A Duke in Shining Armor

I couldn’t even finish the book....story seemed waaaay outlandish and contrived and silly to the point of unbelievable. I was super surprised (in an unpleasant way) how different it was from the writing that i enjoyed in Lord of Scoundrels, Last Hellion, Captives of the Night, etc. Def. disappointed me. Too bad.

Loved the story very witty, funny and romantic loved all the characters it made me want to know more about the others stories

I must admit that I am a fan of Loretta Chase, having first been hooked with her Dressmaker's series. I adore the hero's in her books because it's a nice change when the hero's aren't dark and brooding (although I do love a complicated hero). This story is about Olympia, who is about to marry one of the three dukes (all friends) who are disgraces to society. She drinks a bit too much and ends up running away, tailed by another one of the three dukes, Hugh, Duke of Ripley. He is trying to bring her back to his friend, but finding that she is a bit strong-willed and won't be pushed around. The entire story takes place over only a few days, and there is a lot of witty dialogue and fun exchanges between the two characters. I think that's one of the reason's I enjoyed the book so much - it reminded me of P.G. Wodehouse in it's light-ness and fun banter. If you are looking for a fun historical romance with fresh characters, then pick this one up.

3.5 stars A Duke in Shining Armor, is an entertaining fictional story, and the first book, in Loretta Chase’s Difficult Dukes Series. Lady Olympia Hightower is about to become the new Duchess of Ashmont. She should be ecstatic. But, instead of basking in all of the luscious benefits that will come with her new title, Olympia’s been drowning her fears with alcohol. The problem, according to Lady Olympia, is that the Duke of Ashmont, is as handsome as an angel, and she, was practically on the shelf. Lady Olympia has been passed over, year after year and was considered by most men, to be bookish and boring. So, what would a man like the Duke of Ashmont want with her? That’s the question she needed to figure out before marrying the handsome devil. When Hugh, the Duke of Ripley came knocking at her door, she knew that her time was up. Lady Olympia took the only escape she could think of, out the window. The Duke of Ripley was given the responsibility of making sure his best friend’s wedding went off without a hitch. Hugh was pretty sure, though, that Lady Olympia, escaping her own ceremony, was going to put a damper on his friend’s day. So, without giving it much thought, Hugh hoisted himself up and climbed out the window, to be about the business, of fetching the soon-to-be-new Duchess of Ashmont. When Hugh took on the mission of bringing Lady Olympia back to the wedding, he fully expected a challenge. What he didn’t expect, though, was that his challenge would include stuffing his growing attraction to Olympia, and keeping his hands to himself. Although I enjoyed reading this book, I didn’t find it realistic or emotionally captivating. However, if you are looking for a light historical fiction romance, this may be the perfect book for you. Thank you, Avon Publishing and Edelweiss, for my advanced review copy.