The Taming of the Duke (Essex Sisters, book 3) Mass Market Paperback – March 28, 2006

Eloisa James is one of my love/hate writers. I enjoyed this story. I liked Imogen. I especially loved Rafe. He was an interesting character and the star of the book. I previously read two books from this series and both were disappointments. This one was a winner.

several of the reviews of this book were condemning the way that Imogen didn't know the difference between Rafe and Gabe. That she basically was clueless or that Elosia didn't even show what Imogen was thinking.To me,I think Imogen knew but could not quite grasp what was before her. It took the whole book but isn't that the point in making the plot thicken?It showed that Imogen havivg loved,but not desired by her husband, not desired by another that she was interested in could be why it took her that long to put 2+2 together. Also, the way that she kept pitting against Rafe about his drinking that she didn't realize that she was in love with him.To understand how each sister is before and after it should be recommended to read from the beginning "MUCH ADO ABOUT YOU" ; "KISS ME ANNABEL" and then "The Taming of the Duke" to be able to see all sides an then be able to see the endings of each separately.Elosia James had hit a hard topic of "alcoholism" of how it takes a person's individuality away, the different ways that it effects a person let alone the people that are close to them. And especially in a time period that didn't know what we do today. The background that Elosia had was and is hard to write about if you do not know what it really can do to the person or the family and friends of the alcoholic especially when they deny they are.This book is great I enjoyed it, I also wondered why Imogen couldn't tell the difference but you'd see with her thoughts that she was trying to figure out what was "different"she knew but then she didn't. Please read and joy Elosia James is a wonderful writer.

FINAL DECISION: I liked this book but there was just too much going on with too complicated issues to be resolved so quickly. Despite that, I liked the romance between Rafe and Imogen which has been going on since book one of this series.THE STORY: Imogen, Lady Maitland, has been widowed for a year and is ready to take a lover. She targets Gabe Spenser, the illegitimate brother of her former guardian, Rafe, Duke of Holbrook. Imogen has had a contentious relationship with Holbrook especially as he managed to almost drink himself to death. Newly sober, however, Rafe, has no intention of allowing Imogen to engage in illicit relations with another man. He masquerades as his brother intending to help Imogen avoid ruin. Instead, Rafe ends up engaging in a series of inappropriate encounters with the woman who constantly bedevils and entrances him.OPINION: I was looking forward to this book because Rafe and Imogen seemed likely to set things on fire considering their arguments in past books. In that sense, I was not disappointed. Rafe and Imogen had an obvious connection from the beginning. Imogen spent much of the previous books being petulant and then grieving. As this book begins, she recognizes her prior bad actions and begins to act in a more mature way.I liked the story about Rafe turning to sobriety after years of wallowing in drunkenness. My concern is that he makes that change and then his romance with Imogen happens so quickly after. While the epilogue assures readers that Rafe has been able to stick with his sobriety, I couldn't help but feel apprehension during the story. It might be because of my personal experience with alcoholics or my modern thinking about the disease, but I found it difficult to turn off that part of my brain during the story. I wished that Rafe had decided to kick his drinking in a prior book to give some space before his romance with Imogen. That being said, there is nothing pretty or easy about Rafe's journey.Or maybe it was just one too many things for me to accept. The idea that Rafe could masquerade as his half brother without Imogen immediately realizing the deception was something that I had to accept on faith because it was just too impossible to imagine it actually happening. It was a silly farce much like the Shakespeare tropes upon which it is based, but it is not realistic. I did enjoy the situations it allowed Rafe and Imogen to become embroiled in and gave the story some much needed humor.I just thought that there was too much crammed in here that it didn't allow the romance the space and time and quiet it needed to really grab me. There was so much happening that Rafe and Imogen's romance seemed to be resolved too quickly for my tastes. It just felt like there needed to be a little more development at the end to fully satisfy me.WORTH MENTIONING: There are two romances in this book. Readers of MUCH ADO ABOUT YOU will be pleased to see the Miss Pythian-Adams again.CONNECTED BOOKS: THE TAMING OF THE DUKE is the third book in the Essex Sisters series It can be read as a standalone although I think it is better to read Imogen's whole journey which begins in book one.STAR RATING: I give this book 3.5 stars.

...the five stars are well earned."But perhaps you’re more interested in a baggage than a bawd?"Writing romance is hard. The arc is predetermined, the ending is mostly written, and you have to travel the same path as thousands of other books without being tedious or repetitive. So many make it through to publication even violating the first rule of writing: show don't tell.And then, every once in a while, a romance author reveals exactly how much pleasure they take in the words, in solving the ilannoying, insurmountable task of making genre writing fresh, and you get a line like that. (Context reveals it's true brilliance - I dare you to find it.)I know why we read clunky romance authors, but wouldn't it be a relief if they all put this much delight into their writing?

I loved this amazing book, but not its ‘heroine’ - at least not until the end when I came to merely like her. I love that it is stuffed to the gils with all manner of British cultural arts. Novels, plays, poetry, songs, abound throughout mostly the latter half, yet I’ve realised that these things are also present in James’ two previous Essex Sisters books. It’s just that in this one, they are up front and unmissable by comparison. It’s a joy and has prompted me to reread some of the texts James writes about.For most of the book I disliked Imogen immensely. She is arrogant, self-centred, and driven by her own wants, wishes, and desires. She gives nothing more than a momentary surge of guilt, so brief it’s barely noted, for how her actions will have disastrous repercussions for others - especially Josie. Her grief is not an excuse to run the risk of destroying another person’s future.I loved Rafe and here Imogen’s one redeeming feature throughout the book, is her drive to stop him drinking. Their relationship is what saves her in the end & so i was very happy at the close of the book.I liked Gillian immensely, and had huge sympathy with her. Gabriel was interesting, and Josie was still a peach of a character. I’m keen to get to HER story!

This is the third of the series. Eloisa James might not write the strangest love scenes or wicked storyplot. But her books are full of humour, I feel her character are genuine but not always coming across as the role they are in the ton. This book had me giggling at all the humour

Admittedly I didn't read the first two books in the series and for the stories around the H/h to flow I think you need to. Nevertheless it was an entertaining story but you were left wanting more with a few unanswered questions. For example when does Imogen realise it's Rafe and not Gabe. Or even what Imogen feels for Rafe. You get a lot of what Rafe feels for Imogen. Overall though I did enjoy reading the book so 3*s from me!

This is the third in the series and I have enjoyed them all so farI’m off to start the 4th book now x

Having read the rest of the series I was delighted to read Rafe and Imogen's story. The Essex sisters all operate differently but are warm and human whilst able to attract and marry a range of disparate husbands. Time to reread I think!