Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart

By: Sarah MacLean

Narrated by: Barrie Kreinik

Length: 11 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's Summary

She lives for passion.

Bold, impulsive, and a magnet for trouble, Juliana Fiori is no simpering English miss. She refuses to play by society's rules: She speaks her mind, cares nothing for the approval of the ton, and can throw a punch with remarkable accuracy. Her scandalous nature makes her a favorite subject of London's most practiced gossips...and precisely the kind of woman the duke of Leighton wants far far away from him.

He swears by reputation.

Scandal is the last thing Simon Pearson has room for in his well-ordered world. The Duke of Disdain is too focused on keeping his title untainted and his secrets unknown. But when he discovers Juliana hiding in his carriage late one evening - risking everything he holds dear - he swears to teach the reckless beauty a lesson in propriety. She has other plans, however; she wants two weeks to prove that even an unflappable duke is not above passion.

©2011 Sarah Trabucchi (P)2014 HarperCollinsPublishers

Like the Story - Horrible Narration

Would you try another book from Sarah MacLean and/or Barrie Kreinik?

Yes, I enjoy most of Sarah MacLean's stories. Light reading good for beaches or cold winter night.

Would not buy another Barrie Kreinik narration. She did a horrible job at the heroine's voice. Made her sound like a gargon. Also made Ralston sound like a fool.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Barrie Kreinik?

Kate Reading. She does an excellent job with both male and female voices.

What would have made this romance irresistible?

Better narrator, more development of Simon and to why he was the way he was.

Any additional comments?

It is a good enough book but the narrator spoils the entire story. Needs to be done over.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Enjoyed the family loyalty

The first part was more intriguing than the second because it tended to be repetitious and move slower after the first half. Interesting characters including the stereotyped straight-laced Duke. Count how many times the author uses her favorite word: imperious. The narrator's Italian accent was actually quite good, although loud.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Love Simon!!!

Simon's character was hard to like at first but as the story went on he became easier to understand. He had family and duty and in that time it meant everything. He loved his sister, not always I the right way, but he still loved her.

His love for his siren made him a true man. He loved someone who all deemed undesirable. In the end they both learned that love was enough.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

REALLY ENJOYED THIS LISTEN

Loved the characters and the story line. The narrator was very good...I would listen to anything she narrates again.

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

Not as good as the 2nd book.

This was an okay story, not nearly as good as the second book. I liked the chemistry and the bickering between Juliana and Simon "The Duke". The story was good. I would have liked there to be a better ending with the mother, ie, she deserved to get exiled or something without a penny. But unfortunately that was left with no resolution.

The narration was not the best. I thought the narrator did the men's voices better than the women's. She made Juliana sound like a wretched old crow most of the time, especially when she was angry. And she should never do an Italian voice ever again.

5 of 8 people found this review helpful

Duke of distain and a shameless heroine

The hero is not very likable and the heroine’s total lack of self-respect is appalling. The wager between the hero and the heroine was a bit silly since he had not much to gain from it and no true reason to agree especially since he was engaged to be married to someone else. It almost seemed like he wanted to go along with the wager to have fun at her expense. He did not stop to consider that by doing so he is endangering a good friend’s sister's fragile reputation even further. The heroine’s total lack of concern for her purity or reputation in addition to her constant attempts at pathetically chasing a man, who found her completely unacceptable as a wife, was so very unsatisfactory. I can’t imagine this method working for anyone but apparently it worked for this Duke.

I understand that the times were different and being from a different culture myself I can see how one can get brainwashed enough to follow society’s rules at any expense. I did however like that he did find his heart at the end of the book. Not a 5 or 4 star but a definite 3.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

A Decent End to the Trilogy

I enjoyed this series, and this was a suitable end for it. Simon is a bit of a hard-ass, but I think that fits pretty well with his title and role as well as the time period of the book. He makes some questionable decisions that aren't going to win him points regarding his loyalty to others, but I think that's part of his character growth throughout the book, so I don't mind a little less-than-perfect male protagonist if done decently. Juliana is likable enough for me. She was never supposed to be someone who cares what others think or about following the rules of the aristocracy, so her wildness works, especially as a complementary fit with Simon. Their back-and-forth was a little redundant at times, but again, I overall liked the book.

I thought Barrie Kreinik was just fine. Some parts could be a little more polished, but she delivered a good performance for what I was looking for out of this.

I recommend this book to fans of regency romance, the author, and/or the series.

Horrible Italian accent

Would you try another book from Sarah MacLean and/or Barrie Kreinik?

Sarah MacLean yes, Berrie Kreinik NO.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Awful Italian accent. Very annoying. Could not get past chapter 3

What character would you cut from Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart ?

The narrator, definitely

Perfection!

I have read hundreds of regency romance novels and listened to just as many. It is a rare reading or listening experience when every voice is heard, every character is known, and every emotion is felt. This narrative and this narrator have created (and crafted) a natural nobility that makes us cringe and weep and cheer and love! Well done, indeed.

Oh the angst, oh the feels!

Don't get me wrong, I liked this installment but yes it was super angsty and there might have been a time or two when I teared up a bit. After the Ralston twin books there was just no way I wasn't going to listen to this one... unless the narrator was just terrible (and she was OK). I loved Julianna's character and her perseverance. I probably would have hightailed it back to Italy after the first hour. To be fair, the Duke wasn't any more awful to Julianna than anyone else but God I wish she hadn't had to go through what she did and I'm glad that the Duke had to do a sufficient amount of groveling. Look: I can't do these angsty-type novels all the time, or even often. But I liked it in spite of that and it rounded out the Ralston saga nicely. But now I need a sweet male lead, a la Julia Quinn, to cleanse my palate... suggestions anyone?