I received this book as a "First Reads." This is the first book in Stefanie Sloane's "Regency Rogues" series. It's funny how there's an endorsement from Julia Quinn on the cover of the book, because I kept thinking wistfully of "The Duke and I" as I read.

Sloane succeeds in creating two leads - The Duke of Clairmont and Lady Lucinda Grey - that I like a lot. She also succeeds in creating a hilarious supporting cast in the form of Lucinda's aunts, whom I really hope make return appearances later in the series. She did a good job in making me emotionally invested in Will and Lucinda as individuals. However, she failed to sell me on them as a couple.

A large part of it is that their emotional growth really doesn't take place together as a couple, especially on Will's part. One of the key revelations and emotional lynchpins in the series takes place between Will and one of Lucinda's aunts, not Will and Lucinda. The passion between the two feels very artificial. Their moments of intimacy don't feel very intimate, and I felt a sense of detachment. It's not like say ... Simon and Daphne in "The Duke and I," where there is emotion, laughter and true enjoyment in their time together. Their intimate moments are truly emotional. The intimacy with Will and Lucinda lasts a couple pages at the most. It seems almost thrown into the book and not a natural progression of their feelings for each other. It's the lack of chemistry between the leads that keeps this from being a repeat read for me.