Even though Paul Barstowe was the villain of The Bad Luck Bride, book one of Janna MacGregor's Cavensham Heiresses series, I still found him intriguing, though definitely unlikable. In book two, The Bride Who Got Lucky, he showed a glimmer of goodness - a remote possibility that he just might be redeemable. In MacGregor's upcoming novel, The Good, the Bad, and the Duke, we discover just what made Paul, now the Duke of Southart, the man he was and has now become. Is he deserving of a second chance? Is he worthy of Daphne's heart? I've read an advance copy of the novel and, for me, the answer to that question is an enthusiastic YES!
The Good, the Bad, and the Duke
By Janna MacGregor
The Cavensham Heiresses - Book 4
Publisher: St. Martin's
Release Date: November 27, 2018
Lady Daphne Hallworth is ready to celebrate the holidays with her family. But when they accidentally leave her home alone, Daphne uses the time to work on her dream—opening a home for unwed mothers. But her quest isn’t problem-free: She’s in a battle to win the property for the home against her brother’s best friend-turned-enemy, Paul Barstowe, Duke of Southart. And that’s not all: someone has stolen her personal diary, which holds secrets that could devastate her family. Daphne has always harbored private feelings for the man her family scorns…though perhaps striking a bargain with the handsome Duke will solve both their problems?
Paul, long considered good for nothing, aims to open a hospital to honor his brother and restore his reputation. So when a conflict over the land brings him straight into Daphne’s life, they make a deal: He will help her find her diary if Daphne can change her family’s opinion of him. But before he can win her family’s affection, he has to win hers first. Maybe love was the answer to their family feud all along?
Excerpt
“Paul,” Daphne said a little bit
more loudly. “Are you all right?”
No, he wasn’t all right. He’d lost
his mind several London street blocks ago. “Yes, I’m fine.”
“You seem out of sorts. You have
ever since we left Pembrooke House.” The soft words held enough of a lilt that
they carried across the coach. It had to be his imagination, but they seemed to
kiss his cheek.
He could only reach one
conclusion—he was a bloody fool.
“I apologize for my earlier
behavior.” He’d said the words hoping they’d relieve his guilt and restore his
confidence as a proper duke. Instead, he felt as if he were a sniveling child,
one who apologized without any real remorse.
He wasn’t really sorry for teasing
and playing with Daphne at Pembrooke House. Her entire face had been alight
with sheer delight, then it slowly softened to an exquisite emotion that would
only be described as arousal when he drew her dress down her arms.
He was surely going to hell for
seducing an innocent.
Biting one lip, she tried to hide
her smile. It made her even more beautiful. “You seem to apologize frequently
around me. Am I a bad influence?”
The silver-pewter of her eyes
flashed with laughter and a little something that made the distance between
them spark with sexual tension. Whatever this was between them electrified
him. Every particle of his body throbbed
with an acute need to gather her in his arms and kiss her until she begged for more.
He tightened both hands around the edge of the seat to keep from reaching for
her. The more he squeezed, the more the leather squealed in protest.
What was it about her that made her
so irresistible? He’d been with other beautiful women who were definitely more
accomplished as seductresses. But her innate innocence captivated him.
Naturally, a rake such as himself would be drawn to someone as pure as her.
Isn’t that what rakes did? Despoil perfect flowers. He ran his hand over his
face again hoping to clear every lascivious thought. He’d not allow his own
dirty hands to touch her, not after what he’d done tonight.
This evening he would be her
protector. He’d be her friend. They’d find her journal, then she’d help ease
the distance between Pembrooke and him. His job would be finished. He’d have no
other reason to be in her company alone. After he returned her home this
evening, he’d check on her tomorrow, wish her a happy Christmas, and then wait
for her brother to return to town that evening. He’d call on Pembrooke the next
day and explain what had happened. Pembrooke would thank him and extend an
invitation for a drink where they’d mend their disagreements. Perhaps they’d
even drink coffee and read the papers at White’s again. Paul would even invite
Alex and Claire to dine with him. He’d invite Somerton and Emma also. Once
Somerton saw that Alex had given up his grievances, Somerton would follow suit.
By helping her, the three of them
would be friends again. That’s all he had to remember.
He couldn’t think of the gentle
swell of her perfect breasts ever again.
She tilted her head and regarded
him. “Paul, what are we doing? We’ve been sitting here for several minutes.” She
raised her hand to rap her knuckles against the coach roof signaling she was
ready to depart.
“Before we exit, I have something
for you.” He cleared his throat in a poor attempt to purge his thoughts. She
lowered her hand when he handed her a half mask that would conceal her eyes and
nose. One half was painted black, and the other white. Clear crystals and
silver foil neatly lined the edges and the openings for the eyes. The mask was
elaborate, but the ties that would secure it around her head were simple black
ribbons. With her dark hair, it would be difficult to see the ribbons, thus
giving the allusion she was a Venetian temptress looking for a lover during Carnival.
“It’s beautiful,” she whispered.
Her fingers tenderly skated over every inch of the mask. “What is it?”
He let out an unsteady breath. She
caressed the mask like a lover. “It’s a Columbina mask. My mother brought it
home from Venice the last time she visited. I want you to wear it tonight.
It’ll disguise you. No one will dare approach you with me by your side.”
“Thank you. That’s clever
thinking,” she offered. “Will you help me put it on?”
Holding the mask to her face, she
turned away from him until she was barely seated on the bench cushion. He
reached to tie the ribbon, and their fingers entangled. The urge to pull her
against him while he inhaled her sweet scent almost overpowered him. Suddenly,
her fingers tightened against his, and he hissed.
“You’ll need to take off your
gloves to tie the ribbons I’m afraid.”
She should be afraid, as he was very afraid. Afraid he’d kiss her in
this very carriage and never stop until they were both lost in each other’s
arms.
“Of course.” Passion threatened to
explode inside him. His own words sounded guttural.
He made quick work of removing his
gloves. As he raised his hands to tie the ribbons, his fingers shook. He took a
deep breath and commanded himself to relax. In seconds, the mask was secure.
When she twisted around to face
him, he felt as if he’d been punched in the gut. Once again, she refuted his
claim that he could manage anything.
Describing her as an ethereal
creature was like describing the moon as a circle in the sky. Her loveliness
was heavenly. Her skin seemed to shimmer in the faint glow of the carriage
lantern. The mask did indeed disguise her, but he knew the hidden depths of her
beauty. Her expressive eyes and the familiar tilt of her lips spoke a language
that only he could understand.
With a shake of his head, Paul
tried to dismiss such fanciful thoughts. “Are you ready?”
“In a moment.” She scooted close to
him. “About this morning, I meant what I said about fighting to win the bid for
the estate. But I want you to know that I’ll do everything in my power to help
you with my brother. It’s reassuring that you’re here with me.” The smile on
her lips was radiant.
“Of course,” he said. “There’s no
place I’d rather be than with you here tonight, my dear friend.”
If possible, her smile became
brighter. It reminded him of sunshine peeking around a cloud. “Whatever
happened today won’t impact how we deal with each other tonight.”
With a deep breath, he tapped the
window with his knuckles. Immediately, the door opened, and he jumped out. As
soon as Daphne placed her slim hand in his, Paul came to a realization that
gave him some, but not nearly enough, relief from his complete befuddlement.
All of his discomfort with Daphne could
be attributed to his agreement to be friends.
What a ludicrous bargain.
How could
they be friends if all he could think about was seducing her?
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Have you been reading Janna MacGregor's Cavensham Heiresses series?
How do you feel about former bad boys/villains as redeemed heroes?
The Good, the Bad, and the Duke pays homage to the theme used in the movie Home Alone, an annual favorite. What Christmas movies do you enjoy watching every year?
One person who leaves a comment before 11:00 PM, October 25 will receive a print advance review copy (ARC) of The Good, the Bad, and the Duke. (U.S. only)
Amazon http://amzn.to/2DrdeOd
Googleplay
http://bit.ly/2Ise2G8
Barnes and Noble http://bit.ly/2pbcZ5g
IndieBound https://bit.ly/2MoKF9E
I love reading about redeemed heroes. Enjoyed the excerpt. I'm catching up on the series.Love Home Alone but also The Santa Claus with Tim Allen and It's a Wonderful Life.
ReplyDeleteCarol Luciano
Lucky4750 at aol dot com
Janna is a new to me author so have not check out this series. I adore redeemed heroes. They always have a lot to prove.
ReplyDeleteChristmas movies we watch every year are Elf and Christmas story several different times and of course Home Alone 1 & 2. Just introduced my son and he loves them.
I am a little late to the series and so have only read The Bad Luck Bride. However, I really enjoyed it. It is fun to see how the author goes about redeeming a bad boy/villain in our eyes and I always enjoy finding out just how they are going to do it. My favorite Christmas movie is Love, Actually and I watch it every year.
ReplyDeleteI've read one of Janna MacGregor's Cavensham Heiresses books. I love reading about bad boys/villians who redeem themselves by becoming heroes
ReplyDeleteI love The Holiday and I also love Chevy Chase's Christmas Vacation movie.
Excellent! I can't wait!
ReplyDeleteJanna is is one of my favorite authors and I would love an ARC of her new book!!
ReplyDeleteI love it that a character is redeemable. It means that there can be forgiveness in the world. Love the Cavensham series and look forward to reading this. As for Christmas movies, I love watching A Christmas Carol.
ReplyDeleteJanna MacGregor is a fabulous new author. I have enjoyed all her books so far and am anxious to read her next installment.
ReplyDeleteJanna is one of my favorite new authors. I love her Cavensham series! I love the George C. Scott version (and really ANY version) of A Christmas Carol probably best of all. A close second is Christmas in Connecticut. But really, I could name about 30! I love Christmas movies. Bring on the Hallmark ones starting Nov. 1!
ReplyDeletesoo excited to read this next book. love when bad guys turn out to be lovable
ReplyDeleteLove her books! So excited to read this ine also it sounds so good!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite movie is “The Bishop’s Wife”. I’ve been intrigued by Paul in Janna’s prior books and look forward to delving into what made him who he is
ReplyDeleteI love redeemed villains. Miracle on 34th Street and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever are my favorite Christmas movies.
ReplyDeleteYes, I love this series!
ReplyDeleteBad boys are the best redeemed heroes- so much fun watching them fall in love!
It’s a Wonderful Life
Would love to read this series. Love how bad guys can change.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read any of Janna MacGregor's Cavensham Heiresses series yet, but would love to start. I like watching National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation every year during Christmas.
ReplyDeleteI love Janna's books. At Christmas every year we watch A Christmas Story (You'll shoot your eye out, kid!"), White Christmas, Scrooged, and Meet Me in St. Louis. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteI do enjoy novels involving a hero's past problems and his attempts to redeem himself. As for Christmas movies I always catch Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. That movie is all about family and love and I die laughing every single time watching some of those scenes!
ReplyDeleteI've read all of Janna's books and love them.
ReplyDeleteI believe in redemption when one is sincere.
A favorite modern Christmas romcom is The Holiday, favorite romcom classic is Christmas in Connecticut.
denise
Love Janna’s stories. This one looks great
ReplyDeleteI love the old old black and white version of the Christmas Carol and although not a Christmas movie The Sound of Music is usually shown on Christmas and I always watch it.
ReplyDeleteJanna's books are so wonderful once starting to read them you just can't wait to finish then when you do, you start another. I haven't started the series yet but would love to see the Duke and all roguish Hero's get redeemed they're the best types of hero to me.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great story
ReplyDeleteI love it when the bad boy turns out to be a really good guy. :)
ReplyDeleteAlso I watch It's A Wonderful Life every year!!
I've not read them as yet. And yes to bad boy turning good (or he really was all along). We watch Christmas Vacation every year - it's a tradition as we have our tree trimming party (one that my oldest daughter took over a few years ago).
ReplyDeleteI have been reading this series and every book has been a great deal of fun. I believe that people are able to become better people so in fiction it would be something I could enjoy. I am a fan of A Christmas Story and It's A Wonderful Life and Christmas books and movies in general. One little tinkle of a Christmas bell and I am in.
ReplyDeleteI think villains can be redeemed :-) A Christmas Story is my must-see holiday film.
ReplyDeleteI believe in redemption. We all make mistakes. It’s up to us to correct them. Elf is my favorite
ReplyDeleteI haven't read Janna's books. I like to watch A Christmas Carol and Miracle on 34th Street.
ReplyDeleteI love so many Christmas movies but my very favorites are Holiday Affair, Miracle on 34th Street, It's a Wonderful Life, and A Christmas Carol.
ReplyDeleteA redeemed badboy can be great fun - when he meets the right woman and realizes what is important.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy lots of holiday movies - The Holiday - Love,Actually - and the Hallmark movies
The red shoes and white christmas
ReplyDeleteFirst off, Paul sent me! I have read Janna's series and can't wait to read this one. I do like redeemed heroes. Though I have watched Home Alone, I don't tend to watch Christmas movies as they can get too sappy for me.
ReplyDeleteI too have an ARC of this book waiting for me to get to it. I'm loving this series.
ReplyDeleteJanna would be a new author for me but if this exerpt is indicative to her current books available, count me in as a new and avid reader! Holy Moly, that was really good!
ReplyDeleteAs far as the bad boy turned good guy, i do like them...usually he was a good guy all along , just needed the right incentive.
White Christmas, Bells of St Marys, The Ten Commandments, Die Hard, Christmas Story,Home Alone, are just a few that are watched in this house during the Thsnksgiving/Christmas/ New Year holidays .
Finally ,as I feel I'm dragging this out ,lol,thank you for the giveaway chance of reading this book .😊😉💖
I'm definitely a fan of redemption stories! One of my favorites is Devil in Winter ;) As for Christmas movies, I'm a big fan of A Charlie Brown Christmas :)
ReplyDeleteI adore this series! I love a good redemption story but the character really has to change. Paul has a lot of maturing to do!
ReplyDeleteI believe in second chances and redemption in real life, so I enjoy this theme in stories as well. I especially like it when the love of a good woman helps to redeem a "bad boy."
ReplyDeleteI love old Christmas classics like White Christmas and It's a Wonderful Life, but last year I became addicted to the Hallmark Christmas movies.
A Christmas Carol, Home Alone and I love the Hallmark movies
ReplyDeleteI have not been reading the Cavensham Heiresses series. Janna MacGregor is a new author for me. Most, but not all, bad boys/villains have issues that others are not aware of. If they are not truly terrible people, their issues can be cleared and they can be redeemed.
ReplyDeleteI was never a big fan of the Home Alone movies. I watched them, but once was enough. I enjoy White Christmas and SantaClaus, The Movie. There are more we watch every year.