An Affair Before Christmas (Desperate Duchesses - Bk 2)

I love her books - some more than others but overall she has always been a guaranteed buy. This was the first book of hers that I didn't finish in a day. I did not like Poppy. I enjoyed the side stories alot more than I did hers. For a grown woman to be that slow in so many ways - after 4 years - seems sad to me. I didn't understand why all of a sudden she gained a backbone and tried to make her husband pay! He never did anything wrong - he tried and she acted like a child and wouldn't speak up. Her sudden change in character was a bit to much for me and I felt bad for her poor husband. I liked the story as stories go but this is def. not a keeper for me (except I can't bear to split up series so I will probabnly keep it just becasue).

Hoping the next one is better!

I have read many books by this author that I loved - this is NOT one of them. It's a terrible disappointment, with a heroine that is irritating, aggravating, and stupid. I was never able to develop enough interest in her to care whether she got back with her husband, except that I felt sorry for her husband, despite the fact that he comes across during most of the book as a spineless martyr. So the conclusion, where the two finally get together, just didn't matter to me. Add to this the fact that the author ends the story with way too many sub-plots left dangling; the romantic affairs of both the Duke of Beaumont and the Duke of Villiers are unresolved. I guess this is the author's way of increasing sales for her next book in the series, but I find this attitude offensive.

Look at some of the main beefs others have I'm a little surprised. Yes, there are 3 story lines going on, but I find it has a soap opera feel. Not to mention it build good suspense for future books.

Fletch and Poppy feel like a very realistic couple for the time period. EJ does her research and one thing that tends to irk me about historical romance novels is how contemporary relationships are. Poppy and Fletch aren't deep when they first marry. Most marriages weren't and they would often stay that way. I like how they start off with the traditional marriage and it takes work to bring it toward that typical romance novel.

As far as why didn't Fletch throw out his mother in law? Well, during the time period, I would imagine this would require quite a scandal. I would also think that it could possibly cast a shadow on Poppy and Fletch really doesn't want that.

Overall, I like this series because it is a unique way of writing these plots. The development of male protagonists does suffer, but I think the history nerd really likes all the little snippets so I can ignore this.

I had so many problems with this book. First I thought the heroine was an idiot. I know, I know, she was young and dominated by her mother. But that only works for me in the beginning. This was a woman who was married for four years to a man that adored her and tried to do everything in his power to please her sexually, only for her to rebuff him and show him nothing but distaste. Because she was an idiot. So she goes off to "find" herself, telling him that she really wasn't in love with him when they married and she only married him because her mother browbeat her into marrying a Duke.

I can't think of any book I have ever read where I wanted the hero to go find a mistress and cheat, repeatedly, on the heroine.

And then toward the end of the book we finally find out why the heroine couldn't really enjoy sex, I just....well, I just...I had no words. But remarkably she suddenly realizes (75% into the book) that she feels desire for her husband. I guess that makes everything ok then.

The only reason this book gets 2 stars is because the A-plot with this idiot only takes up about half the book. The B & C plots are much more interesting with the intriguing yet dysfunctional marriage of The Duke and Duchess of Beaumont who were intensely more interesting than the main couple. And the Duke of Villiers. I had the fortune of reading his book A Duke of Her Own first so I was already pre-disposed to like him. I had heard he was a bit of a villain in the earlier books so I was glad to see him in his larger than life personality in this book. So his 'As I lay Dying' subplot was quite entertaining.

I usually really enjoy her books and this was not different. There are some complaints that the secondary characters overwhelm the main characters, but I find that I like the complexity of a variety of characters. Instead of being furniture, the additional characters in this book have interesting lives that leave us wanting to learn more about them. I enjoyed the heros transition from feeling martyred over what he was missing, to deciding to accept and enjoy the life that was within his reach. James does a great job of creating characters and situation that have more than a single dimension. I'm looking forward to the other books in this series

Which isn't a surprise because she has been doing do since her very first novel. I love the way she creates and builds characters so you sit there wanting something fantastic to happen to them or for them because you are invested in the story. She never fails to thrill me and make me sigh in contentment by the very last line.

I like Eloisa James. She's a solid writer. I read the first book in this series and enjoyed it. It was cute, if a bit uneven. So I read this book mostly knowing that there is an ongoing thread involving the supporting characters. The fact that there is really three different 'stories' here is not the problem. There are aspects of this book that are solid. The mother-in-law is brilliantly evil. The hero, for the most part, is interesting, if a bit 'young'. But to me the biggest 'crime' in a romance novel is to create an immature, annoying, vapid, (someone - please kill this twit) lead female character. If I didn't have a problem with burning books, I'd throw it in the fire place and light it up. As it is, I'm probably going to 'accidentally' leave it where my two-year old can find it.

I completely agree with the people who didn't like this book. I've also been a fan of EJ's for quite awhile and I am quite disappointed in this whole series. The first book "Desperate Duchesses" was not good & I thought this one was just a bit better. (In the sense that the hero didn't make me fall asleep.)

I won't reiterate the whole plot, since other reviewers have done so quite well. Basically, there are three stories: (1) Poppy and Duke of Fletcher have been married for years and they have had a bad sex life. They still love each other, but have communication problems. (2) The Duke of Villiers is on his death bed because he has an infection from a wound he recieved during a duel (this happened in the previous book). A spinster starts hanging out with him due to a mistaken note that was delivered to her & ends up meeting his potential heir. Both these guys are interested in her for marriage, apparently. (3) The Duke and Duchess of Beaumont are playing chess and still having problems because he slept with his mistress many years ago and then the Duchess retaliated by going to Paris and sleeping with other guys.

So, here's the deal: one of the biggest problems with this method of having 3 stories going on simultaneously is that the hero/heroine of THIS novel get shafted. Poppy came across as a whining, immature and annoying little girl. Her mother was obviously a horrible person and Poppy just let her walk all over for years -- to the detriment of her own marriage. Even though her husband was a great guy. Why was Fletch in love with her again? It didn't seem like Poppy had much going for her -- and the little personality she did have, she'd hid for years because of fear of her mother. So, basically, Poppy annoyed me and I just felt like she didn't deserve Fletch.

Which leads me to the hero: What was wrong with him? Why didn't Fletch have the authority to throw his mother-in-law out when she moved into his house and tried to take over his life? He's a DUKE... the most powerful title at that time after the King. Just one snap of the finger and she's toast. And neither he or Poppy ever thought of that? Makes no sense and makes it so that you cannot sympathize with Fletch, either. Clearly, he was lacking in the brains (and strength) department.

In short: Why should we root for Poppy and Fletch? Just because they're on the cover? Sorry, not enough. Too little.

Also, if EJ wants to link 3 storylines into one book, then she needs to start actually LINKING them. I think that one of the biggest problems is that the various plots do not exactly intersect -- so it's like you're reading 3 different novels in this one book. I have problems with this, because it's almost like none of the "mini-books" are well developed. The main one suffered because of it & the other two were just so poorly sketched and random that you had no clue WHAT was going on. Also, it didn't flow gracefully... in one chapter, we're treated to the details of a party from Fletch's perspective & then the next chapter goes BACK in time to tell us how the Duke of Villiers saw that exact scene. Well, that's kind of weird. I think this is EJ's way of dealing with her past issues about being in different character's head in the same passage -- but I don't think this new method is the way to resolve the POV issues she has.

So, unfortunately, I just could not recommend this book -- and series -- to anyone. And that's pretty sad, because EJ is one of my favorite romance novelists. However, if she continues this way, she won't be on that list much longer.

I couldn't finish. I only managed to get about half way through. The story was just extremely boring and it kept referring to the heroine's powdered and glued hair and caked on makeup. I didn't finish the book, but it seemed like the reason the heroine did not enjoy having sex with her husband was because her hair itched so badly from the powder. The whole book just seemed pretty dumb and unromantic, as no one wants to think how un-hygenic people were way back then. We want to ignore the odorous and focus on the romanticism.

This is the first book I have read from this author, and I didn't like it. I did not like the hero or heroine of the story--they did not seem like real people, but rather like templates. I felt the source of the conflict was flimsy, and there were so many subplots going on that I started mentally referring to them as "sequel #1" and "sequel #2" etc., since it seemed that their primary purpose was to create a setting for future books. I don't actually have a problem with authors who do this--the lives of characters in books have more going on than the bit about which we get to read, and I like to read the author's version of what-happens-next--I just don't like it to feel so obvious.

I must add my two cents to that of the other reviews. This was one of the most boring, patchwork book I've come across. The only interesting characters in the book were the Duke of Villiers and Jemma. It was also odd to me that Jemma's husband allowed her to engage in a game of chess with the Duke of Villiers in their marital bed. It sounds racy but nothing happened. It was all such a snooze fest.

I've liked Eloise James fairytale series, but this book was awful. Not only was the heroine REALLY ANNOYING, there were a few stories going on at once that were difficult to follow. I just wish Poppy wasn't so immature and did things like trying to teach her husband a lesson while her mother took over the role of Duchess in her house. It was really infuriating.

I can understand why this book gets low reviews. When you're used to reading formulaic, by-the-numbers romances, complicated characters and intertwined plots can be disconcerting. This is a terrific book, with memorable characters and unforgettable scenes. The subplots with Villiers and Charlotte and Jemma and Beaumont are riveting. Can't wait for the next James.

In the past I have enjoyed Eloisa James and found her romances entertaining. This one was ridiculous, with not even a plausible premise. After 4 years of "marriage" the couple tries to regain their attraction to each other?? Maybe 6 months would have been a better time frame. They seem ill-suited from the very first pages of the prologue, he with such experience and she with such disgust at marital affection.

Very disappointing. I do like historical novels, but this was simply bad writing. Not only the novel does not seem to be about the main characters, but the heroine is not really someone I could root for. She is very passive throughout most of the book, then does a complete turnabout that did not convince me in the last. All in all, a huge waste of time.

In a captivating and beautiful story, we find the beautiful, young, and innocent Lady Perdita (Poppy) who has fallen head over heels in love with the handsome Duke of Fletcher, considered the catch of the season. Fletch feels the same for his beautiful Poppy and patiently awaits their wedding day. Little does he realize that the young and innocent Poppy has not been properly prepared for her wedding night, but instead has been controlled by an overbearing mother who has filled her head with unrealistic expectations of marriage and the marriage bed. Fletch experiences a disappointing wedding night, not understanding that Poppy needs tutoring in the ways of passion and marriage. Instead of being patient and instructing Poppy, Fletch distances himself from his beauty and soon an intense love turns to disappointment and severe loneliness for them both. As four years go by, Fletch even considers obtaining a mistress, but all he can think about is his love and desire for Poppy. Besides, he sees all the infidelity and unhappiness around him in society that brings little happiness to those involved.

Poppy understands that something is seriously wrong with her marriage, doesn't understand how it can be fixed, and is left heartbroken. How can she bring back the intense love that Fletch had for her at one time? Before the marriage, she always seemed to please him, and since the marriage, everything she does is for Fletch. But that is the sweet Poppy's main problem; pleasing everyone but herself and in so doing, feels she has accomplished nothing but disappointing the man she loves so intensely. Poppy understands the whole society side of being a duchess, but not a thing about being a true wife, especially because, just as her loving Fletch, she sees nothing but unhappiness in society marriages. Poppy makes the ultimate decision in her yearning for happiness in her life. She walks out on Fletch and her overbearing mother, leaving them both behind, and decides she will enjoy her own life and stop trying to please everyone else. It is not until Fletch loses his precious Poppy that he realizes he must woo her back somehow. Unwilling to lose her, Fletch decides to begin an intense seduction of Poppy that has her head and heart spinning, but not impressed. Can Fletch win back the love of his precious Poppy before Christmas?

In the masterful writing style of Eloisa James, An Affair Before Christmas is a wonderful sensual sequel to the Desperate Duchesses Series. Adding an interesting depth to this story, the reader gets to revisit some of the secondary characters from the first book, like the infamous rake The Duke of Villiers and the dysfunctional Elijah and Jemma, The Duke and Duchess of Beaumont. Ms. James cleverly allows the reader to revisit these dysfunctional characters in order to emphasize and help the reader fully understand how Poppy and Fletch can become so disillusioned about love. An Affair Before Christmas romance is a delightful read and perfect for a holiday that celebrates true love and happiness.

I love Eloisa James, but this book was all over the place! All the side relationships are very distracting and the plot is almost nonexistent. But I'll read the rest of the series and hope for the best ...

Got to chapter two and bailed. Poppy is an immature BRAT and Fletch is a dope for marrying a woman who didn't even like to kiss. I came to the store to see if it was worth reading any further, and my instincts seem to be right. A big miss. I wish I could get my money back.

Nothing good to say about this book. Too many characters, boring story lines, UGH! Started skimming through it after 3 chapters hoping to find something to make me care about the characters enough to continue reading. I have enjoyed this authors books in the past, but Don't waste your time with this one!

I was sooo disappointed in this book. I had the check the cover twice to see if this was the same Eloisa James....What happened to the great writer. I didn't care for the characters at all, more annoying than anything else....

I just could not get into this book. Aside from the fact that there are too many characters and plotlines the main story line is not what I was looking for as entertainment on a snowy afternoon. Reading about a frigid wife and her unfortunate expectations of marriage was so depressing and frustrating that I gave up halfway through the book. This is one story where I don't care to find out if there is a happy ending.

I enjoyed this book. It was much easier to follow than the first book in the series with all of its chess references. I loved the heroine Poppy in this book. I enjoyed how her marriage slowly transforms as Poppy grows as an individual. Looking forward to more from James.