A Good Debutante's Guide to Ruin (The Debutante Files)

Rosalie irritated me, Declan was irritating. Thank goodness I got the book free, so it was just my time wasted. Many people really enjoyed this book, I did not. Of course this is my opinion on the characters. On page 338 (Kindle edition) In the inn, "Only one bed occupied the room, barely large enough to accommodate two bodies." Page 366, at the same inn and the same room, "Good thing his bed was enormous." Oops.

The first installment of a new series from Sophie Jordan brings us Rosalie, a 20 year old woman who is suddenly left in her step-brother’s entry hall by her former school mistress. Two years after graduation, and no one had responded to repeated requests to provide shelter and opportunity for her. Her mother is a faithless and selfish woman, widowed and living a scandalous existence. The only relation, if one uses the term loosely is her step-brother, Declan, Duke of Banbury, who by familial obligation should make provisions for her.

There are only two small problems: she hasn’t seen him in some 15 years and her mother was the reason that Declan was tossed out of the family home never speaking to his father again. Declan has no plans to marry or attach, and his anger from his stepmother’s deceit and the subsequent family fracture has colored all of his days.

The story proceeds apace as Rosalie and Declan have several encounters where he slowly comes to see that she is not her mother, but his stubbornness and prejudice won’t allow him to process the fact. More time between them is spent sniping at one another: Rosalie won’t back down from her ultimate dream: having more. She fantasizes about having Declan – he is her standard to which she compares everyone. For his part, no woman is intriguing him anymore, he has this odd fascination for Rosalie, but he has decided that she is off limits.

These two are just adorable, even if their communication is horrible: yet when they share a first kiss the electricity is not to be denied. Yet, as with all romance stories, their path has many obstacles and issues, and Rosalie’s mother Mellisande appears to throw a huge wrench in everyone’s life. Secondary characters arrive and are developed with an emotional overlay that suits their future encounters: distasteful characters present and interact with qualities that suit their personalities. A particular favorite was Aurelia, who befriends and protects Rosalie, even as she introduces her to some daring and scandalous adventure.

A fast paced story that was over before I knew it, Sophie Jordan has started a series that is sure to become many readers’ favorite. The characters are real and easy to relate to, with concerns, issues and questions that are logical and feel real. And the connection between Rosalie and Declan is electric and intoxicating, and serves to reinforce their pairing.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher for purpose of honest review for The Jeep Diva. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Despite the squirmy premise, I had great fun reading this, and that premise is handled very well (though we never get to see Society's honest reaction to it). All the characters are fleshed out nicely, though I wonder at the two young ladies going where they do during the course of the book, especially when one travels there solo. (No spoilers here, I hope.) The book was difficult to put down.

The ending was just a tad forced (it's set up at the beginning of the book, so one knew it was coming), but what bothered me the most was that in three places the editing was awful in that the author used the pronouns "she" and "her" without telling us who the heck she was referring to. At the beginning of the one chapter we didn't know whose PoV we were in. The only proper noun in evidence was the best friend's name, when it turned out that the pronoun's antecedent was actually Our Heroine. This book is from Avon, and I have observed that their editing is worse than that of other publishers. Shape up, Avon editors!

But the problem was minor and could be figured out after a few re-readings of the sections involved. Otherwise, an excellent book and I look forward to the rest of the series. (Note: I received this book as a freebie at a workshop given by the author.)

“A Good Debutante’s Guide to Ruin” by Sophie Jordan is the first book in the Debutante Files.
No one wants Rosalie Hughes and she’s been ‘forgotten’ at school for over two years until the school mistress takes circumstances in her own hands and dumps Rosalie on the front steps of her step-brother’s house, Declan, the Duke of Banbury.
I was struck by the stark reality of Rosalie’s position during this time. She has no money, her mother’s missing, and she’s at the mercy of her only relative. But based on Declan and Rosalie’s past together, he decides to give her a season, bestow a very generous dowry on her, and find her a husband. This was a wonderful story and for the last 75% of this book, I could not put it down. The pacing was perfect and the tension kept my fingers glued to the pages until 2 a.m. The love scenes were well placed and steamy, but there were a few things about Declan that bothered me.
On the surface, he seems like your typical Regency hero, rakish and avoiding marriage until he meets the ‘perfect woman’. However, he’s supposed to have experienced a great trauma in his childhood and I didn’t quite believe it. A book where I thought a hero’s childhood abuse was utilized to drive the conflict and motivation very well is “MacRieve” by Kresley Cole. Cole wrote a character who suffered abuse as a child and it tainted everything he did. And the romance between the hero and heroine was moving very fast until she reminded the hero of his abuser. Then, it stained the relationship between the hero and heroine until he had to make a choice to save her life or not.
But when I read Declan saying Rosalie reminded him of her mom, his abuser, I never quite believe it. How were the two women even similar? I was never shown any evidence that this was the case, which made Declan’s conflict seem weak and his actions unmotivated. I, as a reader, didn’t feel connected to him and didn’t believe his growth as a character.
This book taught me how important backstory is to a character. If a character is to have suffered trauma or abuse, do the research. Talk to people and find out how these experiences have influenced their lives.

Luckily I started A GOOD DEBUTANTE’S GUIDE TO RUIN on a Saturday morning because I couldn’t put it down until the last page.

Rosalie is dumped on the stepbrother she hasn’t seen in ten years because she has no place else to go. They’d been close as children but Declan, now the Duke of Banbury, is nothing like the sweet, charming boy she’d known before his father threw him out and sent him into exile at Eton.

For Declan, Rosalie is a painful reminder of his stepmother—the woman who destroyed his relationship with his father. And yet he can’t turn her into the streets. Instead he offers a huge dowry guaranteed to attract a husband who will take her off his hands. His plan seems to be working until Rosalie insists she have a say in who she marries, secretly hoping to find a man to love.

After Rosalie and Aurelia, Dec’s cousin, slip off to have a scandalous adventure, Rosalie can no longer deny her inappropriate feelings for Declan while he fights a growing attraction to her. But in addition to the taboo of being step-siblings, a terrible secret stands between them—an old wound that has never healed and may destroy any chance they have of being together.

As always, I loved Sophie Jordan’s characters. Rosalie is the right combination of courage, sensitivity and loyalty while Declan is just the kind of seriously damaged hero we love to see redeemed. The secondary characters—Declan’s aunt and cousin who introduce Rosalie to society, and his rakish friends—are so well-rounded and amusing I’m hoping they get their own books in The Debutante Files series. And in an interesting twist, Rosalie’s mother makes a great, if unconventional, villain.

Although the book deals with some taboos, the decade estrangement between Rosalie and Declan made their adult attraction understandable and acceptable for me. Ms. Jordan’s skill as a writer allows her to step into unconventional territory and always do justice to her characters and their story.

This is a wonderful start of a new series by a writer who never fails to deliver. Anyone who loves historical romance needs to read A GOOD DEBUTANTE’S GUIDE TO RUIN.

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

A Good Debutante's Guide to Ruin by Sophie Jordan
Book One of The Debutante Files series
Publisher: Avon Books
Publication Date: July 29, 2014
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

The last woman on earth he would ever touch . . .

Declan, the Duke of Banbury, has no interest in ushering Rosalie Hughes, his stepsister, into society. Dumped on him with nowhere else to go, he's determined to rid himself of the headstrong debutante by bestowing on her an obscenely large dowry . . . making her the most sought-after heiress of the Season.

. . . is about to become the only one he wants.

But Rosalie isn't about to go along with Declan's plans. Surrounded by fortune hunters, how is she supposed to find a man who truly wants her? Taking control of her fate, Rosalie dons a disguise and sneaks into Sodom, a private club host to all manner of illicit activity—and frequented by her infuriatingly handsome stepbrother.

In a shadowed alcove, Declan can't resist the masked temptress who sets his blood afire . . . any more than Rosalie can deny her longing for a man who will send her into ruin.

What I Liked:

My first Sophie Jordan historical romance novel - a HUGE success! I've read a few of her Young Adult books, one of her New Adult books, and now, one of her historical romance books. I'm a historical romance novel junkie, and I've read many historical romance novels from many different authors. I haven't read one since March, unfortunately, and that made the victory with this one even sweeter!

Rosalie is the stepsister of Declan, a Duke and bachelor who wants nothing to do with her. But when Rosalie is deposited at his doorstep with nowhere to go and no mother in sight, he can't just turn her away (even if they are not blood-related). Declan places a huge dowry on her, and ushers her into the Season with his cousin, Aurelia. Rosalie has been in love with Declan for quite a while, and it's time that Declan realized that.

I. Loved. This. Book. Seriously. There were so many parts and puzzles, so many subplots and twists. Rosalie moves in with Declan, and the chemistry doesn't start yet. Declan despises the idea of Rosalie because he hates his stepmother (her mother). Rosalie's mother married Declan's father, but everyone knows that she is a gold-digger, horrible mother, and a loose woman that flits from man to man. But as time goes on, and the proximity of Rosalie doesn't change, Declan starts to realize that she isn't like her mother. At all.

I really liked Rosalie - she is quick-tempered and strong-willed, but she is also shy and well-mannered. I liked Aurelia as well - she is intelligent and thoughtful, but brash and bold. Aurelia convinces Rosalie to come with her to Sodom, which is basically a fancy whorehouse. Rosalie goes there masked, for a kiss, and guess who the hostess of the house sets her up with? Declan, a notorious nobleman who frequents the house, but also quite the gentleman. Declan doesn't realize it's Rosalie. Not until much later on in the book... oh, I loved that scene.

Let's talk about that scene. My favorite scene in the book was probably the library scene. You'll know what I mean if/when you read it. It was sweet, steamy, vulnerable, tense, and revealing (in terms of many secrets between them). Favorite. Scene.

I really liked Declan as well. I love how smoothly Jordan made the progression of his feelings. It wasn't just they-see-each-other-and-BAM-smoking-hot-chemistry-everywhere. No, in the beginning, Declan can't reconcile his negative feelings towards Rosalie. Things slowly change, and I love how both of them went after what they wanted.

So... I loved the chemistry. And the romance. The relationship between Declan and Rosalie isn't just physical (though that a pretty hefty part of it), but they also are best friends, from childhood and in adulthood. I love how Jordan kept bringing things back from their past, like the climbing trees aspect.

There is a story to this book, besides the romance. There is the relationship between Rosalie and Declan, Declan and his masked woman from Sodom (who is Rosalie), Rosalie's relationship with her awful mother, and Rosalie's first Season. So much is going on, and I loved all of it.

Basically, this book is in the running for one of my favorite historical romance novels so far. My first Sophie Jordan was a hit!

What I Did Not Like:

There wasn't anything specific that I didn't like about this book! This isn't towards the book, the content, or the author, but I wished the title matched the story a little more. I was expecting something different, based on the title. BUT THAT'S OKAY. This book was excellent.

Would I Recommend It:

If you're a historical romance fan, definitely do NOT let this one float by you. I love historical romance novels and I've read so many in the past two years, and I'd definitely say that this is not one to miss. Be sure to check out Jordan's new series with Avon!

Rating:

4 stars. I cannot wait to read the next book (it's a companion novel, as with most historical romance series)! I believe it features Aurelia's story. EXCELLENT. I hope it features Max as well. I LOVE their banter ;)

I found the main female character in this book very annoying. She shows up on the doorstep of a man who owes her nothing, is absolutely no relation to her and has already given her mother a truckload of money even after she severely wronged him, expecting to be taken in. When he does take her in and spends a ton of money to give her a season, all she does is complain that all of her choices are being made for her and the men interested in her are not attractive enough for her overly high standards. A novel idea -- if she doesn't like it why doesn't she get a job and support herself, but that thought never crosses her mind even though it is normally what women in her situation do. I didn't finish the book but cause I got too annoyed with her attitude. The premise of the book had great possibilities if only the author had written her as nicer and more grateful. It seems to be a trend with many authors that they feel the only way to write a female character who is intelligent with a mind of her own is to write her as bitchy -- it's not the same thing. There are some great characters out there that strike the right balance between being likeable, but not a pushover, unfortunately this character is not one of them.

As other reviewers have mentioned, the synopsis did make me think twice about purchasing. But as it turns out, I'm glad I took a chance on it. I really liked the heroine Rosalie. She was sweet without being overly so, and she was brave in the face of some seriously questionable behavior by her mother and her mother's lover. I was less impressed by Declan, but when he revealed to Rosalie what he had been subjected to by her mother and his father, his behavior began to make more sense. The secondary characters were outstanding, and there was some obvious set up for future installments, which I am looking forward to reading. I
Even though the set up made me feel a bit squeamish, it turned out to be less of an impact than I was expecting, since the main characters did not really grow up together or ever really live as brother and sister. Overall, a good read with a bit of a different twist that I enjoyed.

Listened for Book Club (Audible)
Overall Rating: 4.00
Story Rating: 4.00
Character Rating: 4.00

Audio Rating: 4.00 (not part of the overall rating)

First Thought when Finished: A Good Debutante's Guide to Ruin by Sophie Jordan was emotional, fun, and delightful! I really enjoyed this and look forward to the rest of the series.

Audio Thoughts

Narrated By Carmen Rose / Length: 8 hrs and 7 mins

Carmen Rose did a pretty good job with A Good Debutante's Guide to Ruin. I really did love her female voices and her male voices were good too. Her pacing and emotion were good too.

Part of Read It, Rate It, File It, Done reviews

A charming, sweet, and enjoyable historical romance, A Good Debutante's Guide to Ruin was a fantastic read. I really liked this wonderful book. From the lovely romance, to the unexpected secret, this book was a delight.

Rosalie was a lovely heroine. She wasn't openly defiant, but she was determined to carve out her own choices in any way she could. Even it it meant visiting a highly scandalous club. My only complaint was that I wished she had stood up to her horrible mother sooner, but she did eventually, so it wasn't a problem. I thought she was a perfectly likable character.

Declan was wonderful. To be honest, I thought he was a complete jerk at first. He judged Rosalie based on his negative feelings for her mother and treated her poorly as a result. It was especially annoying because they had been friends of a sort when they were young, so he should have known better. But, after finding out why he hated his stepmother, I understood his resentment. His hatred for that shrew of a woman was so (rightfully) strong that he had difficulty separating it from his feelings for Rosalie. But, beyond that tangle of emotions, Declan was a more honorable man than he believed himself to be and he could be so sweet when he allowed himself to be. By the end of the book, I really liked him.

The romance was great. It progressed realistically as Declan came to the realization that Rosalie was nothing like her mother. I liked how that was done. It made the romance more believable. And, from the start, these two had a ton of chemistry, though they were in denial about it at first. I thought they were a lovely couple.

The plot was fast paced and I was kept hooked the entire way through. The secret of why Declan hated his stepmother so much was a shocking surprise that I never saw coming. And, there were a few twists along the way as Rosalie's mother fought to get her own way. I really enjoyed the story and the ending was perfect.

A Good Debutante's Guide to Ruin was a fantastic historical romance. I really liked this delight of a read and I enjoyed it from start to finish. Romance lovers, this is a book you won't want to miss.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Two lost souls, who knew each other as children, meet again when the young woman is abandoned by her mother and thrown out of the private school she has known for ten years as her home. She becomes the responsibility of her "stepbrother" by marriage who decides to give her a season and a hefty dowry to marry her off. Little does he realize his heart doesn't stand a chance. WICKED and WONDERFUL ....a must read on your TBR list.

What a great story! I loved that Rosalie and Declan had a past and had some major issues to work through. My favorite part of the story is the last time he gets her out of the tree. He is so sweet to her and my heart melted!

This was an okay and pretty quick read. I enjoyed being in Rosalie and Declan's world. I didn't think they had much chemistry until they got together but they were cute.

I liked Aurelia and think her book will be interesting so I'm hoping her book comes next.

Read from August 01 to 02, 2014

I love step romances and a historical one well thats pretty special so after the author posted the first 60 pages online I had to read the story. That said I gave the book 5 stars because I ended the book crazy in love with the book. The ending was sooooo wonderful that it made the whole book for me.

But I feel I should mention that there were parts of the book I hated and I felt there was no need for. This is a book I am sure I will re-read but those parts I will skim. It was hard to get thru them and they related to the heroine, Rosalie's mother.

Now what did I LOVE, I loved Dec, our hero, I loved his family and friends and cousins. All the supporting characters were wonderful and I cannot wait for next book in this series. I loved the whole idea of Sodom, the club where Rosalie and her cousin, Aurelia go to have adventures and I loved how Dec and Rosalie interacted with each other and felt about each other.

The problem with the book was that the author keeps the stepmother alive, she brings her back to cause trouble and she does ...ALOT of trouble and I just didn't feel all of that was needed. I would much rather the stepmother had been dead and not needed the whole creepy scenes that followed with the stepmother and her boyfriend.

In any case this book was wonderful and there were so many wonderful scenes and moments for Rosalie and Declan that I really loved this book. I just wanted to warn prospectve readers about what I did not like.