Why Dukes Say I Do

Wicked Widows, Book 1

With her whirlwind social life in London, Lady Isabella Wharton has little interest in the customs of the country. But when her godmother asks her to pay a visit to her bachelor grandson in Yorkshire, Isabella can't refuse. It behooves her to please the old dowager, since she harbors one of Isabella's most scandalous secrets. So off she goes to see the newly-titled - and notoriously rustic - Duke of Ormond.

Trevor Carey doesn't care about what goes on behind ballroom doors. He is content with the simple life - and isn't ashamed to admit it to a society flirt like Lady Isabella. But the country air brings out a different side of Isabella - one full of longing and passion. Can her sophistication be hiding a desire for love? When a blackmailer from the city arrives to threaten Isabella, Trevor will shield her from harm - even travel to London. Can the duke tackle the ton on Isabella's behalf...and manage to keep her all to himself?

©2013 Manda Collins (P)2013 Tantor

Tender Romance with suspense and mystery.

This is a very nice first book in the Wicked Widows series. The author's wonderful storytelling and vivid characters makes this one a must for regency lovers and anyone who enjoys a good romance with mystery and suspense..

There is nice chemistry between the main characters Trevor and Isabella. The love scenes are sweet and not too graphic. Isabella is a women with scars from her first marriage and Trevor is a wonderful tender sensual Hero.

This story takes place in the country so it doesn't focus on Balls or proper etiquette.....it focuses more on the mystery and romance which is quite refreshing. .

Since I enjoyed this one, I will be listening to the remainder of the series.

fun and sexy whodunit!

I love all of Manda's books that I have read so far! Romance + mystery is my favorite combo and I breeze through her books and never want to hit pause. Anne is an incredible performer as well. The characters all have easily distinguishable voices and and that helps the story flow very well!

Enjoyable Romance

I enjoyed the book. The narration was good. I liked how the heroine told the hero what was going on. I hate books where everyone has secrets they keep from each other. This was a nice change where there was trust. I figured out who the mystery person was fairly early, but not why. This story ends and wraps up nicely. The story arc continues in the next book.

ENTERTAINING REFRESHING REGENCY ROMANCE WITH DRAMA

Well, call me shallow but anything with the word 'Duke' in the title and before I know it it's on my iPhone and I'm hitting the 'play' button - magic yes - just like this listen.

I never thought I'd say this but it was a nice change to get away from the Rakes (though I do so love 'em) and the sweet virgin type books as this listen was an enjoyable and refreshing substitution. It had a rich likeable cast of characters that were mainly based in the country rather than ballrooms and a plot that not only had romance but also intrigue running through it as you try to figure out just who the villains are. Isabella, a widow living happily in London with pre-conceived distasteful ideas of the 'country' Duke...... that is until she is forced to the country on a mission and stays with the handsome, charming, likeable Duke then slowly she realises that she's the one that's got it all wrong.

There's murder (opening scene), blackmail, danger, secrets, threats, mystery, sabotage, fun, good secondary characters, sub plots, twists, and, of course, a sweet tender romance that develops as the H/H spend time with each other, learn from one-another and decide to compromise .....then their passion ignites. Trevor's life and kind ways, especially with his sisters and tenants, slowly draws her in but Isabella unfortunately becomes a damsel in distress and is in need of rescuing so Trevor is only too happy to be her knight in shining armour (and who doesn't want one of those).

This book partly concludes but there are still unanswered follow-on questions and an obvious 'simmering in the background' secondary romance that, no doubt, will be the main focus in book 2 mmmm can't wait.

Worth a credit? If you're like me and love a good, well written and well narrated historical romance that you can get lost in then this has to be in your Library - so that's a YES.

I liked it, but not a second read/listen.

The story was OK overall. I felt that there was an awful lot of unsaid thought as opposed to conversation between the main characters. The story certainly addresses physical abuse to women in the day and as much as we pray that we made headway on it. It is at times still an area of great concern and Need of help.

The story skims over an important part of how the main character gets out of the desperate events of the opening of the book.

I think if you knew some of that detail, it would make some of the later part of the book easier to understand why the main character drags her feet on things or is so very hesitant.

I am sorry to say I did not enjoy the narrator in this book. I think she would work fine in other books. I just didn’t care for her in this book. And that did take away from my listening to the book quite a bit. I did finish the book, but it wasn’t my favorite. And there were two other characters discussed in the book and there may be books about them, but I’m not gonna bother to dig for them so for me that says something too.