Title: Say Yes to the Marquess Series: Castles Ever After #2
Author: Tessa Dare
Published: December 30, 2014
Genre(s): Romance: Historical
Page Count: 374
Rating:
Summary from Goodreads:After eight years of waiting for Piers Brandon, the wandering Marquess of Granville, to set a wedding date, Clio Whitmore has had enough. She's inherited a castle, scraped together some pride, and made plans to break her engagement.
Not if Rafe Brandon can help it. A ruthless prizefighter and notorious rake, Rafe is determined that Clio will marry his brother—even if he has to plan the dratted wedding himself.
So how does a hardened fighter cure a reluctant bride's cold feet?
— He starts with flowers. A wedding can't have too many flowers. Or harps. Or cakes.
— He lets her know she'll make a beautiful, desirable bride—and tries not to picture her as his.
— He doesn't kiss her.
— If he kisses her, he definitely doesn't kiss her again.
— When all else fails, he puts her in a stunning gown. And vows not to be nearby when the gown comes off.
— And no matter what—he doesn't fall in disastrous, hopeless love with the one woman he can never call his own.
Oh, happiness! Say Yes to the Marquess is delightful (and quite aptly titled). This is without a doubt one of Tessa Dare’s better novels, and though it doesn’t make its way into favorite territory, it was an utterly adorable and enjoyable reading experience. I’m so pleased with this story and how everything turned out.
I mean, this is just a perfect situation. Clio, after waiting around for her wayward fiancé for eight years, has decided to take matters into her own hands. Rafe, Clio’s almost brother-in-law, won’t let her ditch his brother without doing his best to stop her—because he loves his brother so much he won’t let anything disappoint him, even Clio, the woman he’s been secretly in love with for decades. And not gonna lie, Rafe was only a so-so hero for me; he was kind of stock. Lone wolf, roguish, notorious, sexually experienced, hard exterior but with a heart of gold. That’s all been done before. But where Say Yes to the Marquess shines is with Clio. Just whoa. Dangit, I just love how empowered and strong and smart and herself Clio is.
“Answer me,” he said, forceful and commanding as any marquess. “I demand to know the truth. Is there someone else?”
“Yes. There is someone else. There’s me.”
His eyes flashed with surprise.
“There’s me,” she repeated. “I’ve spent a great deal of time alone these past eight years. I’ve come to know myself and my own capabilities. I’m resilient. I can withstand a little gossip. Or even a lot of it. I can inherit an estate and devote myself not only to its preservation, but its improvement. Because I’ve taken all those lessons and accomplishments that were supposed to make me the ideal diplomat’s wife—and I’ve made them my own. At some point, while you were roaming the globe, making treaties and dividing the spoils of war, I quietly declared my own independence. I am the sovereign nation of Clio now, and there will be no terms of surrender.”
…THIS. Let’s be real, ladies like Clio are the reason I love romance novels so freaking much. The sexytimes and the developing relationship are great and all, and they’re certainly part of the appeal, but I read for the characters. Specifically, the ladies. Romance ladies are just badass. Case in point: Clio.
Aside from Clio being basically the best, Say Yes to the Marquess has other awesome aspects. Such as an ancient bulldog named Ellingworth who partimes as a resurrectionist. And banter. And discussions of the language of flowers wherein tansies symbolize “I want to reproduce with you”. And adorable grand gestures and a lack of excessive romantic drama.
Or this fantabulous exchange between Rafe and his older brother, the seemingly perfect marquess:
“Why the devil would you envy me?”
“For a hundred reasons. You did as you pleased. Said what you liked. You had more fun. With considerably more girls. You had that roguish air they all like, and your hair does that thing.”
“My hair does a thing?” Rafe made a face. “What thing?”
His brother declined to explain.
So, let me sum up. Say Yes to the Marquess is an excellent romance for people who enjoy any one of the following: dogs, cake, empowered ladies, men with good hair, humor. It’s seriously a win-win situation, this book.
