The Naked Duke (Zebra Debut)

Rating:
Summary: A Delightful Read
Review: I am truly grateful I paid no heed to a review likely written by someone who had not read the whole book, or I would have missed a delightful read.

From the first page, The Naked Duke caught my attention. Ms. MacKenzie had a good beginning hook. When Sarah awoke to find a naked man beside her,I laughed aloud at James reaction and her whacking him with her pillow, attempting to knock him off the bed.

James is an Alpha hero, with streaks of a caring, Beta male - an intriguing combination. He could be truly dangerous when protecting a loved one or himself, yet charm the dickens out of you with his clever dialog and the way he treats Sarah.

All romances must have a bit of a dark side, else how would there be a "dark moment" or "climax" for the story? You cannot have a tale that ambles safely along, no hills or valleys, no hindrance to the courtship.

Sarah is an American who doesn't like the ways of the British aristocracy. She fights being forced, because of the scandle at the Inn, into becoming a Duchess. Especially marrying a man with a "checkered" past. That past turned out to be a great twist to the story, by the way.

Richard, James' obsessed cousin, fills the role of villain. He made my skin creap, and I was mightily pleased when he met his "dastardly" end!

The author drew the story threads together at the end in a most satisfactory way. I smiled a lot while reading the book, and laughed at some of the situations. Ms. MacKenzie's dialog and narrative were very well done.

I'll be looking forward to her next novel. I hope it isn't long in coming.

June Ulrich

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing.
Review: I pre ordered this book with great expectations based on the promo info. It's an easy read but it's also just your average regency. The plot is fairly standard.The innocence/naivite of our heroine gets old pretty fast. Hard to believe that a doctor's daughter,teacher at a girls school doesn't know how babies are made!!!That was tiresome. The duke however is adorable and likeable.

Rating:
Summary: cute--delightful
Review: i read all kinds of genre. have just begun to read romances 2 years ago-something i never thought i would do much less admit to doing.(actually will not admit to in certain circles) but i believe i am rather addicted to them now. it has even crossed my mind that maybe i should give them up for lent... i will have to say though at this point i can pretty much spot the winners and losers and this one is a winner. it should not be confused with the "serious" romance novel like ,say, the julie garwood type--- one of my very favorite story tellers. and its much lighter than mary balough's style--another one of my favorites. i have recommended the naked duke to several of my friends that don't read romance novels and would look at me like i'd lost my mind if i gave them a copy of only in your arms by lisa kleypas( have read just about everything by her). i am in a book club that reads "literary" books, but my happiest reading is in the bathtub with an english or scottish romance novel. i think someone should do a play script for the naked duke....the characters are great. especially james's aunt and her friend. i am from the deep south and can totally relate even now to these characters....great lines on almost every page. the reason i didn't give it a 5 is beause of richard the evil cousin. something about the way his character was handled bothered me...but all in all the book is very enjoyable.

Rating:
Summary: Fabulous DEBUT - An Author to Watch!
Review: Miss Sarah Hamilton, a very proper Philadelphian, couldn't wait to have her journey end. If she thought traveling by ship was bad, squeezed into a fully loaded carriage wasn't any better from the fetid air coming from her fellow passengers mouths and bodies. Finally arriving at the Inn near her uncle's home, the Earl of Westbrooke, she was truly looking forward to a clean bed and chance to clean up before presenting herself on his doorstep. Unfortunately, the innkeeper taking one look at her scruffy appearance thought she was `in the profession'. If not for an amiable drunken lord she would never have gotten a room, but after a bath she tumbled into the bed and was out like a light. Sarah didn't wake up until she heard a commotion at the door to her room and saw several onlookers, laughing and pointing fingers at her and - oh my God, a naked and exceptionally good looking man in her bed!

James, the Duke of Alvord, was in fact, quite delighted with his beautiful bedmate and though he'd not take advantage of the sweet thing who was sleeping so soundly when he'd arrived - was about to do just that before the interruption. Though his bedmate did not look, smell, or act like most whores, as she was pummeling him with a pillow and ordering him from her bed. Once he discovered that she was, not only the product of mistaken identity on the part of his best friend's good intentions, but related to said friend - James, was not at all adverse in doing the honorable thing by marrying the spirited American beauty. The only problem was - she was not about to marry a duke!

**** I have to admit - I am truly enjoying these newer authors who are debuting in the regency romance genre who delight us with some fresh new slants and spicy, original and enchanting stories. Sarah was a truly likeable heroine and James was well met, though he was an absolute little devil with his double entendres that leant spice and humor to the dialogs. What I was not expecting, though it added another layer to this excellent debut, was the drama injected with James' very evil cousin Richard. The secondary plot of Richard trying to wrest the dukedom by eliminating James was extremely dark and based upon the cover artwork and the cover description, quite a surprise and very well done. Based on this, I must say to all you lovers of romance - we just might have a new star in the making! This is definitely a new author that one should take a closer look at. ---[...]

Rating:
Summary: False Advertising
Review: Perhaps I would have been less disappointed if the jacket copy and reviews had been more honest about the nature of the story. One attempted rape and one violation do not make for a "enjoyable Regency romp" and none of it is "straight out of a fairy tale...."


Rating:
Summary: An Easy Read
Review: The Naked Duke is the debut book from this author. I think that she's going to be around for a while. I found this book to be an easy read. I finished it in one day. I was hoping for a bit more humor which the title and the back cover hint at but I wasn't too dissapointed.

The Story has Sarah Hamilton, and American, coming to England to live with her Uncle, the Earl. When she gets here she's mistaken for a lady of the night and ends up in the hero's bed. She is exhausted and has no idea that there has been such a mistake. She falls asleep and never knows the owner of the bed has returned. The Duke, James, is certainly suprised by the red haired beauty naked in his bed. He wants to wake her but is unable to and decides to wait until morning. Well morning arrives and both are found naked by the Dukes relatives and friends. Of course Sara must marry James to save her reputation. The only problem, she isn't sure that's what she wants to do. She ends up living in his home as a companion to his sister and going to London. All the while James is very willing to convince her to be his bride. Oh and there is a very unique plot twist too.

There is also an evil that is threatening to destroy both of them and together they must defeat it.

I enjoyed this tale. It was a good book and I look forward to others by this author.

Rating:
Summary: An innocent American in regency England
Review: When her father dies, American Sarah Hamilton travels to England hoping to meet up with her uncle, an Earl. When she arrives at an inn, too late to impose on her uncle, she decides to spend the night--only to be mistaken for a whore and to awaken in the morning having spent the night with a very handsome, and very naked, duke. Now, her reputation is in ruins and James, Duke of Alvord is pressured to offer for her hand in marriage. But she's a good republican. Couldn't everyone just sort of forget about that one night--a night where she's pretty sure nothing happened--and help her get a decent job as governess?

James is not immune to the attraction of a beautiful woman, but there's something about Sarah Hamilton that sends his senses into overdrive. Persuading her to kiss him isn't too hard, but Sarah continues to resist his efforts to persuade her to marry him. When James' evil cousin Richard discovers that James is considering a wife, and potential heirs, Richard becomes a menace to both Sarah and James.

Sarah and James try to work through misunderstandings that are encouraged by Richard--while Richard unleashes one plot after another aimed at destroying Sarah--or murdering his cousin. Although misunderstandings drive them apart, though, the deep passion each feels for the other continue bringing Sarah and James back together.

Author Sally MacKenzie combines humor and suspense in her debut-novel, a regency-set historical. Innocent Sarah, with her ignorance about exactly what it takes to become pregnant makes for a charming fish-out-of-water in sex and status-obsessed London. James makes her perfect foil. MacKenzie's engaging writing keeps the reader entertained as she foils Richard's evil plots.