Book Review: One Dance with a Duke by Tessa Dare

by Elizabeth on June 15, 2010 · 0 comments

in books, reviews, summer reading

This is my first time reviewing a book, so forgive me for any faux pas! One Dance with a Duke by Tessa Dare is the first selection in Smart Bitch Sarah’s Sizzling Summer Bookclub.  Tessa Dare is a relatively new historical romance author and one I haven’t read before.  I was excited to read this book because the reviews were really good and it’s a series.  I love series; especially concerning heroes involved in mysterious clubs, as Spencer, our hero from One Dance with a Duke is.  I was also very excited to read this because Tessa Dare is a librarian! How exciting! Anyway…
I’m not going to do the usual review and start with a synopsis; if you want a synopsis and summary of what other reviewers have said, check out Tessa’s site.  For a more comprehensive review, check out All About Romance’s review
The highest compliment I can give a book is to say that I finished this in one night.  That almost never happens.  I started it yesterday afternoon when I got home from work and didn’t turn out the light until I was done.  Yes, I read fast, but honestly, I couldn’t put it down.  It takes a whole lot to keep me entertained for that long and I would like commend Ms. Dare for doing so.  I found the characters to be compelling and real and I was into the book enough by the end of the first chapter to know that I wanted to get to know Amelia (our heroine) and Spencer more and find out what happens.  I enjoyed the secondary characters too and look forward to reading their stories in the future.   
No book is without it’s faults, however.  This book, and I’m assuming the series, has a murder-mystery plot line, which I always find fascinating.  We are introduced to this plot almost right away and for a good portion of the book we are kept apprised of the situation.  However, as soon as Amelia and the duke quit London, we stop hearing about the murder investigation.  Then it comes bounding back in a hurry near the end.  During this middle part, I kept going “but what about the murder?”.  I also didn’t really understand Amelia’s constant faith in and overwhelming urge to help her brother, who obviously has a gambling problem.  I don’t have any siblings, so maybe this is just me personally, but I didn’t sympathize with Amelia’s plight to rescue her brother.  That said, I looked past it and chalked it up to her nurturing personality.  The last bit I didn’t care for was the ending concerning Spencer’s ward.  I’m not going to share it since it’s a spoiler, but it came out of left field (for me) and left me reeling.  I was not thrilled with that.
Despite this, I loved this book.  It’s a keeper for me.  I’m looking forward to the next books in the series and more work by Tessa Dare.  I strongly recommend this book!  
Grade: A-

Have you read this book?  What did you think?

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