Smitten by Books

In Bed With The Duke
Author: Christina Dodd
Publisher: NAL/Signet
Pub. Date: March 2, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-0451229335
Retail: $7.99
400 pages

Demure lady’s companion Emma Chegwidden never defies society’s rules. Until the night she runs straight into the arms of the mysterious and menacing Reaper . . . a man who rides the night-shadowed countryside and conceals his identity behind a mask. His goal is justice . . . or is it vengeance? Only one thing is certain: nothing will stop him from his dark purpose.

Michael Durant, long-lost heir to the duke of Nevitt, has a score to settle. Cynical, dangerous and ruthless, Michael is the last man on earth that sensible Emma should defy. But some challenges are too tempting to resist . . . and some passions too fierce to ignore. Soon Michael discovers in Emma the woman he has always longed for . . . a woman whose beauty and courage reach through to his tortured soul . . . and he will defy anything, even fate itself, to claim her . . .

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Christina Dodd – In Bed With the Duke builds a story of a nation trying to overcome tyranny and the man who can free them all… Add a love story and a touch of mystery and you have an intriguing tale with a few unexpected twists and enough excitement to make the pages fly through your fingers.

This is only my second Christina Dodd historical and it did not disappoint. The mystery of the “reaper” grips you right from the beginning. However, I found that I was not totally sure what the book was about at first. Not that it was slow but more that it was unpredictable. We all know the bad guys will get their comeuppance at the end and our hero and heroine will get their happily ever after but how the author takes us there is something else… there is a reason Christina Dodd is a New York Times bestselling author.

Michael, our hero, appears to be careless and selfish at first and you don’t really get to know him. He is our hero, yes, but 200+ pages into the book you still are not quite sure who he is. But, you can guess… He has been written as a character that you could pity, his fear and pain plain to the reader. But he has an inner strength that will help him to overcome the memories of his torture and get revenge on those that would hurt him and the poor people of the mythical Moricadia. His dual identity is the cause of my lack of closeness to him as a character not through fault of the writer. It is hard to have one man play two totally different roles while demonstrating the true parts of his persona.

Emma is a poorly treated companion whom we mistake for weak and spineless at first. But this girl proves that she has a backbone made of steel. She does what she must to survive and shows the reader that she is brave and fearless with a fierce desire to help those in need. You will love this girl! Just a side note…Christina’s cast of secondary characters, however small their roles, adds to a well framed and dynamic story and supports our hero and heroine in their fight for justice.

The love scenes were interesting and definitely had some steamy aspects. All I have to say is stable love scene… read the book and you will understand!

This is a book I would recommend to any historical fan. I liked it so much that I plan on finding the other books in this ‘Governess Bride’ series and reading them ALL. Check out Christina’s website for information on all her books…

Rating: 8 (Very Good)

Heat-Level: 3-4 (Very Sensual)