Impossible by Darcy Burke (Book Beginnings & Friday 56)

 

Title: Impossible

Author: Darcy Burke

Publication: 18 April 2022

Format: Kindle eBook

Amazon Description

Ada Treadway has been in love before, and it brought nothing but heartache. Still, she retains her cheerful optimism and is fiercely protective of the independence and respect she’s earned as bookkeeper of the Phoenix Club. When the owner enlists her help to organize his friend’s estate ledgers, she’s eager to prove her expertise and her worth. But his friend turns out to be a disagreeable, unpleasant beast, and Ada works to find the warm-hearted gentleman she’s sure lurks beneath.

Maximillian Hunt, the Viscount Warfield doesn’t care if he lives to see tomorrow, and he certainly doesn’t want to recall yesterday. The arrival of the meddlesome and effusively positive woman who will put his accounts in order not only reminds him of the past he’s desperate to forget, she sparks something within him he thought dead. Tempted by a future he never imagined, he must do the impossible: convince her that he’s worth risking her heart a second time.

Ramble-y Teaserish Stuff

While not my favorite Phoenix Club installment so far, I still absolutely loved Impossible and already have the next on my wishlist (finally more Dougal!!!).

I fell for poor Max instantly in spite of the little we had seen of him previously (if you've read the other books in the series, that is). I have a thing for moody soldiers, after all. 

It's very much a slow burn romance which I appreciate to no end given the tragedies both Max and Ada were dealing with overcoming. Damaged people don't tend to fall easily and, in spite of her perkiness, Ada is in her own ways almost as damaged as Max. In fact, it's the perkiness ... and not nearly enough Evie and Lucien ... that would be to blame for knocking this down to 4 stars.

Well, 4.5 ....

               which will probably be upped to 4.75 after a re-read ....

                                  so I might as well just give it 5 from the get-go.

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Friday 56 (share a blurb from the 56th page or 56% mark) is hosted at Freda's Voice 

& Book Beginnings (share the first few sentences) is at Rose City Reader

The Rigid Duke by Darcy Burke (Book Beginnings & Friday 56)

Title: The Rigid Duke

Author: Darcy Burke

Publication: 8 March 2022

Format: Kindle eARC via NetGalley

Amazon Description

As a refinement tutor, Mrs. Juno Langton helps young ladies develop the skills and confidence to secure an advantageous marriage. Her cheerful disposition never wavers no matter how challenging her assignment. When a house party provides an opportunity to match her difficult charge with a duke, Juno will go to any lengths to satisfy her employer and ensure the young lady’s future. Too bad the duke is an unsmiling, rigid grouch, albeit an irritatingly handsome one.

The Duke of Warrington dislikes social gatherings and despises the Marriage Mart which makes it nigh impossible to find a wife. He plans to secure his future duchess at a house party, but she’s being managed by a thoroughly meddlesome—and provocative—Mrs. Langton, who is determined to find his better nature. He’ll do anything to avoid her sunny charm and room-brightening smiles, but she’s breaking through his shell and the only way he can think to keep her quiet is to kiss her. He must marry the young lady, not desire the companion.

But now he’s rethinking his wife choices.

Ramble-y Teaserish Stuff

Another new series from Darcy Burke? Why yes, I do believe I will. There are so many that I haven't read yet, but I'm sure I'll get to them. I became a bit hooked after the Phoenix Club binge and I'm tempted to say that The Rigid Duke -- the first book in the Matchmaking Chronicles -- may be even better.

We've got Alexander Brett, the Duke of Warrington, more commonly referred to as Dare, and Mrs Juno Langton, a young widow who now acts as "refinement tutor"/matchmaker to the so-called helpless cases of the ton. The Duke needs a wife. Juno's latest client wants her daughter, Marina, to be a Duchess. 

Both Dare and Marina have social issues ... in that they would both rather be left alone than be put in to any sort of social situation. They are thrown together at a house party and he openly admits that he loathes such things and she wounds herself dancing in order to go to the library and hole up in her room with a pile of books.

Perfect for each other, right? Everyone seems to think so ...

Except for the Duke, who is far more intrigued with Marina's "companion" in spite of (or because of) her being his polar opposite ... and Marina, who really does not want to be married at all ... and Juno, the woman who is supposed to be bringing them together, because she's good at what she does and knows it would be a disaster if forced. And, of course, because she is also more than a bit intrigued by the Rigid Duke when it comes right down to it. 

It all plays out beautifully and the players end up being quite unexpected and I cannot wait to see what is next to come for the Matchmaking Chronicles.

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As always, Friday 56 (share a blurb from the 56th page or 56% mark) is hosted at Freda's Voice 

& Book Beginnings (share the first few sentences) is at Rose City Reader

I'll Sleep When I've Read... The Phoenix Club series by Darcy Burke

I started reading Darcy Burke's Indecent in the wee small hours of Friday morning and, thankfully, figured out early on that I needed to backtrack immediately and read the first three in the series.

My weekend, as they say, was completely "booked." 

By the time I woke up on Saturday morning I was finished with Improper, and already a third of the way through the second book, Impassioned. Sunday arrived with me being ready to start Intolerable, and rather thankful that I had the night off from work... and that my son was being picked up by his father that afternoon. I think we may have had the television on for an hour or so at some point Saturday morning, but that was just to add to our various watchlists for future reference. Sunday we watched some things together before he left and we also took a couple of breaks to eat and play some video games, but for the most part the weekend was spent with him attached to his iPad and me to my Kindle. When he left I was well into the third book and anxious to begin Indecent ... again. Each book begins where (or even slightly before) the previous one ends so it has made complete sense to binge them back to back. 

I have loved them all. The first is the story of Tobias and Fiona and gives a decent introduction to future main characters and The Phoenix Club. The second is, at this point, my favorite. It's Constantine and Sabrina's story and they're already married to each other when the story begins. On paper, anyway. The third belongs to Cassandra and Ruark. She is the sister of Con and Lucien -- the owner of The Phoenix Club and a character that I am more than a tad smitten with. He is one of Lucien's best friends. Finally, Indecent features Prudence and Bennet -- she, the former companion to Fiona and then Cassandra; he, a former suitor of Cassandra's. So far it's a close second to Impassioned as being my favorite of the four. 

I have been watching Pru from the beginning of the series with increasing curiosity. Remember, I started reading Indecent first before backtracking so I already knew a little (very VERY little) about what was ahead for her. It has been an absolute joy getting to know her more and having her take center stage. As for Bennet, I was definitely not a big fan during Intolerable. Happily, he grew on me. Not as much as Constantine... and I doubt any will be as much as Lucien... but he turned into someone to root for when all was revealed about why he was so unrootable when we first met. 

The fifth is set to be released in April and I will definitely be reading it as soon as I can... as well as any that may follow... even if I lose some sleep in order to do so.

If you want to share whatever has kept you up past your bedtime because you just needed one more chapter ... or the entire book ... please comment! My TBR pile is already toppling, but I can always add more.