The Truth About Cads and Dukes

Rescued from Ruin Series, Book 2

By: Elisa Braden

Narrated by: Mary Sarah

When a wager goes wrong....

Painfully shy Jane Huxley is the furthest thing from a diamond of the first water. Bookish, bespectacled, and, well, plain, she never expected to befriend a dissolute charmer like Colin Lacey, much less agree to help him retrieve a lost family heirloom. Fortunately, he is nothing like his cold, rigid older brother. Unfortunately, he is not above deception if it means winning a wager. And that puts Jane in a most precarious position.

A formidable duke will marry a plain Jane....

For Harrison Lacey, the Duke of Blackmore, protecting his family honor is not a choice, it is a necessity. So, when his cad of a brother humiliates the unwitting Lady Jane, Harrison must make it right, even if it means marrying the chit himself.

And a marriage of convenience will become so much more....

Her reputation hanging by a thread, Jane agrees to wed the arrogant Duke of Blackmore, although she's convinced it will result in frostbite. Only after lingering glances lead to devastating kisses does she begin to suspect the truth: Perhaps - just perhaps - her duke is not as cold as he appears.

Contains mature themes.

©2015 Elisa Braden (P)2017 Tantor

I love these characters and their journey to one a

I love these characters and their journey to one another. This is an at once , suspencful as well as humorfull compelling series. I very much look forward to the next instalments.

The heart is a lonely hunter.

This book is a bumpy ride. The Duke has a stiff harsh manner that goes hand in glove with a strict code of conduct.
While Jane is a shy young woman that loves tasty treats and good romances.
Jane's cautiously guards her heart. She is afraid that she might not find someone to love her like her father loves her mother.
What a dilemma!
Although the Duke's brother almost destroyed Jane's reputation as good girl. The Duke was interested in Jane before the eager happened.
He did not have to marry her. He could have avoided the alter with ease.
Jane was the only female who saw him as the person and stood up to his fury.
The heart can see what it needs and will work at taking it for it's own.
Well done! Excellent story and character building. Jane was raised to handle people with attitude and look under their shell.

Braden and Agliotta Are My FAVORITE Team!

I've listened and/or read all of Elisa Braden's books and am so glad when Mary Sarah Agliotta is her narrator.

And Sophie Darling's. I seek out MS for her Regency reads. Love them!

nice story but couldn’t get past the narration

I don’t agree with reviewers who’s are disparaging or disrespectful of the narrator. She has a lovely voice but it doesn’t suit this novel. Going into it, I was hopeful since there are other narrators that took some getting used to. However, this was one of the first novels I had to stop listening to.

Sweet plain Jane, Pride & Prejudice, tribute

I love that this is about a curvy/plump/shy/wallflower. Jane gets in to some serious trouble, lead astray by a pretty face. However instead of the pretty face coming up to scratch, his more dour proper brother marries Jane instead. There is no love lost between Jane and Harrison, a tall blonde godlike Duke. However initial irritation turns into intrigue, then fixation then obsession and eventually love. Unfortunately it takes a while for Harrison to recognize these feelings and just when the two take several steps forward, they regress several more back again. This back and forth is complicated by Jane’s lack of confidence which causes her to read all of Harrison’s reactions in the worst possible way. In spite of this, Jane gains a lot of confidence as mostly on her own in spite of her new husband and calls out his feelings for her before he can admit them to himself. I loved seeing Jane grow yet still remain herself at her core. I did find Harrison’s struggles near the end a bit over the top and belabored. But over all loved this book!!!

4.5 Stars!!

I'm not sure why I waited nearly three years before picking up the second book in the Rescued from Ruin series, since I absolutely loved the first book (The Madness of Viscount Atherbourne.) I won't be making that mistake again. I thoroughly enjoyed this one, as well. In fact, I find myself questioning many of the traditionally published HR's that I've recently read. As far as enjoyment, story retention, romantic tension, and the desire to keep turning pages, this book has them beat. I know that I had read the book blurb years ago, but I didn't re-read it before diving in and the author actually surprised me with its direction. Having previous experience with the author, I knew that I would enjoy the writing, but add two of my favorite tropes (marriage of convenience and enemies to lovers,) and I was in reader nirvana. The characterizations of Harrison and Jane were consistent and not always flattering, but they still won me over. I know that some readers will have issues with Harrison and his staid and brusque manner, but I loved his steadiness with all things except when it came to Jane's magnetic pull. With Jane's physical description in the story, I found it extremely intriguing and beautiful of those which drew Harrison to her. For example, her hands. The author's ability to describe the beauty and delight of Jane's delicate hands convinced me of why I have so thoroughly enjoyed her writing. It wasn't simply the typical physical descriptions we often read in romance and it has me excited to see what other surprises this author might have in future reads.

I spent equal time listening to the audio book when not reading and it was a fabulous production. Definitely, a narrator I will listen to again.

WallFlower Meets her Love

A great story and narrator. Jane is conned by Colin Lacey into putting on britches, enter a Lords house through a window to recover a necklace. Unbeknownst to her it was all for a wager. Jane who will be ruined over this escapade and her only way out of it is to marry the Duke of Blackmore, Harrison Lacey whom she thinks is nothing but cruel. After there actual wedding night Jane is let unfulfilled. Harrison thinks he needs to think if his wife's sensibilities when in fact he doesn't. When she angers him in his study they have the most amazing encounter that leaves her blissful and Harrison angry that he treated his delicate wife like a Trollip. It takes her leaving and the Dowager Marchioness of Wallingford to finally put him straight. This is beautifully written.

Melting the Icy Duke

Shy plain Jane turns out to be the very sensual duchess who melts the icy Dukes heart. Loved listening to Jane come into her own and win the heart if the duke.

The Series

I didn't intend to start this series, and read the 2nd book first. But it didn't matter. You can read these out of order, and still enjoy the story. I liked the 2nd book enough I ended up reading the whole series. Reading them in order, or not....the author is great. The narrator is really expressive and I enjoyed her rendition.

Loved this one!

Thoroughly enjoyable! Wonderful characters and the story swept me away. Highly recommend! I’m fast becoming a fan of Elisa Braden.