Rowena's review of Linnette the Lioness (Real Duchesses of London, Book 2) by Lavinia Kent

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Rowena's review of Linnette the Lioness (Real Duchesses of London, Book 2) by Lavinia Kent

Hero: James Sharpeton, Duke of Doveshire
Heroine: Linnette, the Dowager Duchess of Doveshire

Regency England just got real(ity)
Episode 2: The One with the Fake Baby

Rumors abound – everyone has heard that Linnette, the Dowager Duchess of Doveshire is pregnant. Beautiful, young, with more freedom than any respectable woman should want, Linnette is no stranger to a little gossip. But her friends can't help her brave the fallout, because this time Linnette has done something naughty…

This is a 30,000 word novella.

Book 2 in the Real Duchesses of London e-book series written by Lavinia Kent and I've got to say I really enjoyed this short story. A lot more than I enjoyed the first one. I really like that in this short amount of space, I felt like we got a full story. I mean sure, we don't get to know the hero and the heroine as well as we would have if this was a full novel but I think Kent did a pretty bang up job of telling Linnette's story.

Linnette's story starts when she meets James, the new Duke of Doveshire (the guy who inherited her husband's title) when they were young and fell in love. Linnette was engaged to her late husband since she was five years old and because she fell in love with James was going to run away with him and live happily ever after somewhere far away so that she could be with him because she loved him so. Only the night before they were supposed to run away, he left. Without her and it devastated her so she went ahead and married Charles.

Charles dies and now the story picks back up, several years later and by a sick twist of fate, James is now the new Duke of Doveshire and is brought back into Linnette's orb. Linnette isn't very happy about this since she can still feel the abandonment like it was just last week, month even but you know what they say, the heart wants what the heart wants. It's not long at all before they're back where they were all those many years ago, except older (and better in bed, haha). They think they're wiser this time around and discreet but that isn't the case when another cartoon comes out with Linnette pregnant and the man standing behind her this time around? None other than James, the new Duke of the title her late husband held.

Oh the drama in this short story was enough to keep me turning the pages. Of all of the Duchesses and what not in this series, Linnette is my favorite. She's stubborn (but not in an annoying way), she's passionate and she's not above causing a little scandal to bite back at those she thinks betrayed her. Though I did enjoy her character overall, it's not to say that she didn't annoy me from time to time in this book. Mostly, the way she cared so much what everyone thought left much to be desired with her but at the end of it all, I liked her most. I think because she has the most personality of the women so far.

I loved James, I loved that he didn't give two figs about what everyone thought and what they were supposed to do. He wasn't ashamed of his affair with Linnette and he wanted to marry her. I loved that he wanted to make Linnette see that he does love her enough to slay dragons for her and really, he was just too cute.

After reading this book, I must say that I'm anxious for the rest of the stories in this series. I'm most looking forward to reading Annabelle's story. I think her story is going to be another great one.

Overall, this was a great quick read with a hero and a heroine that were fun to read about. I'm glad that I read it and can't wait for more from these characters. I hear that Elizabeth is next and really, I love to hate her so it'll be interesting to see how her story turns out.

Grade: 4 out of 5

This book is available from Avon Impulse. You can buy it here and here in e-format.

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