Spotlight Review:

BEDDING LORD NED – Sally MacKenzie

A Duchess of Love Romance, Book 1

Zebra Books

ISBN: 978-1-4201-2321-0 (Print)

ISBN: 978-1-4201-2848-2 (eBook)

June 2012

Historical Romance

A February House Party at Greycliffe Castle

Affectionately known as the Duchess of Love for her matchmaking skills, the Duchess of Greycliffe wants nothing so much as to see her own three sons enjoy the marital bliss she and her beloved duke enjoy. Ash, the eldest, hasn't lived with his wife since their wedding night; no one knows why, and he's not talking. Ned, the next, lost his wife and new-born four years ago, and it's time he moved on. Jack, the youngest, lives a bachelor life in Town.

Her Grace has one more failure in her dish, Miss Eleanor Bowman, the vicar's twenty-six year old daughter. Ellie ran free at the castle as a child and is like a daughter to the duchess. There's a reason for Ellie's indifference to the gentlemen introduced to her party after party. She fell in love with Ned years ago, only to see him wed her best friend. Maybe it's time she gave up trying to get him to see her as more than a sister and give the gentlemen the duchess has invited to the house party a chance.

Among the many single gentlemen and ladies at the castle, surely romance will blossom, but will they all end up with the right partners? Do all have pure motives? Will Ned see the light, or will he be distracted by one who resembles the love of his youth? And how do red silk drawers and a thieving cat help matters along?

Have fun at the party Ms. MacKenzie serves up in BEDDING LORD NED. She has the knack of smoothly combining humor and passion in her historical romances. You'll love the duchess and enjoy Ellie's coping with her dilemma. You'll probably lose patience with Ned from time to time as I did, but persevere, all ends in a satisfying manner. Well, maybe not all. There are still two brothers needing help…

BEDDING LORD NED slows down a bit in the middle before picking up speed again. On the whole, however, it's certainly amusing and titillating and it neatly presages a super series to come with most interesting characters.

As a bonus, the charming novella entitled The Duchess of Love is added at the back of the book. You might wonder after reading the first few pages if it isn't part of the author's fun and sexy Naked Nobility series, but that is not the case. The novella is a prequel to BEDDING LORD NED and portrays the meeting and falling in love of Lord Ned's parents.

Jane Bowers