When the Duke Was Wicked by Lorraine Heath

Title/Author: When the Duke Was Wicked (Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James #1) by Lorraine Heath
Publisher/Date published: Avon, February 25th 2014
How I got this book: received it from the publisher as an egalley
Buy this book at: The Book Depository

Goodreads summary: Lady Grace Mabry’s ample inheritance has made it impossible for her to tell whether a suitor is in love with her — or enamored of her riches. Who better to distinguish beau from blackguard than her notorious childhood friend, the Duke of Lovingdon?

With no interest in marriage, Lovingdon has long lived only for pleasure. He sees little harm in helping Grace find a proper match. After all, he’s familiar with all the ploys a scoundrel uses to gain a woman’s favor. He simply has to teach the lovely innocent how to distinguish honest emotions from false ones. How better than by demonstrating his wicked ways. But as lessons lead to torrid passion and Grace becomes ensnared in another man’s marriage plot, Lovingdon must wage a desperate gamble: Open his heart fully — or risk losing the woman he adores...

You guys, I REALLY like Lorraine Heath's books and this one was no exception!

We meet Grace, who's determined to marry a man who loves her and is realistic about her dowry attracting the wrong kind of men: ones who are only after the money. I like that she knows what she wants and isn't afraid to ask for it. I thought it was a teensy bit obsessive that she's determined to bring Lovingdon back to society, but hey, whatever works for you. Also, if this hadn't been a romance novel, but real life, and Grace was my friend, I would have warned her that trying to convince a widower who's all bitter about love to love again is something that she should maybe forget about. So I liked that she had some people in her life warning her off. Not that she paid any attention. But let's be honest, if everyone was sensible all the time, not a lot of exciting things would happen right?

I liked Lovingdon. He's loved and lost and doesn't want to go through that again and you know what, I can understand it. I mean, his loss was devastating. That's not something you bounce back from easily and you shouldn't in my opinion. I liked that he truly cared for Grace and how he wasn't really sure what it was exactly what he was doing: AKA he was loosing his head over Grace. I like that in a man.

I REALLY liked seeing these two together and felt all the heartache Grace did when he was kissing her but saying he didn't mean anything by it and was just 'showing her what a rake would do' I mean SERIOUSLY?? I would have slapped him as well. Stupid man. You can't do stuff like that. But he had the best intentions, so I forgave him.

I love how Lorraine Heath's books always make me smile and they're just feel good books for me!

My rating: 4 stars