Blame It on Bath

The Truth About the Duke

By: Caroline Linden

Narrated by: Gildart Jackson

“[Caroline Linden] touches every emotion.”
—Julia Quinn

What happens in Bath stays in Bath—or not. Blame It on Bath is the second installment in Caroline Linden’s breathtaking new historical romance series, The Truth About the Duke, in which the three sons of the Duke of Durham, at risk of losing their inheritance, seek their fortunes…and, hopefully, love. Writing in a voice that will remind readers of Julia Quinn and Liz Carlyle, RITA Award-nominee Linden spins a wonderfully sensual yarn about a blackmailed nobleman facing the loss of his birthright and bent on revenge, and the willing heiress he intends to marry for her money—a lady who has loved him from afar for years.

Don’t let the other reviews put you off

This was a good story from Linden, although not my favorite. I feel like she could have taken the plot in more exciting directions, but it still had a sweet, satisfying conclusion to the story and the characters were likeable.

Now about the narrator: Don’t let the other reviews put you off. He was a good narrator. It’s just that he has a voice more suited to a villain than a hero so this isn’t the best choice of genre to have him read. Not his fault. He did a great job with various voices and he translated the characters well. This is the first book I’ve read in this series and I will give the others a try even if he sounds a little too much like a an uppity villain with a nasally voice. (Poor Gildart! I’m not giving up on you, buddy!)

Fun story, less good narration

The story has pulled me in and I enjoyed the characters quite a bit. However, the voice chosen for the male protagonist was irritating in the extreme. The narrator’s normal voice is lovely and the experience would have improved had he just used his natural tone for that character.

What a great love story

I really loved this one. In the beginning, I had a big problem with the question, “why doesn’t she just tell him no”? But this question was adequately and even beautifully answered later on. I loved how well this story was told. How she went from being a very closed off person to gradually opening and laughing, and I really felt like I was drawn into their relationship in a way that doesn’t always happen with the historical romances that I’d like to read half of the time.I like the first one too, but I think I like this one more. I’ve already bought the third one and I’m looking forward to hearing that one also.

I recommend with one exception.

I liked the story and the characters. I disliked the narrator. I especially disliked the voice he used for the male protagonist. I have not listened to the first book and don’t intend to because of the narrator. I may buy the third book so I may learn how the story ends. I will not listen to Mr Jackson again. I don’t recommend this series as audiobooks because of the narrator. I could recommend the actual books though.

engaging characters, interesting plot

I liked the development of the love between Gerard and Kate, and the friendship between Kate and Cora. Sadly, the nasal tone of Gerard:s voice almost caused me to put this away before I finished.