Three Weeks with Lady X

Desperate Duchesses

By: Eloisa James

Narrated by: Susan Duerden

New York Times best seller Eloisa James's fabulous new novel!

Having made a fortune, Thorn Dautry, the powerful bastard son of a duke, decides that he needs a wife. But to marry a lady, Thorn must acquire a gleaming, civilized facade, the specialty of Lady Xenobia India.

Exquisite, headstrong, and independent, India vows to make Thorn marriageable in just three weeks.

But neither Thorn nor India anticipate the forbidden passion that explodes between them.

Thorn will stop at nothing to make India his. Failure is not an option.

But there is only one thing that will make India his. The one thing Thorn can't afford to lose - his fierce and lawless heart.

©2014 Eloisa James (P)2014 HarperCollins Publishers

Finally a good regency romance again

What did you love best about Three Weeks with Lady X?

I enjoyed the plot, but most of all I enjoyed the characters. Xenobia is witty, cleaver and a breathe of fresh air. Thorn has a wonderful sense if humor and is sooo sexy!! Their attraction to each of other was instant, but for more reasons than sexual chemistry. However there was plenty of that. They both thought about others above themselves, but eventually saw the inevitability of a union.

What other book might you compare Three Weeks with Lady X to and why?

I forget the title, but their was another regency that featured a heroine that did not want to marry. She had a talent for decorating and was also thought of by the ton as eccentric. She fell in love with a scientist.

Which character – as performed by Susan Duerden – was your favorite?

Thorn and his ward ( and of course her doll)

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Not sure they make these kinds of movies any longer.

Any additional comments?

If you enjoy a good regency take a look!

Very Diverting

This is my favorite of the series but I must say it's Susan Duerden that makes this book so much fun. Her voice interpretations are so spot on and life-giving to the written word that I often listen to this book just for the narration. I do like the characters too that are believable and annoying when appropriate. The story is unique and different with lots of detail of the players. I must say I liked the first part of the book much better than the second half which was riddled with too much sexual content bordering on monotony. It wasn't quite consistent considering the time period. Too bad because I was really enjoying the storyline before that. It also diminished the character's integrity and took away from the story.

Absolute Perfection

I think this book and and When Beauty Tamed The Beast are Eloisa James’ finest works. And that’s really saying something, as I think Eloisa James is the epitome of a romance novelist, the best I’ve had the pleasure to read.

I don’t care for angsty books, that are mostly long drawn out misunderstandings that a two minute conversation would fix. I really don’t like where the main characters are in conflict for most of the book and then come together happily in the last couple of chapters. Four Nights With The Duke was just such a book and I HATED it.

This book is so charming, witty and fun. I had a smile plastered on my face the entire time. Thorn is my favorite male character in all of EJ books, and Xenobia India my favorite female.

For me, this is it, the perfect romance novel. Add in Susan Duerden narration and it’s the perfect audio romance novel. Just perfect.

Really enjoyed the first part of the book.....

This is my first Eloisa James book that I managed to finish without skipping chapters and going straight to the end.

Humor and loyalty

The pace of the story was entertaining. The reader is enjoyable to listen to. I liked the outlying characters. Hopefully we'll see stories about them as well.

Great Writer and Great Reader

I love Eloisa James' books. She has a way of making her characters come to life as if the reader was glimpsing into people's windows and watching their lives unfold. The author does not follow a scripted type of character. Each book introduces people with different types of personalities and backgrounds. She also likes to throw together unlikely love matches. India and Thorn make a great couple. And . . Susan Duerden is one of my favorite narrators.

Fun romance

India, who is Lady X, earns her own keep by decorating people's houses and staffing them with servants. She is an expert at the job and is paid well. She is from the nobility, but her parents were very flighty and poor. They were killed in a carriage accident and India went to live with her godmother and started getting paid for her organization services. Her friend Eleanor, a duchess, asked India to help get her stepson's house ready so that he can get married. The stepson, Thorn, is the bastard son of Eleanor's husband. He has become very very wealthy due to his business sense and inventions. Thorn plans to wed a rather dimwitted girl from the nobility in order to raise his reputation among the ton thus allowing him to have children who will not be looked down upon. Thorn and India become very attracted to one another as she stays three weeks in his house setting it to rights and staffing it with servants. At the end of three weeks Thorn will host a house party for his intended bride and her mother, who he must win over in order to get married. Just before he dies, Thorn's friend sends his six year old daughter to Thorn for him to take care of. She is a really cute and precocious little character. India and Thorn write notes back and forth between the country home and his place of business in London as India works on the house. The notes are funny and sexy. When time comes for the house party, the situation becomes dicey with various couples, triangles and misunderstandings. Thorn's intended bride's mother is one atrocious and despicable woman. Thorn's friend, Dandry, is a great character and so is the Doctor that comes to the house party to monitor the intended bride's mother.

There is plenty of chemistry between Thorn and India and several very erotic scenes. I cared about both of them but I did want to slap Thorn around somewhat. He could be quite mean sometimes. All in all, this is a really great book and held my attention throughout. Susan Duerden is one of the best narrators in the business. I always enjoy listening to her. Even though this book is part of a series, it is definitely a stand alone book.

One of her best!

Intriguing unusual plot & characters, like able strong women & men characters, & superb performance. Truly a high mark in every respect for an Eloisa James novel.

Great Story. Great Narration!

This was a great story. I really loved India\Xenobia character. Strong, smart, witty, independent. I really liked Thorne too. Handsome, a bit arrogant, smart and suave.
They had some great chemistry together. Great sexual tension and attraction. There were a few very well written sex scenes too, so this is not a rated G book.

The story line and plot were great, it flowed together very well. Lots and lots of great dialogue throughout the entire book.

I really got a kick out of Rose. She was 5 going on 30 sometimes, giving some LOL moments for sure.

As for the narration, it was great. Susan Duerden has become one of my favorites. She reads with such emotion, whispers, yelling, laughing etc.. if the story calls for it she does it. The men sound like men and everyone get their own distinct voice. Wonderful job SD!

Yes I totally recommend this book to historical romance readers!

One of her best

Such a beautiful story, beautifully told by the narrator. One of Eloisa James’ most touching romances was just the right note of passion and eroticism. Wish I could discover it all over again.