Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Most mothers don't drug their children, but then again, Judith York, the Duchess of Halford, is not like most mothers. If the only way she can get her son Griffin to do his duty and find a wife is by slipping a little something into his fish course, so be it. The funny-tasting fish explains how his mother got him to Spindle Cove (or Spinster Cove, as it is more popularly known), but what to do about the ultimatum his mother delivers once they arrive? Griffin has one day and one day only to select a bride from among the population of eligible ladies, someone whom Judith will then turn into a suitable future Duchess of Halford. Determined to beat his mother at her own game, Griff selects the least likely candidate in the room, overworked and underappreciated serving girl and farmer's daughter Pauline Simms. Dare garnered a well-deserved RITA for last year's installment in her Regency-set Spindle Cove series, and with its fanciful, My Fair Lady-inspired plot, Any Duchess Will Do is an equally beguiling blend of sparkling wit and simmering sensuality that is guaranteed to captivate fans of clever, sexy historical romances.--Charles, John Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Dare's fourth Spindle Cove romance returns to Regency England's eclectic seaside community, where young ladies seek refuge from society. Griffin York, the marriage-shy eighth Duke of Halford, is dragged to the town by his mother, who orders him to pick a bride. He brashly selects Pauline Simms, a proud tavern serving girl. Griff's mother declares she can turn Pauline into duchess material; Griff retorts that if she fails, he'll be off the hook. He offers Pauline 1,000 to go to London and fail the training, promising that he'll return her to her home, and her mentally disabled sister, within a week. Pauline's hasty bargain to ensure financial security for herself and her sister is complicated by her attraction to Griff and her ability to see the man inside the titled facade. Griff admires Pauline's pluck as he reveals his deepest secrets and bares his soul. Though hints of Cinderella and Pygmalion aren't enough to make the premise plausible, Dare more than makes up for that with romance, humor, and intense emotional drama. (June) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
There's nothing like being drugged and kidnapped by your own mother to get your attention, so when Griffin York, Duke of Halford, is thus captured by his marriage-minded mama and whisked off to the seacoast haven of Spindle Cove to choose a bride, he takes the dowager up on her promise that she can turn any girl into a flawless duchess. His choice? Country-bred barmaid Pauline Simms, a girl doomed to fail. But Pauline has no intention of becoming a duchess, and when she balks, Griff is forced to change his plans-and the results are totally, but delightfully, unexpected. -VERDICT A duke determined to avoid marriage and a plain-speaking girl whose sights go no higher than owning her own bookstore strike an ill-fated but ultimately perfect bargain. This witty, wickedly funny romantic escapade infuses a Pygmalion plot with a touch of Cinderella magic and spins it into another perfect addition to Dare's "Spindle Cove" series (A Lady by Midnight). Dare lives in Southern California. (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
When his mother tries to force his hand in selecting a bride, Griffin York, the Duke of Halford, decides to teach her a lesson by choosing the nearest serving girl, then astounds them all by falling in love with her. Pauline Simms' desires are simple. She wants to work hard enough to get her and her developmentally challenged sister out of her abusive father's house and open a bookshop. For the working class, however, simple is not easy, and earning enough to follow her dreams is nigh impossible for a barmaid. So when a duke's mother issues her son an ultimatum in the tavern where Pauline works, demanding he pick a bride from the women present, and Griffin York, Duke of Halford, chooses Pauline, she makes a deal with the arrogant aristocrat. His mother will give Pauline "duchess lessons," at which she'll fail miserably, and he'll give her the astounding sum of 1,000. Seeing the gift for the miracle it is, Pauline agrees, leaving her tearful sister behind for a week, journeying to London to mingle with high society, while spending far too much time alone with Griffin, who clearly hides secrets that haunt him. Pauline chinks away at his emotional armor and grows dangerously attracted to him, while Griffin begins to wonder how he ever survived without her. Historical romance favorite Dare has penned a Cinderella-themed late-Regency romance with a working-class heroine who dares to dream beyond her station and a libertine determined to change his life. It's a fairly outlandish plot in historical terms, but readers will be willing to suspend disbelief for this couple who are so perfect for one another, despite being scandalously mismatched socially. Great writing and characterization will keep readers engaged and invested. Sly nods to classic and modern Cinderella favorites enhance an already fun, textured plot. Moments of laugh-out-loud humor, emotional intensity and sensual passion woven through an engaging plot and endearing characters make this a great read for romance fans.]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
