Sarah MacLean

The third book in Sarah MacLean's witty and romantic Scandal & Scoundrel series featuring a ravishing heroine and the man, desperately in love, who now has to make amends. The one woman he will never forget… Malcolm Bevingstoke, Duke of Haven, has lived the last three years in self-imposed solitude, paying the price for a mistake he can never reverse and a love he lost forever. The dukedom does not wait, however, and Haven requires an heir, which means he must find himself a wife by summer’s end. There is only one problem—he already has one. The one man she will never forgive… After years in exile, Seraphina, Duchess of Haven, returns to London with a single goal—to reclaim the life she left and find happiness, unencumbered by the man who broke her heart. Haven offers her a deal; Sera can have her freedom, just as soon as she finds her replacement…which requires her to spend the summer in close quarters with the husband she does not want, but somehow cannot resist. A love that neither can deny… The duke has a single summer to woo his wife and convince her that, despite their broken past, he can give her forever, making every day the Day of the Duchess.

Scandal & Scoundrel, Book III

The Day of the Duchess

Lover of Romance 

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance

The Day of the Duchess is the third book in her most latest series, but I will admit its been awhile since I have managed to pick her up. This is the first of the series I have read, and I am so intrigued by these five sisters. They are robust, entertaining, unique and quite fun to read. I loved their banter and how loyal they are to each other and the different ways they look out for each other. The Day of the Duchess features Seraphina. And my what a most beautiful and unique name right. Well our story starts off with Seraphina requesting a divorce to be issued through parliament, and what a scandal that would be for a woman to ask in this time. But really, there is only one man that could give this to her, the man she wants a divorce with. A man she hasn't seen in years, the man she left and abandoned years previous. Seraphina and Malcolm were married out of convenience, and Seraphina and Malcolm hurt and betrayed each other after falling deeply in love with each other. They kept secrets from each other until it was too late. Then when Seraphina learned she couldn't have any more children after a painful miscarriage, she left for America. Malcolm has never been able to forget his wife, he has searched everywhere for her for years. But when she returns to England, he refuses to give her a divorce....he means to make her fall in love with him again no matter what.

Our lovely Duke is pretty deceptive in some ways but he does have a good heart with earnest intentions to prove to his duchess to take a risk and a chance on him and on the love they once shared. But Seraphina has suffered quite a bit of pain and doesn't trust Malcolm. So there is quite a bit of mistrust and pain that is between them. It was so entertaining this book....and I was swept away by their lively bantering, the machinations of Seraphina's sisters and the charming and fiesty cat. And then we also have a side built up story of Cam (The American) and Sesily which leads to a future book---according to the author. Our hero hatches up a plan, have his duchess choose his next wife to be (a woman he never plans to marry since he plans on keeping Seraphina) but Serpahina doesn't know that yet but she knows he has something up his life. But Seraphina wants to be free, to fully own a tavern in Convent Gardens and to be the sparrow the sings and charms the crowd.

Sarah Maclean did a fantastic job with this book, and I have fallen in love with her writing again. I really adored seeing this book pull me write in from the beginning. Although I will say the middle of the book felt a bit flat for me at times, and I had a hard time concentrating on the story. But the beginning the latter half of the book were so fantastic. I was charmed by this second chance romance, seeing this couple reconnect and fight and share some powerful kisses that are more than swoonworthy. I honestly didn't expect this book to turn out the way it did so MacLean definitely gave it a nice twist you don't expect to happen. And man I want to mention the emotion of this book. ALL THE FEELS Folks!!! Especially the ending here, simply left me so happy and smiling.
 
  You are perfect.” She closed her eyes at the sting of the words. “I am deeply flawed.” He stayed still and silent until she opened them again. “Your flaws are perfect. A map of where we have been.” She caught her breath at that we. At how much she wanted it to be true. He went on, “I have dreamed of you here. Look up. Look at us. Look at how beautiful you are. Watch how I worship you.”
 
Overall The Day of the Duchess is a fantastic work from this author that captures your attention, makes you laugh and smile, and gives the reader a belly full satsifying romance!!
 
  
 
 
  Click To Buy On Amazon 
 
 

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Olivia

Another 5-star read from Sarah MacLean! Sarah has done it again writing such a beautiful story. Sera is such a strong, courageous heroine (and one of my new favorites now) and the groveling that Malcolm does is what makes this book as good as it is. Very rarely am I satisfied with how much reparations the hero does for forgiveness when he does something wrong but this book satisfies my need for the right amount of groveling (if that makes any sense). A touching and beautiful story about grieve, mistakes, and forgiveness (and begging for forgiveness lol).

Magda Silva

Still not sure about the rating for this story. It is 4.5 stars just not sure is more a 4 or a 5 here in the site because Sarah MacLean did it again. Picked a couple that I knew that would never function and would never be together again and surprised me. Dear lord. Fantastic.

b.andherbooks

*Fans self*

Well, this one takes you on a rollercoaster ride! While you feel like you may pass out a few times along the way the ride leaves you exhilarated at the end.

We last left Malcolm being pushed into a fish pond after he is caught having sex with another woman while his wife is massively pregnant. I didn't think we could ever forgive Malcolm, but MacLean does an excellent job of tracing the journey of Sera and Malcolm from first lust, to betrayal, to redemption.

I adore MacLean's portrayal of the Sera and her sisters and their undying loyalty to each other and their give a damn attitude about society. It was also refreshing to see a romance that deals with real infidelity and the struggle to forgive. While I don't generally like stories based around lies and hidden agendas this one takes that trope and demonstrates why the truth is always best. Both Malcolm and Sera made massive mistakes which helps balance it all out and makes the payoff all the more satisfying at the end.

Oh, and hidden ballroom under lake sex? Hawt.

I cannot wait to read Calhoun and Sesily's story!

Find this review and more at 
  kimberlyfaye reads.


I love-love-loved The Day of the Duchess. I listened to it entirely on audiobook and I had a really tough time forcing myself to stop listening, to draw it out longer. I'm not exaggerating when I say I spent at least four hours one afternoon reorganizing my closet and cleaning everything in sight so I could keep listening. If I found more audiobooks I loved as much as this one, I'd have the cleanest apartment in the state. 

I'm a sucker for a second chance romance and when it's as swoony and romantic and as full of feels as this one is, it's no wonder. It also had quite a bit more angst than I'm accustomed to in historical romance and that's one of the reasons I loved it as much as I did. FEELS. FOR. DAYS. I was an emotional wreck, totally invested in Malcolm and Sera's story. Without getting too far down in the weeds and ruining the story for you, Malcom's determination to win Sera back is what I want from all heroes in every book. Forget alphaholes and manwhores, I want a man who wears his heart on his sleeve and is all in for the woman he loves. That's what does it for me. 

The Day of the Duchess is one of my new favorite historical romances and probably my favorite Sarah MacLean book to date. (Which is saying something because I love her books.) There was just something about this one that was so real and raw that it go under my skin and into my heart. 

FAVORITE QUOTES

The only woman he’d ever loved. The only woman he’d ever hated. The same, and somehow entirely different.

“I shall have you. I shall love you. And I shall grow old in your arms.”

Lacey

Originally posted at Booklovers For Life

AAHHHHH I AM SO IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOK!!!!! This might honestly be my new all-time favorite book of Sarah MacLean’s (and if you know me, you know how much I loved One Good Earl Deserves a Lover). The angst had me in TEARS. I LOVED it. THIS is exactly the kind of book I want when I read a second chance romance (aka has a groveling hero who is unrelenting in his pursuit to win back the one and only love of his life). As soon as I finished The Day of the Duchess, I knew it would be one of the best books I’d read all year. I wholeheartedly loved every bit of this wonderful book, and I encourage all historical romance lovers and second chance romance lovers to read this book!

Home required more than river and rolling hills. Home required her. And so he would do this summer what he had done every moment he’d been away from London for the past two years and seven months, exactly. He would search for her.

For the past three years, Malcolm Bevingstoke, Duke of Haven, has been searching endlessly for his runaway wife. We experience the pain and agony he’s been going through the past few years missing his wife – the woman he loves and hates. Sarah MacLean writes his anguish so well – I could FEEL exactly how he was feeling, and it was literally hurting my heart. I love some good angst, and the author gives it to us in huge doses. Then, finally, Malcolm’s wife reappears back in London, demanding a divorce… and all he can think about is having her back in his life forever.

The only woman he’d ever loved. The only woman he’d ever hated.
The same, and somehow entirely different.

Here, Sarah MacLean intertwines Sera and Malcolm’s love stories that take place both in the past and the present. We get the background of how they met and fell in love… before everything fell apart, before Malcolm hated Sera, before Sera ran away. Their past is heartbreaking and full of pain – I nearly had tears in my eyes because I felt like I was experiencing every bit of their pain alongside them.

Love is not enough.
There had been a time when it would have been. When he had been all she’d ever wished for. All she’d ever needed. But he’d been too blind to see that everything she’d done had been for him. For their family. For their future. And by the time he’d understood, she’d already been fixed to the firmament.

And then, I ACTUALLY cried as Malcolm was trying to win back his wife and love of his life. His desperation to earn Sera’s forgiveness and love again had my heart hurting, but I loved every second of the hurt. His path toward redemption is a bit wonky – having Sera find a replacement wife for him, all the while trying to get her to love him again – but he is definitely not letting her go again, because he never stopped loving her. I love a good grovel, and Sarah MacLean gave me everything I never knew I wanted in a groveling hero. I honestly didn’t think Malcolm would be redeemable after what happened in The Rogue Not Taken, but all I can say after having read this is that Malcolm is 100% redeemed in my eyes and I absolutely loved him and Sera together.

“I shall have you. I shall love you. And I shall grow old in your arms.”

This is probably my all-time favorite redeeming love story. I’m such a sucker for second chance romances but they’re never done quite the way I want them to. Luckily, Sarah MacLean surpassed all my expectations in a second chance romance with this beautiful, powerful love story. Everyone needs to experience the wonder that is this book!

Thanks to the publisher for generously providing me an ARC to review.

Quotes are taken from the ARC and are subject to change in the final version.

Amazon Ebook: http://amzn.to/2c6SMpz
Amazon Hardcover: http://amzn.to/2sWqadO
Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.to/2bFfkOe
Audible: http://amzn.to/2sWivwh

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'Romance novelist Sarah MacLean has reignited the genre with a bolder edge.' New Yorker 'Do yourself a favor and discover the compelling magic of Sarah MacLean.' Amanda Quick The one woman he will never forget . . . Marcus Bevingstoke, Duke of Haven, has lived the last three years in self-imposed solitude, paying the price for a mistake he can never reverse and a love he lost forever. The dukedom does not wait, however, and Haven requires an heir, which means he must find himself a wife by summer's end. There is only one problem - he already has one. The one man she will never forgive . . . After years in exile, Seraphina, Duchess of Haven, returns to London with a single goal - to reclaim the life she left and find happiness, unencumbered by the man who broke her heart. Haven offers her a deal; Sera can have her freedom, just as soon as she finds her replacement... which requires her to spend the summer in close quarters with the husband she does not want, but somehow cannot resist. A love that neither can deny The duke has a single summer to woo his wife and convince her that, despite their broken past, he can give her forever, making every day . . . the day of the Duchess!

The Day of the Duchess Scandal & Scoundrel, Book III

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