Review: Dancing with the Duke (Landing a Lord 0.5) by Suzanna Medeiros


Print Length: 110 pages
Publisher: Suzanna Medeiros (December 17, 2012)

From Goodreads.com: Dancing with the Duke is a short prequel novella to the Landing a Lord series.

She's loved him for years...
Charlotte Grant can't remember a time when she didn't love her best friend's older brother.

He's never noticed her...
The Duke of Clarington hadn't spared a thought for his sister's friend in years.

Their situations are about to be reversed...
It is the beginning of a new Season and Clarington intends to stay away from all the young ladies and eager mamas hoping to ensnare a duke. But that plan falls into tatters when his mother sponsors his sister's friend and enlists him to dance with her at Almack's. The beautiful vixen he meets that night bears little resemblance to the shy, gangly girl who used to follow him around. Now, instead of avoiding Charlotte, he finds himself frustrated when she seems to notice everyone but him.


                                                         *******************

My Rating: 3 stars out of 5

This was an Amazon freebie that I had come across some time ago and then forgotten about. As I was cleaning out my kindle, I came upon it again and I figured since the weather was going to be miserable why not curl up and finally read this novella?

And that's unfortunately just what it is. A novella. A SHORT story that doesn't allow for any real character development or relationship growth. Everything happens at a breakneck speed - which don't get me wrong is great if you like short stories, or you're just trying to kill an hour or two. However I couldn't really get into this one the way I have gotten into others.

That isn't to say there is anything wrong with the story other than what I've pointed out above. The author has a very smooth style, and the characters are likable enough - I just with there was more. I wish we learned exactly what it was about Alex that made Charlotte harbor a girlhood infatuation? At what point did love bloom between them? It just seemed like one minute he was seeing her for the first time (and struck by her beauty), then they were falling into bed together. Yes, be warned this novella does include a scene of a sexual nature that occurs out of wedlock.

Even with that, as I said above this story is a good way to kill an hour or two, and as it is merely an introduction to a new series, I do plan on checking out at least the next book (which is a full length) to see how the author is able to handle having more time to develop her story and characters. 

                                                          ********************


Dancing with the Duke (Landing a Lord 0.5) is available from Amazon.com

Post a Comment

0 Comments