BOOK GIVEAWAY & Toni's Review of The Mad Lord's Daughter by Jane Goodger

BOOK GIVEAWAY & Toni's Review of The Mad Lord's Daughter by Jane Goodger - 4 Stars

By Toni - February 10, 2013

Locked away by her reclusive and intensely protective father, the recently deceased “Mad Lord of Northumberland,” Melissa is beautiful and educated but painfully naïve about the real world—and the dark secrets of her birth. Now in the care of her uncle, the Earl of Braddock, she must prepare to enter London society and find a proper husband, a task that grows complicated when she falls for the one man she can never have. Just as a promising new life begins to eclipse her tragic past, she’ll find herself consumed by a forbidden love that could destroy it all…

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What a fun historical! The Mad Lord’s Daughter is not a deep story, but I still found it very entertaining with an interesting storyline and enchanting characters.

A young woman has lost everything; her mother, her father and her home. The worst is yet to come. For years, her father has protected her. He loved her fiercely, but he did her an injustice because of his fear of losing her. He kept her safe from the world, but he also kept her from life. He kept her a virtual prisoner in her own home. Only she didn’t know it.

Melissa Atwell must hold her head up high and face her fears of the new world around her. Even the simple pleasures in life are new to her, like babies, puppy kisses and even snow. She will not fail her father or herself. She will face her new life with dignity and grace. Every day is new to her. With the help of her companion, Diana Stanhope, Uncle Lord Braddock and his son John Atwell, she will take London by storm.

From the beginning John Atwell knows of Melissa’s circumstances. While initially he doesn’t know what to think of her, she quickly wins him over. It really is too bad they are first cousins though, because for a man that doesn’t believe in love, he sure is seeing things in a new refreshing light and it is all because of Miss Atwell.

What can I say that won’t give the story away? Yes, the plot is very straightforward and the Ms. Goodger tells you upfront what is going on, but to put it into a review just seems wrong. She has some nice surprises. What I will say is:

The title, The Mad Lord’s Daughter, is perfect. It encompasses the mystery and truth of the story in so many ways.
Love is in the air and it is spread everywhere.
The women in the story are all strong in their own right and are fun to read about. They sure know how to keep the men on their toes.
The men…what can I say. Dashing, clever and gentlemanly, oh and don’t forget clueless. You got to love a romantically dimwitted hero every once in a while.

The Mad Lord’s Daughter is basically a standalone book. Unfortunately, you discover at the end of the story that it is actually the second book in an unnamed series. WooHoo! But wait, it turns out I already read it, huh? I state this because I did not need the first book, When a Duke Says I Do, to enjoy this story. In fact, I didn’t even catch the hints that there was another book from the couple’s names, or their mentioned plot. I was totally clueless and it’s OK. It just shows that you can enjoy each novel alone without taking away from the other. I will say though, that I did enjoy the first book more, so be sure to check out the review if you want to know why.

The Mad Lord’s Daughter is a sweet read. It was smoothly written and didn’t fail to put a smile on my face. It was a nice change of pace and if Ms. Goodger decides to write more in this series, I can see myself checking them out. I have not been disappointed yet. Great storytelling all the way.

Thanks for reading - Toni

Click here for my review for the first in the series:

BOOK GIVEAWAY!!

I decided to giveaway both of my copies of this series. I have When A Duke Says I Do in the finished paperback and The Mad Lord's Daughter is a plain cover ARC. Both are in perfect condition.