Review: Historical with a different twist...
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 23, 2014
It took a chapter or two for me to really get into the newest book from Callie Hutton, The Duke's Quandry, but once I did I was hooked! It was impossible not to love Penelope and Drake, even when Drake was at his most priggish and you wanted the smack him upside the head to make him see sense. Penelope's constant running into things and knocking things over, not to mention the ubiquitous dirt on her person, made it impossible not to love her. Though it does make Drake a little crazy..Yeah, he's just a tad bit uptight. Not to mention nervous about living up to the example set by his father--at least, the father that exists in his memory. Fortunately, he has a mother, five sisters, and now Penelope to help him loosen up and set more realistic expectations for himself.Though of course it takes a while.Watching Penelope endear herself to Drake's family is marvelous, as is seeing him fight off his attraction to her. Naturally he's wildly unsuccessful, and at about three-quarters of the way through the event happens that everyone knows will occur from page one. I'm not going to tell you how it happens--you'll of course want to find out for yourself! Rest assured, though, that even as a new duchess, Penelope still has some awkwardly charming moments. :)The botanist aspect was extremely interesting--Penelope's enthusiasm for her passion is contagious. Her scientific mind also makes some interesting connections at unexpected times:"Has my mother spoken to you about what will happen tonight?""Yes, but it wasn't necessary, since in my work with cross-breeding, I have discovered that in order to reproduce you must take two different species. Well, actually not different species per se, but--" She stopped when in one forward motion he pulled her into his arms and lowered his head. His kiss started slow but soon turned burning and needy.Loved it!All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed Penelope and Drake's story. The first book in the series, The Elusive Wife, which tells the story of Drake's best friend Coventry's HEA (his wife was the speaker who caused the newly married Penelope such confusion in the excerpt above) has been in my TBR pile for a while now. It can definitely consider itself officially "moved up". Rating: 4 stars / B+ rating I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.