Four Dukes and A Devil ... Anthology

Four Dukes and A Devil (anthology)

Cathy Maxwell

Elaine Fox

Jeaniene Frost

Sophia Nash

Tracy Anne Warren

Historical Romance/Paranormal

Published in 2009

Read in March, 2011.

My rating: 3.5 out of 5

                                                                      [spoiler alert]


Note: Review and rating only for Tracy Anne Warren's novella "Charmed by Her Smile", Cade, Jack, Edward and Mallory's cousin India Byron's story.

"Charmed by Her Smile", Tracy Anne Warren
A part of Byrons of Braebourne series

H/h - Quentin Marlowe, the Duke of Weybridge/Lady India Byron

Setting - London, 1809.

So, this story takes place simultaneously when Jack was in Bath pursuing Grace while Cade and Meg just got married. There was this scene in Seduced By His Touch with his mistress where he (after 'that') tells her he can't be in that house party and no slipping into each-other's rooms. (Really Jack? Your whole family is there, c'mon! Just so ewwww!). I should've read this one after Tempted by His Kiss. Maybe, I just wanted to know more about Cade, Jack, Edward and Mallory than India I guess...

The story is kinda funny but nothing very wowing about it and as in other novellas, things are rushed in. I don't always like novellas for this reason, sometimes some occurrences seem forced or rather unbelievable at times. There is this guy called "The Pest" by India, precisely because he is one, sniffing after her even though she'd make sure she has no interest in him. I actually felt sorry for him at one point but now, I don't. He's darned annoying. When I was reading about his antics, I wanted to scream where is your bro India? India's brother Spence is this aforementioned Pest's Oxford friend. Moving on, the beginning was interesting enough, the hero, Quentin is intriguing but not enough to pine for. Maybe because there isn't much about his character, just that he's a duke and a womanizer ... Called as the 'Devil Weybridge' by his peers, that's all. Anyway, I wanted to know about India, since she was mentioned in the other books so I read it. Can't say I'm very impressed by her, she's rather an easy conquest IMO.

So, I give it a 3.5 (while I was thinking of 3 before) mostly, because I loved the ending. Though it was short and sweet, kinda left me wishing for more.