Say Yes to the Marquess

October 13, 2014
Dare’s second Castles Ever After Regency (after Romancing the Duke) puts a love-triangle twist on a familiar story of pressures surrounding marriage. Clio Whitmore has been engaged to Lord Piers Brandon, heir to the Marquess of Granville, for eight years. The ostensible reason for nuptial delay is Piers’s work for the Foreign Service, and though he is due to return home soon, she is tired of waiting for a man who appears reluctant to marry her. Clio approaches Piers’s brother, Rafe, asking him to act on his brother’s behalf to end their betrothal. But Rafe doesn’t want to disappoint his brother and instead strikes a bargain with Clio: he will plan the wedding and make sure that she and his brother are married within a month. Rafe, a boxer and the black sheep of the family, is startled when his attraction to smart, tenacious Clio blossoms from mere lust to real admiration. Dare excels at storytelling, creating a powerful, believable romance that evokes a plethora of emotions. Agent: Helen Breitweiser, Cornerstone Literary.

Starred review from November 15, 2014
When Clio Whitmore inherits a castle from her uncle, she decides to call off her long-standing engagement and asks her would-be brother-in-law-who's secretly in love with her-to help her get out of the marriage agreement.Clio has always followed the rules and done what was expected of her; she "had been raised by good parents, with the benefits of education and close attention to propriety, and she was engaged to marry England's most promising young diplomat," Piers Brandon. But after eight years of waiting, she has become an object of ridicule. Inheriting a castle from her elderly uncle gives her a new sense of freedom, and she decides to call off the engagement. Clio seeks out Rafe, Piers' brother and London's "most infamous scoundrel," hoping to convince him to use his power of attorney over Piers' estate to nullify the marriage agreement. He refuses. Rafe wants the marriage. For one thing, if Piers settles down, Rafe can get back to his own life as a champion prizefighter. For another, if Clio marries his brother, she'll have the title and lifestyle she deserves, things he could never give her. After she decamps to her castle, Rafe follows with his jack-of-all-trades manager to ensure the nuptial ceremony is set in motion. Arriving on her doorstep, he finds the castle occupied by Clio's family: Daphne, her demanding younger sister; Daphne's shallow husband, Sir Teddy; and Phoebe, the brilliant but socially awkward youngest sister. Even a crowded house can't keep the long-simmering attraction from flaring between Rafe and Clio, though. Navigating that dangerous reality while also trying to protect Phoebe from Daphne's social expectations becomes complicated and exhausting for Clio, who realizes which brother she belongs with, even if he won't admit it. Dare continues her Castles Ever After series with another cleverly crafted love story that hits all the high notes. A sparkling, emotionally lush romance.

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December 1, 2014

Engaged for eight long years to the Marquess of Granville, who is always abroad on diplomatic missions for the Crown, Clio Whitmore is thrilled when her surprise inheritance of Twill Castle means she no longer needs to marry for security and can call off her upcoming wedding. Now all she needs is for her fiance's reprobate, prizefighting brother to sign the papers to dissolve the betrothal in the Marquess's continuing absence. But Rafe Brandon, who's been handling the marquessate's affairs and would like nothing better than to see his brother back home, has no intention of doing so--and it's up to him to convince Clio to go on with the nuptials. Naturally, it doesn't work out that way. VERDICT A smart and spirited woman who wants control of her own life, a caring, responsible nobleman who hides his feelings behind his "Devil's Own" reputation, and a castle full of quirky characters (a brilliant, outspoken teenager is exceptional) keep the hilarious action on track in this latest addition to Dare's whimsical series. Dare (Romancing the Duke) lives in Southern California.

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from December 15, 2014
Enough is enough. Clio Whitmore has spent so many years waiting for her fianc', Piers Brandon, to finally marry her that London's scandal sheets have dubbed her Miss Wait-More. So when Clio's Uncle Humphrey leaves her Twill Castle in his will, Clio decides she need wait no more for Piers, since she can now have a perfectly splendid life all on her own. However, there is one roadblock on Clio's new path to happiness: Rafe Brandon. While Piers has been abroad serving in England's diplomatic corps, his younger and much more scandalous brother has assumed Piers' duties as heir to the Marquess of Granville. All Clio wants is for Rafe to sign the papers she needs to break her engagement to Piers, but for some reason, Rafe insists that Clio will marry Piers if he has to help her plan the wedding himself! With the latest sterling addition to her Castles Ever After series, RITA awardwinning Dare (Romancing the Duke, 2014) continues to charm and captivate readers with her droll sense of humor, clever plotting, and engaging characters. This flawlessly written Regency historical is guaranteed to hit the sweet spot for most romance readers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)