Review: Charming story
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 30, 2014
Much like its title, CHARMING THE DUKE is a thoroughly charming historical romance. I have a weakness for Regency Romances, although this one may be slightly later than is typical, and I loved every single word. Holly Bush crafts quick, witty dialogue, constructs clever characters, and weaves an enchanting story. The heroine, Matilda, is quirky and smart, and I admired her independance in an era when women were encouraged to conform. The Duke of Thornsby is handsome and compelling but a bit distant. He bellows too often but his soft spot for orphans helped make him approachable. As I'm writing this, I'm realizing that I cannot actually recall Thornsby's first name. He's referred to as Thornsby throughout the story but I feel the title use was a bit overdone. I'd liked to have seen more use of his first name, at least for the reader's sake.  Secondary characters are vibrant and interesting. I laughed at the exploits of the heroine's dingy sisters and mother. I also very much enjoyed the secondary romance of Athena and Andrew. This is a great story.I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.