Rating: 
Summary: a nice 3 1/2 star romp of a read
Review: "Duchess in Love" seems, on the surface to be a lighthearted and witty historical 'romp,' with a rather novel focal point: the book deals with the lives and loves of three society hostesses, who, for some reason or the other, are all currently living apart from their husbands. However, do take note: there is also a slight dark underside to this fluffy confection.Many years ago, in order to avert a scandal, a teenage Camden Serrard married his 11 year old cousin Gina, and then left the country in order to pursue his studies as a sculptor in Greece. And all through the years he remained in Greece, Cam and Gina have maintained a cordial and friendly relationship via letters. Now, however, the youthful and beautiful Duchess of Girton (Gina) has decided that she would like to marry a gentleman she's fallen in love with, Sebastian, Marquess Bonnington. But she can only to do this if Cam agrees to grant her an annulment. This, Cam is only too willing to do for Gina's sake. Imagine the couple's shock then when they meet for the first time after so many years, and discover that they are actually attracted to each other! Gina never expected to find that her husband would grow from a gangly teenager to become the charismatic and thrilling young man who actually excites her in a way that her handsome and stiff 'fiance' doesn't, nor does Cam anticipate that he'd find his wife to be a beautiful and enchanting young woman. Neither are really sure if they still want the annulment to go through. But it will take another threat to Gina's reputation and one of Lady Troubridge's scandalous house parties to make both Cam and Gina decide once and for all what it they really want... On the whole I rather enjoyed the novel. And I didn't really mind the secondary plots that involved Gina's friends -- Carola, Lady Perwinkle, who abandoned her husband the day after their marriage because he did not live up to her romantic expectations, and who has regretted her hasty actions ever since; and Esme, Lady Rawlings, a scandalous society matron who's living apart from her husband and who seems to be the object of Gina's fiance (Sebastian)'s disapproval. And while the conversations that the women have about men are actually a little run of the mill (they've all been tackled many, many times before), I'll admit that Eliosa James does add her own special light touch to these conversations. My reservations about this novel, however, stem from the strange and abrupt and almost shocking manner in which the authour tied things together and ended the book. Perhaps it is because there will be future books in this series that will feature some of the other female characters? But I'll admit that I did feel a little shortchanged at the manner in which things were left for one pair of characters at least. (Can't say more without giving things away). The novel unfolded smoothly enough and a steady pace until the last few chapters when things suddenly took an unexpected and shocking turn. Which gave a rather jarring and somewhat uncomfortable effect to the book, I thought. And character-wise, while Carola and Esme do come across as being slightly shallow, both Gina and Cam were splendidly 'fleshed out' -- both are vulnerable and hardened, esp because of Cam's father's influence in their lives, and the authour depicts this brilliantly. And the romance/attraction that develops between Cam and Gina was very nicely done as well. On the whole, I'd say that this was an engaging 3 1/2 star romp of a read.
Rating: 
Summary: A sweet and funny romance...
Review: "Duchess in Love" was really a sweet book. I love a story where the conflict is within the relationship instead of some outside source...there really is no villian here..the h/h are really the only ones standing in the way of their own happiness....I also enjoyed getting to know the secondary characters..my only quibble with this book was that I felt that there was a bit TOO MUCH attention on the other players..it took away a bit from the primary relationship betyween Cam and Gina....all in all a good read, but not one that is a keeper for me.
Rating:
Summary: A sweet and funny romance...
Review: "Duchess in Love" was really a sweet book. I love a story where the conflict is within the relationship instead of some outside source...there really is no villian here..the h/h are really the only ones standing in the way of their own happiness....I also enjoyed getting to know the secondary characters..my only quibble with this book was that I felt that there was a bit TOO MUCH attention on the other players..it took away a bit from the primary relationship betyween Cam and Gina....all in all a good read, but not one that is a keeper for me.
Rating:
Summary: My first Eloisa James book...
Review: but it won't be my last. I really enjoyed this author's writing style and humor. I liked the characters but found myself more interested in the secondary characters than the main two. I look forward to trying more by this wonderful author.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable and witty
Review: Childhood friends forced into marriage way too young. A groom who flees the wedding within minutes of taking his vows and who winds up a sculptor in Greece. But far from hating him, Gina stays in touch with him, writing him letters that keep him abreast of events back home. And now she has asked him to come home and give her an annullment so that she can marry a Marquess, have a real marriage and family and move on with her life. But when they meet again after 12 years, not only is their easy friendship renewed, but a strong attraction is begun. Cam is the opposite of Gina's fiancee. He's charming, carefree, informal, flouts convention and society's rules and he's also darkly handsome. Though he can be selfish and infuriating, he's also irresistable. Will Gina choose to go through with the annullment and marry her responsible, stable, starchy Marquess or will she stay married to her wayward, sometimes irresponsible husband? While Cam and Gina are the central couple, this is also the story of three of her friends, also estranged from their husbands. Carola wants her's back, the little seen Helene does not and then there is Esme who is unwillingly attracted to Gina's upright, uptight fiancee. Esme is a tragic figure and my heart went out to her. She's a woman of her time, trapped in a marriage she doesn't want and attracted to a man she cannot and should not have. By the end of the book, I was wondering if possibly Helene will be seen in a story of her own - maybe with Cam's cousin Stephen? They might make a nice couple :)! A fun, enjoyable and recommended read.
Rating: 
Summary: Another delightful James book
Review: DUCHESS IN LOVE is a witty, well-written delight. I can't think of a more pleasant way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon. Eloisa James always seems to have her finger on the pulse of her characters and their dialogue always rings true. By the time you finish the book, you feel like Gina and Camden and their circle of friends are your friends, too. I wish I could invite them all over for tea! I can't wait for the next book by Ms. James.
Rating:
Summary: Incredible- A Cut Above Other Historical Romances
Review: Duchess In Love is an incredible romance novel that contains well developed main and supporting characters, extremely sexy dialogue, a witty plotline, and steamy romance scenes that never get boring. This is the first novel I have read by Eloisa James, but I intend on reading more by her. She has also written Potent Pleasures, Midnight Pleasures, Enchanting Pleasures, and Fool For Love (a sequel to Duchess In Love which will be in stores in August of 2003). This is truly one of the best historical romance novels I have ever read, and I put Eloisa James in the same class as famed romance novelists Johanna Lindsey and Judith McNaught. -Kate
Rating:
Summary: Razorsharp, Fun & Real
Review: Duchess in Love is one of those books that makes you wish you knew a crowd like that... then you realize that maybe you should look at your crowd more like Eloisa James looks at her characters. All have flaws, but James' perfect pitch for finding and showing the hilarity and dearness of her characters makes you love them. I'd even say they make you think and evaluate your own relationships (positively!). Her plots may be somewhat exaggerated, but there's nothing in them that's impossible or makes no sense, and come on, it's fiction! Even controlled farce. Beutifully controlled, I'd say. This one was great!
Rating:
Summary: Duchess in Love is refreshingly funny and empathetic
Review: Eloisa James may be guilty of fashioning her Regency-era romance with a shade of Sex-and-the-City modern sensibilities but the refreshing gumption found in the scandalous group of ladies translates to a guilty pleasure. Duchess in Love features the delightful duchess of Girton, Gina receiving her sculptor of a husband, Cam Serrad who escaped his matrimony 12 years ago to the then 11-year old Gina. Through these years they communicated on letters and Cam returns to London again by the summons of his father's solicitor Mr. Rounton to settle his estates and to grant Gina an annulment so that she can marry the starched-up, prim-and-proper Marquess of Bonnington. What Cam did not expect was the revival of love and lust for the now grown-up Gina. The comedy of mismatched lovers and scandals spirals into several surprising twists to flesh out the nuances of her side characters. Lady Perwinkle finds unrequited love with the return of her husband while Esme is trapped in a loveless marriage and yearns for a child. Eloisa James gives a hilarious and tender portrayal of desires and passion clashing with obligations and sensibilities where the central clueless couple Gina and Cam unravels secrets of Gina's half-brother and illicit mother through a sculpture of Aphrodite. It is a laugh-out riot with her clever usage of Shakespeare's play Much Ado About Nothing to spice up the interplay of witty quips and insults. With empathy and grace, Eloisa James proves there can be a new world after all in the over-recycled and stereotypical genre.
Rating:
Summary: Enternaining but disappointing toward the end.
Review: For the most part the book was amusing, even if it didn't make my heart beat faster. It had the potential but I felt that evertime the book was getting interesting, the scene was over abruptly.
Usually I don't like it when there are too many plots in one novel, it tends to get distracting and takes away from the main characters, but in this case, it didn't bother me, mainly because I found the secondary characters interesting.
My main complain is that some scenes seem rushed, specially toward the end. And I didn't like at all that Esme actually got back with her husband. From that point on, I disagreed with everything that happened as a result. I don't want to get into much detail, as to not give away the story, but I feel there was a simpler solution. Why couldn't Esme and her husband get a divorce? It was obvious that they wanted it, since both of them were interested in other people. I know that this was not common at that time, but is not as if the book stays too close to reality anyway. I guess it would have caused a scandal, but neither Esme nor her husband seem too concerned about this either. I would have preferred it if Esme ended up with her lover, since I got to care about him a great deal. The way they parted almost ruined the book for me. Perhaps they will reappear in their own novel? I would like to see a continuation of their story, because I don't like the way things ended for them in this book. And I'm not the only one, I read another reviewer expressed the same oppinion.
Another thing I didn't like too much was the reconciliation between Cam and Gina. This was one of the most important scenes on this book, unfortunately, also one of the most incomplete and badly written.
In general, the book is not bad, the characters were likeable and the plot different. It just needed some polishing...and a sequel.
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