Beauty and the Duke

by Melody Thomas

Book Overview

The face he shows the world is not the face she sees. . . Once, ten years ago, they were young lovers, sharing sinful touches and desperate ecstasy. But he was bound by his promise to wed another. Since that fateful time, Christine Sommers has grown into a headstrong beauty, the kind of woman who thinks nothing of daring travels to the ends of the world. But for all her achievements, Christine has never found anyone who makes her heart race the way...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061472670
• ISBN13: 9780061472671
• Release Date: July 2009
• Publisher: Avon Books
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

Paleontologist finds more than just fossils in this romance

Melody Thomas's latest novel Beauty and the Duke might have been better titled Beauty and the Dragon. Not that the Duke is a dragon but it would incorporate a little more of the heroine's personality and interests. This novel is an entertaining read mostly because the leads are intriguing and there's enough of a mystery to keep the reader interested in the story without it overshadowing the romance. Heroine Christine Sommers is a paleontologist. She is a matter of fact miss, a woman of science and she has it in her head that she will map out her well ordered life logically. However her plans fly out the window when she sees her first and only lover, Erik Boughton, Duke of Sedgwick. He has been widowed for seven years and a cloud has followed him ever since; his wife disappeared mysteriously. The two are reunited at a gala celebrating the book Christine's father published about the connection between dinosaurs and birds (it's like an early Jurassic Park Thesis). Christine is still attracted to Erik, and why not? He has a mysterious air about him and he is quite, quite passionate. When he offers Christine an opportunity to make a landmark dinosaur discovery she is more than willing to jump at the chance. There's a catch though, the fossils are on his ducal estate in Scotland and he needs her help in solving the disappearance of his wife. For Christine, this golden opportunity is just too good to pass up, even if it means spending time with Erik. At first the protagonists of this story harbor no idealist romantic notions toward each other. Yes, they are physically attracted to each other and Erik admires Christine's intelligence and determination but they both believe their relationship is much more of a business endeavor. This changes as they rediscover each other all over again. Erik's life is complicated. He has a younger sister who has nightmares, a daughter who is almost ghost like and a mother who is not very motherly. His relationship with Christine is fresh, exciting and passionate. Christine is smart but she is also considerate and she is very, very loyal, this is probably one of her best traits. She is a shrewd negotiator and a good friend. Her emotions were easier to decipher than Erik's and her character was better developed too. Together these two discover fossils, unearth mysteries and reawaken love. There are plenty of eccentric relatives, angry in-laws and villains too. Maybe a little too many extra characters; I had trouble keeping all of them straight. Finally there is a little touch of magic too. Overall a good read.

Bones meets a Duke !!

Christine Sommers is a paleontologist and has been trying to prove the existence of dinosaurs or what she called dragons. Erik Boughton, the Duke of Sedgwick had loved Christine for years and asked for her hand but her father refused (she never knew) and now that bones were found on his land he want Christine to solve the mystery. Erik - gives Christine an offer she can't refuse she get to find and solve the mystery of the Dragon/Beast/Dinosaur but she must marry him. This novel has a mix of mystery, paleontology, romance & murder, Enjoy! If you enjoy this genre here are of my favorite novels from this summer; Sleepless in Scotland (The MacLeans), What Would Jane Austen Do? & The Scandals of An Innocent (The Brides of Fortune).

excellent second chance at love Victorian romantic suspense

When they were young, Erik and Christine were once lovers, but that ended with both still attracted to each other. She went off to see the world of fossils while he did his ducal duty and married twice. In 1840 while London is swamped with tourists including a horde of unkempt children, fossils are found on Erik's Scottish estate. Erik asks Christine to lead an excavation of the dinosaur remains. Fearless Christine travels to Scotland looking forward to the dig and seeing her former lover who has buried two wives. When they meet, both know they still love one another, but at the dig site a female human bone is uncovered that places suspicion on the Duke; already rumored to have done away with two spouses. This is an excellent second chance at love Victorian romantic suspense with the most fun being logical Christine's archeological skills as she carefully leads the Scottish dig while also not carefully gives away her heart. The whodunit enhances the fine tale as the pair investigates an apparent homicide. Fans will enjoy the escapades of the female paleontologist and the duke as they fall in love over bones. Harriet Klausner