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Ashlyn Macnamara
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To Lure a Proper Lady (Duke-Defying Daughters Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Ashlyn Macnamara (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 361 ratings
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In this steamy novel from bestselling author Ashlyn Macnamara—“a born storyteller” (Jennifer McQuiston) who “brings all the elegance and romance of the Regency to life” (Tessa Dare)—a dutiful young lady tries to resist the charms of a rogue from the legendary Bow Street Runners.
 
When Lady Elizabeth Wilde and her sisters are summoned once again to their chronically anxious father’s deathbed, she’s shocked to find that his worries are at last justified. He’s terribly ill, and Lizzie suspects poison. But when she seeks help from the Bow Street Runners, her request is answered by a rough-hewn rogue known only as Dysart. Though his irreverent charm by turns shocks and captivates her, a man of Dysart’s background is an altogether inappropriate choice for a duke’s daughter—isn’t he?
 
Although Dysart has his reasons to disdain polite society, the promise of supplemental income from a noble’s coffers is too tempting to deny. But if Dysart means to apprehend the culprit who poisoned the duke, he’ll need to avoid any and all distractions—like the delicious swish of Lady Elizabeth’s hips. Yet as the investigation begins to unearth secrets he’d rather remain hidden, Dysart must decide at a moment’s notice whether to hold Elizabeth at arm’s length . . . or pull her dangerously close.
 
Praise for the novels of Ashlyn Macnamara
 
“Ashlyn Macnamara weaves tales rich in angst, humor, and history as she treats readers to the steamier side of Regency. Her inventive prose has secured her a place on my auto-buy list, and her memorable characters have secured a place in my heart. Don’t forget to set your morning alarm, though. You’ll be reading long past your bedtime!”—New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jennifer McQuiston
 
“A witty, sexy historical romance . . . Pain, scandal, forgiveness, honor, intrigue, passion, clever banter, romance and love all play a part in this delightful tale, which will keep readers turning the pages.”—Romance Junkies, on What a Lady Craves
 
“An intriguing, dramatic, and sexually charged novel that is recommended for most historical romance lovers.”—Library Journal, on What a Lady Demands
 
“A wonderful tale depicting an intelligent heroine who speaks her mind, and a misguided hero who is struggling with his past.”—Fresh Fiction, on What a Lady Requires
 
Includes a special message from the editor, as well as an excerpt from another Loveswept title.
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  1. Book 1 of 2
    Duke-Defying Daughters
  2. Print length
    245 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publisher
    Loveswept
  6. Publication date
    March 29, 2016
  7. File size
    1237 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. See all details
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B010ZXQAH8
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Loveswept (March 29, 2016)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 29, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1237 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 245 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 361 ratings

About the author

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Ashlyn Macnamara

Ashlyn Macnamara

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They say that once you reach your forties, you undergo some sort of mid-life crisis. That must have been what happened to Ashlyn Macnamara when she finally made up her mind to set down some of the stories that had been accumulating dust in the dark recesses of her brain for years. As space becomes available, other plots and characters have developed the pesky habit of moving in to take their place.

Ashlyn lives in the wilds of suburbia outside Montreal with her husband and two teenaged daughters. When not writing, she looks for other excuses to neglect the housework, among them knitting, reading and wasting time on the internet in the guise of doing research.

Want to catch up with the latest? Sign up for my newsletter: http://eepurl.com/jwXGD

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
361 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

DIY Mama
5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging characters and well-paced plot
Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2016
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Ashlyn Macnamara is a master of writing engaging characters and well-paced plots, and her newest book, To Lure a Proper Lady, is no exception.

Lady Elizabeth Wilde (Lizzie) is the eldest of The Duke of Sherrington's three daughters. Her father has been chronically ill for years, and the family wonders if he's faking his symptoms to manipulate them. But during his latest attack, Lizzie begins to suspect foul play and hires a Bow Street runner to investigate whether or not her father is being poisoned.

Dysart, the Bow Street runner, is a man who can slip into any persona. With a mysterious past, he's rough around the edges and disdains the trappings of Lizzie's status. But the chemistry between them ignites almost immediately and sizzles throughout their investigation.

I love the interaction of all of the characters, but my favorite is Great Aunt Matilda, who has reached the age where she doesn't care one whit what society thinks of her and gets away with things Lizzie and her sisters can only wish to do.

If you're looking for a book with relatable characters, a scorching romance, and an intriguing plot, add this one to your library today.
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Mb4pax
4.0 out of 5 stars Light mystery and HEA made for a fun read.
Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2016
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A charming mystery and historical romance from early 1800s England. Dysart is a Bow Street Runner and Lizzie is a duke's daughter in need of assistance finding the person attempting to poison her father. So in the middle of a week-long party, Dysart and Lizzie set out to ferret out the poisoner (or is there a poisoner?). The settings, the characters, the dialogue and family interactions kept me entertained for a quick afternoon's read. My first book by Ashlyn Macnamara. I was happily satisfied.
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J. P.
3.0 out of 5 stars Was a decent read, but had a lot of promise that it failed to deliver on (unfortunately)
Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2017
This is my first book by Ashlyn Macnamara and though I'm always somewhat wary when it comes to a new romance author, I was excited by the summary; love a class difference HR—specifically when the heroine is of a higher class than the hero. The book reminded me a lot of Elizabeth Hoyt's The Leopard Prince , which is one of my favorite romances (highly recommend!!!), so was really looking forward to a similar experience.

Generally speaking, let me say upfront there weren't any big problems. The characters were likable, the writing was decent, and there some sweet and funny scenes. In many ways, this book had all the makings for a really good romance, which in some ways made it all the more disappointing when that promise didn't seem to come through. It kind of felt like a rough draft of a book—several iterations in, but still, not the final end product. It was small things, like for example most of the story takes place during a country house party, but it felt very forced, it's supposed to be big enough to take over the entire house, but we only end up meeting like 5 people, Lizzie does NOT act like the hostess she should (and neither do her sisters). It was one of those instances where this was superimposed on what the author had already decided plot-wise and so it just never felt like it fit right.

Other than that, their obsession with the other's hotness got to be a bit repetitive and annoying at times, and I also felt like we didn't really get to know any of the secondary characters well enough. The subplot was super obvious and due to that, super annoying (Dysart is supposed to be a professional ... does he just suck, or ?). Barely got to know the other two sisters (who are there throughout the book, so it's not like they're "off-stage"), the father was kind of annoying, though I did like the great-aunt—she was a hoot. Both of their waffling back and forth internally about whether to go for it, to continue going for it, etc. was annoying. I also found Lizzie to be quite spineless regarding her cousin and her father's desire to pair them together, all for the sake of having someone with sense take care of the estates (???).

BOTTOM LINE. Decent read, nothing to rave about, but wasn't bad enough to put me off reading the next book in the series. Fingers crossed I like Caro's story better.

RECOMMENDATIONS. Selection of other romances I've really loved (or at least greatly enjoyed) that featured similar storyline (heroine is of a higher class):
* The Leopard Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt
* The Proposition by Judith Ivory
* After the Kiss by Suzanne Enoch
* One Kiss From You by Christina Dodd
* Luck Be a Lady by Meredith Duran
* Unveiled by Courtney Milan
* McAlistair's Fortune by Alissa Johnson
* The Rogue You Know by Shana Galen
* One Night Is Never Enough by Anne Mallory
* Sweetest Regret by Meredith Duran

*This review is of an ARC provided by Net Galley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review
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amanon reader
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2016
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Sexy Romance with a mystery. I did not want this story to end. I look forward to reading this writer's backlist and future books. Good writing. Hero and heroine were a perfect match, no silly misunderstanding to mar the plot. Well done, Ms. McNamara, well done.
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Sandra J. Curry
4.0 out of 5 stars GOOD READ
Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2016
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I am always fascinated with stories about the Bow Street Runners. They came from all walks of life and they were the first investigating organized agency in England. Our hero, Dysart, was one of them. Called upon by HEROINE, Lady Elizabeth, she suspected foul play to her father, the Duke of Sherrington. Dysart followed Lizzy to the estate where a house party was taking place.The rest is them trying to figure out who and why the Duke was in danger. The side CHARACTERS were good and Caroline and Pippa, Elizabeth's sisters, will have their own stories later. If you like spice in your reading, this book has it. The book cover leaves little to the imagination has gorgeous Dysart really is. Definitely swoon worthy GOOD job Ashlyn
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J. E. Emery
5.0 out of 5 stars Always a duke...
Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2017
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I do the the appalling number of irredeemable or even available dukes to necessitate suspension of belief in these books..lol, particularly since dukes are usually very close relatives to the royal family! That aside, this was an entertaining tale with a bit of sinister mystery going on. I found the characters interesting as well and wished for a sequel.
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Verna
4.0 out of 5 stars It was ok
Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2016
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It was ok, but it was kind of rushed at the end. It was too convenient finding the villain at the house in town. That part could have been more interesting. It could of used a little bit more character development, maybe one of them could have learned a lesson or two.
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Gwendolyn Culver
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful
Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2016
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Funny, cute, sexy and romantic. Yes it has some suspense and drama. Great characters. I think book 2 should be about sister Caro who should be quite entertaining.
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Top reviews from other countries

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BeBra
2.0 out of 5 stars abgebrochen
Reviewed in Germany on August 26, 2016
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Leider konnte das Buch mich nicht fesseln, obwohl es bei AllAboutRomance eine sehr gute Bewertung bekommen hatte und mit seinen Themen Standesunterschied und Bow Street Runner eigentlich ganz interessant klang. Der Anfang und die Grundidee der Geschichte haben mir auch gut gefallen, es flackerte auch etwas Humor auf, aber dann konnten mich weder die Hauptfiguren noch die weitere Handlung wirklich fesseln. Ich konnte mich leider nicht mit den Hauptfiguren identifizieren und ich fand auch nicht, dass sie gut zusammen passten. Die Entwicklung der Beziehung war mir auch zu sehr "Standardware". Man fühlt sich trotz rationaler Unterschiede widerstrebend zueinander hingezogen, das gab es schon so oft. Also wenn ich bis zur Mitte des Buches kein großes Interesse aufbringen kann, dann finde ich, dass ich auch abbrechen darf, dafür warten zu viele gute Bücher auf dem Buchstapel...
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