Virtual Tour: Lady Bridget's Diary (Keeping Up with the Cavendishes #1) by @mayarodale with #excerpt, #giveaway and review #romance @TastyBookTours
Enter to Win a Print Copy of LADY BRIDGET'S DIARY
and a $25.00 eGift Card to Choice Book Seller
LADY BRIDGET'S DIARY
Keeping Up with the Cavendishes #1
Maya Rodale
Releasing February 23rd, 2016
Avon Books
Lord Darcy is the epitome of perfect
Lord Darcy is the quintessential Englishman: wealthy, titled, impossibly proper and horrified that a pack of Americans have inherited one of England’s most respected dukedoms. But his manners, his infamous self-restraint and better judgment fly out the window when he finds himself with the maddening American girl next door.
Lady Bridget is the opposite of perfect
Lady Bridget Cavendish has grand-but thwarted-plans to become a Perfect Lady and take the haute ton by storm. In her diary, Bridget records her disastrous attempts to assimilate in London high society, her adoration of the handsome rogue next door, her loathing of the Dreadful Lord Darcy and some truly scandalous secrets that could ruin them all.
They cannot stand each other-and yet they cannot stay away
It was loathing at first sight for Lady Bridget and Lord Darcy. But their paths keep crossing...and somehow involve kissing. When Lady Bridget’s diary goes missing, both Darcy and Bridget must decide what matters most of all-a sterling reputation or a perfectly imperfect love.
BUY NOW
Amazon | B & N | Google Play | iTunes | Kobo
Prologue
Oceans crossed: 1
Sisters who plagued me the entire journey: 2
Brothers who suddenly became a duke: 1
Fearsome duchesses: 1
Lady Bridget’s Diary
London, 1824
Durham Residence
The Ballroom
One would think that having one’s brother inherit a dukedom was a stroke of good fortune that would transform their lives from ho-hum to utterly fantastic. One would think that until one was on a reducing diet, stuffed into a tightly laced corset, and forced to practice walking backward.
“Once again, Lady Bridget,” the duchess said crisply.
She was Lady Bridget Cavendish now. Before she had just been Bridget Cavendish of Duncraven farm in Maryland. But then a letter had arrived one day, with the unexpected news that James was now a duke and they were all to leave everything behind and travel to England, immediately.
“Yes Lady Bridget, once more please,” Amelia said with a smirk.
“Do shut up, Amelia,” Bridget said, under her breath. Younger sisters were quite annoying, on any continent.
“It’s ‘Do shut up, Lady Amelia,’” Claire, the oldest sister, corrected. She found all the formality as ridiculous as the rest of their family, much to the despair of the duchess.
Somewhere about the massive house—probably in the stables, even though the duchess made it perfectly clear dukes were above mucking about in the stables—was her brother, James. Or, as he was now to be known, His Grace, the Duke of Durham. Dukes had many responsibilities, it seemed, but walking backward in a gown with an excessively long train was not one of them.
Before her, with sharp blue eyes and perfectly coiffed blond hair, was Josephine Marie Elizabeth Cavendish, Her Grace, the Duchess of Durham, widow of the previous duke, and aunt to the Cavendish siblings.
One did not call her Josie. Amelia had asked.
“Remind me why we are learning to do something as ridiculous as walk backward?” Claire asked. From a young age, she had spent her free hours devoted to the study of mathematics, otherwise known as Important Work. Bridget’s head ached just to think about it.
“It is for your presentation at court,” the duchess replied. “Which is necessary before your debut in society, which you must do in order to find a husband, which a lady must do, lest she become an impoverished spinster.”
“What if we do not wish for a husband?” Amelia asked.
“What a silly question,” the duchess replied. “Lady Bridget, once again.”
At the duchess’s request, Bridget sank into a curtsy. They had practiced this extensively on Tuesday afternoon. Then, with as much grace as she could muster, Bridget rose and began to elegantly glide backward. Or so she tried; feats of grace did not come easily to her (a point upon which their dancing instructor would absolutely agree). Nothing about being a True Lady did. Bridget had daydreamt through lessons on the order of precedence amongst members of the haute ton, how to properly pour a cup of tea, and all the other lessons on etiquette and deportment they endured morning, noon, and night.
“Now Lady Amelia, it is your turn.”
While the duchess’s attention was focused on her sisters, Bridget took advantage of her distraction to continue walking backward until she had crossed the length of the ballroom, then she continued through the large double doors and halfway down the corridor, at which point she turned, lifted her skirts, and proceeded to the kitchens. Reducing diet, deportment lessons, and True Lady-ness be damned.
Lady Bridget's Diary is a reading delight. Filled with flirty fun, this first book in Maya Rodale's new historical romance series, Keeping Up with the Cavendishes, offers readers many treats. Fans of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones' Diary will see parallels here, as well as certain moments from the movies based on these books, along with a humorous shout-out to the classic movie Mean Girls.
There's a Lord Darcy and Bridget, who is now Lady Bridget and an American living in England. The cast of characters offers more humorous antics and I hope to see some of them starring in their own stories in future installments. As much as I enjoyed the book and its references to other books and movies, I did tire of Bridget at times. Her switch from nice to mean isn't something Elizabeth would do and I thought she sounded and acted more like a teen than an adult woman at times.
I enjoyed the author's writing style. I could easily visualize the lovely scenery and dresses, I laughed at the humor and ended up really liking Lord Darcy. The mystery part of who took the diary and Bridget and Darcy falling for each other made this a fun, enjoyable read. I'm anticipating enjoying the next book in this series (as well as any others).
Rating: 3.5
Cover comment: Very pretty with all of that white. Is that her wedding dress?
Book source: NetGalley
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Maya Rodale began reading romance novels in college at her mother’s insistence and it wasn’t long before she was writing her own. Maya is now the author of multiple Regency historical romances. She lives in New York City with her darling dog and a rogue of her own.
Don't Miss More of the Cavendishes
Pre-order CHASING LADY AMELIA
Thank you for hosting and reviewing LADY BRIDGET'S DIARY today!
ReplyDeleteCrystal, Tasty Book Tours