Dukes Prefer Blondes audiobook

i think i have a new fav historical romance author!while i adore the popular historical romance authors of the moment (tessa dare etc), i really have to say how much i appreciate some of the older authors. they really take the time to set up place, plot, and characters in a way that makes me fall even more deeply in love with character relationships.i really don't think loretta chase has an equal in writing banter between heroine & hero. i always find myself grinning like a big idiot at the jabs and insults the characters throw at each other. and i always swoon at the end when everything is tied up in a pretty bow.the only real complaint i have and i anticipate other readers will have as well is how long this book is. i think it's necessary in creating convincing relationships but if you're used to a quick fall in love plot and then "the end" this might not be for you. chase usually has the characters married at the 60-70% mark with more plot after that. overall, 4/5 bodice ripping stars

4.5 stars. Recommended if you like kind of steamy historic romance novels, though it's mild compared to some of Loretta Chase's other novels. It's also a better read than the title might lead you to think. :)Set in England in the mid-1830s, the romance is between Oliver Radford, a successful and alarmingly intelligent barrister *fistpump for a lawyer hero*, and Lady Clara Fairfax, a lovely and equally intelligent young woman who's tired of being valued only for her looks, and of not having the opportunity to really use her brains. Her beauty surrounded her like a great stone wall. Men couldn’t see above, beyond, or through it. They certainly couldn’t think past it. This was because men only looked at women. They didn’t listen to women, especially beautiful women.When the brother of a young friend of Clara's disappears into London's underworld and the gang life, Clara turns to Radford to get his help in trying to extricate him. Soon Radford is having trouble extricating himself from Clara's life, even though he knows their social circles are worlds apart. I loved the witty banter between these two - Loretta Chase is always good at that - and the criminal subplot kept my interest. Though this novel is the fourth in a series and some characters from prior novels appear (Clara, in fact, was a minor character in a couple of the earlier novels in this series), it works fine as a stand-alone read.Content note: There are some sex scenes, somewhat explicit, but they're after marriage (which personally I really appreciate in my historic romances).

Thank you, Loretta Chase, for listening to your fans and giving Lady Clara Fairfax her own happily ever after. We first met Lady Clara, daughter of the Marquess of Warford, in Silk Is for Seduction, when she was unofficially betrothed to her childhood friend, the Duke of Clevedon. She was perfectly beautiful and beautifully perfect – except for one thing. Clara's wardrobe was dreadful, and the French-English Noirot sisters were determined to get her as a client for their dressmaker shop. They did obtain her patronage, but in the end Lady Clara refused to marry a man who wasn't in love with her, and the duke married Marceline Noirot. Lady Clara was disappointed in love in Scandal Wears Satin, but pleased when her brother married Sophie Noirot. And in Vixen in Velvet Lady Clara plays a secondary role as her dowdy cousin Gladys falls under the Noirot sisters' spell. With impeccable politeness, Lady Clara simply demanded her own story, and Loretta Chase listened. In Dukes Prefer Blondes (unfortunate title, that), we learn that Lady Clara is much more than just another wealthy, beautiful young lady. She is intelligent and witty and she silently chafes under the oppressive rules of conduct to which ladies of that day were expected to adhere. She dreads becoming the wife of a man who wants her only for her beauty and her fortune. As she becomes resigned to this fate, however, she decided to perform one selfless service before coming under the dominion of some gentleman.Lady Clara is a patroness of a charity run by the Noirot sisters which trains impoverished women for respectable work. One young woman is concerned about her younger brother, who has stopped attending school and disappeared; she fears he may have been forced into a criminal gang. Lady Clara vows to help her but has not the first idea how to go about it. Fenwick, the Noirot sisters' pickpocket-turned-footboy suggests that she enlist the help of the eminent barrister Oliver Radford, known to all at the Old Bailey by his schoolboy nickname, “Raven.” Raven Radford is the last man anyone would choose for Lady Clara Fairfax. Although he is the great-grandson of a duke, he is a commoner who earns his living as a barrister, a barely respectable occupation given that he defends the dregs of society. He eschews meaningless social events and polite conversation. He knows that he is the smartest man in the room and has no use for fools. In fact, he is known for saying exactly what he thinks to any one at any time. He is passionate about his profession and not much else.When a beautiful blonde lady strides into his office, he sees through the her frumpy disguise and remembers a dauntless eight-year-old girl who once defended him against his bullying cousin at a Vauxhall family outing. Raven was a schoolmate of Lady Clara's older brother and of the odious cousin Bernard. To this day, Lady Clara has a chipped tooth where her mouth met Bernard's elbow. For his part, “Beastly Bernard,” now the Duke of Malvern, has grown into a self-indulgent, utterly irresponsible drunk whom Raven detests.Before Raven can dismiss Lady Clara for the useless lady he believes her to be, she takes charge of the situation, and by the end of the interview, where she matches him blow for verbal blow, Raven has a burgeoning respect for her. Against his better judgment, Raven finds himself helping her on her quest to find the missing boy. And so, the first half of this wonderful book features Lady Clara and Raven meeting surreptitiously and doing all sorts of things that would give her mother the vapors. Clara, who wants passion but has never known it, begins to wonder if perhaps that is what she feels for Raven. And Raven, who has always avoided titled young ladies, discovers that he not only desires this lovely woman, he also admires her intellect, her determination, and her fearlessness in the face of his initial disdain. Naturally, they fall in love but fear to admit it. Raven knows that they come from two different worlds and that neither would fit into the other's world. Nor would Lady Clara's father ever consent to marriage to a man could not begin to support the style of life she always has known.In the end, Lady Clara has to force Raven to the point. Reminding him that she was raised to be a duchess, she declares “Perhaps I ought to marry Beastly Bernard,” she said before he could step far enough away from himself to fashion a rational sentence. “He sounds as though he needs someone like me desperately. Being despotic, I should not have much difficulty making something of him. In my experience, men like Bernard are not at all difficult to manage.” Radford stared at her. It took a moment for his brain to connect to his tongue. “Bernard,” he said. “Yes,” she said. “He’s the duke in the family, is he not?”As expected, Lord Warford does refuse Raven's request to marry Lady Clara, but when Raven asks for a “fair trial” of the “charges” against him, her parents agree to listen. There they learn that not for nothing is he known as the leading barrister of the day. In a lovely scene, he delivers not only a strong defense of himself but also a stirring oration on behalf of letting Lady Clara be the woman she wants and needs to be. Finally, as Lady Warford reaches for the smelling salts, Lord Warford consents. “'Mr. Radford is unsuitable on a wide array of counts,” the marquess said. “Papa!” “Except the most important one,” Lord Warford went on. “He suits you, and you seem to suit him.'”Loretta Chase is known for her witty banter between leading characters, and she puts her talent to excellent use here. Really, their conversations, while funny, are much more than banter. They actually listen to one another, and although each wants to get their own way, they demonstrate mutual respect and a desire to please the other. But, it isn't just all talk; the chemistry between them jumps off the page, and the wedding night scene is a classic.In the second part of the book, while the couple adjusts to married life together, they are also put in danger by a band of criminals seeking revenge against Radford, and unexpected events in Radford's family upend their lives. Some of the sexiness dissipates a bit, but it's fun to watch them devise a true partnership where each is able to put their talents to the best use on behalf of the other. As with the other Dressmaker books, clothes are important, and the outrageous fashions of the 1830s are described in loving detail. The Noirot sisters make a cameo appearance because of course Lady Clara must have the most fabulous wedding dress ever created. But really, this is Radford's and Clara's story, which means it works well even if you haven't read the earlier books. It is no surprise that the immensely talented Loretta Chase has produced another winner. Radford and Lady Clara are a perfect couple on many levels and reading their story was a joy. Highly recommended!7 November 2015Happy happy! Joy joy! I just got an ARC of this book! Thank you Avon and Edelweiss.22 May 2015Be still my heart. From Loretta Chase's blog: Because so many readers ask, I'm guessing the news isn't easy to find on the website, so a blog post seems in order.Yes, indeed, I have written Lady Clara's story. It's titled Dukes Prefer Blondes, and scheduled for publication in 2016. I'd heard January 2016, but that might have changed, since I was late delivering the manuscript. But I've completed the revisions, and it's now in the hands of the copy editor. Which means it will return to me in a couple of weeks for another going-over.The image, from the Magazine of the Beau Monde, is one of the ensembles Lady Clara wears in an early chapter.

3.5 stars****Full Review****I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Lady Clara comes from a loving, titled, and rich family, she also happens to be stunningly beautiful. Even with all these advantages, Clara is still denied the one thing she truly craves, freedom. The early 1800s are not a forgiving time for women and the naturally intelligent and commanding Clara has been forced into a silent pretty doll box that is slowly strangling her. When Oliver "Raven" Radford makes another appearance into her life, it is once again infuriatingly amazing. Raven's intelligence works wonders in the courtroom but makes him less than desired company as social interaction is not his strong suit. His immediate reaction is to dismiss Clara when she comes to him for help but as they get to know one another, he begins to see that her beauty masks something even more radiant and irresistible, her mind. Through obstacles of stubbornness, societal demands, and criminal elements, Clara and Raven battle it all so they can spar alone, in the bedroom.   "Her beauty surrounded her like a great stone wall. Men couldn't see above, beyond, or through it."  Living such a charmed life, Clara might at first seem like an unlikeable or hard to relate to character but the author does a brilliant job of showcasing how isolated, misunderstood, and confined she feels. The frustration and hurt Clara feels and displays when people refuse or are unable to see her for who she truly is, humanizes her in a way that the reader can't help feeling empathy and cheering her on. Her witty thoughts and biting statements ("Even if she got murdered, she ought to do it discreetly") are really clever commentary on sexism and classism; the author was smartly on point with these and one of my favorite aspects of the story.   "Her trouble was, she wanted to be somebody she wasn't."  Separate, Clara and Raven had their strengths; Clara with her inner strength and Raven with his iron resolve. However, it is when they are together that they really shine and keep the reader wanting more. Their chemistry can't be denied, instead of numerous heavy bedroom scenes (there are a couple of these too, just not the center piece) aggressively trying to show us how in love our couple is, we get amusing and quick-witted conversations that stimulates Clara and Raven's minds and bodies. Through this verbal fencing they learn one another as they reveal their true selves. The first half of the story is Clara showing Raven she deserves his respect through her efforts to rescue a boy from a gang and Raven giving it to her, something others have blindly denied her. Neither crosses the anachronistic line with their views on women's rights but rather we see the beginning of understanding what societal restrictions honestly do to women.  As I mentioned, the first half was all about Clara and Raven circling each other and coming together. The very beginning with its quick different pov changes created a bit of a schizophrenic beat that took some getting used to but the story's energy couldn't be denied. Around the halfway point our couple come together (Raven's speech at his "trial" to win the right to marry Clara, will win him the hearts of many readers) and the second half becomes about Clara and Raven's little blips to adjusting to married life, the sudden change in Raven's life trajectory, and the criminal element with its "I've been wronged, revenge!" comes to the forefront. The transition wasn't completely smooth with the inheriting the title of duke into the family feeling tagged on and the criminals looking for revenge feeling not quite coherent and dragged on. I felt the story lost some of its drive as it seemed lost as to where to go after Clara and Raven were married.  With Raven's "I don't suffer fools" attitude and Clara's blinding beauty, they weren't set-up to be the most sympathetic couple but through the author's writing, we get a look into their heartfelt souls. Past characters make very brief appearances but I didn't read the previous books in the series and had no problem following along and the author's writing has me wanting to go back and read the series from the beginning. If nimble back and forth between your leads is your aphrodisiac, this book has it in spades.

Kate Reading does her usual first-class job in the audio version of this book. See my five-star review here.24 March 2021Listening to this for the third (or more time), I realized that I have a book-boyfriend crush on Raven Radford. He's obnoxious but loveable, and unlike many of Loretta Chase's heroes, he is not the least bit of a slow-top.

Podría puntuarlo con 4 1/2 estrellas si Goodreads me dejase ;) "Dukes prefer blondes" es una novela de personajes, no de trama. Es decir, no estamos ante una historia llena de acción, sino ante una historia que se basa en la evolución de dos personajes muy originales, únicos incluso, y de cómo conocerse les hace cambiar y vivir una historia de amor preciosa e increíblemente distinta. Clara Fairfax es hija de un noble, recibirá una dote amplísima, es guapa y esta harta de vivir sin hacer nada de provecho y de que su única actividad consista en ir a bailes y rechazar propuestas de matrimonio. Clara es muy lista, lee filosofía y quiere hacer algo con su vida, el problema es que es una mujer. Pero un día se harta y decide empezar a luchar por obtener lo que quiere y su primer objetivo es ayudar a una niña a encontrar a su hermano desparecido (este punto es más complejo, obviamente) y para ello acude al despacho de un abogado, Oliver "Raven" Radford.Raven es hijo de un matrimonio feliz, su padre es el tercer hijo de un duque y al no heredar el título pudo casarse por amor y ejercer una profesión que le ha hecho muy feliz y que su hijo también adora. Raven es también aficionado a la filosofía, increíblemente sarcástico y mordaz y no tiene la más mínima intención de fijarse/casarse con alguien de la nobleza porque ni loco quiere entrar en ese mundo (vivió en él cuando estudiaba y no guarda buenos recuerdos). Pero entonces aparece Clara, que es demasiado lista para que él pueda resistirla y sus tíos empiezan a morir -los de Raven-, y él "corre el peligro" de convertirse en duque.Lo mejor de esta novela son sin duda alguna los diálogos. Raven y Clara discuten sobre todo, diría que es como leer las conversaciones de la serie "Luz de Luna" pero ambientadas en la Regencia, no sé si me explico, y a mí me ha gustado muchísimo. La trama no es compleja, Raven y Clara no tienen que enfrentarse a ningún impedimento real para estar juntos excepto su propia cabezonería, aunque os aseguro que eso no le resta ninguna emoción a la historia. La tensión que sabe crear la señora Chase en cada diálogo es increíble y que tanto él como ella sean personajes tan inteligentes hace que leer su historia de amor valgo mucho la pena. "Dukes prefer blondes" pertenece a una serie, pero puede leerse perfectamente sin haber leído los anteriores (yo o no lo he hecho o no los recuerdo) y de momento no está traducida al castellano.No llego a las cinco porque el final, comparado con el conjunto de la historia, es muy precipitado.

All I can say after finishing Dukes Prefer Blondes is: well, that wasn’t what I was expecting. And I mean that in the best possible way. I will admit that I judged this book on it’s cover and title, assuming that it would be delightfully frivolous. However, I was blown away by the writing, detailed historical facts, and by the author’s examination of what it means to be a woman of the upper class. This, my friends, is exactly what I love about the romance genre. For all that it gets a bad rap for giving folks unrealistic expectations or being viewed of lowbrow reading, there’s so much more behind the fluffy packaging and Dukes Prefer Blondes is a perfect example of this.Lady Clara Fairfax has a problem; she needs to rescue a friend’s younger brother, Toby Coppy, from the clutches of a criminal gang, but being a lady there’s absolutely nothing in her power that she can do to help. That is, unless she recruits someone to do the job for her (with her help, of course). After bumping into Mr. Oliver “Raven” Radford, a barrister of no small reputation, Lady Clara decides he’s just the man to help her discover Toby. Radford, is less inclined to assist Lady Clara, but for some inexplicable reason he just can’t seem to resist…What I loved about Dukes Prefer Blondes is the utterly hilarious sarcastic arguments that Clara and Radford have. If you're not reading closely these two can sound rather mean, but when you factor in sarcasm, their arguments become so much more. Clara might be a lady, but she has no problem sharpening her tongue on Radford, who definitely deserves it. Radford for his part soon discovers that Clara is not like the usual woman that he’s used to dealing with. What’s more is that with Radford, Clara is free to express how claustrophobic her own life is, even if she lives in the lap of luxury.“You’ve no notion how I live in the world you call a fantasy,” she went on in the same taut tone. “You’ve no idea what it’s like to spend your life wrapped in cotton wool, with all about you protecting you, mainly from yourself, because you don’t behave as they think a girl ought to do, and they believe something’s wrong with you. You don’t know what it’s like to watch your brothers go away to school and make new friends and have adventures you’ll never have, even vicariously, in books. You don’t know what it’s like to be scolded for reading too much and knowing too much – to be taught to hide your intelligence, because otherwise you’ll frighten the gentlemen away – to stifle your opinions, because ladies aren’t to have any opinions of their own, but must always defer to men.” She stamped her foot. “You know nothing about me. Nothing! Nothing!” (p. 71)The way in which Clara expresses her feeling of being trapped by her class and gender is heartbreaking. There are numerous occasions in the book when Clara has to stifle her voice or change her behaviour to fit a specific expectation. Only when she’s with Radford does Clara express her true opinions, eventually only using her ability to mask her true thoughts in teasing Radford. The relationship between these two was beautifully rendered, filled with sharp words, conflicting opinion and a deep respect for the each other. So if you’re looking for a romance that’s witty and biting, Dukes Prefer Blondes is the romance to read.Despite my love for the romance between Radford and Lady Clara, I did have some minor quibbles about the book, mainly the title. The title is a huge misrepresentation of the book. Radford is not a duke for the majority of the book and his devotion to Clara has nothing to do with her blonde hair. While the title doesn’t really have much bearing on the content of the book, it is an aspect that really nags at me. Don’t let the title fool you, this book is not about dukes nor is it about a duke who’s looking for love with only a blonde woman. Instead it’s about a barrister that might one day be a duke but would rather continue to practice law and the young lady who happens to have blonde hair and would happily move outside her class to marry someone of lower rank. Putting that into a catchy title, might be a tad difficult.So, if you’re looking for a historical romance that embraces historical details (like dressmaking, lawyering etc.) and involves a verbal sparring contest between its leads, look no further than Dukes Prefer Blondes. I'd also recommend shoving this one into the hands of any romance naysayers you know - this is a perfect example of why the romance genre is more than just sex.Originally reviewed at The Book Adventures.

What a terrific HR this is.Our heroine, Clara, is a familiar character from Chase's Dressmakers series, where she quickly became their favourite client (she was very beautiful and well-connected, as well as being a thoroughly lovely person). (view spoiler)[ Her brother ends up marrying one of the modistes (hide spoiler)]But she is an intelligent woman who, because of her beauty and the fact that she is an aristocratic lady, is never taken seriously. Potential suitors only see her looks, her title and her money. Her father, a politician, is not very involved with her and her mother is an ambitious lady given to histrionics. So Clara lives a life of quiet desperation, feeling the gilded bars closing in as she gets older, frustrated, lonely and increasingly bitter that she will never be able to do anything that really makes a difference to anybody. Then she meets the tall, dark and brilliant Raven (Oliver Radford), barrister and acerbic wit. He IS trying to make a difference and is famous in London for the often hopeless cases he takes up on behalf of the more powerless segment of the populace. The two go at it hammer and tongs verbally, which they enjoy immensely. He struggles to deal with his emotions but, unlike many other HR heroes who spend the whole book denying them, he is intelligent enough to realise he loves Clara and wants to be with her, even if initially it might be considered a mesalliance on her part. The dialogue is just brilliant, some of the wittiest and cleverest I have come across in HR, (although this might also have something to do with the legal argument-style of the conversation, familiar to me from my own law studies.) She has to prove herself to him, and when she does, he totally accepts her intellect as well as her beauty. Most importantly, he actually understands how she feels about her life and sympathises. A rare male, indeed!Radford also has a wonderful relationship with his parents, particularly his father. He is just perfect :)It is just the sweetest love story. I really felt that they were going to be a partnership. It is so difficult to balance the alpha male with the truly respectful life-partner. HR authors rarely manage it, IMO. I think Chase managed it here beautifully, here. I think my ideal must be the gorgeous, passionate and intellectual male. I have found him in this book!Ok- gratuitous. But hey- hero is tall, dark and attractive. Henry fits the bill. ["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>

Finally we get Lady Lara's story!It was fun and really endearing to see which man Clara has chosen! Hahaha!I liked Oliver and how his mind worked! I also liked how he treated Clara and how he made his proposal to her parents! LOLA sweet and nice story!