Dukes Prefer Blondes
3.5/5
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About this ebook
Biweekly marriage proposals from men who can't see beyond her (admittedly breathtaking) looks are starting to get on Lady Clara Fairfax's nerves. Desperate to be something more than ornamental, she escapes to her favorite charity. When a child is in trouble, she turns to tall, dark, and annoying barrister Oliver Radford.
Though he's unexpectedly found himself in line to inherit a dukedom, Radford's never been part of fashionable society, and the blonde beauty, though not entirely bereft of brains, isn't part of his plans. But Clara overwhelms even his infallible logic, and when wedlock looms, all he can do is try not to lose his head over her . . .
It's an inconvenient marriage by ordinary standards, but these two are far from ordinary. Can the ton's most adored heiress and London's most difficult bachelor fall victim to their own unruly desires?
Loretta Chase
Loretta Chase has worked in academe, retail, and the visual arts, as well as on the streets—as a meter maid—and in video, as a scriptwriter. She might have developed an excitingly checkered career had her spouse not nagged her into writing fiction. Her bestselling historical romances, set in the Regency and Romantic eras of the early nineteenth century, have won a number of awards, including the Romance Writers of America’s RITA®. For more about her past, her books, and what she does and doesn’t do on social media, please visit her website. LorettaChase.com
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Reviews for Dukes Prefer Blondes
121 ratings9 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/53.5 stars
****Full Review****
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Lady Clara comes from a loving, titled, and rich family, she also happens to be stunningly beautiful. Even with all these advantages, Clara is still denied the one thing she truly craves, freedom. The early 1800s are not a forgiving time for women and the naturally intelligent and commanding Clara has been forced into a silent pretty doll box that is slowly strangling her. When Oliver "Raven" Radford makes another appearance into her life, it is once again infuriatingly amazing. Raven's intelligence works wonders in the courtroom but makes him less than desired company as social interaction is not his strong suit. His immediate reaction is to dismiss Clara when she comes to him for help but as they get to know one another, he begins to see that her beauty masks something even more radiant and irresistible, her mind. Through obstacles of stubbornness, societal demands, and criminal elements, Clara and Raven battle it all so they can spar alone, in the bedroom.
"Her beauty surrounded her like a great stone wall. Men couldn't see above, beyond, or through it."
Living such a charmed life, Clara might at first seem like an unlikeable or hard to relate to character but the author does a brilliant job of showcasing how isolated, misunderstood, and confined she feels. The frustration and hurt Clara feels and displays when people refuse or are unable to see her for who she truly is, humanizes her in a way that the reader can't help feeling empathy and cheering her on. Her witty thoughts and biting statements ("Even if she got murdered, she ought to do it discreetly") are really clever commentary on sexism and classism; the author was smartly on point with these and one of my favorite aspects of the story.
"Her trouble was, she wanted to be somebody she wasn't."
Separate, Clara and Raven had their strengths; Clara with her inner strength and Raven with his iron resolve. However, it is when they are together that they really shine and keep the reader wanting more. Their chemistry can't be denied, instead of numerous heavy bedroom scenes (there are a couple of these too, just not the center piece) aggressively trying to show us how in love our couple is, we get amusing and quick-witted conversations that stimulates Clara and Raven's minds and bodies. Through this verbal fencing they learn one another as they reveal their true selves. The first half of the story is Clara showing Raven she deserves his respect through her efforts to rescue a boy from a gang and Raven giving it to her, something others have blindly denied her. Neither crosses the anachronistic line with their views on women's rights but rather we see the beginning of understanding what societal restrictions honestly do to women.
As I mentioned, the first half was all about Clara and Raven circling each other and coming together. The very beginning with its quick different pov changes created a bit of a schizophrenic beat that took some getting used to but the story's energy couldn't be denied. Around the halfway point our couple come together (Raven's speech at his "trial" to win the right to marry Clara, will win him the hearts of many readers) and the second half becomes about Clara and Raven's little blips to adjusting to married life, the sudden change in Raven's life trajectory, and the criminal element with its "I've been wronged, revenge!" comes to the forefront. The transition wasn't completely smooth with the inheriting the title of duke into the family feeling tagged on and the criminals looking for revenge feeling not quite coherent and dragged on. I felt the story lost some of its drive as it seemed lost as to where to go after Clara and Raven were married.
With Raven's "I don't suffer fools" attitude and Clara's blinding beauty, they weren't set-up to be the most sympathetic couple but through the author's writing, we get a look into their heartfelt souls. Past characters make very brief appearances but I didn't read the previous books in the series and had no problem following along and the author's writing has me wanting to go back and read the series from the beginning. If nimble back and forth between your leads is your aphrodisiac, this book has it in spades. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/54 "Smart Love" Stars!Fans of Loretta Chase know that she loves to write romantic tales concerning highly intelligent couples that are attracted to one another, first and foremost, by their complementary intellect. Dukes Prefer Blondes definitely delivers on this front. You will not be at a loss for witty repartees, even if at times you may want to throttle the hero for some of his seemingly less than complimentary views of women. Fortunately, the heroine in Dukes Prefer Blondes knows just to how to put him in his place with her quick verbal sparring which always seems to position her with the upper hand and ultimately works to benefit them both with a match made in academic heaven!Lady Clara Fairfax has been raised to marry a man of the upper echelons of society, preferably a duke. Unfortunately for her, while many others would greatly envy her position of fending off marriage proposals left and right, Clara can't help but feel stifled and as if she is drowning in all the luxurious coddling that women of her rank are inevitably constantly treated to. Even more detrimental to her state of mind is the constant disregard for her mental acuity. Ladies of her station are just not supposed to be rational and logical or really of much use at all except in certain domestic and fashionable regards. Imagine her surprise then when the first man to actually pay her any heed also happens to be one of the most satisfyingly complex and yet equally frustrating men she has ever met. Oliver "Raven" Radford, a barrister who although he comes from a good family (he is the cousin of a duke), has always been a member of the family's working class arm. The more he gets entangled in her plan to save a brother and sister that Clara met at her favorite charity and whom Clara has taken it upon herself to save from a dangerous street gang, the more she begins to appreciate Raven's willingness--even if begrudgingly given--to see her for more than a damsel in distress with no ability to fend for herself. Amidst this danger, and in between constant parleys that are as sharp as any sword, Clara and Raven begin to ignite under the intense passion they share. However, this inevitable attraction to one another only highlights society's harsh rules which no doubt will never allow room for a union of such disparate ranks.Will Raven be able to keep Clara safe from the imminent danger that she courts in her quest to save the brother and sister that she has taken under wing? Moreover, even if he can, is he not just setting them both up for the inevitable heartbreak that is sure to follow their attempt to break with society's conventions?If you are looking for a romance to challenge your mind and your heart, then look no further, Dukes Prefer Blondes is sure to fit your need. Source: Review copy provided in exchange for an honest review.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Enjoyed this regency a lot. Very smart heroine paired with very smart hero. It is so refreshing when to no one is too stupid to live. The story had plenty humor, suspense, and romance. Not much angst, which is fine with me. A top quality Loretta Chase regency.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5This book was like a cake of good ingredients, insufficiently mixed. The characters were pleasant to spend time with, and there were interesting bits in the plot, but the story didn't entirely gel. While I did finish it, I don't have a strong urge to reread it, unlike with other Chase novels.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Dukes Prefer Blondes
2 Stars
Lady Clara Fairfax is fed up with the insipid suitors proposing to her at every opportunity. So when the opportunity arises to do something of consequence, Clara grasps on to it and seeks the aid of a man renowned for his quest for justice. Despite his aristocratic origins, Oliver "Raven" Radford has always been an outcast on the fringes of society. But when Lady Clara requests his help, he finds it difficult to resist her beauty, charm and wit.
Unfortunately, Clara and Raven's book does not manage to redeem the Dressmakers series for me. In fact, it is more of the same despite its initial potential.
While the prologue really grabbed my attention and piqued my interest, the rest of the book failed to fulfill the promise. Neither Clara nor Raven lived up to their potential and the hints at a tangible chemistry between them as youngsters does not materialize in their adult characters. In fact, they are both really boring.
The suspense plot with Freame lacks foundation as the reader is more or less dumped into an ongoing conflict with no background.
The cousin Bernard thread feels contrived simply to create a situation in which Raven is made a ducal heir, and therefore, a socially acceptable mate for Clara.
The missing child storyline is also problematic as it fails to evoke any strong emotions. While the plight of the children in this historical period is dreadful, Chase never manages to make me feel anything for this particular child and the result is a feeling of indifference as to his fate.
Regardless of the fact that Lord of Scoundrels is an excellent book that made me want to read more of Chase's works, I think that she is one author whose writing simply does not appeal to me overall. - Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5This was your typical historical bodice ripper. Lady Clara has been raised to marry a Duke but falls in love with the cousin of a Duke (not titled himself) but a well-respected barrister. After defying convention she enlists him to find an orphaned runaway, while he has an argument with his conscience telling him all the reasons why he shouldn’t get involved with Lady Clara.
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5I actually DNF this book. I got about 30 pages in and gave up. The heroine was likable but all together too aware of how beautiful she is. The hero had some interesting qualities but like the heroine he was too aware of how very intelligent he is. I think they could have been a great match if the hero didn't find the need to insult everyone at every turn and the pace wasn't so strange. It was like two pages a section and then you're thrown back into a new scene. I didn't enjoy it.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lady Clara is very beautiful, highly intelligent, and stifling in the life a lady is expected to lead. Oliver Radford is ferociously intelligent, highly observant, and happy being a barrister not a titled gentleman, although he is distant cousin to a duke. When they meet over a runaway boy from the slums, sparks fly.An intelligent, witty romance about two well-matched people. A worthy continuation to Chase's Dressmaker series.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Way too long and stretched out, otherwise it was a ok read.