Luck Be a Lady
By Meredith Duran
Publisher: Pocket Books
Catherine Everleigh and Nick O’Shea were introduced in
Meredith Duran’s Lady Be Good. In Luck Be a Lady, they are the lead
characters. The most important thing in Catherine’s life is her family’s
auction house. Her most cherished childhood memories involve her father’s
teaching her the skills employed in maintaining the reputation of Everleigh’s
and his pride in her ability to evaluate accurately the items acquired for
auction. As an adult, her devotion to Everleigh’s is all-consuming.
But for her, Everleigh’s was everything. Their father’s legacy. Her
sacred birthright. Everleigh’s made her who she was – which was not merely a
spinster, the “Ice Queen” that rude wits had dubbed her. She was a person of
business. An expert in the field of fine arts. A learned professional,
regardless of her sex.
Her brother Peter lacks Catherine’s knowledge and integrity;
he sees the auction house only as a means to his goal of gaining political
power. Catherine knows he is embezzling funds from Everleigh’s to finance his
political ambitions. He even threatens to sell the business, but there is
little she can do to stop him. She is also wary of his scheme to arrange a
marriage for her that will benefit him. Desperate to prevent Peter’s destroying
the business she loves, she approaches Nick O’Shea for help. During their
conversation, she proposes a marriage of convenience.
Nick O’Shea knows what it is to have nothing, to be nothing
in the eyes of those with money and power. He learned at an early age the
connection between money and power, and he set his sights on acquiring both. He
wasn’t overly particular about how he achieved his goal, but he is powerful
enough now to be more businessman than crime lord. He can be ruthless or
benevolent as the situation demands, and he is clever enough to know that his
power must extend beyond Whitechapel if he is to protect his interests there.
As he tells Catherine, “It helps to hold the markers of the men who make the
laws.”
The marriage offers mutual benefits, but these benefits are
not the usual gains of money or status. Catherine knows that news of her
marriage to the notorious Nick O’Shea will damage her brother’s political
career, and she offers him her pledge to keep the marriage secret in exchange
for control of Everleigh’s and his vote on the Municipal Board of Works. The
latter will give Nick the votes he needs to protect his buildings. Initially
Catherine’s focus is solidly on protecting the auction house, but Nick has been
fascinated by Catherine since his niece secured a position as an Everleigh
Girl. Marriage deepens his fascination, and as Catherine discovers Nick is far
more than the uneducated ruffian she thought him to be, she struggles to
maintain her Ice Queen detachment. But however strong the attraction grows, can
it ever be enough to bridge the gulf of social class and experience that
separates them?
Once again Meredith Duran gives readers romance with a
difference. Cross-class romances are standard fare in romance fiction, but most
involve a hero marrying below his class. Romances in which the heroine marries
down are less common. Even rarer are such romances in which the higher class
protagonist is not an aristocrat. Catherine is not a debutante reared to find a
husband with the highest title. Her father started training her to appreciate
and evaluate the items that came into the auction house and to see Everleigh’s
partnership with artists as service to art before she was seven. Fully aware of
her intelligence and committed to her role as a businesswoman, Catherine
prefers to remain unmarried.
Despite the fact that by birth and experience Catherine and
Nick inhabit different worlds, they are alike in their fierce preservation of
the facades they have erected. The facades may be different—hers cold and
smoothly polished and his raw power and rough edges—but the images serve to
protect their vulnerabilities and preserve them from intimacy. Nick is less
isolated and more self-aware than Catherine, and he wants to make Catherine
aware of the passionate woman he sees in her. The barriers between them crumble
gradually and convincingly. They are both intelligent, complex characters, and
watching them fall in love is wonderful, rewarding reading.
In addition to the layered characterization and a compelling
central relationship, Luck Be a Lady
also includes some delightfully comic scenes. Exchanges between Nick and
Catherine prove Duran can do banter with the best in the genre, and the
twenty-four-page marriage contract is worth several giggles on its own. But the
highlights are the wedding and consummation scenes. The wedding is unique, and
the consummation scene manages to combine humor and sizzle. I also found the
ending completely satisfying, an increasingly rare experience even with books I
like. In other words, this one is a full bells-and-whistles, five-neon-stars
recommendation. It’s on my Best of 2015 list.
Luck Be a Lady can
be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend that you read it with Lady Be Good. The two books were
released on consecutive months for good reason. If you love historical romance,
you owe it to yourself to read Meredith Duran. She is among the very best. This
pair of books is a great place to start, and then you can move to her backlist.
~Janga
Have you discovered Meredith Duran's books yet?
Do you have a favorite?
Do you enjoy cross-class romances?
One person who leaves a comment on today's post will receive the following three autographed books by Meredith Duran: Fool Me Twice, Lady Be Good, and Luck Be A Lady. (U.S./Canada only)
Have you discovered Meredith Duran's books yet?
Do you have a favorite?
Do you enjoy cross-class romances?
One person who leaves a comment on today's post will receive the following three autographed books by Meredith Duran: Fool Me Twice, Lady Be Good, and Luck Be A Lady. (U.S./Canada only)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
MEREDITH DURAN is the author of eight previous novels,
including The Duke of Shadows (winner of the Gather.com First
Chapters Romance Writing Competition); Wicked Becomes You (included
on the Woman’s World List of Best Beach Reads for Summer 2010), and the USA
TODAY bestseller Fool Me Twice. She blames Anne Boleyn for
sparking her lifelong obsession with British history, and for convincing her
that princely love is no prize if it doesn’t come with a happily-ever-after.
She enjoys collecting old etiquette manuals, guidebooks to nineteenth-century
London, and travelogues by intrepid Victorian women. Visit her at
MeredithDuran.com, or catch up with her on Twitter: @meredithduran and
Facebook: AuthorMeredithDuran.
BLOG TOUR
8/25 TWO
CLASSY CHICS
8/26 BOOKTALK WITH EILEEN
8/28 HARLEQUIN
JUNKIE
8/31 LIVE TO READ
9/2 THE LOVELY BOOKS
9/4 SIMPLY ANGELA
9/7 MARTINI
TIMES
9/8 GOT
FICTION
9/9 FRESH
FICTION
9/10 NIGHT OWL ROMANCE
9/10 THE
LUSTY LITERATE
9/11 THE
ROMANCE DISH
9/18 ROMANCING RAKES
10/2 ASHLEY'S BOOKSHELF
I'm ashamed to admit that I haven't read any of Meredith Duran's books. Yet. I've only heard great things about them and do have one on my kindle.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to reading both of these. I recently read--and loved--Fool Me Twice. Such a wonderful book. Thanks for the post and giveaway.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you enjoyed Fool Me Twice. Good luck in the giveaway!
DeleteYou have some wonderful reading ahead of you, Glenda!
ReplyDeleteFrom everything I've heard, I do. Just last week, I FINALLY got around to reading another one of those author's I've been hearing about for ages (Tessa Dare's Castles Ever After series) and I wasn't disappointed -- except when I finished the series and there wasn't another book out yet.... ;-)
DeleteI've not read her books as yet but they do sound good and cross-class romances are a yes from me.
ReplyDeleteI have not read this author yet but have heard wonderful things about her books. Have always been a fan of cross class romance. The different perspectives of the characters make for a richer read.
ReplyDeleteI have not read your books yet.
ReplyDeleteI also have read Fool Me Twice. I love historicals with banter in them!
ReplyDeleteNew author for me. I enjoyed reading the review. Definitely putting on my TBR list.
ReplyDeleteI HAVE NEVER READ ANY OF HER BOOKS. THANKS FOR TELLING ME ABOUT HER ANOTHER NEW AUTHOR TO TRY... THEY DO SOUND GOOD THO SO THEY WILL BE ON MY TBB (TO BE BOUGHT PILE)
ReplyDeleteI have actually not read any of her books yet! I also haven't read that many cross class historical romances. Great review!
ReplyDeleteI have a few of her books on my shelf and I really need to pick them up!
ReplyDeleteI actually haven't read any of her books. But they do come so highly recommended :) thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI've enjoyed a few of her books, The Duke of Shadows being the first. I'll have to read Luck Be A Lady & Lady Be Good back to back. Thanks for your excellent review.
ReplyDeleteCarol L
Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com
I am familiar with Meredith Duran's name, but as yet have not read any of her novels. After reading Janga's review, I am certainly adding this book and more of Ms. Duran's to my TBR list. The plot is intriguing and the heroine sounds like a strong woman. I do like cross class novels because they prove that the characters don't have to be of the same class to have an HEA.
ReplyDeleteMeredith is a new to me author. This book looks good, great cover. I do like the cross class romances cause not matter your job, no one is better than anyone else. Thanks for the giveaway.
ReplyDeleteI just finished reading "Lady Be Good" , and really enjoyed it. I do love a book with mystery, intrigue and romance. My appetite was definitely whetted by a few things that caught my interest regarding Nick and Catherine, especially when she was knocking back the drinks at his tavern in "Lady Be Good", and I was hoping then that a romance was in the cards. I'm dying to read Nick and Catherine's story. Thank you for the chance to win.
ReplyDeleteI discovered Meredith Duran's books through Sherry Thomas' blog. At one time they shared the blogging duties.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this book. Meredith Duran always does such a great job of showing the two faces of London: the rarified atmosphere enjoyed by the aristocracy and the seedy neighborhoods inhabited by the poor. She also did a wonderful job of redeeming Catherine and Nick. They weren't too likeable in the previous book, Lady Be Good, and we learn the reasons behind that.
I've been made aware of Meredith Duran's books, but haven't had a chance to read any, so I don't have a favorite yet. I do like cross-class romance, as long as it makes sense. :D
ReplyDeleteI think I've read her before
ReplyDeleteSadly, I have yet to read a book by Meredith Duran. But, reading the excerpt I believe I will be looking into reading her books. As soon as I am done....doing whatever this is called (I am stuck in the 80's but I am trying my hardest to break out of my bubble and jumping into 2015). I will be searching for Meredith Duran books!
ReplyDeleteThank you, for the preview!
Sincerely,
Bonny Bordeleau