I had already written this fabulous review until the dang thing didn't save so I am going to summarize the few points I remember from it.

- I like the rational way the hero and heroine come together.
- I like that the villain is really a crappy guy.
- I like the set up for the next story.

- I didn't like how everyone babied the heroine, though I get it.
- I didn't get the Meg/Serena thing but I guess it's from previous book.

Overall I liked it and will continue reading this series. ( )

I had already written this fabulous review until the dang thing didn't save so I am going to summarize the few points I remember from it.

- I like the rational way the hero and heroine come together.
- I like that the villain is really a crappy guy.
- I like the set up for the next story.

- I didn't like how everyone babied the heroine, though I get it.
- I didn't get the Meg/Serena thing but I guess it's from previous book.

Overall I liked it and will continue reading this series. ( )

I liked this story. It was good in the beginning and at the end. The middle 100 pages lagged, leaving me to remove myself from the read and come back to it. The love between Max and Olivia was wonderful. The care and protection he showed her was endearing. It was great to reacquaint with the Donovan sisters. They are a tight loving overprotective clan, including Lord Stratford, Meg's/ Serena's husband. Fenwicke is horrid and it was excruciating to read how he abused his young naive wife. What a monster of a man. He got what he deserved in the end! I am excited to read the next novel. I was wondering when something good would come along for the loyal friend Captain Langley. ( )

First Impression: A unique heroine and a dastardly villain stand out in this sweeping Regency romance.

What Really Worked: I was quite drawn in by Max and Olivia’s love story. Olivia was a rather unique heroine. She contracted malaria as a child, and she still suffers from terrible fevers because of the disease. She’s convinced that no man would want her as a wife due to her frail body and bouts of illness. Max, however, falls hard for her regardless.

The book starts out with a wager between Max and the unpleasant Marquis of Fenwicke. The bet is that Max will not be able to seduce the seemingly “frigid” Olivia. I was a little concerned, because this set up doesn’t exactly grab my attention. The bet is all but forgotten after a few chapters when thing get very interesting. I think what really spiced up this story was the simply dreadful villain, Fenwicke. I won’t reveal his dastardly deeds here. You must discover them for yourself and be as angry at him as I was!

What Worked: I really enjoyed the close, protective relationship the four Donovan sisters shared. The first book in this series was Serena Donovan’s story, though I have not read it yet. There were only a couple of times where I felt I was missing something by not having read the first book. Overall, the author did a great job presenting the sisters’ backstory.

What Didn’t Work So Much: I kept waiting for Max to turn into the bad boy he claimed was lurking beneath the surface, but it never happened. His greatest fear (and the reason he refused to marry) was that he’d become an abusive monster like his father, but I never saw any evidence of that. That’s not a bad thing. I just wasn’t convinced it was a reason for him to stay a bachelor.

Final Thoughts: Enjoyable! SECRETS OF AN ACCIDENTAL DUCHESS is a captivating read for fans of Regency romances.

Source: Free copy from the publisher ( )

Olivia Donovan has been brought up sheltered and protected by her family. While living on a small island in the West Indies she contracted Malaria as a child and has since been plagued by a recurrence of the fevers. Now at twenty-one, she knows that no man would fall for a frail woman and has therefore resigned herself to the fact that she will be the “spinster aunt”. But when Max Buchanan promises a no-strings attached romance, becoming the “disgraced spinster aunt” might not be so bad after all.

As with all of Ms. Haymore’s novels (and yes, I’ve read them all) you cannot go wrong with her books. Her heroines are always brave and witty and her leading men are dark and swoon-worthy. I especially loved Olivia - she was such a carefree young woman. I liked that she didn’t overdo or dwell on things. She saw a hurdle and she pretty much just jumped over it. She was never frail or timid in my eyes (nor Max’s for that matter). Max was all that I look for in a leading man. I loved how he is portrayed as dark, big and brawny compared to the petite Olivia. But don’t let the cover or its short synopsis fool you. Aside from the sweet romance you’ll find there’s a lot going on in this novel. I could not sit still with everything that was going on – from the worry of Olivia’s illness, the wager on her seduction, several kidnappings, sultry love scenes and one of the vilest villains I’ve read in a long time. Needless to say, I devoured this one quite rapidly.

All in all, Secrets of an Accidental Duchess is a wonderful addition to the series. I loved how we get to see more about the lives of Serena and Jonathan (Confessions of an Improper Bride) as well as foresee who the next characters in the upcoming book will be (Pleasures of a Tempted Lady – releasing August 2012). I personally cannot wait. Ms. Haymore has proven herself once again and has earned the honor of being a permanent staple in my Historical Romance shelf. ( )