The Ugly Duchess by Eloisa James
#4 in The Fairy Tales series
ISBN: 978-0062021731
Pages: 384 Pages
Format: eARC from Publisher
Reading Order:
1. A Kiss at Midnight
1.5 Storming the Castle
2. When Beauty Tamed the Beast
2.5 Winning the Wallflower
3. The Duke is Mine
4. The Ugly Duchess

How can she dare to imagine he loves her…when all London calls her The Ugly Duchess?

Theodora Saxby is the last woman anyone expects the gorgeous James Ryburn, heir to the Duchy of Ashbrook, to marry. But after a romantic proposal before the prince himself, even practical Theo finds herself convinced of her soon-to-be duke’s passion.

Still, the tabloids give the marriage six months.

Theo would have given it a lifetime…until she discovers that James desired not her heart, and certainly not her countenance, but her dowry. Society was shocked by their wedding; it’s scandalized by their separation.

Now James faces the battle of his lifetime, convincing Theo that he loved the duckling who blossomed into the swan.

And Theo will quickly find that for a man with the soul of a pirate, All’s Fair in Love—or War. – via GoodReads.

The Ugly Duchess by Eloisa James contains all of her wit and humor that can be found in all of her fairy tale retellings. Theodora is a smart woman who knows what she wants. She certainly wants to land a husband and with her fortune that shouldn’t be a problem. After she is married, Theo will be able to set aside the filly, lacy, flouncy white dresses that her mother insists she wears to compensate for Theo’s manly looks.

James has known Theodora all his life. They grew up in the same house. He also refers to her as Daisy rather than her chosen name of Theo. James believes strongly in staying loyal to his family. he is even willing to stake his future happiness to avoid scandal. James does have some sense though. When it becomes apparent that James will have to woo and marry Daisy to save his foolish father from ruin, James sets rules and stipulations to his compliance.

James and Theo find themselves married and both are a little surprised at the happiness they’ve found. That is until, as with anything found on lies will do, it all goes terribly wrong…

The Ugly Duchess could have been so much better and I really wanted to love this book. The biggest issue that I had with this book is….

Any romance reader worth their salt will tell you that it isn’t just about the happily ever after but it’s also about the journey to the happily ever after. Overall The Ugly Duchess by Eloisa James is a good read but not great.

All About Romance
Wall-to-Wall Books