BLAME IT ON BATH by Caroline Linden

The Truth about the Duke Series, Book 2

Publisher: Avon Books

Date published: February 28^th, 2012

ISBN 9780062025333

Historical Romance

Mass Market Paperback

Reviewed by Dawn

Obtained by Publisher

For Gerard de Lacey, his family means the world to him so when a blackmailer targets his family he is determined to find out who is behind it and why. But to secure his inheritance before the blackmailer takes it all, he thinks a marriage of connivance is in order…just in case things go south. He was quite unprepared for rich widow Katherine Howe to propose that same arrangement to him.

For Katherine, her first marriage was boring and now with her late husband’s heir forcing her to get married again, she finds herself determined to pick her next husband herself. Gerard fits everything she wants and he being sinfully handsome and charming doesn’t help either. But Katherine has always loved Gerard and now as they race to Bath; Katherine hopes that Gerard will see her not as a rich woman but one that holds his heart as well.

I really enjoy this series by Caroline Linden. The characters are delightful, charming and very well written. The blackmail story is spanned through all three books so we don’t see much of a resolution here but it does set it up nicely for the final brother’s book. This is an author who lets her characters shine and lets the story move along at a nice, even pace.

Kate isn’t a raving beauty, more like an everyday woman and I could really relate to her as a character. I really enjoyed how Gerard showed Kate that she isn’t a dull woman but a beautiful and desirable one at that in his eyes. That in itself was what cemented Gerard to me as a hero to Kate’s heroine. Their relationship is at first, an arrangement which soon turns to love and passion as these two find their hearts engaged. Gerard was bold, likeable and very enjoyable. It has been some time since a hero grabbed me by the heart so fast. Katherine and Gerard were a perfect match and their sweet romance was eclipsed by their passionate love scenes.

The big reveal with Gerard did come across as a little flat in the book and I felt it could have been a bit better, writing wise but the entire story in itself was very entertaining, in my opinion. If you enjoy robust characters, a tightly written-ending notwithstanding-story then grab the second book in the The Truth about the Duke series and let yourself be carried away.

This is an objective review and not an endorsementof the book.