THE LOST DUKE OF WYNDHAM by Julia Quinn Book Review
Series: Two Dukes of Wyndham, #1
Publication Date: May 27th 2008 by Avon
Book Summary: Jack Audley has been a highwayman. A soldier. And he has always been a rogue. What he is not, and never wanted to be, is a peer of the realm, responsible for an ancient heritage and the livelihood of hundreds. But when he is recognized as the long-lost son of the House of Wyndham, his carefree life is over. And if his birth proves to be legitimate, then he will find himself with the one title he never wanted: Duke of Wyndham.
Grace Eversleigh has spent the last five years toiling as the companion to the dowager Duchess of Wyndham. It is a thankless job, with very little break from the routine… until Jack Audley lands in her life, all rakish smiles and debonair charm. He is not a man who takes no for an answer, and when she is in his arms, she’s not a woman who wants to say no. But if he is the true duke, then he is the one man she can never have…
Heroine: Unfortunately, sometimes a hero or a heroine just does not stand out to me as a reader. After reading so many romance novels, it’s easy for a hero or heroine to blend in with all the others. In THE LOST DUKE OF WYNDHAM by Julia Quinn, it was Grace who was the forgettable character. I think it was due to the fact that despite Grace’s intelligence and wit, she was overshadowed by the Dowager Duchess. She had things to say but she constantly held it back. Furthermore, this was Jack’s story more than anyone’s. On the bright side, a forgettable character makes it easier for me, the reader, to pretend I’m in the shoes of the heroine.
Hero: I honestly cannot remember the last time I was able to empathize with a hero. Jack is positively charming, but Julia Quinn lets the readers know that sometimes, it’s just a front. Deep down, Jack buries a deep resentment towards his past, and it’s part of the reason why he has not gone back home to Ireland. Yeah, usually every hero is brooding about a dark past. But the difference here is that Julia Quinn made me care a lot more for Jack than other authors have done for their heroes.
Supporting Cast: I can’t talk about THE LOST DUKE OF WYNDHAM by Julia Quinn without talking about the Dowager Duchess. Seriously, she is such a huge character in the book. The Dowager basically controls Grace’s life. As the Duchess’s companion, Grace feels that she should be thankful to the Duchess for rescuing her from having to marry her horrid cousin, but at the same time, the Dowager is a hard woman to please. I loved reading about the Dowager just because I wanted to see her icy facade crack. Futhermore, there’s Thomas and Amelia. Thomas, the current Duke of Wyndham, really gets the low end of the deal here. The dukedom that he had worked so hard for his entire life might be taken away from him. As much as I loved Jack, I felt bad for Thomas. And there’s Amelia … the girl who’s been betrothed to Thomas since she was born. I can’t wait to see more of her in the next book.
Plot: This was just one of those romance novels that completely revolved around a plot. I loved it. I thought it was engaging and I was hooked. I just wanted to know what was going to happen next and I didn’t want to put my book down. The characters pretty much accepted that Jack was the proper Duke of Wyndham, but even more so than evidence, I was interested in how their characters were going to accept the sudden changes in their lives. Family drama is fun to read about. It’s like a soap opera on pages.
Romance: Honestly, I thought the romance was a bit secondary to all the family drama that was happening in THE LOST DUKE OF WYNDHAM by Julia Quinn. I wasn’t even sure if I was going to like Jack/Grace together because I thought everything just happened way too quickly. Okay, they had instant attraction. I can’t doubt that doesn’t happen in real life. I always stop to look at a hot guy on the street. (Okay, out of topic …) But marriage after three days of knowing someone? Wow, that’s a bit extreme. Still, I think that Grace and Jack made a good couple in the way that they understood each other. But the timeline was too quick for my liking.
Love Potion Strength:
– Exceeds Expectations
Am I going to read the next book of the series? You bet. I really enjoyed THE LOST DUKE OF WYNDHAM – yet another fabulous book by Julia Quinn.
