Rating: 
Summary: Did not expect to love this book so much!!
Review: The story of Anne & Race I just did not expect to love as much as I did. Anne Peckworth in the other books by Beverley hardly seemed to have the strength to be interesting enough to carry a romantic adventure. It truly is a credit to Beverley's development of character - this book just builds and builds and with each chapter you are totally submerged into Anne's adventures and search for a husband. Of course the perfect match you know is Race which you meet in the first few pages. What a perfect hero Race was, strong, independent, adventurous with such a protective, caring way - but alas he had no "title" - no credible background and everything was about who and what you were back then. Certainly, he was not good enough for the daughter of a Duke. Anne really tries to follow her mother's advise that you can learn to love a man of proper birth - you just have to give it time. Anne tries, but no one can compare to what she feels for Race. One thing I especially liked was the patience Beverley had with the ending of the story. Too often writers hurry the ending, the last couple chapters of this book were truly superb and influence my 5 stars. St. Raven's help in the end was so romantic too, very romantic of Tris! He wanted to make sure his good friend was truly happy. And the father's of Anne and Race both came through in a big way too which in so many books the father's were horrific! Once again Beverley has done an excellent job - this is one of her best.
Rating: 
Summary: Not close to her best
Review: This book starts out with so much potential. Quietly beautiful young single woman meets handsome, dashing ex-military hero also single. Chemistry develops between the two during his visit to her sister's estate. Then...practically nothing. The few moments of passion or chemistry that we see between Race and Anne through the rest of the novel are few and far between. He is either playing servant to her brother, or she's leading a horde of suitors that magically appears around the near spinster woman on her second emergence into society. The whole issue with the name(De Vere) I found to be nearly the most absurd part of the book. That title goes to the scene were Anne's lifelong friend/"brother" practically pushed her into bed with Race, merely 6 or so chapters after threatening to duel with him over conversing with her at Drury Lane! The whole premise of the story is that a marriage between the duke's daughter and the carriage maker's son could never happen. The reader spends the whole novel trudging through this issue time and again. Based on that, one would think it would take more than a few words, a 5000 pound allowance and the promise to live close by for her father to agree; unfortunately, it doesn't. Take off 1 star for the lack of chemistry and Anne's flighty nature with the multitude of suitors. Another for the absurdity with the names and duels, and yet another for the quick acceptance of her family to the marriage of a duke's daughter to a commoner. Sadly, only a 2 for one of the greatest romance author's of our times.
Rating:
Summary: Not close to her best
Review: This book starts out with so much potential. Quietly beautiful young single woman meets handsome, dashing ex-military hero also single. Chemistry develops between the two during his visit to her sister's estate. Then...practically nothing. The few moments of passion or chemistry that we see between Race and Anne through the rest of the novel are few and far between. He is either playing servant to her brother, or she's leading a horde of suitors that magically appears around the near spinster woman on her second emergence into society. The whole issue with the name(De Vere) I found to be nearly the most absurd part of the book. That title goes to the scene were Anne's lifelong friend/"brother" practically pushed her into bed with Race, merely 6 or so chapters after threatening to duel with him over conversing with her at Drury Lane! The whole premise of the story is that a marriage between the duke's daughter and the carriage maker's son could never happen. The reader spends the whole novel trudging through this issue time and again. Based on that, one would think it would take more than a few words, a 5000 pound allowance and the promise to live close by for her father to agree; unfortunately, it doesn't. Take off 1 star for the lack of chemistry and Anne's flighty nature with the multitude of suitors. Another for the absurdity with the names and duels, and yet another for the quick acceptance of her family to the marriage of a duke's daughter to a commoner. Sadly, only a 2 for one of the greatest romance author's of our times.
Rating:
Summary: Couldn't put it down
Review: This is a must read but make sure you have set aside some time because its one of those that you can't put down and hate to see end. Can't wait for the next book.
Rating: 
Summary: Lacking in Oomph
Review: This was a technically sound book but just not that interesting.
After being jilted twice Lady Anne Peckworth is ready to do whatever it takes to find the right man for her. In her case doing whatever it takes mainly involves just getting out of the house to meet men and not being deliberatly off putting. There is only man who sets Anne's heart a flutter, but he is below her station as a Duke's Daughter -- and aware of that. It is a decent story, but the two main charectars don't generate much genuine heat or passion. It lacks in genuine feeling.
Rating: 
Summary: Flimsy and flat
Review: What a dull book, with a dull premise. The ladylike heroine and the rakish man has been done to death at this stage. There is no spark between the characters apart from the kiss, no sensuality, and dozens of characters mentioned never to be seen again. I find that the other couples in the book are all more interesting than the central one, which is not saying much since even Anne the heroine finds them dull. And crippled heroines have been done to death at this stage as well, as has the innocent and niave girl who asks a rake for tutelage in love.
I also saw so many grammatical errors in this book that the whole thing struck me as slipshod and yet another book churned out to try to continue a successful series at the expense of commonsense and quality.
Rating:
Summary: Very Long and Dull
Review: While I found the sections where the hero is musing to himself to be interesting they were the best part of the book. The section where the main characters are at a play is much to long. I agree with other reviewers that this book is to long with little really happening. It felt like the main purpose of this book was to introduce Anne's cousin, which JB acknowledges at the end, will be the subject of her next book.
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