Tracy’s review of Along Came a Duke (Rhymes with Love #1) by Elizabeth Boyle.
A lesson Tabitha Timmons, a penniless spinster, has never needed to heed. That is, until she is left a vast fortune payable only upon her marriage to the very respectable Mr. Barkworth–a match that offers little chance of discovering exactly what her aunt means by “untoward attentions.”
But the same can’t be said when the Duke of Preston happens along Tabitha’s path. He spies a rebellious streak in her that matches his own and he makes it his mission to save her from such a passionless match, interfering in her life at every turn. All too soon, Preston–whose very name spells ruin–has Tabitha caught between the good fortune that guarantees her security, and his kiss, which promises an entirely different kind of happily-ever-after.
Tabitha is living a quiet but hard life in a small town when she finds out that she has inherited a bundle of money. She also discovers that she has to marry before she turns 25 in order to inherit and low and behold the uncle who left her the money has the groom all chosen for her. How convenient!
Tabitha and her friends, along with a chaperone, head to London for the Season and to meet Tabitha’s soon to be husband. While traveling she runs into Preston who she had met once before. They end up sharing a meal together at an inn with no one else around. They become infatuated with each other though neither of them is happy about that.
Once in London Tabitha meets her groom and though he’s handsome she knows that she cannot marry this man. On top of that Preston, who she finally finds out is a duke, is making a play for her and she wants nothing more than to fall into his arms. But if she does that she loses all the money. So should she go with love, or money? She has no idea! Preston’s a rake and she just doesn’t know if she can trust her future to the man.
There are so many things about this book that I loved. I loved Tabitha and her friends – who were loyal to a fault. I loved Preston and his inane humor and strange idiosyncrasies. I thought the groom-to-be was a complete ass but so well written. The romance between Preston and Tabitha was so out of the norm that I thoroughly enjoyed their banter once they hit London.
My one issue with the story focuses on the dinner that they shared while they were each traveling to London. They were kind of forced by a mutual friend into dining together and of course it was highly improper for Tabitha to not have a chaperone nearby but she did it anyway. I loved that they had that time together to see a different side of the other. My problem was that it was so darned long! I guess some would say, especially the author, that it was just as long as it should be or had to be in order for it all to play out correctly. I get that, I do. But it was something like 60 or 70 pages…on dinner! I found myself wanting to skim and then would stop and go back to reread. My attention was wandering and that’s never good.
Despite that one issue I really enjoyed the book. Boyle’s books are always entertaining with humor, good friends and of course a great love story and this one was no different.
Rating: 4 out of 5
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This book is available from Avon. You can buy it here or here in e-format.