This Duchess of Mine (Desperate Duchesses, 5) Mass Market Paperback – May 26, 2009

"Life should not be measured by time."THE STORY: Jemma and Elijah, the Duke and Duchess of Beaumont, married young. While Jemma was infatuated with her Duke, she was devastated to find her new husband having sex with his mistress just a few weeks after their wedding. Jemma fled to France where she lived for eight years and had several affairs. She returned to England at the request of her husband to produce an heir. A year later (after the events of the prior series books), the two have begun to forge a new relationship. What Jemma doesn't know, however, is that Elijah wanted her to return because he knows that his heart is giving out and he expects to die soon.OPINION: For me, the premise of the Beaumonts' story has always been difficult because I don't tend to like stories with adultery involved. I also believe, however, that if I choose to read a book, I must attempt to accept and understand the characters. While I never really felt that the excuses Elijah and Jemma have for their adulterous actions were justified, I did feel that their reasons made sense to them and that they, in this book, they attempted to actually get to know one another and build a relationship.There is a misguided attempt by Jemma to give Elijah another woman interested in him. Luckily that part of the story is short and really highlights that Jemma doesn't really understand her husband. There is a great amount of strategy and plotting between these two. Both chess masters, Jemma and Elijah have a tendency to be more strategic than honest. Chess plays an important part in this story, both in the way that the characters relate to one another and also in a very sexy chess match in bed that has been promised for a long time in the series.For a book that starts somewhat strategic and cold, it quickly becomes deeply emotional as Jemma discovers that her husband is dying. That information burns away the barriers between these two as they despair about all the time they have lost through their foolish choices.As an aside, there is nothing I love more than a book that can make me cry when I know that there will be a happy ending.WORTH MENTIONING: The Desperate Duchesses series has been like a soap opera with numerous couples populating each of the books. After the four previous books all that remains is the Beaumonts (this book's story) and the Duke of Villiers.FINAL DECISION: Despite the fact that I really dislike stories about couples who have committed adultery, I did love how these two learned to love one another for the first time.CONNECTED BOOKS: THIS DUCHESS OF MINE is the fifth book in the Desperate Duchesses series. The story of the Duke and Duchess of Beaumont has been an integral part of the entire series. I believe this book is best enjoyed as part of the series and not on its own since much of the couple's journey has already occurred by the time this book starts.STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

This is book five of the Desperate Duchesses series and it is Jemma, Duchess of Beaumont, and Elijah's, Duke of Beaumont, story. We were first introduced to these characters in book one,  Desperate Duchesses , at that time Jemma had recently returned from nine years of self-imposed exile in France where she was rumored to have run rampant. Jemma was a beautiful provocateur and she delighted in tweaking the sensibilities of her seemingly stodgy husband. Elijah, an upstanding member of the House of Lords, had recently experienced a frightening collapse on the floor of the House of Commons. This collapse precipitated his insistence that Jemma return home. It was time for her to settle down and give him an (legitimate) heir.As the series progressed the characters of Jemma and Elijah evolved. We realized that Jemma cultivated her outrageous reputation. We also realized that this reputation might not be entirely deserved. Jemma acted as she did for two reasons: to pay Elijah back in spades for betraying her when they were young newlyweds and to make sure he did not forget her. Elijah, in turn, was revealed to be a proud man grabbling with making amends to his wife and his own mortality. His public collapse was not his first and not the only sign of his imminent demise. His father died young and Elijah realized his own time was most likely limited. Elijah always seemed to take one step forward and two steps back when he tried to repair relations with his wife.The book begins with Elijah rescuing Jemma from the king's yacht. (See  When the Duke Returns  for the details of the prisoners plot and attack on the yacht) The excitement of the rescue brings Jemma and Elijah together but their physical reunion is halted when Jemma witnesses another collapse. Jemma now realizes that Elijah's collapse in the House of Commons was not a random event. She resolves to heal him and their marriage. In typical Jemma fashion, she decides that she must seduce him away from all other distractions. As she plots to woo Elijah, she sets up the Marquise de Perthuis, a beautiful young French woman, as a rival for his affections. (Never mind that Elijah has no interest in the Marquis and is more alienated than enticed by her machinations.) Elijah, steady as always, turns the Marquise's interest to his advantage.The relationship between Jemma and Elijah has always resembled a chess match between masters and in this book Ms. James uses the game to great effect. The blindfolded chess match that consummates their relationship is sensual and clever. There are funny bits in this book and heartrending moments too. At times the plotting of the novel seems off, not so much in a secondary storyline involving the Duke of Villiers, but in the primary storyline. We don't expect the course of true love to run smooth, especially with these two, but sometimes their actions don't seem reasonable. For example - Jemma's seductive schemes seem to come and go and appear a bit improbable given her knowledge of Elijah's illness. The character's prior infidelities are explained and excused as much as is possible, but might taint the story for some.The secondary storyline involving the Duke of Villiers and his illegitimate offspring is compelling and holds great promise. His story will be out in July/August in  A Duke of Her Own All in all an entertaining, if not perfect, romance. (Kind of like the main characters.)The prior books in the Desperate Duchesses series are:  Desperate Duchesses , An Affair Before Christmas , Duchess By Night , When the Duke Returns

Oh my...after reading  Desperate Duchesses (8 Book Series) , I couldn't wait to get to this one and it was all I could have hoped for. Flawed,immensely attractive and likable characters, Jemma and Elijah had me enchanted throughout their story. And the epilogue was brilliant! Particularly in a story such as this, where one of the protagonist's health is tenuous, I *hate* the novel to just abruptly end with an HEA. It's too incomplete.This kept me satisfied from beginning to end. Their blindfolded chess game constituted some of the most beautiful and sensual passages I've ever read.I had already read Villiers' story,  A Duke of Her Own (Desperate Duchesses Book 6) , but after this one I reread it and was astonished by how much more the novel gave me the second time around.The writing of this series is quite wonderful. Nothing hackneyed, the stories are imaginative, fresh and have some depth. Of this early group, Jemma and Elijah's story is my favorite, followed closely by Villiers'.....but I'm not finished! Happy is the reader with a gathering of good books at hand. :)Enjoy your reading! :)

It was the very first book I read from Eloisa James and I just couldn't put it down until I was finished with it (and then I was sad because I finished it). I know it's the 5th book of the series... but you don't actually need to read the previous books in order to read this one (in fact, I read the book 4 after I concluded this one, and I really didn't like it... I found the story quite boring and was only trully interested on the parts about Elijah and Jemma).Aaaaw I just fell in love with Elijah and Jemma (although I was really annoyed at Elijah for having waited so long to finally go after Jemma! Argh!! Men... never the best with timing!) and I really liked the fact that they were already married, had feelings for each other and also had a history together (or.... well... not so much as "together", but if you read this book you'll know what I mean). Loved that the story develops itself over their attempt to make their marriage workout for reasonable reasons (while their "reasons of the heart" also creeps their way up on them).

Finally we get to read Elijah and Jemma's story. Some parts were annoying when they both kept trying to hurt each other but i did like when they finally came together. It was sad about his heart condition and i almost thought there wasn't going to be a happy ever after. The added bonus was Villiers in the back ground collecting his children. I am looking forward to finally reading Villiers story.

Very good!

Na endlich! Nach langem Warten und vielen Vermutungen kommt hier endlich der Band, der von Jemma, die Duchess of Beaumont und ihren Duke, Elijah, handelt.Das Bild, das man von Jemma aus den vorherigen Bänden der Desperate Duchesses-Reihe bekommen hat, erhält hier weitere Facetten. Ihre Art, ihr langer Aufenthalt in Paris und ihr Handeln erscheinen nachvollziehbarer durch Rückblenden und Gespräche.Und auch der so überirdisch gute Elijah hat durchaus mehr Tiefe, als Jemma (und ich) bisher vermutet hat. Die Duchess ist bereit, einen Neustart zu wagen. Aber Jemma wäre nicht Jemma, wenn sie das nicht auf ihre eigene Art anginge: sie will um ihren Ehemann werben. Dummerweise macht der ihr einen Strich durch die Rechnung und ihr sorgsam durchdachter Plan gerät durcheinander. Dabei wäre es gar nicht nötig, um Elijah zu werben. Und dann, es könnte alles so schön werden, erfährt Jemma von Elijahs Herzschwäche. Ihr eigenes Herz hat sie wieder einmal an ihn verloren und jetzt gilt es einen Weg zu finden, Elijah zu helfen.Den sucht auch Villiers, Elijahs ehemals bester Freund. Er möchte nun auch nicht mehr Jemma selbst, eine Frau wie Jemma würde ihm schon genügen. Die hätte nämlich auch kein Problem mit seiner Schar illegitimer Kinder. Um diese Kinder hat er sich bisher nicht gekümmert, was sich als großer Fehler herausgestellt hat. Nun sucht er also neben einer Duchess auch noch 5 Kinder und den Mann, den er für deren Versorgung gut bezahlt hat.Und so hilft man sich eben gegenseitig. Ob mit mehr oder weniger Erfolg, wird der abschließende Band zeigen.Dieses Buch hätte sehr in die Hose gehen können. Ich hatte fast ein wenig Angst, es zu beginnen, immerhin wurde ich in letzter Zeit ständig enttäuscht, wenn eine Reihe ihren Abschluss fand.Auch wenn dieser Band nur der vorletzte Band ist, für mich war die Geschichte von Jemma und Elijah der rote Faden, der mich auch die beiden eher durchschnittlichen Bände durchstehen ließ.Die Gefühle kommen absolut glaubhaft und an keiner Stelle schmalzig herüber, was ein großes Plus ist. Auch die Konflikte im Plot sind nicht an den Haaren herbeigezogen oder überzogen dargestellt. Hier können sich einige Autorinnen noch eine Scheibe abschneiden.Insgesamt ein sehr schöner vorletzter Band und ein richtiges Lesevergnügen.Ich warte nun sehnsüchtig auf den August, wenn Villiers seine hoffentlich letzte Verlobung begehen wird.

After just three weeks of marriage, Jemma, Duchess of Beaumont fled to France, after finding her husband, Elijah, on his office desk with his mistress. Now, after nine years apart, Elijah has summoned her back. It's time to produce an heir, for the good of the title.Except that Jemma doesn't know everything. Oh, she's heard about her husband's collapse in the House of Lords, but she puts it down to exhaustion, and vows she'll do what she can to stop him working so hard. But just when things are starting to go right, they're putting the past behind them and finding some hope for the future, Elijah's secret comes out: It isn't exhaustion that plagues him, but his heart. His own father died of heart failure at just 34, and now at 35, Elijah's heart is giving up on him. But before it does, he wants to fall in love with his wife all over again. And this time he plans to do it properly.At last! After four books, the estranged couple first introduced in  Desperate Duchesses  are getting a book of their own. Of all the duchesses Jemma has always been the most sophisticated, the most wise, the smartest, the one who plays chess, who dresses best, and whose heart was shattered by her husband. Elijah, by contrast, is the ultimate duke, a man whose integrity and sheer goodness has carved a name for himself in politics and made him near indispensable to the welfare of the country. They are complete opposites. Everyone knows it. Surely they can't find happiness together?I adored this book. Right from the outset of this series James has intrigued me with the Beaumonts, starting in such strife but gradually drawing closer. Their differences were obvious, but James has slowly been revealing their similarities and reasons for doing as they did, and behaving as they have. Now, at last, all the pretence and the tiptoeing is over. The chess games with Villiers have been cast aside, Elijah no longer moralises and Jemma is ready to forgive him for him past mistakes.Well, sort of. Though this book never hides the direction in which it's going, that doesn't mean James makes it easy for them to get there. For such intelligent people, both Jemma and Elijah have their weaknesses. And thanks to some advice from Corbin, some conversations with Villiers, a return from the Black-and-White marquise Louise, and a lot of champagne, things veer on and off course with angst, amusement and aplomb.Yet it's the scenes between the duke and the duchess that are the best. The notorious chess game (blindfolded and in bed) finally happens, and it doesn't disappoint; the trip to the baths; the trip to the glassblowers; the doctors - anything and everything. Elijah's goodness shines through, but so does Jemma's love for him. And the scenes about his failing health are heart-wrenching.A little more serious than the previous books, that doesn't mean it lacks for fun, and poor Villiers returns once more. This book isn't the easiest for him, but not only do we learn more about him, but so does he. True, the ending of this is a very neat setup for his book ( A Duke of Her Own ) that is soon to follow, but his story has always been so entwined with Jemma's that it would be a shame to leave him out. (I also have high hopes for that epilogue and what stories James intends to write next, now that she's finished with her Georgian Duchesses.)For me this is the best in the series, it doesn't disappoint and it does my favourite Duke and Duchess justice. If you're new to this author and this series, go back to the beginning and enjoy yourself. They're completely worth it. Desperate DuchessesA Duke of Her Own