Book Review – The Lost Duke of Wyndham by Julia Quinn
- Author: PJ
- Published: Jun 12th, 2008
Reviewed by PJ Ausdenmore
4 ½ stars
I first discovered Julia Quinn in 2000 when I read The Duke and I. As is the case with many readers, one book was all it took for me to recognize and appreciate the talents of this gifted author. The latest offering from Quinn, The Lost Duke of Wyndham, is the first book in a two book series about two men and one title. The writing is classic Quinn, infused with her signature humor, witty repartee and multi-layered characters who engage both our minds and our hearts.
The two men who may or may not be the true Duke of Wyndham could not be more different. Jack Audley is an Irish charmer and a darn good highwayman. Orphaned at birth, Jack grew up in the loving care of his maternal aunt and uncle. Responsible for no one but himself, the road is his home and that’s just the way he likes it. Thomas Cavendish is the current Duke of Wyndham, a position for which he has been trained since birth. Secure in his heritage and his position in society, Thomas is a proper gentleman, betrothed since birth to the lovely Lady Amelia Willoughby but in no hurry to marry. Both men know exactly who and what they are but a chance encounter on a dark country road could change everything they once thought to be true.
Grace Eversleigh grew up the cherished only child of a country gentleman and his loving wife but is left penniless when her parents suddenly die. Facing a forced marriage to an odious cousin, she is rescued when the Dowager Duchess of Wyndham offers her a position as her companion. For five years Grace has catered to whims of the mercurial duchess and fears she will never know the joy of a husband and family of her own.
The night Jack stops a carriage on a dark country road and attempts to rob the Dowager Duchess and Grace as they return home from a party he sets into motion a string of events that could forever change his life as well as the lives of Thomas, Grace and Amelia. The Duchess takes one look at the masked highwayman who is the image of her beloved elder son and is sure she is looking at her grandson, the true Duke of Wyndham. Jack wants no part of this woman or her society life but is enchanted by her lovely companion, Grace. He disappears into the night but finds he is no match for a determined duchess when he is kidnapped by footmen and brought to her ducal estate where he is blackmailed into staying until it can be determined if he is, in fact, her grandson.
The Duchess dreams of presenting Jack to London society as the rightful Duke of Wyndham. Jack dreams of the lovely Grace and an enduring love he never thought possible. Grace dreams of a lifetime with Jack that she knows will never be allowed if he is proven to be the true heir. Grace’s good friend, Amelia dreams of marrying Thomas and becoming a duchess and Thomas just wants the nightmare to end. But when Amelia’s father announces that his daughter’s betrothal is not with Thomas but with the 7th Duke of Wyndham it appears that the nightmare may have just begun. For, if Jack’s legitimacy is proven he will be forced to marry Amelia and Grace, the woman he has come to love with his whole being, will be lost to him forever.
Don’t miss the emotional, heartwarming and delightful, The Lost Duke of Wyndham.
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heidenkind
on Jun 12th, 2008
@ 10:32 pm:
Great review, PJ, I can’t wait to find out what happens.
I have The Lost Duke of Wyndham on my TBR pile and I’m planning to start it as soon as I finish the book I’m reading now.
Marisa O'Neill
on Jun 13th, 2008
@ 5:36 am:
Ah PJ, another book for the TBR pile – you’re killing me. I too discovered JQ with The Duke and I and I’m been having a love affair with her books ever since. Julia is an auto buy author for me and I look forward to each of her new releases. I guess I really will have to sneak off to Hawaii and bring my trunk load of books to be read.
SusanJ
on Jun 13th, 2008
@ 5:36 am:
I just finished reading this book and I enjoyed it. Jack and Grace had me smiling throughout. I didn’t think it was Julia Quinn’s best work, but it passed a nice afternoon and as I mentioned, I smiled a lot. Now I’m anxiously awaiting the next in the series because I want to see how things resolve with Thomas and Amelia.
Buffie
on Jun 13th, 2008
@ 5:51 am:
Great review, PJ! I have already read this one and truly enjoyed the book. For me it was classic JQ. I liked the way she layered the story with the characters, focusing on Jack and Grace but providing us enough time with Thomas and Amelia to peak our interest for the next installment.
Gannon
on Jun 13th, 2008
@ 5:56 am:
Excellent review, PJ! I finished this book last week and thoroughly enjoyed, as I do all of JQ’s books. I can’t wait for Thomas and Amelia’s HEA.
keoweegirl
on Jun 13th, 2008
@ 6:23 am:
SusanJ, you hit on one of the reasons I loved this book so much. I just couldn’t stop smiling. Well, there were some tears too but, mostly, just a whole lot of smiles and sighs. Like the rest of you, I’m anxiously awaiting Thomas and Amelia’s book too!
AndreaW
on Jun 13th, 2008
@ 7:19 am:
Fantastic review, PJ. I, too, loved this book. Jack … *sigh* It came really, really close to bumping The Viscount Who Loved Me from the top spot of my favorite JQ books. And, of course, now I am dying to read MCIP to find out what happened between Thomas and Amelia!
MaryKate
on Jun 13th, 2008
@ 7:25 am:
Hi PJ – Terrific review. This book is in my TBR stack. I’m feeling just slightly burned after the last JulieQ, which I really, really did not enjoy. Sounds like this one was terrific though. I’ll have to bump it up in my stack.
As soon as I finish When Twilight Burns…
Hope everyone has FUN weekend plans!
Isabel
on Jun 13th, 2008
@ 7:36 am:
Kudos on the review, PJ. I got this book the day it came out and gobbled it up! MCIP cannot be released soon enough, the wait is pure agony.
Maria Lokken
on Jun 13th, 2008
@ 8:30 am:
PJ – totally agree with you. Finished the book, it made me smile throughout.
For all you Julia Q fans – what’s your favorite?
Buffie
on Jun 13th, 2008
@ 9:12 am:
Maria, personally my favorite is When He Was Wicked. I just love how Francesca falls in love again after having a wonderful husband. Julia does a fabulous job of telling the struggle that both Michael & Francesca have in finding and keeping their love. And needless to say, I think it is JQ’s hottest book.
Romance Mr. Bridgerton will always be up there too for me. The last scene where Penelope is revealed by Colin and the speech he gives always makes me cry.
MaryKate
on Jun 13th, 2008
@ 9:14 am:
Ooooh! And Buffie, WHEN HE WAS WICKED features that fabulous UATE (Up Against the Escritoire) scene! S.ex on a desk, ladies. It’s HAWT!
My favorite is AN OFFER FROM A GENTLEMAN. I love me some Benedict Bridgerton. Plus, it’s a Cinderella story. Love that!
Although I also really love DANCING AT MIDNIGHT, which is NOT a Bridgerton novel.
LeeAnn
on Jun 13th, 2008
@ 9:59 am:
WAIT!! So is Penelope Lady Whistledown? And Colin outs her? Oh this is sooooo good. UGH I wanna go home and read now
) See I just started to read JQ this year and have been dying to know who LW is 
)
I swear MK that I came across this on accident LOL what are the odds
)
MaryKate
on Jun 13th, 2008
@ 11:21 am:
OMG, LeeAnn! You shouldn’t have read that! ARGH! That was the best secret.
That’s so funny though that you ran across this here. It didn’t even occur to me.
Oh well, you’ll really enjoy the series anyway. I had no idea it was Penelope until the exact moment I was s’posed to.
LeeAnn
on Jun 13th, 2008
@ 11:50 am:
LOL Kati what are the odds
)
And actually I’ve been guessing Penelope for a while now. But I kept second guessing myself and changing my mind. But after reading the end of the last book I was pretty sure. I mean she knows so much about the Bridgerton family and with them almost always being spotlighted and her being in love with Colin it all makes sense. But to tell the truth until he started to really travel I thought for a min there it was Colin or even Eloise since she always knows so much lol.
keoweegirl
on Jun 13th, 2008
@ 12:02 pm:
LeeAnn, there was a while when I thought it might have been Colin too! Like MK, JQ kept me guessing until the very minute Colin outed her.
I don’t know that I could choose just one favorite. How about a top three? THE DUKE AND I, WHEN HE WAS WICKED, ROMANCING MR. BRIDGERTON. (The order changes constantly)
Anna Campbell
on Jun 13th, 2008
@ 1:29 pm:
PJ, great review! Oh, no, the TBR pile is starting to block out the sun! Isn’t that a pretty cover, by the way? Makes me think of Pride and Prejudice!
Anna
Buffie
on Jun 13th, 2008
@ 2:05 pm:
LeeAnn, I’m so sorry to spoil that for you!!!!!!!!! I feel awful
LeeAnn
on Jun 13th, 2008
@ 2:15 pm:
Keoweegirl, it’s nice to know I’m not the only one who thought it was Colin for a while
) Especially when they had Benedict looking at him and realizing that his little brother really had grown up.
Buffie, Please don’t feel bad! I would of found out tonight anyways
) And how were you supposed to know that I was reading the blog today and that I’m a late JQ bloomer 
) So it’s all good, except that I really want to go home and get buried in my book LOL
MaryKate
on Jun 13th, 2008
@ 2:37 pm:
Buffie – LA is the BEST kind of fun. She’s a pretty much a romance newbie, so I’ve been having SUCH fun pimping books to her.
You should do it too. She’s an awesome really quick reader, so she gives really fast feedback on what she likes and dislikes. And she’s open to pretty much everything.
I love her!
LeeAnn
on Jun 13th, 2008
@ 5:10 pm:
Awwwww Kati you’re so sweet!!! What a nice thing to say. And I love you too
) (it’s scary how often she’s right *sigh*)
Buffie I LOVE it when people pimp good books out to me
) My wallet cries a little every time but just ignore that whimpering in the background. I’ve only been reading Romance (or anything in general) for about four years so I’m still a huge newbie and there are TONS of authors I haven’t heard of yet 
) So please share!!!
keoweegirl
on Jun 13th, 2008
@ 6:11 pm:
Stick with us, LeeAnn. We’ll have you chin deep in tbr books in no time!
We have some amazing books on the horizon so keep checking the reviews around here and, of course, all of MK’s recs over at her blog. 
keoweegirl
on Jun 13th, 2008
@ 6:13 pm:
Thanks for all the comments today! If you haven’t read The Lost Duke of Wyndham yet I hope you’ll give it a try. And if you haven’t read any Julia Quinn books yet, what are you waiting for?