is powerful enough to free his tormented heart.

I am a huge fan of Debra Mullins and she doesn’t disappoint with this story. Lucien and Aveline are larger than life characters and you are easily drawn in to their story through their interactions. Lucien is a fantastic, tormented hero who has a heart-warming vulnerable side while Aveline is an innocent miss who is also strong and determined. There are no missish, stupid heroes or heroines in this book!

The story is primarily about Lucien and Aveline and their relationship, with the ‘mystery’ of who betrayed Lucien really only taking a small part. And it’s not really a mystery as we are told enough, quite early on in the story to realise who is likely to be the culprit.

The sensuality and deep characterisation in the novel are typical of Debra Mullins and this book is really a page turner. While being by no means her best novel, it’s still engrossing and a very good read. If I had to have one complaint, it would be that the conclusion of the mystery/betrayal plot was ever so slightly disappointing as I personally felt that the wrong people got their comeuppance at the end and some not at all! But this wasn’t enough to ruin what is essentially a delightful, romantic story. 4 stars.

A Necessary Bride by Debra Mullins

Fun and engaging regency romance

4 stars

Justin St James, the new Earl of Rathmore, has returned to England after a period of exile for a murder he didn’t commit. Barely tolerated by Society – Justin vows to clear his name for the sake of his ward.

Sprited American Meg Stanton-Lynch is the darling of the ton and yet she doesn’t care what people think of her, or her friendship with the Earl.

Marriage to Meg would be Justin’s ticket back in to Society yet Meg longs to experience life before she shackles herself to any man for the rest of her days. So Justin – at the same time as clearing his name, finding the real killer and looking after his wild ward – will just have to convince her that they belong together.

This book centres around Meg, Garret from A Necessary Husband’s sister. Although the two books are connected – you don’t need to have read one to understand and appreciate the other.

This book was a enjoyable, engaging romance story with good and interesting characters. Meg is the high-spirited, feisty American but she never comes across as a stereotype and is aware and abides by the rules of Society. Justin is the tortured hero who can’t help but desire Meg but is uneasy about how much he actually needs her. The pair are an excellent couple and I loved their interactions.

While being a fun book, I did have a few issues with it that stopped it from getting fully five stars. Firstly, there were some subplots that I would have like to see tied up. And Meg seemed to be unsure herself of her reasons for not marrying. She didn’t come across as the intelligent heroine I would expect from a Debra Mullins novel. She was lovely – but I got exasperated with her once or twice!

There is a slight mystery to this book but that is purely a minor subplot to the romance and you figure out fairly quickly who the real murderer was. As the book doesn’t focus on the mystery – this isn’t too much of a disappointment.

If you’re looking for a well-written and entertaining romance then you can’t go wrong with this book. Debra Mullins is becoming a favourite author and despite this book’s minor flaws it’s still one I would recommend. 4 stars.

A Necessary Husband by Debra Mullins

Enjoyable, well-written regency romance

4 stars

When his sister, Meg, leaves America to visit the grandfather that disowned their father for marrying an Irishwoman - Garrett Lynch races to England to bring her back where she belongs. But when he arrives he finds her safely with their grandfather, the Duke of Raynewood, being taught the rules of society by the lovely Lucinda Devering.

Lucinda is wary of the American who doesn’t seem to abide by or be concerned by society’s rules – even when he realises he is now heir to his grandfather’s dukedom. So now not only is Lucinda having to teach Meg, she also has to keep Garret in line while keeping him from seducing her. Not to mention the fact that she has a secrets to hide and an unscrupulous brother in law to avoid.

Debra Mullins is fast becoming a favourite author of mine and this book really doesn’t disappoint.

Garret is a strong hero who knows what he wants and is determined to get it. However Lucinda is just as strong and the pair are well matched as they clash and try to outwit each other.

The story is very well written and is quiet casually paced so you really get to know the thoughts and feelings of the characters. The story is very much about Garret and how he comes to terms with his past and a future different than he had expected. While Lucinda has to put her own mistakes behind her and see if what she always wanted is now her heart’s desire.

Overall this is an enjoyable, romantic read that has intelligent characters and interesting and believable situations. While maybe not Debra Mullin’s best book – it is still one I would recommend for a light romantic read. 4 stars.

Just One Touch by Debra Mullins

Intelligent and Engaging Romance

5 stars

When Rogan Hunt happens across the beautiful Lady Caroline being accosted by highwaymen he cannot help but intervene. But he is thrown into turmoil when the lady's grateful father offers her hand in marriage in thanks despite his lowborn status.

Lady Caroline Ware is terrified of the handsome Rogan but she is surprised when she starts to care for her new husband. But just as the pair seem to be getting along - secrets are revealed and enemies from the past reappear that put their newfound passion in jeopardy.

As seems to be the norm for Debra Mullins - this book is passionate, intense and thoroughly enjoyable.

Rogan and Caroline are well-developed, believable characters with flaws that make them interesting and perfect for each other. And most importantly - both are intelligent. There are no ridiculous misunderstandings or jumping to conclusions, which is so refreshing in any novel.

And despite it coming quite late on in the book - there is a nice amount of sensuality and sex in the novel without it overpowering things. Also, there are an interesting set of supporting characters that again, don't overpower the main storyline but still add something to the story.

Interesting, intelligent and beautifully romantic - this book delivers everything that a historical romance should. A definite 5 star read and one I would highly recommend.

Two Weeks with a Stranger by Debra Mullins

Wonderful historical romance

5 stars

Lucy is distraught when her new husband weds her, beds her and then leaves her the very next day.

Even though a marriage of convenience, Lucy was sure that their shared passion on their one night together could turn into something more. And when word reaches her of her husband's exploits, she decides to follow him to London where she vows to fight for her marriage.

Unbeknownst to his new wife, Simon, the Earl of Devingham, is an agent of the crown and must do what he can to protect England even if that means abandoning his new bride. But now she has followed him to London, seducing him with her kisses and Simon realises that both his heart and his life are in danger.

This is the first book I've read by Debra Mullins but it won't be my last as I really loved this story. Lucy is an absolutely charming heroine and it was so refreshing to see someone who was intelligent and didn't jump to conclusions just to create tension in the novel. Simon too was a great character - not written as an alpha male but still coming across as someone strong and also intelligent. The story was interesting, intriguing and captivating enough to keep the pages turning. While not focusing on the mystery, it is an important part of the plot but I was glad it never overshadowed the romance.

As I said I really enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to those who enjoy sophisticated, exciting historical novels similar in style to those by Sabrina Jeffries. Highly recommended.