Three Weeks With Lady X: A Desperate Duchesses Regency Romance where a Strong Heroine tames a Lawless Alpha Hero

"She simply had to find a man who was sweet and kind, and smart enough to realize that she should be the one to run their household." THE STORY: Lady Xenobia India St. Claire is the daughter of a Marquess. Orphaned and penniless, India has made her own fortune by working as an interior designer and organizer of households. While she has done well to preserve her reputation despite her "unfortunate" occupation, India has decided to retire and find a husband. She agrees to one last job for her friend the Duchess of Villiers: to renovate the new estate house of Mr. Tobias "Thorn" Dautry, the bastard son of Duke of Villiers who wants the house ready for the woman he is wooing to be his wife. Thorn was abandoned by his mother and now wants a woman who has no ambition other than to be a wife and mother and will be a peaceful influence who will not disturb his life. Thorn and India are not peaceful at all immediately. Their meetings are contentious and also incredibly sexy. The two don't even apparently like one another in the beginning and then they travel to an odd friendship then lust and love. OPINION: I loved this book because it is filled with angst and a wonderful contentious relationship between India and Thorn. At times, these two stubborn people seem to be trying to do everything to sabotage their possible relationship. Both have abandonment issues from childhood and thus they have serious trust issues. Again and again, one or the other pushes the other away only to be helplessly drawn back. The pasts of both Thorn and India makes these characters have more dark spaces in their souls and make them incredibly complex. These characters make mistakes. Sometimes the mistakes are obviously destructive and sometimes they are only innocent mistakes in judgment. The inability of these characters to recognize their own patterns and missteps actually really works here. There is something incredibly beautiful of two people who can heal one another and build a strong relationship. Having read the entire Desperate Duchesses series, I was especially interested in how Thorn makes the same mistake his father does in choosing a wife. (The Duke of Villiers makes a significant plot turn for the book). Readers get to see a sweet side of Thorn that was evident in his childhood when he takes in the orphaned daughter of a childhood friend. Rose is precocious and funny and creates additional problems for the characters, but she also gives readers a chance to see Thorn's protective loving side at the same time he is fighting intensely with India. This book is filled with emotions. At times, I laughed at loud: Thorn catching India reading "naughty" books and the interesting decor of the house when India first arrives. At times, I was angry with the characters for their foolish decisions. At times, I was in tears at the deep painful emotions and at the intensely beautiful ones. One of those books that I can't help thinking about and wanting to re-read passages again, I know this is an enduring favorite. Another point in the book I really liked was the series of letters that Thorn and India send to one another: serious, funny, bawdy, impertinent these letters really allow the intellectual relationship between India and Thorn to grow. I also really loved how James allows the readers to see into the future of the characters through the Epilogue. I always end up smiling at these. At the end of this one I also ended up crying a little because it was so incredibly beautiful. WORTH MENTIONING: The hero of the next book in the series, FOUR NIGHTS WITH THE DUKE, is Vander Brody who plays an important part in this novel. FINAL DECISION: I loved this book. A hero and heroine who scratch and claw at one another, a seemingly doomed love, and a lyrical beautifully written story. CONNECTED BOOKS: THREE WEEKS WITH LADY X is the first book in the Desperate Duchesses by the Numbers series, which is also a spin off of the Desperate Duchesses series. Sometimes, THREE WEEKS WITH LADY X is also referred to as the seventh book in that series. THREE WEEKS WITH LADY X can be read as standalone. The hero, however, appears as a child in two of the Desperate Duchesses series: THIS DUCHESS OF MINE and A DUKE OF HER OWN. It is not necessary to read either of those books to enjoy this one, but they add to the story of Thorn. STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.

The Desperate Duchesses series is one of my favorites by Eloisa James with its late 18th century setting and quirky characters. One of the most memorable of these characters is the irreverent Duke of Villiers who finally gets his happy ending in A Duke of Her Own. A big part of Villiers story is the fact that he has six illegitimate children who he publicly claims and raises with his wife, Eleanor. Tobias "Thorn" Dautry is the oldest of these and he always intrigued me so I was glad to see him get his own story. I always find James's historicals to be both charming and eccentric with plenty of thought-provoking scenes and creativity and Three Weeks With Lady X is no exception. The main story follows Thorn, who has grown up to be a powerful businessman despite his unfortunate upbringing, and decides that now is the type to marry. He even has a woman in mind, Laetitia Rainsford, the daughter of an impoverished, but influential aristocrat. In order to impress her snobbish mother, Thorn decides to hire Lady Xenobia India St. Clair who has made a living helping the ton with a variety of tasks such as decorating a home and hiring the proper staff. But, as expected from a historical romance, things don't really go as planned when love gets in the way. I absolutely adored Thorn's character! He was admirable in his ability to move up from his early years as a mudlark to such an innovator and business owner. Despite his current position, Thorn never forgets where he came even if it is causes him to feel unworthy. I liked how much he admired India for her abilities and independence. And India is another successful historical heroine for Eloisa James! She is very skilled at writing intelligent, but realistic women who readers can easily relate to and root for. I loved the fact that India was the 18th century version of a career woman and that she had the determination to create her own happiness. It was also great to see her overcome her own vulnerabilities related to her neglectful parents and upbringing. I found it very easy to understand how Thorn and India could be attracted (both physically and emotionally) to each other and thought it gave the whole story a mature feel. I also enjoyed the large cast of the side characters that added to the fun and biting humor of the book. Some of the ones that stood out the most to me were Thorn's best friend, Vander, who I'm hoping gets his own story soon, and Thorn's newly acquired ward, Rose, who redefines my impression of precocious children. I also liked the way that she developed Laetitia's character from someone who was thought to be a pretty, but stupid girl to a confident young lady who has her own sweet love story on the side. And, while we didn't get to spend much time with them, Thorn's old mudlarking friends were very fun to read about and I liked how they showed a different side of him. The only character I didn't care for (and that was on purpose) was Laetitia's overbearing, attention-seeking mother who got her comeuppance in the best way by Thorn's wonderful parents. Like most of Eloisa James's historical romances, Three Weeks With Lady X is a nice balance of rapid pacing and slow burning romance. The story starts off quickly and very rarely settles down except during the more intimate scenes between Thorn and India. There is a lot going on, but I never felt like it was overwhelming or hard to understand. This speaks a lot to the author's writing skills and her ability to pace her books perfectly. Overall, I found this book to be another successful and entertaining romp in Georgian England. I am ecstatic to see Eloisa James return to the world of the Desperate Duchesses and I can't wait for more!

And what a meeting! What a perfectly delightful 3 weeks, getting acquainted with marvelously crafted complex characters in a lovely setting with a unique plot twist. I loved it and truly, truly hated to see it end. This book was well worth the money for the entertainment it gave me. A book that was hard to put down. Thorn, bastard son of a duke, purchases sight unseen a country estate to impress the woman he has chosen to marry. Unlike many other bastard stories, and to my delight, Thorn has a good relationship with his father and step mother. Although he carries scars from his troubled childhood, he carries them well and has overcome a lot of obstacles to have become the man we meet. He’s the image of his father, the duke, but has no pretension to enter society, accepting the limitations imposed by his illegitimacy. He has amassed a fortune, using his native intelligence and creativity and now he wants a wife and children. He chooses his wife for the characteristics he wants for the mother of his children – and I found that endearing. She is beautiful, gentle and sweet-natured, if considered a bit, well…simple. So now he has chosen a candidate for bride and purchased a home to showcase his family. Except, his home needs some rather extensive renovations to make it habitable. Enter, fate, in the guise of his stepmother, who hires the equivalent of an interior decorator and staffing consultant – Lady Xenobia India. Lady X is very good at what she does. She is also lovely, independent, outspoken, wealthy and daughter of a marquess. She too bears scars from her childhood experiences, but doesn’t carry them quite so well as Thorn. This renovation work for Thorn is to be her last. She plans to retire and marry – she just isn’t sure who she’ll marry. Working for Thorn isn’t what she expected – it is so much more! She grows to love his house, his parents, his ward and eventually him. The dialog is witty and sassy, the character development warm and wonderful. Watching them spar with each other and seeing the sparks fly is so much fun. Watching them untangle the knots that have ensnared them is so satisfying. No big misunderstandings, plenty of humor and splashes of pathos. He makes a wonderful hero – just the kind I really like – and she’s every bit his match and equally likeable. The build up to the HEA was just plain FUN. I really, really liked this book.

OMG one of the best ever! I just finished it and I'm awestruck. Now I understand all the hullabaloo over Eloisa James. My very unfortunate introduction to EJ's work was by way of her "Fairy Tales." And I've steered clear of James ever since, until a review by a trusted reviewer (Penny Black) led me to again take the plunge. Am I glad, glad, glad I did! You will see a gazillion good synopses in other reviews so I won't add another to the mix. I will, however, wax enthusiastic about the exquisite writing~just brilliant. Thorn and India come to life in such depth and detail~amazing really...why, if I saw them on the street I'd have to stop to wish them well! (LOL...I really got *involved* in this story:) Every single thing about this grand novel was written to perfection. Wit. Humor. Poignancy. Sweetness. Wonderfully fluid narrative and dialogue. Deftly drawn secondary characters. Marvelous ending. *Nothing* in these pages was done poorly or simply left undone. No drifting or dragging in this wonderful book. And the letters! LOL Thorn and India kept them and I'm keeping them too. Love those witty, hilarious letters! Whew, what a story! PS: I'm so happy to know that Thorn's swoony best friend will have his story Four Nights With the Duke .

I thought it was wonderful! There were quite a few times when I thought the story was wrapping up, only to realize that there was still quite a bit left, thank goodness, because I didn't want it to end. The transitions and twists into the next level of the story were amazing! There was always something exciting going on, and I was fooled quite a few times. I absolutely love when a story keeps me guessing, and easily holds my interest. One of my favorite things in this book is the letters. I loved everything that was written "between the lines" of the correspondence. I also enjoyed all the communication that was conveyed through the characters' body language. India and Thorn had remarkable chemistry that had me hooked right from their first meeting. They were both witty, and able to match each other with each response. I was laughing at their conversations as if I was actually there. I know the exact moment when I realized this was going to be one of my favorite books. During India and Thorn's first meeting, India gives Thorn a look because he looks bored by her godmother, and I believe that is where their battle began. Then, you add in little Rose, who was also wonderful. This book did not seem to have the typical boring characters. I loved them all because they were so unique, as well as their interactions. This book is perfect if you are looking for something witty and unbelievably romantic and exciting. I thought it was fantastic!

This was cute and enjoyable. Excellent sexual chemistry, engaging characters, even a cute albeit extremely precocious child. The story is simplistic and I've read variations on the same theme many a time, most of the others set in Victorian times, where a working woman would seem a bit less anachronistic. (For example, Connie Brockway's The Bridal Season: A Loveswept Historical Classic Romance and Bridal Favors: A Loveswept Historical Classic Romance or Laura Lee Guhrke's Bachelor Girls series.) Dialogue is good. The story flows well. I especially enjoyed the letters exchanged between the hero (as employer) and the heroine (as his employee). The romance is sexy and manages to be a bit warm and fuzzy at the same time, although that idea of planning to marry someone while having sex with another never sits extremely well with me. It seems like James may be back to HR basics and I'm happy about that. I did feel that she has dumbed down her writing style as compared to her early books in the Duchesses series but I'll keep an open mind about that until reading the next book, about this hero's best friend Vander.

Admittedly, I had been waiting for this book rather impatiently. One of my all time favorite characters from Eloisa James' Desperate Duchess series , the Duke of Villers was back. This time his illegitimate son, Tobias/Thorn was all grown and ready to get married. Thorn was, as I hoped, not only a chip off the old block but quite full of his own idiosyncrasies...India, our heroine, thank heavens is no wallflower to Thorn's prickliness. She, admittedly, had me at, I don't do whisper! And from that we get a wonderfully crafted ,witty, thoughtful journey to their HEA Eloisa writes characters that are full and dialogue that is real, witty, touching, it draws you into the book so much so that you become invested in each word, waiting for what comes next. The adversarial relationship between Thorn and India was pitch perfect...turning into a much needed friendship for the two. What transpires is funny, jabbing, sweet and yes, loving. I enjoyed the banter and the 3 weeks became too little, I wanted more. The book is satisfying and the secondary characters are just as full and interesting. Eloisa doesn't take the easy way out with the woman Thorn thinks he should marry, she is also quite complex and it is easy to wish she doesn't get thrown aside. And our Rose. A fun, provocative young, "old" soul that is destined to have her own HEA if there is any justice in this romance world. And Vander, a hero in his own right in this story. The book was a great read and this series keeps getting better with another (happily) slated for our secondary hero, Vander, coming next.

Thorn Dautry is the bastard son of the Duke Of Villiers and very much like him. He has the same physical features including the white streak in his hair. He is a very big man like his sire and his temperament is very much like the Duke's as well. His mother had left him to his father when she ran off. His father, in time, put him in the hands of an attorney, for training. Unfortunately the attorney and his father lost track of him. He was twelve before his father rescued him from an unscrupulous man and brought him home along with other siblings. He is a very independent man who has earned a fortune through hard work and a knack for business. He has decided that's it time to marry and has decided on a very beautiful 'blue blood' that is seen in the ton as not real bright. She has a very mild temperament, though, and Thorn has decided she will make a wonderful docile wife for him. His step mother hired a woman to go to Thorn's new home to help get it ready for Thorn to entertain his prospective in-laws and bride. The woman is well know for her ability to organize people homes. She does not come cheaply, but she has a wonderful reputation. India and Thorn fight from the first meeting. She will however not allow him to fire her as she does not work for him, but for his step mother. The sexual tension is very hot and gets hotter and hotter through out the story. I loved the characters and the appearance of the Duke and his Duchess from previous books was a wonderful addition. The story line was wonderful and kept me reading well into the night. I loved the book!