Fool Me Twice (Rules for the Reckless Book 2)
ByMeredith Duran
| ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ | |
| ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | |
| ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | |
| ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | |
| ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ |
Looking forFool Me Twice (Rules for the Reckless Book 2) in PDF?
Check out Scribid.com
Audiobook
Check out Audiobooks.com
Readers` Reviews
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
lee ratzlaff
Olivia Johnson and Alastair de Grey live worlds apart: the former is a poor orphan who has had to make her own way in the world and the latter is a duke, who was on track to becoming Prime Minister. But they have something in common: Olivia was dealt a bad hand in life and Alastair discovered that his wife (and some close friends) have betrayed him.
But the similarity between them ends there: Olivia has refused to be defeated by the setbacks in her life. She has always chosen to move forward. It's actually quite heartbreaking to see how readily Olivia accepts the reality of her life, as though she has come to expect the misfortunes that come her way, but, at the same time, I can't help but admire her because she shows such resilience and determination to keep on living.
On the omnibus, she had been tallying sums in her head, calculating her options. It was time to consider what she'd most wanted to avoid: fleeing to the Continent, someplace far enough away that Bertram would never think to look for her there.
She glanced up at the drawings she'd tacked on the wall. They were benign prints clipped from magazines: an ivy-covered cottage with a lamp burning in the window. A village sleeping beneath the snow. Treacle dreams, but she could not scorn them -- or let go of them, no matter how hard she tried.
- page 11
Alastair, on the other hand, has locked himself in his bedroom for the past ten months since his wife died. He has lost his career, his friends, his brother -- and now people are calling him mad. He has even lost the respect of his own household and it is in disarray, giving Olivia the opportunity to "sneak in," accepting the position of housekeeper. Olivia's intent is really to recover letters, which she knows Alastair has -- letters that she would use as leverage against a man named Betram, who wants to get rid of Olivia.
When life deals you a terrible blow, how do you recover from it? It is easy to say that we need to brush the dust off and rise up, but quite difficult to do. Alastair has had ten months to sift through his feelings of betrayal, hurt and anger, but he hasn't recovered yet -- he has found a reason to leave his rooms and continue on living. I think Olivia is a wonderful addition to his household and to his life -- she is the perfect teacher to guide him through life. I think that, if anyone had the right to tell Alastair off, it is Olivia, who has experienced the worst and survived.
"You have every advantage." Her voice was fervent. "There is no reason you can't go back into the world, have everything you feel you've been denied. I tell you -- if I had your advantages, I would remake myself!"
- p. 192
It's beautiful and brave and funny reading how Olivia tries to coax Alastair back to the land of the living -- granted her reasons aren't all pure, but I really loved her tenacity (and her outrage over seeing all those beautiful books just piled on the floors) -- at the end of the day, Duran highlights that everyone, everyone -- duke, peasant, king, lady, housekeeper, maid -- sometimes just needs someone who will listen, someone who will show that they care. In a sense, there's a reversal that happens within Olivia has she gets to know Alastair even more: she was also out to fool him, to take from him -- Olivia becomes Alastair's fiercest advocate, even when she hadn't set out to be.
..."Very well, then, answer me: why were you crying?"
"Because I am not the person I hoped to be. And I dislike myself for it."
That told him nothing. "What do you mean? Who had you hoped to be?"
"Someone better. Someone who abided by her ideals."
- p. 192
There is no doubt that our hero and heroine are both passionate people: the degree of Alastair's emotions can be seen by how deeply he has been affected by his wife's adultery and treachery -- so, imagine what happens when that passion is directed at one another. All that desire, all that attraction, all that intensity, all that frustration -- what stops Alastair from opening his heart to Olivia is his fear of being betrayed again, and Olivia has never had a reason to trust anyone except herself. It's ironic that the two people who most deserve a chance at happiness are the same two people who are most suspicious of it. It was breathtaking to read as they struggled between giving in to the attraction and resisting it. (There's a beautifully poignant conversation between the two in Chapter 16, by a pond. Read it and feel your heart crumple and twist and sigh.)
The girl was beautiful. The garden was beautiful. He had kissed her once, and he could kiss her again. But he owed her better; he saw that, suddenly, for it was she who had drawn him out, her and only her whom he would have walked toward.
- p. 212
What stands between the two of them are letters that Alastair's wife wrote to her lovers (some were Alastair's political adversaries and others were Alastair's political allies) -- they were the breaking point for Alastair. To discover his wife's treachery and her true feelings for him destroyed him. But these same letters are the key to Olivia's safety. She needs a particular set of letters to ensure that Bertram never bothers her again. It's quite interesting how Duran lays out the stakes on a scale, and our hero and heroine have to choose between what matters most and what they need the most. I really can't talk much about this part (avoiding spoilers), but I will say that the author does a good job of developing on this part of the story.
No one in Scotland Yard knew of the letters Margaret had written, or of the lovers she had kept, or of the countless betrayals she had made in the dark, pressing her body to her lovers' bodies, speaking into their ears of her husband's plans, the schemes with which he sought to defeat them in Parliament. On that night, Alastair had not known yet, either. He had still been telling himself a story, believing it: their lives had been perfect until now.
- p. 19
It's difficult to put to words how amazing Meredith Duran's writing is. Admittedly, I don't read her books frequently, but, when I do, her stories always pack an emotional wallop that leaves me speechless. I've had this book for a while, but was worried about reading it because it's actually book 2 in a series -- but I had been very, very curious about it, so I decided to read it anyway, and I'm so glad I did.
But the similarity between them ends there: Olivia has refused to be defeated by the setbacks in her life. She has always chosen to move forward. It's actually quite heartbreaking to see how readily Olivia accepts the reality of her life, as though she has come to expect the misfortunes that come her way, but, at the same time, I can't help but admire her because she shows such resilience and determination to keep on living.
On the omnibus, she had been tallying sums in her head, calculating her options. It was time to consider what she'd most wanted to avoid: fleeing to the Continent, someplace far enough away that Bertram would never think to look for her there.
She glanced up at the drawings she'd tacked on the wall. They were benign prints clipped from magazines: an ivy-covered cottage with a lamp burning in the window. A village sleeping beneath the snow. Treacle dreams, but she could not scorn them -- or let go of them, no matter how hard she tried.
- page 11
Alastair, on the other hand, has locked himself in his bedroom for the past ten months since his wife died. He has lost his career, his friends, his brother -- and now people are calling him mad. He has even lost the respect of his own household and it is in disarray, giving Olivia the opportunity to "sneak in," accepting the position of housekeeper. Olivia's intent is really to recover letters, which she knows Alastair has -- letters that she would use as leverage against a man named Betram, who wants to get rid of Olivia.
When life deals you a terrible blow, how do you recover from it? It is easy to say that we need to brush the dust off and rise up, but quite difficult to do. Alastair has had ten months to sift through his feelings of betrayal, hurt and anger, but he hasn't recovered yet -- he has found a reason to leave his rooms and continue on living. I think Olivia is a wonderful addition to his household and to his life -- she is the perfect teacher to guide him through life. I think that, if anyone had the right to tell Alastair off, it is Olivia, who has experienced the worst and survived.
"You have every advantage." Her voice was fervent. "There is no reason you can't go back into the world, have everything you feel you've been denied. I tell you -- if I had your advantages, I would remake myself!"
- p. 192
It's beautiful and brave and funny reading how Olivia tries to coax Alastair back to the land of the living -- granted her reasons aren't all pure, but I really loved her tenacity (and her outrage over seeing all those beautiful books just piled on the floors) -- at the end of the day, Duran highlights that everyone, everyone -- duke, peasant, king, lady, housekeeper, maid -- sometimes just needs someone who will listen, someone who will show that they care. In a sense, there's a reversal that happens within Olivia has she gets to know Alastair even more: she was also out to fool him, to take from him -- Olivia becomes Alastair's fiercest advocate, even when she hadn't set out to be.
..."Very well, then, answer me: why were you crying?"
"Because I am not the person I hoped to be. And I dislike myself for it."
That told him nothing. "What do you mean? Who had you hoped to be?"
"Someone better. Someone who abided by her ideals."
- p. 192
There is no doubt that our hero and heroine are both passionate people: the degree of Alastair's emotions can be seen by how deeply he has been affected by his wife's adultery and treachery -- so, imagine what happens when that passion is directed at one another. All that desire, all that attraction, all that intensity, all that frustration -- what stops Alastair from opening his heart to Olivia is his fear of being betrayed again, and Olivia has never had a reason to trust anyone except herself. It's ironic that the two people who most deserve a chance at happiness are the same two people who are most suspicious of it. It was breathtaking to read as they struggled between giving in to the attraction and resisting it. (There's a beautifully poignant conversation between the two in Chapter 16, by a pond. Read it and feel your heart crumple and twist and sigh.)
The girl was beautiful. The garden was beautiful. He had kissed her once, and he could kiss her again. But he owed her better; he saw that, suddenly, for it was she who had drawn him out, her and only her whom he would have walked toward.
- p. 212
What stands between the two of them are letters that Alastair's wife wrote to her lovers (some were Alastair's political adversaries and others were Alastair's political allies) -- they were the breaking point for Alastair. To discover his wife's treachery and her true feelings for him destroyed him. But these same letters are the key to Olivia's safety. She needs a particular set of letters to ensure that Bertram never bothers her again. It's quite interesting how Duran lays out the stakes on a scale, and our hero and heroine have to choose between what matters most and what they need the most. I really can't talk much about this part (avoiding spoilers), but I will say that the author does a good job of developing on this part of the story.
No one in Scotland Yard knew of the letters Margaret had written, or of the lovers she had kept, or of the countless betrayals she had made in the dark, pressing her body to her lovers' bodies, speaking into their ears of her husband's plans, the schemes with which he sought to defeat them in Parliament. On that night, Alastair had not known yet, either. He had still been telling himself a story, believing it: their lives had been perfect until now.
- p. 19
It's difficult to put to words how amazing Meredith Duran's writing is. Admittedly, I don't read her books frequently, but, when I do, her stories always pack an emotional wallop that leaves me speechless. I've had this book for a while, but was worried about reading it because it's actually book 2 in a series -- but I had been very, very curious about it, so I decided to read it anyway, and I'm so glad I did.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
sivankutty v s
If, like me, you discovered Meredith Duran with her first novel, DUKE OF SHADOWS, and loved it and gobbled up her next ones, just know this one, book 2 in the Rules for the Reckless series (and perhaps the entire series) is quite different. Not so much historical, and not even a good glimpse of London.
Set in 1885, much of the story takes place in the home of Alastair de Grey, Duke of Marwick where the heroine, Olivia Mather takes the position as housekeeper to surreptitiously search through the duke’s papers for information on her family. (You don’t find out until near the end why.)
Alastair is bitter (some say deranged) because his wife betrayed him with four other men before dying of an opium overdose. He has forgone his role as a leader in Parliament to sulk in his bedchamber and focus on his revenge. While he seems bent on self-destruction and revenge, his new housekeeper seems intent on saving him from himself.
Duran’s writing is superb as always and her dialog witty. She is simply a great writer. The heroine has a lot of spunk and I liked her, though her mission was often vague. The hero, however, was just odd. I suppose an unfaithful wife could send a man into a tailspin but total self-destruction and planned murder of four peers? That seemed a bit over the top. Of course, he backs off of that, but still…
I found the beginning hard to get into and the setting in one house a bit confining. (Olivia doesn’t even get out of the house until after the first 150 pages.) When the duke finally comes out of his cave and Olivia is gone from his house, things finally get interesting—in the last third of the book. Then the action is exciting, the sexual tension intense and the story unfolds.
I can recommend it but it’s not for everyone.
Rules for the Reckless series (the novels):
THAT SCANDALOUS SUMMER
FOOL ME TWICE
LADY BE GOOD
LUCK BE A LADY
Set in 1885, much of the story takes place in the home of Alastair de Grey, Duke of Marwick where the heroine, Olivia Mather takes the position as housekeeper to surreptitiously search through the duke’s papers for information on her family. (You don’t find out until near the end why.)
Alastair is bitter (some say deranged) because his wife betrayed him with four other men before dying of an opium overdose. He has forgone his role as a leader in Parliament to sulk in his bedchamber and focus on his revenge. While he seems bent on self-destruction and revenge, his new housekeeper seems intent on saving him from himself.
Duran’s writing is superb as always and her dialog witty. She is simply a great writer. The heroine has a lot of spunk and I liked her, though her mission was often vague. The hero, however, was just odd. I suppose an unfaithful wife could send a man into a tailspin but total self-destruction and planned murder of four peers? That seemed a bit over the top. Of course, he backs off of that, but still…
I found the beginning hard to get into and the setting in one house a bit confining. (Olivia doesn’t even get out of the house until after the first 150 pages.) When the duke finally comes out of his cave and Olivia is gone from his house, things finally get interesting—in the last third of the book. Then the action is exciting, the sexual tension intense and the story unfolds.
I can recommend it but it’s not for everyone.
Rules for the Reckless series (the novels):
THAT SCANDALOUS SUMMER
FOOL ME TWICE
LADY BE GOOD
LUCK BE A LADY
The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris :: The Men Who Invented the Constitution (The Simon & Schuster America Collection) :: A Is for Apple (Trace-and-Flip Fun!) (Smart Kids Trace-And-Flip) :: Fox in Socks and Socks in Box :: The Duke of Shadows
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
mary fetcho
One redheaded housekeeper in disguise, a Duke who is broken & a staff of silliness make this romance a HOOT a minute! Come crack it open,I DOUBLE DARE YOU!
Olivia Holladay is a woman on the run from her past & the man trying to eliminate her at any cost. She at the house of the Duke of Marwick to apply as a maid, so she can search thru his "Naughty" files. If she has damaging info on Baron Bertram, she might be able to flee with her life to live in a quiet cottage. Olivia knows the Duke has this files because she stole letters from her last employer, Elizabeth, who is his new sister-in-law. All she has to do is search he house, as she cleans. That should be easy, right?
Alastair de Grey, the Duke of Marwick, is living self imposed HADES & hasn't cut his hair, shaved or even left his bedroom. He is nursing a broken soul & crushed heart, after he read all the letters from his cheating, evil, cruel & opium crazed whore of a wife. He would kill her, but she is already dead from opium. Alastair will not let anyone in his bedroom, as he drinks himself into a coma, to forget all the betrayal & pain.
Olivia walks in to apply for maid & is hired as the housekeeper because the Duke threw a shoe at the last one. She takes the job because a housekeeper can search more without raising the alarm. Alastair meets his mew housekeeper by chucking a bottle at her head & she is determined to get him out of his room, not because she cares, but because she needs to search it. The Duke has an interesting collection of remaining servants, a butler, Jones, lives in fear in the butler's pantry, a valet that chases all the maids, maids Polly & Muriel who just avoid work & the handsy valet & Cook who is missing a lot of truffles. Alastair is invading by this redhead uppity housekeeper left & right as Olivia & he start this endless game of tug of war. Olivia is making sure the house is clean, not because she cares, but these lazy people must work. SHE DOESN'T CARE!
Slowly over time, Alastair begins to reenters the world with her help with no alcohol, haircut & then he begins to make an effort with dressing, living in his sitting room & he even went down the stairs. He begins to trust her & crave her as he never craved his wife, but he will not become like his father & abuse his staff. Olivia thinks the files are in a locked footlocker in his room, but if she opens it he will know that she is also betraying him. Alastair gets frisky in his library with Olivia's back against the bookshelves & unleashed his passions & she loves every minute of it & maybe so does her heart. The next day he tells her to look elsewhere for a position, she panicked, breaks into his locker & he catches her. Alastair can't believe he has been betrayed again, she is talking about a common enemy, the Baron Bertram, his heart starts to fold in on itself & she flees. When she leaves, she takes his hope & his heart with her. Will Baron Bertram get to her first & destroy her? Can he find her in the endless London? Will they realize they are stronger together before it's to late? Can these 2 crazy kids learn that LOVE can only heal & not cause pain?
Ms. Duran created a crazy world for her characters to live in & gave me a ridiculously romance that I loved. This hilarious tale is at the core a story of a strong willed woman who can only love & care. Olivia has dealt a crappy hand in live, but she is ruled by her gooey heart & that makes her one spectacular heroine! Alastair's wife wounded & betrayed his heart, but he just needed a kick in the a$$ to get his brain to function again. He played the Poor Duke for too long & Olivia had the boot for the job. I love a story with a cast of quirky individuals who make a story flow with silliness & Ms. Duran deliver a butler who hides in he butler's pantry! Olivia & Alastair showed no hold bars when it came to their unchecked desires & my Kindle pop & the battery died during a hottie scene, but batteries can charge & so did Olivia & Alastair again & again. I am thinking Bunny, y'all can use your imagination on that one. Ms. Duran can weave a tale of playful dialogue with 2 uniquely flawed characters & she reveals many secrets that might shock you as they did me. I give this romance of silliness a score of 4 fingers up & 7 toes & I THANK Ms. Duran for sharing her COSMOS with me!
NetGalley ARC given for my honest review.
Olivia Holladay is a woman on the run from her past & the man trying to eliminate her at any cost. She at the house of the Duke of Marwick to apply as a maid, so she can search thru his "Naughty" files. If she has damaging info on Baron Bertram, she might be able to flee with her life to live in a quiet cottage. Olivia knows the Duke has this files because she stole letters from her last employer, Elizabeth, who is his new sister-in-law. All she has to do is search he house, as she cleans. That should be easy, right?
Alastair de Grey, the Duke of Marwick, is living self imposed HADES & hasn't cut his hair, shaved or even left his bedroom. He is nursing a broken soul & crushed heart, after he read all the letters from his cheating, evil, cruel & opium crazed whore of a wife. He would kill her, but she is already dead from opium. Alastair will not let anyone in his bedroom, as he drinks himself into a coma, to forget all the betrayal & pain.
Olivia walks in to apply for maid & is hired as the housekeeper because the Duke threw a shoe at the last one. She takes the job because a housekeeper can search more without raising the alarm. Alastair meets his mew housekeeper by chucking a bottle at her head & she is determined to get him out of his room, not because she cares, but because she needs to search it. The Duke has an interesting collection of remaining servants, a butler, Jones, lives in fear in the butler's pantry, a valet that chases all the maids, maids Polly & Muriel who just avoid work & the handsy valet & Cook who is missing a lot of truffles. Alastair is invading by this redhead uppity housekeeper left & right as Olivia & he start this endless game of tug of war. Olivia is making sure the house is clean, not because she cares, but these lazy people must work. SHE DOESN'T CARE!
Slowly over time, Alastair begins to reenters the world with her help with no alcohol, haircut & then he begins to make an effort with dressing, living in his sitting room & he even went down the stairs. He begins to trust her & crave her as he never craved his wife, but he will not become like his father & abuse his staff. Olivia thinks the files are in a locked footlocker in his room, but if she opens it he will know that she is also betraying him. Alastair gets frisky in his library with Olivia's back against the bookshelves & unleashed his passions & she loves every minute of it & maybe so does her heart. The next day he tells her to look elsewhere for a position, she panicked, breaks into his locker & he catches her. Alastair can't believe he has been betrayed again, she is talking about a common enemy, the Baron Bertram, his heart starts to fold in on itself & she flees. When she leaves, she takes his hope & his heart with her. Will Baron Bertram get to her first & destroy her? Can he find her in the endless London? Will they realize they are stronger together before it's to late? Can these 2 crazy kids learn that LOVE can only heal & not cause pain?
Ms. Duran created a crazy world for her characters to live in & gave me a ridiculously romance that I loved. This hilarious tale is at the core a story of a strong willed woman who can only love & care. Olivia has dealt a crappy hand in live, but she is ruled by her gooey heart & that makes her one spectacular heroine! Alastair's wife wounded & betrayed his heart, but he just needed a kick in the a$$ to get his brain to function again. He played the Poor Duke for too long & Olivia had the boot for the job. I love a story with a cast of quirky individuals who make a story flow with silliness & Ms. Duran deliver a butler who hides in he butler's pantry! Olivia & Alastair showed no hold bars when it came to their unchecked desires & my Kindle pop & the battery died during a hottie scene, but batteries can charge & so did Olivia & Alastair again & again. I am thinking Bunny, y'all can use your imagination on that one. Ms. Duran can weave a tale of playful dialogue with 2 uniquely flawed characters & she reveals many secrets that might shock you as they did me. I give this romance of silliness a score of 4 fingers up & 7 toes & I THANK Ms. Duran for sharing her COSMOS with me!
NetGalley ARC given for my honest review.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
mary vassar
My Initial Reaction...
I really enjoyed Fool Me Twice - it had a few twists that I wasn't expecting. And it fulfilled my craving for a good historical romance!
The Narration...
Alison Larkin was the narrator for Fool Me Twice and she was a good fit. I don't know if she normally reads with a British accent or if it's her native accent, but it never felt like work. The accent - which she used in varying ways for men and women - was pretty necessary since Fool Me Twice takes place in England, and she successfully transported me there. As is normal for many female narrators, some of her male voices sounded a little off, but for the most part even they sounded great. I quickly got lost in the story and forgot I was being read to.
The Characters...
I was worried when I started Fool Me Twice that I might feel disconnected from the characters, since it's the second book in the series and I never read the first. However, I never felt any disconnect and the only character (I suspect) that really overlaps between the two books is Olivia, the main character.
Overall I liked Olivia. It takes a lot of spunk to decide your going to pose as a housekeeper and steal the Lord of the house's private documents to blackmail a member of the government. And as you get to know Olivia's past, it's not surprising that she has this kind of backbone. She has not had an easy life and is stronger for it. The only thing that really bothered me was that Olivia has so many contradictions. As the housekeeper she constantly makes a big deal about propriety and how the staff are behaving - even though she doesn't actually care about the household. She just feels it's so wrong. But then she makes these statements (which she follows through on) that she isn't a woman who believes only in relations after marriage. The contradiction really bothered me, but other than that, I liked her.
Fool Me Twice includes the point of view of Alastair (The Duke of Marwick, who she works for) and I think this was essential to my liking him from the get-go. Seen only from Olivia's point of view, I might not have liked him because he was so mean to her! But he really is a man dealing with incredible anger after the death of his wife, who he learned had been betraying him their entire marriage. This knowledge made his angry moments rather hot, actually. He was just a very Alpha male - which I love. And the connection between him and Olivia was particularly great. Some of their banter was great for fans of sexual tension and when it escalated it delights those who want a bit more ;)
The Story...
The story for Fool Me Twice was a solid one, with several twists that I did not expect. I figured them out literally AS they were being revealed. I love a story like that and I only wonder if reading book one might have made me have better guesses. I'm definitely planning to go back and read it to find out. But I never felt like I was missing any important information, so it does work on its own.
The premise is that Olivia's been chased, since her mother's death, by the henchmen of Lord Burtrum (I'm unsure of the spelling - audiobook problems lol). But she's learned that Alastair has some documents that could blackmail him - so she goes to work for Alastair to steal the documents. This becomes a greater challenge than she anticipated because Alastair refuses to leave his rooms (where the documents seem most likely to be). So Olivia has to work on "fixing him" to get him out of his rooms - thus creating fun moments where they get to know each other and antagonize each other.
One other element I really loved about Fool Me Twice was the passing between realms of the house. Olivia is staff, Alastair is the Duke. It had this Downton Abbey feel that I absolutely loved - and Meredith Duran did an excellent job capturing the historical world she wrote her characters into.
Concluding Sentiments...
A fun mystery with a sexy romance, Fool Me Twice was a thoroughly enjoyable historical and I plan to read more from this series.
This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence.
I really enjoyed Fool Me Twice - it had a few twists that I wasn't expecting. And it fulfilled my craving for a good historical romance!
The Narration...
Alison Larkin was the narrator for Fool Me Twice and she was a good fit. I don't know if she normally reads with a British accent or if it's her native accent, but it never felt like work. The accent - which she used in varying ways for men and women - was pretty necessary since Fool Me Twice takes place in England, and she successfully transported me there. As is normal for many female narrators, some of her male voices sounded a little off, but for the most part even they sounded great. I quickly got lost in the story and forgot I was being read to.
The Characters...
I was worried when I started Fool Me Twice that I might feel disconnected from the characters, since it's the second book in the series and I never read the first. However, I never felt any disconnect and the only character (I suspect) that really overlaps between the two books is Olivia, the main character.
Overall I liked Olivia. It takes a lot of spunk to decide your going to pose as a housekeeper and steal the Lord of the house's private documents to blackmail a member of the government. And as you get to know Olivia's past, it's not surprising that she has this kind of backbone. She has not had an easy life and is stronger for it. The only thing that really bothered me was that Olivia has so many contradictions. As the housekeeper she constantly makes a big deal about propriety and how the staff are behaving - even though she doesn't actually care about the household. She just feels it's so wrong. But then she makes these statements (which she follows through on) that she isn't a woman who believes only in relations after marriage. The contradiction really bothered me, but other than that, I liked her.
Fool Me Twice includes the point of view of Alastair (The Duke of Marwick, who she works for) and I think this was essential to my liking him from the get-go. Seen only from Olivia's point of view, I might not have liked him because he was so mean to her! But he really is a man dealing with incredible anger after the death of his wife, who he learned had been betraying him their entire marriage. This knowledge made his angry moments rather hot, actually. He was just a very Alpha male - which I love. And the connection between him and Olivia was particularly great. Some of their banter was great for fans of sexual tension and when it escalated it delights those who want a bit more ;)
The Story...
The story for Fool Me Twice was a solid one, with several twists that I did not expect. I figured them out literally AS they were being revealed. I love a story like that and I only wonder if reading book one might have made me have better guesses. I'm definitely planning to go back and read it to find out. But I never felt like I was missing any important information, so it does work on its own.
The premise is that Olivia's been chased, since her mother's death, by the henchmen of Lord Burtrum (I'm unsure of the spelling - audiobook problems lol). But she's learned that Alastair has some documents that could blackmail him - so she goes to work for Alastair to steal the documents. This becomes a greater challenge than she anticipated because Alastair refuses to leave his rooms (where the documents seem most likely to be). So Olivia has to work on "fixing him" to get him out of his rooms - thus creating fun moments where they get to know each other and antagonize each other.
One other element I really loved about Fool Me Twice was the passing between realms of the house. Olivia is staff, Alastair is the Duke. It had this Downton Abbey feel that I absolutely loved - and Meredith Duran did an excellent job capturing the historical world she wrote her characters into.
Concluding Sentiments...
A fun mystery with a sexy romance, Fool Me Twice was a thoroughly enjoyable historical and I plan to read more from this series.
This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
kacie cross
Loved this book! Loved the hero and the heroine and I loved the plot! The story was so engaging it was hard to put down. It was such a smart unraveling that I completely believed the events in this story could happen. Olivia Mather is up to no good. She is on a mission and is not going to let anything or anyone get in her way. Olivia needs to find information on her sworn enemy and the only person that might have that information is none other than our hero- Alastair de Grey.
Alastair de Grey once London’s golden boy is locked up in his room on the brink of lunacy. Alastair is driven mad by his past. He hides out in his room and his staff is terrified of him. Everyone thinks that he has lost his mine and fears him. Alastair is enraged/heart-broken/disappointed in himself and in his past. He discovers the numerous affairs of his now deceased wife. He is very handsome, very rich and also very lost.
Olivia is hired as a maid in Alastair’s home. She finds herself in a home run amuck by servants and a master that doesn’t care if he or anyone else lives or dies. She realizes that the information she is looking for is in Alastair’s room. However, he never leaves his room and she is terrified of how far along he is in his lunacy. Through many tense, and at times funny encounters, she is finally able to reason with him. Because Alastair’s has already been deceived he is infuriated when he finds out Olivia’s true intentions for infiltrating his home and turning his life upside down. Olivia for her part is struggling with her deception and her justification, together with Alastair she has to figure out how far she will go to get the revenge she has been after for years. Alastair has to decide who he will become. He can no longer go back to the man he was but he is not sure of who he will become. Luckily for him Olivia is not only a force to reckon with but courageous enough to give Alastair a piece of her mind.
To say that this is a fantastic story is an understatement. Both the hero and heroine were very flawed. They both had to internally struggle with their choices and together they have to decide what they will do with their future. They had such great chemistry from their first interaction that I was hooked. Olivia is very smart and witty and is not afraid to speak up for herself. A trait that gets her into some peculiar situations. Alastair is such a damaged and broken hero that it is through the author’s great creativity that he unfolds right before our eyes. Although he is discarded by much of society for his “mental capacity” he is not going to be made a fool of again, least of all by Olivia. Watching them struggle against each other made for a great plot but watching them work together was equally as gratifying. I loved how the author unfolded this fantastic tale. I found it to be very clever just like the main characters. Excellent story! Full of dynamic and entertaining characters! I definitely recommend it and look forward to reading the first part of the series, That Scandalous Summer (Rules for the Reckless, #1). I’m hooked!
Alastair de Grey once London’s golden boy is locked up in his room on the brink of lunacy. Alastair is driven mad by his past. He hides out in his room and his staff is terrified of him. Everyone thinks that he has lost his mine and fears him. Alastair is enraged/heart-broken/disappointed in himself and in his past. He discovers the numerous affairs of his now deceased wife. He is very handsome, very rich and also very lost.
Olivia is hired as a maid in Alastair’s home. She finds herself in a home run amuck by servants and a master that doesn’t care if he or anyone else lives or dies. She realizes that the information she is looking for is in Alastair’s room. However, he never leaves his room and she is terrified of how far along he is in his lunacy. Through many tense, and at times funny encounters, she is finally able to reason with him. Because Alastair’s has already been deceived he is infuriated when he finds out Olivia’s true intentions for infiltrating his home and turning his life upside down. Olivia for her part is struggling with her deception and her justification, together with Alastair she has to figure out how far she will go to get the revenge she has been after for years. Alastair has to decide who he will become. He can no longer go back to the man he was but he is not sure of who he will become. Luckily for him Olivia is not only a force to reckon with but courageous enough to give Alastair a piece of her mind.
To say that this is a fantastic story is an understatement. Both the hero and heroine were very flawed. They both had to internally struggle with their choices and together they have to decide what they will do with their future. They had such great chemistry from their first interaction that I was hooked. Olivia is very smart and witty and is not afraid to speak up for herself. A trait that gets her into some peculiar situations. Alastair is such a damaged and broken hero that it is through the author’s great creativity that he unfolds right before our eyes. Although he is discarded by much of society for his “mental capacity” he is not going to be made a fool of again, least of all by Olivia. Watching them struggle against each other made for a great plot but watching them work together was equally as gratifying. I loved how the author unfolded this fantastic tale. I found it to be very clever just like the main characters. Excellent story! Full of dynamic and entertaining characters! I definitely recommend it and look forward to reading the first part of the series, That Scandalous Summer (Rules for the Reckless, #1). I’m hooked!
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
beverly rogers revo
My Thoughts:
Gimme all the romances please! No, seriously, somebody do this. So, yeah, I went on a requesting spree on NetGalley since my first historical romance was a hit for me. I just couldn't help myself. While this one wasn't exactly the same, it still has its sweetness to it.
It took awhile for us to get there with Olivia and Alastair, but it was compelling. I kept reading the new interactions between them, seeing the little changes taking place, drawing them inevitably closer. Olivia's tenacity was key in the development of it. She drew him in and he couldn't resist. It was impossible not to love her... and then eventually him.
Fool Me Twice has everything a good romance needs. The banter, the precious banter, of Olivia and Alastair woven throughout the story. I would definitely say Meredith Duran is worth picking up off the shelf and giving a shot.
My Rating: Pretty good
Gimme all the romances please! No, seriously, somebody do this. So, yeah, I went on a requesting spree on NetGalley since my first historical romance was a hit for me. I just couldn't help myself. While this one wasn't exactly the same, it still has its sweetness to it.
It took awhile for us to get there with Olivia and Alastair, but it was compelling. I kept reading the new interactions between them, seeing the little changes taking place, drawing them inevitably closer. Olivia's tenacity was key in the development of it. She drew him in and he couldn't resist. It was impossible not to love her... and then eventually him.
Fool Me Twice has everything a good romance needs. The banter, the precious banter, of Olivia and Alastair woven throughout the story. I would definitely say Meredith Duran is worth picking up off the shelf and giving a shot.
My Rating: Pretty good
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
gill
*Thank you Pocket Books and Netgalley for the ARC!*
Olivia Holladay/ Mather/ Johnson is a criminal. She assumed new identities and changed names like one does outfits. She stole from her previous employer, and now, intends to steal from her current one, the Duke of Marwick. But don't mistake her for a petty thief. It's not gold or diamonds that she intends to steal, but secrets of her family's past. And she does it with great mettle and vivacity - qualities that had kept her alive the last seven years. Believing that the Duke of Marwick held secrets that would guarantee her freedom, Olivia decides to infiltrate his estate as a housekeeper.
Alastair de Grey, Duke of Marwick is a recluse. A year ago, he was at the top of his game. An erudite politician who promised a better England; on his way up to become a Prime Minister. He perceived a blissful marriage, with the beautiful Margaret on his arm. He suffered a fleeting moment of heartache when his wife was found dead from opium overdose, only to be replaced with ire when he found out that she had connived against him. He retreated into his room, never to leave; to leave would mean the end of the men who had fooled and betrayed him.
Leafing through the papers in search for evidence, Olivia stumbled upon dossiers written by Alastair. Night after night, she discovered the once powerful Duke through the words he wrote. One would not be wrong to assume that she fell in love first with his wisdom. Convinced that he could do so much more for the country and what he believes in, Olivia went on to draw him out of his reclusion. But that's not the only reason; she needs to get him out of that room so that she could continue with her search! And thus, they begin their journey towards freedom; hers from her past, and his from his own guilt.
Fool Me Twice has been such a delightful read. Their banters were humorous, and sensual, and they kept me up all night! A sweet, sweet book indeed!
Conclusion: Fool Me Twice guarantees to suck you in right from the start!
Olivia Holladay/ Mather/ Johnson is a criminal. She assumed new identities and changed names like one does outfits. She stole from her previous employer, and now, intends to steal from her current one, the Duke of Marwick. But don't mistake her for a petty thief. It's not gold or diamonds that she intends to steal, but secrets of her family's past. And she does it with great mettle and vivacity - qualities that had kept her alive the last seven years. Believing that the Duke of Marwick held secrets that would guarantee her freedom, Olivia decides to infiltrate his estate as a housekeeper.
Alastair de Grey, Duke of Marwick is a recluse. A year ago, he was at the top of his game. An erudite politician who promised a better England; on his way up to become a Prime Minister. He perceived a blissful marriage, with the beautiful Margaret on his arm. He suffered a fleeting moment of heartache when his wife was found dead from opium overdose, only to be replaced with ire when he found out that she had connived against him. He retreated into his room, never to leave; to leave would mean the end of the men who had fooled and betrayed him.
Leafing through the papers in search for evidence, Olivia stumbled upon dossiers written by Alastair. Night after night, she discovered the once powerful Duke through the words he wrote. One would not be wrong to assume that she fell in love first with his wisdom. Convinced that he could do so much more for the country and what he believes in, Olivia went on to draw him out of his reclusion. But that's not the only reason; she needs to get him out of that room so that she could continue with her search! And thus, they begin their journey towards freedom; hers from her past, and his from his own guilt.
Fool Me Twice has been such a delightful read. Their banters were humorous, and sensual, and they kept me up all night! A sweet, sweet book indeed!
Conclusion: Fool Me Twice guarantees to suck you in right from the start!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
jesselyn
I cannot stress enough, how very much, I enjoyed FOOL ME TWICE by Meredith Duran!
Refreshing and witty, this “lady in disguise”/”beauty and the beast” themed story of tragedy, revenge and romance was so brilliantly written that I had to read it twice.
Olivia is a woman on a mission, to take down the man who is trying to take her life. To do so, she must infiltrate the household of the infamously reclusive Duke of Marwick in the disguise of a maid. Her plans go awry fairly quickly as she is thrust into the role of housekeeper instead and put in charge of a household that has fallen into chaos.
Determined to make the best of a bad situation, even if that means that she occasionally has to dodge flying bottles and insults from the duke, muddles through until it becomes apparent that the evidence that she is looking for can only be locked inside Marwick’s private domain.
After a bitter betrayal, Alastair de Grey has locked himself away from the world and is teetering on the brink of insanity, when a new housekeeper arrives who is insolent, obstinate and not the least bit afraid of telling him what’s-what.
The cat and mouse game between these two as Olivia cleverly works to draw him out and Alastair begins to unravel the web of mystery that surrounds her, is so well written that it almost makes the romantic aspect secondary…ALMOST.
With a volatile, sexual chemistry that makes the pages spark with tension, you just know that when the moment arrives for these two to give into their passion that the moment will be…wait for it…legend-dary! And it is.
Unfortunately, as the title suggests, Olivia’s secret is eventually revealed and you will just have to read for yourself to find out if our twice betrayed hero chooses love or revenge.
FOOL ME TWICE is a compelling story, with extremely memorable characters, fantastic dialog, humor and a wealth of dramatic angst that will put this latest book by Meredith Duran firmly on your own “to be read again” list of fantastic reads.
*Originally posted at [...]
Refreshing and witty, this “lady in disguise”/”beauty and the beast” themed story of tragedy, revenge and romance was so brilliantly written that I had to read it twice.
Olivia is a woman on a mission, to take down the man who is trying to take her life. To do so, she must infiltrate the household of the infamously reclusive Duke of Marwick in the disguise of a maid. Her plans go awry fairly quickly as she is thrust into the role of housekeeper instead and put in charge of a household that has fallen into chaos.
Determined to make the best of a bad situation, even if that means that she occasionally has to dodge flying bottles and insults from the duke, muddles through until it becomes apparent that the evidence that she is looking for can only be locked inside Marwick’s private domain.
After a bitter betrayal, Alastair de Grey has locked himself away from the world and is teetering on the brink of insanity, when a new housekeeper arrives who is insolent, obstinate and not the least bit afraid of telling him what’s-what.
The cat and mouse game between these two as Olivia cleverly works to draw him out and Alastair begins to unravel the web of mystery that surrounds her, is so well written that it almost makes the romantic aspect secondary…ALMOST.
With a volatile, sexual chemistry that makes the pages spark with tension, you just know that when the moment arrives for these two to give into their passion that the moment will be…wait for it…legend-dary! And it is.
Unfortunately, as the title suggests, Olivia’s secret is eventually revealed and you will just have to read for yourself to find out if our twice betrayed hero chooses love or revenge.
FOOL ME TWICE is a compelling story, with extremely memorable characters, fantastic dialog, humor and a wealth of dramatic angst that will put this latest book by Meredith Duran firmly on your own “to be read again” list of fantastic reads.
*Originally posted at [...]
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
tom kollman
There have been many reviews of this wonderful book, so I won't describe the plot or characters once again. Instead let me explain some of the things that made it so special. First, it is intelligently written and the character's fine educations are evident in their interests and dialogue. Far too many HR books are just plain dumb. While I might have liked to have more actual history in this novel, character driven books like this certainly hold one's attention. There were some action scenes as well. I loved the way that these two flawed characters, who certainly hurt each other, were eventually able to put difficult pasts behind them to find and encourage the best in each other. Ms. Duran included some deliciously steamy scenes but they were not overdone or repeated exhaustively, as too often happens. While there were some standard themes here, there were plenty of interesting twists and turns. Finally, I learned some things from this book and that is always rewarding. While I had not read the previous book in this series, I have read others by the same author and they were great. Now back to Michael and Elizabeth's story!
.
.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
jessye
I think I will characterize this book as a “Historical Romantic Suspense” rather than just a Historical Romance. There are so many delightful surprises and twists just when we think that we have things figured out. Olivia’s history unfolds slowly throughout the book and I couldn’t help but make some totally unfounded assumptions that proved to be totally incorrect. Alastair is such a broken shell that it is magic the way Ms. Duran brings him back to life through Olivia. There is an evil villain that drives the story and the revenge that Alistair seeks and Olivia’s desperation.
The plotting of this novel is superb, the characterization is superb, the dialog is believeable and the setting of Victorian England is brought to life. This book deserves 5 stars and 5 more stars.
The plotting of this novel is superb, the characterization is superb, the dialog is believeable and the setting of Victorian England is brought to life. This book deserves 5 stars and 5 more stars.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
christina welsh
This might seem like a strange description of a book, but I felt full after reading it. It was truly a deep romance novel. After reading, I had to check the page amount and I was shocked to see it was only 384 pages. How can so much emotion and experiences be conveyed in such small space? I have completely fallen in love with the Alastair and Olivia. The fit together like pieces to a puzzle. Their banter was hilarious. Their characterization was superb. In the book, Olivia likens of Alastair to the Byron quote "mad, bad , and dangerous to know" and I found myself nodding in agreement. He certainly had a foot in the crazy department; combined with his magnetic appeal and political position, he could be quite bad and dangerous to know. As for Olivia, ohh she has become one of my two favorite HR heroines (the other being Jessica Trent from Lord of the Scoundrels). Like Jessica, she has a refreshing dose of common sense (which is lacking in many HR heroines), she is truly brave and through the challenges of her circumstances she has become relatively fearless. Together, these two were explosive. Their back stories were fleshed out, and you could see the links that brought them together. Also, the twists caught me off-guard. This is impressive for a HR story.
All in all I would recommend to a mature reader who is not chasing flash stories. This is the type to keep you full, even after you drop it.
All in all I would recommend to a mature reader who is not chasing flash stories. This is the type to keep you full, even after you drop it.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
akilah
Seriously, I can not remember the last time I read something this well written. I have the urge to write a commentary, or a book report! It is so rich and passionate, I do not know where to begin. Ms. Duran takes 2 desperate and lonely people, from 2 social extremes, and brings them together to struggle and help one another to a place of love and equality. The brilliant part is that she manages to do this with humor and unexpected twists. I also, learned more about myself when I read this, and somehow feel like a better person for it. This is the first book I have read by this author and as soon as I finish this, I am going treasure hunting!
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
alie stumpf
4.25 Stars!
I thoroughly enjoyed this romance with a tortured hero, a woman with a purpose and not much to lose and how they heal each other.
Olivia, with several aliases is on a mission, she is looking for information about Bertram, a man who has been causing problems in her life for many years. So stealing (in good faith) a few items from her former employer Elizabeth, she passes herself off as a maid, then housekeeper to search the Duke of Marwick's home to find papers to use as blackmail.
The Duke of Marwick, Alastair de Grey has not left his room in months and his house is in chaos, at least until Olivia starts to work there, the interesting thing is that at first she does not care about the household or the duke, she only wants order so she can search certain rooms. The Duke has kept himself away from everyone believing he would kill those that deceived him. His wife was found in a hotel room with an opium pipe next to her bed, only after he found her letters did he realize she slept with several men and told them Alastair's secrets from Parliament. As Olivia starts to gain control of a wild house she slowly gets Alastair interested enough in the world and her to do something.
Fool Me Twice has several items I enjoy in a romance, I love when the hero has some tortured event that prevents him for enjoying life (he he), I also like when the hero and heroine can banter with the best of them. When we first meet Alastair he is sitting in a dark room, contemplating murder, very tortured indeed. We learn about his wife and how he will never be fooled again...enter Olivia who is all about subterfuge, her name is not true and neither is the background she gave, but for a young woman she can whip a home in shape, get those around her to do what they are supposed to and even go toe to toe with the duke to get him to feel alive again. The banter is hilarious and I loved when they are in a scene together. Of course I also enjoyed when they were in a scene together and there was not much talking.
The pace of the book is slow in the beginning, with the duke hidden away and Olivia searching the house, but it picks up and holds my interest after they spared several times and he starts to come out of his room. Of course there is the mystery of her mother's diary and Bertram that needs to be solved, along with the fact that Alastair feels betrayed when he finds out who Olivia really is and why she is in his house. I loved when Alastair writes to his brother, in the first book there is a lot of pain between the two and it is great to see the riff start to heal. Alastair suffered greatly at the hands of his wife and you can feel his pain, but more than that is his humiliation and how betrayed he fels, he is ready to kill a few men.
This is the second in the series and while we met several characters in the first book, The Scandalous Summer, you will not feel lost if you start with this book. All in all this is a wonderful historical romance with mystery, deceit and of course romance with a tortured hero.
Review also posted at Ramblings from a Chaotic Mind
Copy from publisher for an honest review
I thoroughly enjoyed this romance with a tortured hero, a woman with a purpose and not much to lose and how they heal each other.
Olivia, with several aliases is on a mission, she is looking for information about Bertram, a man who has been causing problems in her life for many years. So stealing (in good faith) a few items from her former employer Elizabeth, she passes herself off as a maid, then housekeeper to search the Duke of Marwick's home to find papers to use as blackmail.
The Duke of Marwick, Alastair de Grey has not left his room in months and his house is in chaos, at least until Olivia starts to work there, the interesting thing is that at first she does not care about the household or the duke, she only wants order so she can search certain rooms. The Duke has kept himself away from everyone believing he would kill those that deceived him. His wife was found in a hotel room with an opium pipe next to her bed, only after he found her letters did he realize she slept with several men and told them Alastair's secrets from Parliament. As Olivia starts to gain control of a wild house she slowly gets Alastair interested enough in the world and her to do something.
Fool Me Twice has several items I enjoy in a romance, I love when the hero has some tortured event that prevents him for enjoying life (he he), I also like when the hero and heroine can banter with the best of them. When we first meet Alastair he is sitting in a dark room, contemplating murder, very tortured indeed. We learn about his wife and how he will never be fooled again...enter Olivia who is all about subterfuge, her name is not true and neither is the background she gave, but for a young woman she can whip a home in shape, get those around her to do what they are supposed to and even go toe to toe with the duke to get him to feel alive again. The banter is hilarious and I loved when they are in a scene together. Of course I also enjoyed when they were in a scene together and there was not much talking.
The pace of the book is slow in the beginning, with the duke hidden away and Olivia searching the house, but it picks up and holds my interest after they spared several times and he starts to come out of his room. Of course there is the mystery of her mother's diary and Bertram that needs to be solved, along with the fact that Alastair feels betrayed when he finds out who Olivia really is and why she is in his house. I loved when Alastair writes to his brother, in the first book there is a lot of pain between the two and it is great to see the riff start to heal. Alastair suffered greatly at the hands of his wife and you can feel his pain, but more than that is his humiliation and how betrayed he fels, he is ready to kill a few men.
This is the second in the series and while we met several characters in the first book, The Scandalous Summer, you will not feel lost if you start with this book. All in all this is a wonderful historical romance with mystery, deceit and of course romance with a tortured hero.
Review also posted at Ramblings from a Chaotic Mind
Copy from publisher for an honest review
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
nurman
Fool Me Twice uses a familiar trope – getting a job in a peer’s house for a personal reason. The person is Olivia Mather, the search is for proof against someone trying to kill her, the job is housekeeper. Olivia and her past are what makes this use unique.
I loved Olivia. She is strong and has looked after herself since she was 16. Part of what she has had to do involved running for her life as someone is trying to kill her. At first there is no clue why but long before it was revealed I knew the reason. I will confess I did not know the person until the end.
Alastair de Grey, the Duke of Marwick, owns the household where she got the job. He was not nearly as strong as Olivia. In fact when his wife died and he learned the truth about her actions he fell apart. Olivia has to get him on his feet to find the information she needs. Olivia has to make some hard decisions and Alastair has to come to terms with how the past is keeping him from trusting anyone. If that happens they can have their HEA.
Fool Me Twice is a fun read with many twists and turns. It combines romance with danger while keeping the reader glued to the pages.
This is book two in the series. I read it as a stand-alone and even through there were hints about things I missed in book one they were not that important to the story.
I loved Olivia. She is strong and has looked after herself since she was 16. Part of what she has had to do involved running for her life as someone is trying to kill her. At first there is no clue why but long before it was revealed I knew the reason. I will confess I did not know the person until the end.
Alastair de Grey, the Duke of Marwick, owns the household where she got the job. He was not nearly as strong as Olivia. In fact when his wife died and he learned the truth about her actions he fell apart. Olivia has to get him on his feet to find the information she needs. Olivia has to make some hard decisions and Alastair has to come to terms with how the past is keeping him from trusting anyone. If that happens they can have their HEA.
Fool Me Twice is a fun read with many twists and turns. It combines romance with danger while keeping the reader glued to the pages.
This is book two in the series. I read it as a stand-alone and even through there were hints about things I missed in book one they were not that important to the story.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
vera
This was the absolute best historical fiction I have read in a while. I completely loved the idea behind the story, and the characters couldn't have been better. Alastair was dark and light and everything in between. His darkness eventually subsides in part ( thanks to Olivia), but he never really loses his edge. Olivia is desperate, but even in her desperation, she cannot curb her tongue or her need to fix things. She tries so hard to depend only on herself but desperately craves somewhere and someone to belong to. Sparks..and bottles...fly when these two meet. Their equally stubborn natures keep them constantly insulting and taunting each other. The attraction is there from the beginning, especially as Alastair starts to truly see Olivia's real worth. He attacks her with his words and yet defends her against the words and actions of others. He has been betrayed by his late wife, but Olivia is the one who can't accept that they could ever be together. Toward the end when she said, " You won't keep me", I though my heart would break.
Obviously, I was emotionally invested in this book. I stayed up very late and fell asleep on the couch trying to finish because I couldn't bear not knowing what was going to happen. This was my first book by this author, but it certainly will not be the last.
Obviously, I was emotionally invested in this book. I stayed up very late and fell asleep on the couch trying to finish because I couldn't bear not knowing what was going to happen. This was my first book by this author, but it certainly will not be the last.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
sona
I absolutely love this book! I used to read historical romances quite a lot, but over the past few years have tired of them. I saw a comment about this book on a blog and thought to give it a try. I'm so glad I did! I just fell in love with the characters and thought the pacing of the story was great. The way Olivia "handles" Alastair in the first half of the novel is terrific and, at times, downright hilarious. I was seriously rooting for them from about Chapter 2!
I highly recommend this book and will be checking out more books by Duran.
I highly recommend this book and will be checking out more books by Duran.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
zuhair mehrali
An oasis in the desert! I had really gotten bored with romance reading of late! Plot-less stories, watery love scenes, bland characters. But when Ms Duran launches a title, I grab it with both hands! Because I know I will find a plot that entangles in the H & h relationship. There will be intense feelings, charged love scenes, deep conflicts, endearing characters.
Fool Me Twice fit my taste, like the proverbial glove, for I simply LOVE a dark hero and a gothic air around the plot! I will be watching out for her next title, since I've read all of the former ones. Cheers!
Fool Me Twice fit my taste, like the proverbial glove, for I simply LOVE a dark hero and a gothic air around the plot! I will be watching out for her next title, since I've read all of the former ones. Cheers!
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
lillie
This was a truly enjoyable read- exactly what the genre is all about. Olivia is an excellent heroine; a clever young woman trying to take back control of her life after a traumatic attack. Alastair is a troubled heroine, haunted by the betrayal of his late wife on both a personal and political level. Watching these two come together to save each other from their pasts makes for a wonderful read. My only quibble is that Alastair's reaction to his wife's betrayal seems rather extreme once all the details eventually emerge. Regardless, an excellent read for any romance fan.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
jp morgan
I loved this book. The two main protagonists were very strong and believable. The Duke of Marwick withdrew from his life after
his late wife betrays him. He is full of rage and is afraid if he comes out of his self imposed exile that he will kill the men who cuckolded him with his wife. The heroine Olivia has a mutual enemy and disguises herself as a housekeeper
to try and steal what she needs to save her life. Olivia is the only one brave enough to invade the Duke's self imposed exile. She does achieve her goal of stealing the evidence she needs, but in the process she falls for the Duke. He knows that she has betrayed him and he reenters the world to pursue her. What ensues is an emotional and very deeply well written romance. This story is written beautifully as no one but Meredith Duran can write. I have read all of her books, this is my favorite.
his late wife betrays him. He is full of rage and is afraid if he comes out of his self imposed exile that he will kill the men who cuckolded him with his wife. The heroine Olivia has a mutual enemy and disguises herself as a housekeeper
to try and steal what she needs to save her life. Olivia is the only one brave enough to invade the Duke's self imposed exile. She does achieve her goal of stealing the evidence she needs, but in the process she falls for the Duke. He knows that she has betrayed him and he reenters the world to pursue her. What ensues is an emotional and very deeply well written romance. This story is written beautifully as no one but Meredith Duran can write. I have read all of her books, this is my favorite.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
anna jennings
Fabulous story, absolutely loved the Olivia. She is complicated and strong and still oddly sweet, though definitely not in a treacly fashion. Alastair was so haunted and tortured in a truly believable way. Spicy and sweet and smart and sophisticated, just the way I like my regency romance.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
lucia madiedo
What a wonderful surprise. A definite 4 1/2 stars. It started slow then I was hooked. The dialogue was wonderful. I laughed, I sighed, I despaired and then I cheered. I loved Olivia. Only someone so clear headed and brave could have brought the Duke out of the depths of despair. This was so much better than I expected. I now have to read her other books.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
samar
So much happened in this book. It all starts with a beast of a man, living recluse and antagonizing everyone. Enters Olivia, the new housekeeper. She's mouthy and fights him at every turn. But she is not your regular do-gooder. She has a secret and a plan.
Very enjoyable romance.
Very enjoyable romance.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
maria rolim
Well developed. Characters had depth & personality. I enjoy her books and she is an automatic buy for me. Her books reflect human nature in all it's intricacies while creating interesting stories. I'm so glad she takes the time to do this. Thanks!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
teshanee
This was the absolute best historical fiction I have read in a while. I completely loved the idea behind the story, and the characters couldn't have been better. Alastair was dark and light and everything in between. His darkness eventually subsides in part ( thanks to Olivia), but he never really loses his edge. Olivia is desperate, but even in her desperation, she cannot curb her tongue or her need to fix things. She tries so hard to depend only on herself but desperately craves somewhere and someone to belong to. Sparks..and bottles...fly when these two meet. Their equally stubborn natures keep them constantly insulting and taunting each other. The attraction is there from the beginning, especially as Alastair starts to truly see Olivia's real worth. He attacks her with his words and yet defends her against the words and actions of others. He has been betrayed by his late wife, but Olivia is the one who can't accept that they could ever be together. Toward the end when she said, " You won't keep me", I though my heart would break.
Obviously, I was emotionally invested in this book. I stayed up very late and fell asleep on the couch trying to finish because I couldn't bear not knowing what was going to happen. This was my first book by this author, but it certainly will not be the last.
Obviously, I was emotionally invested in this book. I stayed up very late and fell asleep on the couch trying to finish because I couldn't bear not knowing what was going to happen. This was my first book by this author, but it certainly will not be the last.
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
susan pearce
The benefits of reading Fool Me Twice:
1. When Politics Meet Virtue
Perhaps the most spellbinding feature of Meredith Duran’s Fool Me Twice is its two central characters: Olivia Holladay and Alastair, the Duke of Marwick. Despite being jilted by life in various ways, Olivia is a girl of remarkable talents and indestructible optimism. Left to her own devices at a vulnerable age with little venues available to her, Olivia picks up the reins and forces life to heel. The Duke of Marwick is the other side of the same coin – proud, presumptuous, and endearing in his integrity and kindness, Alastair is not a man to be trifled with, especially not when he is his own worst enemy (and that’s saying a lot for man who was almost Prime Minister of England). Olivia and the Duke bring their readers on an unpredictable and tumultuous ride, and you will emerge at the end with hair unkempt and eyes wide open, going, “Is it over already?”
2. The writing zips along like a bee.
Much like her characters, Meredith Duran’s writing is polished and sophisticated. Jump right into the hustle and bustle of 19th century London, and enjoy the squeak of carriage wheels and the texture of a lady’s whalebone petticoat. You will think the Duke’s tall handsome frame is filling your very own doorway, and catch the glint of Olivia’s flame-red hair in the corner of your eye.
3. Sex in a carriage? Yes please.
Sadly, there are not many steamy scenes in Fool Me Twice, but what is shown will have you sweaty and short of breath. Duran has a wonderfully fresh grip on erotic language and does not inundate her readers with clichés. When a dynamite couple like Olivia and Alastair come together, the explosions are impressive both inside and outside the bedroom.
ARC Provided
1. When Politics Meet Virtue
Perhaps the most spellbinding feature of Meredith Duran’s Fool Me Twice is its two central characters: Olivia Holladay and Alastair, the Duke of Marwick. Despite being jilted by life in various ways, Olivia is a girl of remarkable talents and indestructible optimism. Left to her own devices at a vulnerable age with little venues available to her, Olivia picks up the reins and forces life to heel. The Duke of Marwick is the other side of the same coin – proud, presumptuous, and endearing in his integrity and kindness, Alastair is not a man to be trifled with, especially not when he is his own worst enemy (and that’s saying a lot for man who was almost Prime Minister of England). Olivia and the Duke bring their readers on an unpredictable and tumultuous ride, and you will emerge at the end with hair unkempt and eyes wide open, going, “Is it over already?”
2. The writing zips along like a bee.
Much like her characters, Meredith Duran’s writing is polished and sophisticated. Jump right into the hustle and bustle of 19th century London, and enjoy the squeak of carriage wheels and the texture of a lady’s whalebone petticoat. You will think the Duke’s tall handsome frame is filling your very own doorway, and catch the glint of Olivia’s flame-red hair in the corner of your eye.
3. Sex in a carriage? Yes please.
Sadly, there are not many steamy scenes in Fool Me Twice, but what is shown will have you sweaty and short of breath. Duran has a wonderfully fresh grip on erotic language and does not inundate her readers with clichés. When a dynamite couple like Olivia and Alastair come together, the explosions are impressive both inside and outside the bedroom.
ARC Provided
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
sarah cripps
Olivia Mather is a redhead with a passion for snooping. She is up to finding out secrets about a certain man who won't venture outside his home. So she takes on the responsibility of housekeeper for Alastair de Grey's home hoping to find important papers to help her deceased father. Even though she doesn't know the first thing about being in service. she will give it her all. Alastair thinks the housekeeper is impertinent and nosy. He life is for himself and no one else. But then things change when he starts to care about what other people are saying about him. Plus, the redhead Olivia is driving him crazy with her looks and a body to go with it. There is no villains in this story, just a pretty good romance about a man and a woman who are meant to be. Thanks Net Galley for giving me this book to read and review.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
doline
Courageous young Olivia is out to do thievery, but requires a cover for her intentions. Housekeeper to her mark appears to be her most clever cover up since no one knows who she is. This works for a while. She has spunk, her mark is severely depressed, perhaps insane. She piques his real self, and the intellectual sparring begins, but ends at.........well, read the story, of course
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
tempest
So much happened in this book. It all starts with a beast of a man, living recluse and antagonizing everyone. Enters Olivia, the new housekeeper. She's mouthy and fights him at every turn. But she is not your regular do-gooder. She has a secret and a plan.
Very enjoyable romance.
Very enjoyable romance.
Please RateFool Me Twice (Rules for the Reckless Book 2)
Olivia Mather has set her scruples aside in favor of staying alive. With her mother's husband's dangerous henchman lurking around every dark corner, she decides to use the only weapon she has and infiltrate the home of the Duke of Marwick. As a maid in the duke's home, she feels certain it won't take her above a week to root out his correspondence containing the evidence she needs to ensure the villainous Bertram will leave her alone for good. When she accidentally stumbles into the role of housekeeper, Olivia figures so much the better. But it quickly becomes clear that the home she has walked into is not so easily navigable as she presumed. For the duke is rumored to have run mad at the revelation of his dead wife's betrayal. He has not left his room in above a year. His terrified servants tiptoe about the house and shirk their duties. With time running short and her only hope residing in the duke's rooms, Olivia must take charge of the crumbling household and find a way to lure the crumbling man inside out into the light.
As you know, I can never resist a Beauty and the Beast tale and Fool Me Twice situates itself nicely in the genre with a wonderfully game, feisty heroine and a decidedly bitter, wounded beast. The novel itself is a study in contrasts. Duran's writing is light, often taking an elegant turn. The characters enjoy sparring with one another—verbally, physically, emotionally—you name it. There is much wit and teasing. But. These high and light emotions often run unchecked into much darker fare. Olivia and Marwick excel at demolishing one another, raging beautifully when the thread of their connection dances too close to the gaping lesions they so ferociously protect. While Alistair's injuries are clearly the fresher, Olivia makes a rather shattering command decision not to sidestep her goal in order to save him additional pain. The results are . . . well, devastating for both of them. And I'm really not sure who I was more angry with. Or who I ached for more. I just wanted them to wash their hands of the pain of their pasts and agree to stop pouring salt into old wounds. An example of the light:
***
"Have you a death wish?" he snarled. "Or have you, perhaps, lost the ability to understand English?"
She backed away from him, angling toward the door. He matched her step for step, prowling like a lion on the scent of a lamb—not a comfortable analogy. But these innocent books. She was stumbling over them, gilt-edged, calfskin-bound, priceless. She must save them from him.
She had one foot out the door when she caught sight again of the illustrated manuscript. She could not abandon it here. The poor darling! She lunged forward and snatched it up.
"Put that down!" he roared.
"You may keep them all," she cried. "Move the entire library up here, but you will not keep them on the floor!"
She hopped backward and pulled the door shut in his face.
***
One of my favorite aspects of the narrative is how it continually refers to what has been lost for both of these individuals, engaging with the agonizing question of whether or not those things can (or should) be regained. To say nothing of how far they will go to stave off danger (in Olivia's case) and exact revenge (in Marwick's). Duran's style, setup, and execution requires the reader be rooting for both Olivia and Marwick in order to make it through the utter hell they hand each other on an hourly basis. In order to reach the point where their eyes finally open enough to see beyond the surface implications of their actions, which are admittedly questionable in a number of cases. I wondered a moment or two whether I might lose my grip on my affection for one of them. But then I do like my protagonists flawed. And I am not at all certain I would have responded to Olivia if she had been a little less ruthless or Marwick had he been a little more malleable. And because their innate admiration for each other is unwavering, I remained with them lo, unto the end. Fool Me Twice is a decided highlight among historicals and of my reading year thus far.