Tasty Book Tours Presents: One Eyed Dukes Are Wild


Enter to Win a Print Set of the Dukes Behaving Badly Series, 
including THE DUKES GUIDE TO CORRECT BEHAVIOR, 
WHEN GOOD EARLS GO BAD (Novella), PUT UP YOUR DUKE 
and NO GROOM AT THE INN (Novella)


ONE-EYED DUKES ARE WILD
Dukes Behaving Badly #3
Megan Frampton
Releasing December 29th, 2015
Avon Books


Another fun and sexy romance in Megans Dukes Behaving Badly series!

When does proper behavior deserve a deliciously improper reward?

The scandalously unmarried Lady Margaret Sawford is looking for adventure-and is always up for a challenge. Her curiosity is aroused by a dangerous-looking stranger with an eye patch, an ideal companion for the life she longs for, no matter what Society might say. So when the piratical gentleman turns out to be a duke-and just as boringly proper as any other nobleman-she cant help but incite him to walk on the wild side.

Well-heeled, well-mannered, and well beyond any interest in societys expectations, the Duke of Lasham is tired of being perfect. Margarets lush beauty and gently laughing eyes are an irresistible temptation to embrace the imperfect-and her. But if a little misbehavior is appealing, unleashing his wild side is completely seductive-as long as the lovely Margaret is the object of his passion

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 Excerpt
1844
A London ballroom
Too many people, too much noise
Lasham took too big a swallow of his wine, knowing his headache would only be exacerbated by the alcohol, but unwilling to forgo the possibility that perhaps, for just a,  few minutes, his perception would be muffled, blurred a little around the edges.
So that he wouldnt be in a state of constant keen awareness that he was the Duke of Lasham, that he was likely the most important person wherever he happened to beaccording to everyone but himand that he was under almost continuous surveillance.
The ballroom was filled with the best people of Society, all of whom seemed to be far more at ease than he had ever been. Could ever be, in fact. He stood to the side of the dance floor, the whirling fabric of the ladies gowns like a childs top.
Not that hed been allowed anything as playful or fun as a top when he was growing up. But he could identify the toy, at least.
Enjoying yourself, Your Grace? His hostess, along with two of her daughters, had crept up along his blind side, making him start and slosh his wine onto his gloved hand. Occurrences like this werent the worst part of having lost an eyethat obviously would be the fact that he only had one eye leftbut it was definitely annoying.
Yes, he said, bowing in their general direction, thank you, I am.
The three ladies gawked at him as though waiting for him to continue to speak, to display more of his wondrous dukeliness for their delight. As though he were more of an object than a person.
But he couldnt just perform on command, and his hand was damp, and now he would have to go air out his glove before bestowing another dance on some lady he would be obliged to dance with, being the duke, and all. Because if his glove was damp, it might be perceived as, God forbid, sweaty, and sweaty-handed dukes might mean that the duke had gotten said sweat because he was enthralled with the person with whom he was dancing, which would lead to expectations, which would lead to expect a question, and Lasham knew he did not want to ever have to ask that question of anybody.
It was bad enough being the object of scrutiny when he was out in public. At home, at least, he was by himself, blissfully so, and taking a duchess would require that he be at home by himself with somebody else, and that somebody would doubtless have ducal expectations of him as well.
Excuse me, he said to the silent, gawking ladies. He sketched a quick bow and strode off, trying to look as though he had a destination rather than merely wishing to depart.



My Thoughts
Lady Margaret Sawford is many things.  A lady, a gambler, a scandal, a savior, a heroine.
She is also the only woman that possesses a spirit bright enough to chase away the shadows that haunt the dashingly reserved Duke of Lasham.

Margaret is such a vivacious leading lady.  So full of life and generous of spirit, that it is no surprise that both the duke and readers fall in love with her.

The duke, having known no other existence, than that of propriety and service to his charges.  Is captivated by the freedom, intelligence, and forthright nature of Lady Margaret.  Just as she, finds herself taken with his swarthy good looks and reserved demeanor. 

Romance between the two builds slowly and carefully.  But not in a noticeable fashion.  One is so consumed with the question of what adventure the lady and the duke will undertake, or just what piece of her leading man's carefully constructed armor the lady will circumvent next, that the passionate side of things just sort of sneaks up on you.

The most attractive thing about this story, is that it takes takes place well away from the pomp and circumstance of polite society.  Because most of the scenes involve interplay between Duke Lasham and Margaret alone; readers are afforded much more of a chance to experience them as people.  Rather than as agents of their titles and rank.

The story here is one written to strike at the heart of the reader.  Telling of two people struggling to connect.  In spite of themselves.
There is no need for fanfare or sensationalism here.Not when the story told here shines with the honesty of true connection.







Megan Frampton writes historical romance under her own name and romantic womens fiction as Megan Caldwell. She likes the color black, gin, dark-haired British men, and huge earrings, not in that order. She lives in Brooklyn, NY, with her husband and son.




1 comment:

  1. Great review! Thank you for hosting!

    Crystal, Tasty Book Tours

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