Lady Be Reckless (The Duke's Daughters #2) by Megan Frampton

Megan Frampton is my new go to regency romance author.  Her series The Duke’s Daughters is well-written and hilarious, with the added benefit that you’re sure to connect deeply with at least one of them.  I’m an Ida.  And an Olivia.  And a little bit Eleanor.  Oh hell, you’ll connect with all of them.

Blurb: The Duke’s five daughters have beauty, breeding, and impeccable reputations. Or at least, they did. Now that two have chosen to follow their hearts, can the others be far behind?

Lady Olivia refuses to repeat her siblings’ scandalous mistakes. Instead, she will marry the lord rejected by her sister and help with his good works. When he resists, Olivia forms another plan: win his lordship’s admiration by helping his illegitimate best friend find a bride. How difficult can it be to transform the rakish Edward Wolcott into a gentleman? To ignore his virile good looks? To not kiss him in a moment of impulsive madness? Apparently, very difficult indeed.

Edward Wolcott promised his ailing father he would marry well, and it appears Lady Olivia wishes to assist him. The sparkling firebrand intends to smooth his way through London’s ballrooms, parlors, and eligible ladies, while all Edward’s thoughts suddenly revolve around bedrooms . . . and Lady Olivia herself.  Only a scoundrel would seduce the duke’s most dutiful daughter. And only a truly reckless lady would risk everything to be in his arms . . .

Review:  Lady Be Reckless by Megan Frampton was an absolutely delightful read.  I sped read through it desperate to know whether Olivia, much like her sister Eleanor, would follow her heart over her father’s wishes.  I felt connected to every character as though they were me, as though they were my friends and my family.  I found myself hanging to every written word.  There were laughs and anxious moments, almost tears and broad smiles… it was fabulous.

I felt such a comradery with Olivia.  I got my Master’s degree in Social Work because I wanted to change the world—much like Olivia—but I, too, had moments where I forgot that you can only help those who want your help and not everybody does.  Olivia learns this the hard way.  I loved that Frampton didn’t make Olivia perfect.  She is full of faults, but that makes her all the more lovable because she’s so real.  She’s bold, unapologetic, stubborn, passionate, and more.

Edward is a bastard… legally. But he’s lucky enough to have a loving father who accepts him and friends who don’t look down on him because of his birth.  He isn’t so lucky with the rest of society, however.  He was the perfect match for the overly eager, headstrong Olivia.  Calm without being sullen, polite without being boring, rich without being snotty.  I positively adored him as a man and a character.

Together Olivia and Edward played the typical society game of highborn-lowborn.  They were so freaking cute I wanted to scream a couple times, but I refrained because that borders on weird (which I am, but not that weird, at least not in public).  Every kiss, every embrace, every sneaky moment brought sparks to my life that I am happy I do not have to live without.

I am desperate for Pearl and Ida to get their chance at happy endings (particularly Ida because I’m obviously not a strange to preferring a book to human company).  The next books in the series cannot come soon enough and Lady Be Reckless is out now!