Blogtour - A Lady's Code of Misconduct by Meredith Duran

Remember the blogtour?

Meredith Duran, whose book Sweetest Regret , a Christmas story, I really enjoyed, has
also written ten other novels, including The Duke of Shadows (winner of the Gather.com First Chapters Romance Writing Competition); Wicked Becomes You (included on the Woman’s World List of Best Beach Reads for Summer 2010), and the USA TODAY bestseller and RITA Award Winner Fool Me Twice. 

She blames Anne Boleyn for sparking her lifelong obsession with British history, and for convincing her that princely love is no prize if it doesn’t come with a happily-ever-after. She enjoys collecting old etiquette manuals, guidebooks to nineteenth-century London, and travelogues by intrepid Victorian women.

 And now it is here:

*A Lady's Code of Misconduct*

What did others think about it?

Praise for A Lady’s Code of Misconduct:

“Political intrigue and conspiracies abound in Duran’s engrossing fifth Rules for the Reckless Victorian romance (after Luck Be a Lady), which boasts plot twists galore…Duran is at the pinnacle of her craft as she weaves together humor, forgiveness, and love in a flawlessly executed plot. Jane, Crispin, and the rest of the characters are all well drawn, and the love scenes strike the perfect balance of steamy and sweet. Each layer in the story is suspenseful and delightful, making this the best installment so far.”

—Publishers Weekly STARRED REVIEW

“A sham marriage, political intrigue, and a case of amnesia provide a backdrop for this absorbing Victorian romance. Although Duran (Luck Be a Lady, 2015, etc.) has written a novel as layered as an onion, the characters are well-drawn and the plot flawlessly executed. Add in some very steamy sex, and the fifth installment of Duran's Rules for the Reckless series can't help but delight. This book weaves its spell so thoroughly that the most fortunate reader will be the one who has time to read the entire thing in one sitting. A masterful tale of suspense, forgiveness, and love.”

—Kirkus STARRED REVIEW

“Political intrigue drives a captivating historical romance…This Regency romance, part of the Rules for the Reckless series, is a smart love story, peopled with complex and absorbing characters.”

—BookPage, TOP PICK IN ROMANCE

“A riveting story.”

—Heroes and Heartbreakers

“A masterful author of historical romances…A Lady’s Code of Misconduct takes worn threads of old tropes, like amnesia and the tortured hero, and weaves them into a lush tapestry with sophisticated, beautiful writing. Crispin seems power-mad and Jane seems saintly, but as Duran slowly unravels their characters amidst a plot of intrigue, betrayal, and dark secrets, we discover they’re more alike than they (or we) realize. The hero is swoonworthy, and I couldn’t help but fall in love with Jane as his flaws shine a light on her own. The tale and characters so captivated me, that I literally couldn’t put it down.”

—Omnivoracious Amazon Book Review by Sabrina Jeffries

“Thoughtfully written and the story creates not just a simple story of two people but an entire world for them to inhabit. If you like your historicals to have some meat to them, I highly recommend this one.”

—All About Romance

“Extremely relevant to our current political state…I could have easily sat and devoured this in one evening as each of the chapters seemed to end on a cliffhanger that just won't let you put the book down. Quill says: A Lady’s Code of Misconduct is the perfect book to sit in your favorite chair with and let the world pass by for a little while you get lost in the past.”

—Feathered Quill

“I absolutely love this series… Meredith writes intelligent characters with a fast paced plot.  Her writing is sensual, witty and totally captivating.  This book has everything you would want in a Historical Romance.   It is witty, sensual with a mystery that will keep you guessing to the very end. Crispin and Jane are extraordinary characters in a riveting story that will leave you wanting more.  The journey of Crispin and Jane to their HAE is fabulous.  I will read anything that Meredith writes.” 

—The Reading Wench

“A fun read. I enjoyed Duran’s characters and plot…there’s a villain who made me think of a Regency era James Bond villain.”

—Bookfan

And what did I think about it? 

I really enjoyed reading this book with its unusual, gripping story and its amazing and interesting characters. 

Crispin, our hero - is definitely not a hero, at least not a first sight. Oh, well, our heroine Jane isn't just sweet and  demure all the time either and, unfortunately, she loathes all he stands for. Well, everything he stood for, strictly speaking. Due to some unfortunate encounter with some blunt object or another, he is not the same man that he was before everything went down. Considering the fact that the two of them found themselves married, let's say, things aren't easy. Especially when Crispin tries to win back his life and to understand what drove him all the time. But maybe, maybe the thing that made him almost lose everything, including his life, will turn out to be his salvation. 
Can a tragedy result in happiness? 

Definition of amnesia (as found in the Merriam-Webster)

1. 1 :  loss of memory due usually to brain injury, shock, fatigue, repression, or illness
   
2. 2 :  a gap in one's memory
   
   
3. 3 :  the selective overlooking or ignoring of events or acts that are not favorable or useful to one's purpose or position … 

Suffering from amnesia, Crispin has to face some very uncomfortable truths about himself and his life when he tries to get his memory back. And somehow this tragedy will turn his life for good. 
Will there be a place at his side for Jane, the wife he never knew he had?  

 Well written and fast - paced, this story is interesting, unusual and - it made me furious. Thinking of girls and women like Jane, who were kept like prisoners due to their inheritance and thier relatives' fear of losing their money - ugh, just another one of those things that make me question why I end up with historical romacnes so often. I really love these stories but the lack of rights and the lack of choices those women had, make me appreciate  so much more the rights and the possibilites we have now. Still far from perfect, in constrast to the time of Jane and Crispin - well, absolutely no comparison there. 

Back to our book in question - I really enjoyed reading it and I can definitely recommend it!
  
 

★★★★