I bought Dukes Prefer Blondes a while ago after hearing positive chatter amongst Cannonballers, and then, as I do, I became resistant. I finally got over it when Mrs. Julien published her Favorite Romance Couples list.
Firstly, Mrs. Julien is correct. Oliver and Clara are a wonderful couple. They argue and bicker, often with logic. Clara has a wonderful habit of turning Oliver’s words back on him. Oliver is surprised to find an aristocratic woman with a brain. Clara is dying on the inside, bored by the life of a lady. The sparks between them are physical and intellectual, though both are reluctant to admit they have feelings. Their banter and the heat between them was stellar. Because they are on different layers of the social strata, they have to fight for their relationship. Possibly my favorite exchange in the book happens after they are married and Clara stands up to Oliver, knowing she must fight for the relationship she wants. The push pull between Clara and Oliver as individuals and their era appropriate gender roles adds tension and believability to the relationship.
Secondly, Mrs. Julien is also correct that the story is not as good as the couple. I have a hard time resenting anything that brought these two characters together, but apart from the sizzle and banter, the plot is weak and full of holes. The thing I hated most, though, was Oliver’s nickname, Raven. I filled in Oliver whenever anyone called him Raven. It’s little touches like this that make me think Chase is not an author I will love unreservedly.
Thirdly, I discovered that Loretta Chase is a fashion nerd and you can follow her on Pinterest. I spent a long time looking at her pins of the fashion and style of Dukes Prefer Blondes.
I listened to a smart bitches podcast with Ms. Chase with Ellepkay on a car trip a few months ago, she is delightful, and even though I don’t love all of her books she’ll keep me coming back due to her personal awesomeness.
I did fall a little in love with her while I was looking at her Pinterest and then realizing how much accurate detail she had put into the book.
Is this your first ever Loretta Chase, Emmalita? Because while Oliver and Clara are DELIGHTFUL, the story of this one suffers. She has so many other romances where everything works, the leads, the chemistry, the storyline. She is, after all, the writer of what is often called the ultimate historical romance novel, Lord of Scoundrels (which I always think is a bit overrated, but it’s because I don’t like the hero all that much). Great books of Ms. Chase’s that any romance fan should check out: Mr. Impossible (the hero pretends to be an idiot, the heroine is an archeologist – so good!), Lord Perfect (amazing banter, non-annoying plot moppets), The Last Hellion (possibly MY favourite Chase book), Captives of the Night (my other favourite, it’s so wonderfully angsty), Your Scandalous Ways (the heroine is a courtesan!)
This is the first Chase book I’ve read. I also have Lord of Scoundrels, but haven’t made it past the first page. I’ll take your advice and look at the books you recommended.
Lord of Scoundrels is worth reading because of Jessica Trent, who is one of my all-time favorite heroines. That said, emmalita, IIRC you’re fatigued on asshole heroes right now, and if that’s the case it’s not gonna be a great choice because he is…. well. He is.
I think I’ll put off reading it for a while.
Lord of Scoundrels gets a LOT better once you get past the prologue, but Dain is indeed one of the biggest a-holes in Romancelandia. Jessica Trent is just so amazingly awesome that it more than makes up for his bullheaded idiocy. All the other Chase books I mentioned have much more palatable heroes, which is why I rate them all more highly than LoS. All her Carsington brothers books are varying degrees of good, but Mr. Impossible is my favourite.
I think I’ve read pretty much everything Loretta Chase has written! LoS of course is in the top five, but I also rate ‘Silk is for Seduction’ and ‘Don’t Tempt Me’ very highly. Maybe not the faves of everyone else, but the banter always makes me smile. And a less than great Loretta Chase book is still miles ahead of so many other books!