Sophie Reads YA: Alanna Lucas

ARC Review: Blame it on Lord Raine (The Three Graces #3) by Alanna Lucas

12:00

Blame it on Lord Raine
Series: The Three Graces #3
Author: Alanna Lucas
Published March 30th 2024 by Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.

Goodreads Synopsis
And then there was one…

Evelina Grace, the last of the three Grace sisters, has vowed to only marry for love, and nothing less. But Fate intervenes.

Notorious rake, Lord James Raine, never overreacts. His sister may have eloped with the lowly third son of a viscount, but the situation provides him an opportunity to seduce Evelina Grace, Daisy’s friend. Since the moment he met her, he’s been unable to get the alluring beauty out of his mind.

When Evelina met James, she decided to avoid him at all cost, but through no fault of her own, he’s present at every turn, disrupting her thoughts and stirring unwanted feelings. However, when James confronts her at a social event regarding her involvement in his sister’s elopement, anger quickly turns to passion, then almost immediately sours. With just one touch of his lips, her fate is sealed when they’re caught in the act and James declares they’ll marry.

Evelina has vowed to wait for true love, and will not go into a forced marriage without a fight. She has her conditions—she’ll keep her freedom, engaging in a salon with the ladies of the ton she and her sisters entertain, as well as her dowry. James has no other choice but to agree, although he makes a demand of his own—he wants an heir. Now Evelina’s stuck between a rock and a hard place.

She may be a wife in name only, but she despises her husband, and she’ll never allow him into her bed!
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Evelina Grace has seen her sisters find love and happiness, and that is all she wants for herself. Unfortunately, the only man who has caught her eye is the infuriating Lord James Raine, who ever fails to get her blood boiling, or her heart singing. Trying to avoid him at every turn has failed, and when a moment's passion leads to them being seen by the ton, and forced to marry, Evelina will not go down the altar without a fight. Vowing to marry only if she has her freedom, her dowry, and her own bed, Evelina refuses to be anything other than a wife in name only. Her heart has other thoughts though.

I have been waiting for this book since I read the first in the series. Evelina and James' romance had the perfect buildup of tension in the background of the previous books, and their story did not disappoint! Both were very passionate and headstrong characters, and clashed regularly. However, they weren't really "enemies-to-lovers", but rather fighting their attractions. I loved that James seemed to be the one the most affected by his feelings, and though his lapse of judgement in kissing her at a ton event forced them to marry, he was always true to his feelings. He even went so far as to stay away from her after they married because that's what she wanted, even though being away from her was breaking his heart. Evelina just needed a push to realise she wanted him, always, and was already in love, but just in denial. James' mother was vindictive, and I hated everything she did, but luckily the couples love was strong enough to overcome it.

Dates Read:
April 20, 2024

Rating
3 Stars

3 Stars

ARC Review: Never Judge a Beast By His Cover (The Three Graces #2) by Alanna Lucas

11:00

Never Judge a Beast By His Cover
Series: The Three Graces #2
Author: Alanna Lucas
Published October 17th 2023 by Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.

Goodreads Synopsis
Can scars soothed by music of the night lead a beast to passion and plenty?

Theodora Grace is determined she’ll only marry for true love, so her invitation to a summer house party at Grimsby Hall could have been a chore. But with plenty of festivities to enjoy and the opportunity for her and her sister, Evelina, to matchmake on behalf of their friends, she’s happy to attend. It’ll also be a chance get to know more about their intriguing but elusive host, Lord Grimsby.

Damian, Earl of Grimsby has no intention of spending any more time with his guests than he has to. He’s merely there to help his younger cousin find a bride and secure the family line. For he himself will never marry. How can he when he’s known in Society as the Beast, on account of the dreadful scars he suffered after attempting to rescue his father and brother from a fire?

But he cannot help but be drawn to Miss Theodora Grace, with her bewitching beauty and passion for music—something he shares. For years, he’s stayed in the shadows, but is Theodora the one who will finally succeed in leading him into the light?
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Ever since the fire which left him scarred, and killed his father and brother, Damian, Earl of Grimsby, has hidden himself away from the world. Knowing that his estate needs to be secure with an heir, Damian plans on finding his nephew a bride, and agrees to host a summer house party to do that. He’s accepted that he will never find love, and will never put a woman or children through seeing his scars, but wherever he is around Theodora Grace, he wants to be with her. Theodora finds herself intrigued by the mysterious earl, and though his nephew is handsome to be sure, she wants to find a husband who is kind and caring. She knows that Damian is hiding more than just his physical scars, and she's not going to back down without a fight.

I loved the chemistry between Damian and Theodora so much in this book. They were both sensitive characters, and hid a lot of themselves behind their masks - both literal and figurative. Theodora was a sensitive soul, and it was obvious that only someone who shared her love of music would be the man for her. Damian knew that hosting the house party would take him out of his comfort zone, but he would do it for the good of his earldom. Because of his injuries and the scars, he was jilted by his fiancee, and would never want to put another woman, or even children through seeing a man as scarred as him. Hiding in his hidden music room, with his faithful dog, Shadow, is his only reprieve, so Theodora stumbling into the room and invading his every thought is too much. Theodora made him realise that he needed to come out of the shadows and was deserving of love.

Dates Read:
April 20, 2024

Rating
3 Stars

3 Stars

ARC Review: A Most Improper Duchess (The Three Graces #1) by Alanna Lucas

10:00

A Most Improper Duchess
Series: The Three Graces #1
Author: Alanna Lucas
Published July 5th 2023 by Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.

Goodreads Synopsis
Secret salons and forbidden tendres. The Season promises to be scandalous.

After their parents’ deaths, the three Grace sisters must leave their family home for their first season in London. But how will Alexandra, the eldest Miss Grace, fare in the ton’s infamous marriage mart? She’s determined to marry for love. If only she could find a husband like her childhood friend, Niall, Duke of Blackburn, but with added passion.

Caught up in Society’s whirlwind, Alexandra soon realizes eligible gentlemen may want to make suitable matches, but once wed, their true desires will be reserved for their mistresses. Enlisting her sisters’ support, she sets up secret salons with trusted female acquaintances at which they can discuss the conundrum of men’s true nature versus finding a happy marriage.

However, the salons raise more questions than answers, and realizing she will only gain the knowledge the ladies seek by talking with a man, Alexandra approaches Niall. But discussing matters of an intimate nature proves very different from talking about art and architecture, and the friendship Alexandra has always felt rapidly turns into something more. Can she really be falling for her very proper childhood friend?

Niall takes his role in life seriously. He’s a proper fellow, decided in his ways to stand up for those unable to protect themselves. That’s what dukes do—sustain traditions and serve with dignity. When an old friend from Eton asks Niall to watch over his three sisters, how can he refuse? If anyone can assist ladies in their entrance to Society, it’s a duke.

Strict and timely, practiced, and nuanced, Niall knows just what it takes to master the ins and outs of civilization. But sometimes the most proper thing to do is give in.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Entering her debut season at the age of 24, Miss Alexandra Grace and her sisters are embarking on a new adventure. Losing their parents, and being told by their brother that they have a season to find husbands, the three Grace sisters need all the help they can get. So when they realise that they don't know anywhere near as much as they need to about men, and intimacy, Alexandra turns to her best friend, and the only one who has ever been there for her, Niall, Duke of Blackburn. But she's always had feelings for him, and he for her, and he's due to announce his engagement to a more 'suitable' bride any day now. Talking to him about intimacy, knowing they can never be together is heartbreaking, but is there a way for them to be together?

I was scrolling through my kindle shelf and realised I had the entire Three Graces series on my to-read shelf, and they sounded perfect to read this weekend. I loved the idea of the three sisters forming a salon group to help all young women before they were married, and ensure that they weren't forced into unwanted marriages. They had all suffered during their parents' illnesses, and only really had each other for love and affection. I felt for Alexandra so much. She was the eldest sister, so she had dealt with a lot, and didn't want to burden anyone, so kept it all to herself. Niall knew a little, but even he, a duke, could only help so much. Their romance was so sweet, and it was so hard seeing them pining for each other. I wished it was easier for them to be together, but they had to combat all of the outside pressures to be able to be together. It made them a better couple, and I hope we get to see a lot more of them in the sequels.

Dates Read:
April 19, 2024

Rating
3 Stars