This is an author I try to never pass me by. She can do characters that are very relatable and extremely complex. They are never good or bad, rather they tend to be both. And so are the two leads in this story.

Jane Mason is an heiress that is biding her time under her uncle’s roof and putting on a meek indifference while secretly planning to bolt as soon as she can find a husband, and not of her uncle’s choosing. Hiding her true nature, letting her greedy uncle assert his control over her, is something she must get away from and she needs an out quickly.

Crispin Burke is an MP and a political ally of Jane’s uncle and someone she comes to despise as she finds him to be underhanded, ruthless and power hungry. He’s goal of becoming the next prime minister at any cost, she finds abhorring.

I bet I wasn’t the only one struggling to like the hero at the start of this story. But as the story developed and I got to know who these two really were, I felt that the struggles they confronted and choices they made, made them better persons and better partners.

If you’re in a mood for a serious, intriguing and complex romance, this is it.

Melanie for b2b

Fans of Meredith Duran have had a fairly long time to wait between the publication of her last novel – <b><a href="https://bookish29.wordpress.com/2015/09/23/luck-be-a-lady-rules-for-the-reckless-4-by-meredith-duran/" target="_blank">Luck Be a Lady</a></b> – and this new one, which is billed as the fifth in her <b><i>Rules for the Reckless</i></b> series, but I’m pleased to report that the wait, while frustrating, was well worth it. In <b>A Lady’s Code of Misconduct</b>, she has once again dazzled me with the beauty and focus of her writing, and her ability to craft a tightly-knit, intriguing plot and wonderfully complex, imperfect and highly intelligent characters who very quickly take on lives of their own in the mind of the reader.

The story centres around the political career and machinations of Mr. Crispin Burke MP, the second son of Viscount Sibley and most definitely the black sheep of his family. With ambitions to become Prime Minister, Burke has steadily drawn many in the Commons to his side by means of threats, blackmail and bribery; his name is a byword for corruption in parliamentary circles and it seems as though he is about to achieve his goal. His Penal Reform bill, a punitive, unfair piece of legislation, has enough support to defeat the government and unseat Palmerston.

Burke’s closest ally is Philip Mason, a man with as black a heart and as few principals, and who is currently supporting himself and his family at the expense of his niece, Jane, whose father left his considerable fortune to her at his death. Mason is unable to touch the principal amount, but has been syphoning off everything he could for years, and intends to marry her to his son in order to keep the money in the family. Jane is twenty-three, but has never had a season and is not allowed to go beyond the gates, so she has, in effect, been a prisoner for the past six years. But worse than all that is the fact that she has had to pretend to be a brainless ninny for all of that time. Her late parents were progressive, so she was well-educated and brought up to think for herself and not to be afraid to express her opinions – but her uncle believes women should be seen and not heard and Jane has had to suppress that side of herself while she has bided her time and waited for an opportunity to escape.

Finally, that opportunity has arrived – only to be thwarted by the odious Crispin Burke. Even though Jane has encountered him numerous times over the years, this is the first time she has really talked to him or even been close to him, and she is simultaneously surprised and repelled to discover that he holds a strange fascination for her. He’s a beautiful man, no question, but he's ruthless, amoral and rotten to the core and his methods disgust her - but he offers her some advice and a way of avoiding her uncle’s wrath, in exchange, naturally, for something he wants - information on something involving Mason. Jane has no alternative but to agree to do as he asks.

Not long after this, and shortly before the final reading of his bill, Burke is attacked and left for dead on the London streets. Having taken his advice and inveigled her uncle into bringing her to London, Jane hatches an audacious plan, one that was also suggested to her by Burke, albeit with a different outcome in mind. She uses a fraudulently obtained – but legitimate - marriage certificate and announces that she and Burke were recently – and secretly – married. She will shortly be a widow according to the doctors, and her marriage will release her father’s fortune into her hands, meaning that she can finally achieve her dream of travelling to New York and making a new life for herself.

Of course, things don’t go according to plan and Crispin survives – although there are big gaps in his memory and he can remember little of what happened over the past five years. Now caught in a lie, Jane feels guilty and unsure, but decides that she needs to play along with the fake marriage, at least until the legalities surrounding the release of her inheritance are completed. I’m normally a little sceptical about amnesia plots, but didn’t blink when I learned that this book used one, because I knew that Meredith Duran would make it work. She does that and then some; the way she transforms Crispin from a ruthless, conscienceless politician to a man of honour and sound principles who genuinely wants to make the world a better place is brilliant, but more importantly, it’s believable. There are still facets of the old Burke remaining – the keen mind, the devilish sense of humour, the aura of implacability and sense of his being a dangerous man, but the more he finds out about his old self, the more determined he becomes to face the demons of his past, eradicate them and move on.

Because he can’t afford others to see how much his injuries have affected him, Crispin asks for Jane’s help in navigating his way through all his political alliances and connections. She can’t deny that being able, after so long, to use her brain and have her opinions listened to and respected is incredibly flattering and freeing, or that the 'new' Crispin is compassionate, thoughtful, unexpectedly vulnerable and incredibly attractive.

Jane is just as satisfyingly complex a character as Crispin, and her story of self-discovery is equally compelling. Her situation as the virtual prisoner of her uncle evokes sympathy, and her character is set up as a kind of representation of truth and justice... yet as the story progresses, she is shown to have been as deceitful and secretive in her way as Crispin has been in his. The way that she comes to understand herself more, and also to understand what drove Crispin to take the path of blind, conscienceless ambition is superbly done, as is Crispin’s conviction that no matter what he can or cannot remember, his feelings for Jane won’t change. I loved that Jane tries to spare him learning the worst of himself and that when he does, it just makes him stronger and all the more determined to become a better man.

The chemistry between the protagonists is intense, and their romance develops believably and at a realistic pace. Jane gradually overcomes her suspicions and opens herself to the attraction she realises she has long felt for Crispin, even though she can’t quite let go of her fear that the ‘old’ him could return at any moment. And I loved that Crispin never questions his marriage; for him, Jane is his rock from the moment he awakens, building on the hints of interest she sparked in him even before his attack and showing clearly but subtly that his feelings for her run deep.

<strong>A Lady’s Code of Misconduct</strong> is a must-read for fans of this author and of historical romance in general. The political background is interesting, well-researched and smoothly incorporated so the reader never feels as though they are being given a history lesson, and the plot which gradually emerges – relating to the information the ‘old’ Crispin was seeking from Jane – is intriguing and suspenseful. Add in the wonderful romance and two compelling but vulnerable and flawed protagonists, and you’ve got an un-put-downable book which I’m already sure will go down as one of my favourite books of the year.

Historical romance really doesn’t get better than this.

The evolution of Crispin and Jane and their relationship unfolds amid mystery and Victorian-era political intrigue. The parliamentary proceedings and maneuvering are integral to the plot, rather than just serving as a vague backdrop to the romance. Women’s rights, education, poverty, crime, punishment, and governmental corruption are all part of Crispin and Jane’s tale — topics still highly relevant today.

Love, laughter, sex, and personal growth by well-developed characters — must be a Meredith Duran novel. A Lady’s Code to Misconduct is an intelligent and thought-provoking romance not to be missed. It is certainly one I’ll be revisiting time and again.

You will grow to loathe Crispin, like really hate him with all your might - wanting this man to die, and never in a million years can I imagine that I will grow to like the hero, nor the intelligent Jane will grow to love him.

But this book proves that second chances are important and that people - no matter how evil they are, are indeed capable of change. However drastic it maybe.

In the midst of political manipulation, dangerous unknown enemies, and forgotten memories - will they be able to make it? Indeed, more than just a love story, I love the dangers that lurk in the pages of this books, the suspense and the anticipation of what is going to happen next.

I didn't know how Meredith Duran has done it - but believe me when I say that before this novel end, you will indeed learn to love and appreciate Crispin.

This story started out great. The main characters didn't always see eye to eye and the bantering between them was interesting. And when Crispin's circumstances changed after an accident, Jane took advantage of it, and the story got even better.

But political's were big in the storyline and seemed to take over later in the book, a little boring for me and I began to loose interest. And I couldn't feel any chemistry between the hero & heroine, sad because I liked Crispin, he was arrogant and ruthless, a great character.
So all in all just an ok book for me.

I found this book on netgalley and received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. And, honestly, I really liked it! Meredith Duran is a new author for me and, while this book is the fifth in a series, it worked perfectly well as a standalone novel.

In terms of what I liked about this book, I liked that there were layers to the story – both in terms of plots and sub-plots, but also the character’s personalities grow and shift - no one is entirely good or entirely bad. The heroine, Jane has a hard time reconciling that fact, even about herself. I liked Crispin, though I’m not particularly a fan of using amnesia as a writing trope. Like Jane, I kept waiting for his old and “new” self to reconcile amidst a flurry of anger and verbal fireworks. I like that this book is set in England during the 1860s. This is a time period and location I don’t often read and learning about the politics, reform, and imperialism during the height of the British Empire was fun and enlightening. There were definite class struggles, issues of wealth inequality, crime, and seeing the waning of the Ton and the rise of the merchant class play out in a political arena is probably my favorite aspect of the book. As for the book itself, the writing is well done, the characters are all very well developed (even secondary characters), and the pacing is fairly even throughout.

Overall, I found this book to be a bit deeper than your typical historical romance – not a fluffy beach read – but the politics of 1860s England are a nice mirror for the politics of the US in 2017 and I highly recommend this book for people looking for a distraction from today’s politics or who have a curiosity about how today’s politics could potentially play out.

Here is my review on Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1702411998

Meredith Duran has written a beautiful and emotional romance with A Lady's Code of Misconduct. The amnesia trope could have been trite and unsubstantial; however, in the hands of Duran it serves as a vehicle for a carefully thought-out romance featuring complex characters.

Jane Mason is trapped. As an heiress her funds are locked until marriage, and when her uncle schemes to keep that money in the family by marrying her off to her cousin, Jane decides that it's time for escape. Taking advantage of Crispin Burke's near death situation, Jane forges a marriage with the idea that Crispin will not survive his head injury, leaving her in complete control of her money. Unfortunately for Jane, Crispin does survive, and when he wakes he has no memory of the past five years. So while Jane anxiously awaits the transfer of her inheritance into her own name, she also learns that Crispin is not the manipulative and dishonest politician that he once was. The question becomes whether or not the man that Jane is falling in love with will remain once he regains his memory of the past five years.

A Lady's Code to Misconduct was beautifully written. And the characters were so much more than archetypes. Jane is a woman that has had to hide her identify for years, going from someone raised to speak her mind to being submissive and silent in the company of the family that took her in after her parent's death. That all changes when she finally escapes. With Crispin, Jane starts to become comfortable again with being independent, as well as learn some uncomfortable truths about herself along the way. For his part, Crispin started off the villain, but naturally there is more to his character than dastardly actions and self-serving manipulations. Crispin has been shaped by the past just like Jane, and like Jane he learns that there are new facets to his character. The level of character development in A Lady's Code to Misconduct is the true strength to the novel. Both Jane and Crispin change and develop through the novel and it was a wonderful process to take in as it strengthened the romantic plot of the novel.

To date, this is my absolute favourite novel from Duran. This was a deeply felt romance with complex and interesting characters. The way in which Duran developed Crispin from villain to hero, and all the subtleties that go with that, was masterful. The transformation of Jane was also compelling. I loved Jane's passion for independence and her willingness to accept her own flaws. Perfect characters were not present here, but their movement to self-discovery and forgiveness made for a far more compelling story than a perfect one. So, so good.

I'm going to be honest. When I first got the email about being a part of this blog tour, I was ecstatic. I've only read one Meredith Duran before this (Sweetest Regret, a novella part of a 2015 Christmas Anthology), but that one was so good that I had a bit of a fangirl moment as I responded. I wish that what I got was as good as the anticipation of the thing itself.

From the Publisher:

A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL…
Trapped in the countryside, facing an unwanted marriage and the theft of her fortune, Jane Mason is done behaving nicely. To win her freedom, she’ll strike a deal with the most dangerous man she knows—a rising star in politics, whose dark good looks mask an even darker heart.
…NEVER GOES TO PLAN.
The bitter past has taught Crispin Burke to trust no one. He’ll gladly help a lovely young heiress, provided she pays a price. Yet when a single mistake shatters his life, it is Jane who holds the key to his salvation. And in a world that no longer makes sense, Crispin slowly realizes that she may be the only thing worth fighting for...

For me, this book was pretty meh. While I like the characters, I had trouble getting invested in their HEA. A part of this is because neither of them really trust each other. Jane doesn't trust Crispin not to revert back to his pre-amnesia personality or even that love can last. Crispin doesn't trust that Jane loves him for who he is rather than for who she wants him to be (his post-amnesia self). Honestly, I'm not even sure how much they trust each other at the end of the book, which drives me insane.

Another big issue I had was the lack of consent on Crispin's part. He had no choice when it came to marrying Jane and the whole thing was presented to him as a Fait Accompli because the wedding supposedly happened during the period of time that he could not remember. I feel that had that part of the narrative been written from his POV, a lot of women would be arguing that he had taken advantage of Jane and that he was a total monster. Yes, Jane has a few moments of understanding that had the Crispin from the beginning of the book been given the opportunity to marry her, he wouldn't have done it, but this doesn't make her actions okay; they make them even worse. I get that from her perspective, Crispin was as good as dead and was the only way she would escape from a bad situation. This doesn't, however, absolve her of her sins. Had she come clean with him earlier (say one of the many times she had the opportunity to do so) I don't think I would have had as much trouble with this.

The other thing that bugged me was the way the amnesia was handled and how it was resolved. I have to give Ms. Duran props for not making Crispin's amnesia complete and total retrograde amnesia. I don't know how many books I've seen in my 15+ years of reading romance where the hero or heroine lost all of their memories from a slight bump on the head, but I do know that I have never once read it done well. This was the closest I've found so far, but there were still some problems. Granted we don't know all that much about how the human brain works, but it doesn't make sense to me that Crispin would lose an entire five-year period. What I do know about the way the brain works is that there is no one section where memories are kept, so I have trouble accepting that 5 years worth of memories were all in the damaged part. The resolution of Crispin's amnesia was also problematic. I'm not going to spoil it, but Ms. Duran relied on a pretty standard romance trope in having Crispin's memory come back the way it did--and it is a trope that needs to disappear. Let's leave it at that.

What saved the book from being a total flop for me was Ms. Duran's prose. Ms. Duran has a way of painting a picture with her words, of making the reader experience them with all of their senses, adding to the power of the scene she has set.

"The silence felt unnatural, thick and somehow staged. In any other neighborhood, one would catch the spill of conversations, of cooking pots knocking together, of children's quarrels and cries." (Duran, 56)

It is easy to picture this. Everyone knows that type of neighborhood, where the houses are close together and when the windows are open in the summer, you can hear everything that happens inside them. With just one sentence, Ms. Duran was able to tell us that there was something wrong with the place where Crispin found himself.

Her dialogue is also wonderful. At one point, Crispin gives a speech to the House of Commons, attempting to stop a bill he wrote prior to his attack from being passed and sent on to the House of Lords.

"Should I, lying on that pavement, bleeding to my death, felt no worse than a man robbed of his cuff links? Should I have wished for my murderers to receive the same terms of imprisonment as a boy who stole bread?" (Duran, 260)

Again, what a picture she has painted for us. Of course, no one "bleeding to [their] death" would actually be thinking about that, but it is a provocative message about the ridiculousness of such a law. The whole portion of the book that was about this bill intrigued me, purely because of my background in Criminal Justice and the debates over the constitutionality of the Three Strikes Rule, particularly how it is implemented in the state of California where a third strike warrants the same penalty as murder no matter what felony the person commits, which in essence teaches criminals to aim high if they're going to end up in jail for life anyway. Maybe if Ms. Duran had written the arguments against the law, we wouldn't have it plaguing people today.

Sitting here, writing this review, I find myself going back and forth over what my rating should be simply because I did enjoy the time I spent reading this. There wasn't anything absolutely atrociously wrong with it, but with all of the issues I've outlined above, I can't in good conscience give it anything above average, no matter how much I liked the writing.

3 Stars

I received a copy of this title from the publisher for an honest review. Crispin Burke, is an MP who is consumed with his desire to bring down the current government and become prime minister. After spending years amassing power through intimidation and blackmail, his goal was within his reach when he was attacked and left for dead. Awakening without memory of his time as an MP, Crispin finds himself wed to a bride he can't remember. Orphaned with both her parents died, Jane decided to take advantage of Crispin's dire prognosis to get away from her uncle, by claiming they were recently married. Jane has an archbishop forge marriage lines, but soon finds herself between a rock and a hard spot when her "husband" wakes up. Crispin is different far different from the Crispin of the past 5 years; the more he finds out about himself, the more surprised he is. Jane and Crispin have to deal with how to reconcile the new Crispin who is a man of principles with the old power hungry man as well as trust issues. Jane also finds herself torn between revealing the truth around their marriage or continue to lie to the new Crispin that she can't stop herself from falling in love. I appreciate that Jane and Crispin get to know each other before jumping in to bed together - the sexual tension between the two is electric from the start and the slow build as they get to know each other adds to the story. Ms. Duran includes a great mystery around the circumstances around Crispin's attack and provides an interesting look at politics during this time period. Jane and Crispin are interesting characters; neither is perfect, but together, they are better versions of themselves. I am looking forward to the next title that was set up at the end of the story.

Jane Mason is a wealthy heiress and orphan living with her uncle, aunt and cousin. Her uncle harbours deep resentment that his brother did not share his wealth while he was living and feels entitled to Jane's wealth now, keeping her cloistered away in the country while he schemes with the despicable Crispin Burke to blackmail and intimidate other politicians so as to advance their plans to line their own pockets. Crispin Burke is known as a cruel and unscrupulous politician with ambitions to topple the Prime Minister and assume his place. It is widely known that there is no depth to which Mr Burke would not stoop in order to attain power.

For six years Jane has hidden her true nature from her uncle and aunt, keeping her natural wit and keen mind hidden beneath a veneer of invisibility and meekness. She plans a daring escape and marriage in order to gain control of some of her inheritance but is thwarted by her uncle and Mr Burke. However, Mr Burke is intrigued by the flashes of a different woman he sees beneath the young woman his host refers to as the brown goose and offers his assistance, for a price. So Jane spies upon her uncle for Mr Burke. In return he offers her the opportunity to escape.

When Mr Burke is set upon and almost killed he awakes five days later with no memory of the past five years and to be informed by his family that he is secretly married to Jane. Jane never expected him to live after the terrible injury his sustained and in her desperation put into train the fake marriage Crispin had told her how to achieve. Now she finds herself married to a man she detests, although this man seems very different to the man she saw plotting with her uncle. Crispin awakes a very different man, frankly appalled by the things people tell him about himself. His only comfort is the presence of his new bride - even if he has no recollection of courting and proposing to her.

Although this is the fifth in a series it could most definitely be read as a stand-alone, I haven't read any of the previous books - a mistake I will rectify as soon as possible.


Oh I loved this. It was full of gothic touches and Crispin was a delight in both his guises. I only wish this were two novels so that Jane could fall in love with the old Crispin AND the new Crispin. There's political intrigue and inheritance plots and balls and break-ins and family disputes. Meredith Duran has a knack for clever plots and fascinating characters.

A fast paced romance that grips you right from the first page, this is a story of beautifully spun characters that are not as they seem. Crispin Burke is on his path to becoming the next Prime Minister of England and has no scruples to use any method at hand to get what he wants. Jane Mason on the other hand, is an idealist at heart and wants to see progress and change in the society. After a dreadful accident, when Crispin and Jane end up together, they both realize that they are more similar to each other than they thought. They have to decide whether taking a chance on each other will be worth the risk. This is an amazing story that you won't want to put down once you start reading it. I highly recommend this passionate and entrancing book.

* I received this ARC from netgalley and the publisher for an honest review*

I really enjoyed reading this book with its unusual, gripping story and its amazing and interesting characters.

Crispin, our hero - is definitely not a hero, at least not a first sight. Oh, well, our heroine Jane isn't just sweet and demure all the time either and, unfortunately, she loathes all he stands for. Well, everything he stood for, strictly speaking. Due to some unfortunate encounter with some blunt object or another, he is not the same man that he was before everything went down. Considering the fact that the two of them found themselves married, let's say, things aren't easy. Especially when Crispin tries to win back his life and to understand what drove him all the time. But maybe, maybe the thing that made him almost lose everything, including his life, will turn out to be his salvation.

Can a tragedy result in happiness?
Suffering from amnesia, Crispin has to face some very uncomfortable truths about himself and his life when he tries to get his memory back. And somehow this tragedy will turn his life for good.

Will there be a place at his side for Jane, the wife he never knew he had?

Well written and fast - paced, this story is interesting, unusual and - it made me furious. Thinking of girls and women like Jane, who were kept like prisoners due to their inheritance and thier relatives' fear of losing their money - ugh, just another one of those things that make me question why I end up with historical romacnes so often. I really love these stories but the lack of rights and the lack of choices those women had, make me appreciate so much more the rights and the possibilites we have now. Still far from perfect, in constrast to the time of Jane and Crispin - well, absolutely no comparison there.

Back to our book in question - I really enjoyed reading it and I can definitely recommend it!

Jane lives with her unethical, loathsome Uncle, Aunt and cousin. She lost her parents as a teenager and came to live with her fathers brother. She's a very wealthy heriess and can't have access to her fortune until she marries. Jane has hidden her intelligence and wit from her Uncle and his family to try and survive their emotional abuse. Jane comes across as a shy, intervened wallflower to the outside world. Her Uncle needs/wants her money and devises a plan to have her compromised so she is forced to marry her cousin.

Crispin is a ruthless, power hungry politician who's goal is to someday become prime minister, at any and all cost. Crispin is friends and a political ally with Jane's Uncle and they are plotting together on a bill that Jane finds utterly inhumane. But surprisingly Crispin saves Jane from a plot (by her Uncle) to trap and compromise Jane into marriage with her cousin. But there is payback that he requires for helping her, or more like blackmail. Crispin asks Jane to spy for him on her Uncle.

Crispin uncovers something (from the spying that Jane has done for him) that has him brutally attacked and leaves him close to dying. Jane is desperate to escape her uncle and devises a plan to forge a fake marriage certificate that shows Crispin and she are married. She feels horrible but is desperate to run away to America with her money and to be as far away from her Uncle as possible.

This is where the plot really gets tricky for Jane. Crispin doesn't die but miraculously survives, but he does have some aftereffects from the injury, amnesia. Crispin memory of the last five years of his life are gone, he can't remember what's transpired in his life during that time.

Jane is now caught in a lie that has her feeling fearful, guilty and unsure what to do. Jane realizes she needs to play along with the fake marriage but along the way she gets to know a very different Crispin. Crispin is trying to recover and figure out who or what he was. He slowly pieces together that he is/was a power hungry and ruthless individual who's family doesn't think very highly of him. And then there is his wife who at times seems guarded and nervous around him. But yet he's drawn to her and she brings him a sense of peace and purpose. The two characters begin to develop a friendship and mutual political interest. Crispin's tenderness and kindest begin to give Jane hope and a thought to making a possible go of their "marriage" with the possibility of him never remember the last five years.

These two individuals are flawed but so worthy of growth, forgiveness and redemption. Each finds the strength to overcome each others preconceived notions and see the good and potential in each other. The depth of each character is multi faceted and complex. But Jane and Crispin evolve into individuals that are human, humble, but strong and worthy of redemption and love. Their depth of character and willingness to accept their flaws as a challenge to better themselves as individuals, I found that very inspiring.

The pacing and writing were excellent. The description and detail of the political climate of the time period was done very well. I do have to say I found the romance to be equal too or second to the political story, which for me was a little disappointing.

The Need to Know: A witty, steamy, heartwarming read. Don’t mind me…I’m just reading all the other books in the mega-talented Meredith Duran’s catalog asap.


I live for banter.

Okay. I don’t live for it. But when it’s done well—I’m talking the Katharine Hepburn and anybody else
variety--it’s enough to make an embarrassing smile come to my face and butterflies come to life in my stomach.

I found the banter that I’ve been looking for in Meredith Duran’s lovely, satisfying, and witty latest release, A Lady's Code of Misconduct.

This stellar novel was my introduction to Duran, and I’m pretty happy about it.

First, the setting. The place: England. The time: 1860.

Crispin Burke is an unlikable but also very attractive man who has no scruples about using bribery and scare tactics to get what he wants in the political sphere. After he angers the wrong person, he’s attacked and left for dead; when he awakens, he’s informed that he has a wife.

Believing that Crispin would die, Jane Mason conveniently claimed (read: lied) that she and Crispin were married so that she could leave her aunt and uncle’s oppressive home and gain control over her inheritance.

But Crispin does not die, and when he awakens, he does not remember the last several years of his life. He’s also much different from how Jane remembers him. He’s warm, tender, and conscientious, but he’s also still hot. Sounds pretty amazing, right?

Jane and Crispin both find themselves fighting their sexual and emotional attractions to one another, as the past looms large over them both. Will Crispin regain his memory? And if he does, how will he and Jane reconcile the earlier Crispin—the unscrupulous one whom Jane was acquainted with—with the man whom she has romantic feelings for? And, what will Jane do about the lie she told, you know, the little one about being married to Crispin when she actually wasn't?

There’s so much to adore in this book. First of all, I really like Jane, who is an unapologetic philanthropist and feminist. She has a strong interest in politics and this wasn't squashed out of her by living in her uncle’s home. Her belief that she has something to contribute to conversations, to politics, and to the less fortunate, makes her nuanced and admirable. And, Crispin’s insistence that those qualities of hers are important to him, too, are lovely—precisely because every partner would love to hear that their passions, if not shared, are at least appreciated.

As I mentioned above, the witty repartee is so good, without seeming mannered. Jane and Crispin’s observations about the society around them are similarly trenchant and often amusing. There are a couple of really incredible observations made about the perceived role of women which made me LOL and also cringe the tiniest little bit (because, to state the obvious, gender relations in nineteenth-century England were not amazing, and let's not even get started about what life would have been like for non-privileged white women or women of color).

Finally, I was quite enamored with Crispin’s evolution throughout the novel. Duran painted the development of his personality, and his growing awareness of the impact that others have had on him and that he has had on others, with sensitivity. Though Crispin arguably achieves the greatest transformation, I appreciated the growth that both characters attained throughout the book.

As far as I’m concerned, devouring Duran’s book over the last two days was an excellent use of my time, and I’m already looking forward to reading her other books.

​
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book. All opinions provided in this review are my own.

Whenever I need a break from traditional romances, I turn to either paranormal or historical. I'm so very glad I did. This is my first by Meredith Duran and definitely not my last. It often takes me some time to acclimate to the genre. Not this time. I was completely swept away by strong characters, political intrigue, attempted murder, and an unlikely couple. This was a story to be savored.

I was immediately caught up in Duran's eloquent prose. I felt myself enamoured by Victorian England, the etiquette, the scandal, even the decor all brilliantly laid out as a powerful suspenseful romance. I usually get frustrated by the lack of conversation in historical romances. I just want them to talk it out. Clear the air, but the time period, doesn't lend kindly to those. Women have their place. Men have their place. Usually it's a tug of war to get a fully developed thought out to one another. Not in this one. Yes there are some jilted conversations but they're deserved of the plot.

I love strong female characters and Jane is definitely strong. I would even be so bold as to call her pioneering for her time. She's in a terrible position of needing a husband. She longs to change her life and those less fortunate for the better. She believed in education for women and longs to see women schooled the same as men. It was fascinating seeing her character come into herself. I really felt like she grew as the story progressed. When faced with challenges she found herself stronger than I think even she realized.

Crispin is not whom she wanted for a husband. In fact she didn't think he would be her husband for long. But this new Crispin is one she finds herself liking. The old Crispin was a scoundrel, a maverick, someone she could easily use as a means to an end. I don't think she ever counted on helping the new Crispin or falling in love with him. He's got one heck of a mess on his hands, he doesn't know who tried to kill him or why. The plot is thick, the secrets closely guarded.

I cannot wait to run back and read all the previous books in this series. A Lady's Code of Misconduct can be read as a standalone quite easily. However now that I've had a taste, I want all the rest!

* I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader’s Copy of this book *

4.5 Stars

Jane Mason was raised by loving parents who educated her, encouraged her to think, and valued her opinion. When her parents died, she and her considerable fortune were put under the guardianship of her uncle, Philip, whose goals are to use Jane's fortune to further his political and personal aspirations. After coming to this household, Jane quickly learned to fade into the background and to keep her opinions to herself. One of the household's regular visitors is Crispin Burke, a self-contained, cold, cruel man with ambitions to be Prime Minister. He buys favors, votes, and people.

Jane is made aware that she is going to be forced to wed Uncle Philip's son, her cousin Archie. If that marriage happens, Jane will never be free again, and her fortune will be lost for good. When Crispin Burke is brutally attacked, and expected to die within days, Jane concocts a scheme where she buys false paperwork showing that she and he were married. Legally, she is now out of her uncle's power, and he is enraged. Jane moves to Crispin's parents' home, and she and the family watch over him and wait for his passing.

Only - Crispin doesn't die. Contrary to the opinions of several top doctors, Crispin wakes up, despite the severe injury to his head. But all is not well - Crispin only remembers up until about five years ago. He doesn't remember the type of man he has become or the things he has done. And he certainly doesn't remember his new wife. Yet, he treats her with courtesy, as he does his family, though they have become estranged. Jane doesn't know what to do. Her plan revolved around her becoming a widow, and then leaving for America, or somewhere else far from her uncle's clutches. What will happen when Crispin regains his memory? All the doctors are sure that he will, but they don't know when.

I love it when amnesia is used as part of the plot if it's well written, and in this story, it's very, very well done. Crispin's current character is nothing like the man he used to be. So, along with him, we learn all of the things that happened that changed him over the course of several years. Because of his powerful position, he has to act as if he remembers everything. The secret deals he made, and the plots he hatched are all unknown to him. There is also the fact that something he was involved in caused him to be attacked and left for dead. Throughout his recovery process, his one constant is Jane, though he knows there is something not right about their marriage.

Jane is ready to flee on a moment's notice, though this new version of Crispin attracts and intrigues her. He values her opinions and intelligence, and he appreciates her. Jane tries to be as honest as she can about everything, but she can't yet reveal the fact of their false marriage. When Crispin manages to get close, she pushes him away, knowing that "he" (meaning, the old Crispin) will return at any time.

Meredith Duran very skillfully peels back the layers of Crispin's past, allowing the reader to learn his history along with him. It's a joy to watch the browbeaten Jane come back to the intelligent and vibrant woman she once was. The romance developed slowly, believably, and sweetly. I was, of course, wanting Jane's happiness from the beginning, but Crispin's redemption was beautifully rendered. A LADY'S CODE OF MISCONDUCT is a fascinating, well written book, with a great story line, and complex protagonists who earn their well deserved happily ever after. Highly recommended.

***I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a true and honest review.***

Jane life use to be happy when her very supportive parents were alive. Jane was able to read and learn about real life events when her parents were alive. Upon their death, life took an opposite turn. Her aunt and uncle felt that she only good for her money. She was cloistered away from society so that no one could court her, let alone ask her hand in marriage. When the opportunity to escape her aunt and uncle comes up, she goes for it. Unfortunately, it involves Crispin Burke, a man who her uncle had worked with for political gain.

Crispin Burke has strong political aspirations until one night when he is attacked. Crispin wakes up from his attack and finds out he is married. And to top it off, he remembers nothing. Jane helps Crispin re-discover who he is versus who he was . Crispin attack has also changed his personality, which causes ripples throughout his peers.

Jane and Crispin learn how to lean on each other and trust each other. Their love becomes very evident as they try to correct the wrongs that Crispin had done in his political life.

I enjoyed this book completely. I could not put this book down. The suspense of when Crispin was going to find out the truth and would he change, kept me going. Great story.

Meredith Duran is one of the finest historical romance authors writing today. Given any storyline or any romance trope, she makes it fresh and new and interesting. The characters’ reactions are never commonplace, the plots are never tired and predictable, and the writing is always to the point and yet lovely at the same time. I like the attention she pays to crafting a good book that goes beyond writing a good story.

Crispin Burke wakes up in a soft bed with a broken skull, a shattering headache, and with no memory of how he got there or who did violence to his head. He recognizes his parents and siblings and recalls his unhappy familial life at their hands, but he does not recognize Jane Mason, his wife. And he remembers nothing of his political career or the mercurial and radical rise to power which could see him become Prime Minister..

Jane recognizes that Crispin has amnesia but his family does not, so she implicitly conspires with him to keep everyone in the dark. In return, she hopes Crispin will not find out about the lie that is their marriage. In order to claim the inheritance set aside for her by her father, Jane has engineered a sham – but legally binding – marriage to Crispin. She was running out of time, desperate to prevent her uncle (who was her guardian) from embezzling away all her funds while at the same time pressing her to marry his son. In making her fake marriage, Jane hopes that Crispin’s tenuous hold on life will become too much for his delicate brain and he’ll succumb to his injuries, thereby granting her the freedom and financial independence to forge her own life.

But life invariably carries a sting in its tail. Crispin survives his ordeal and grapples with his loss of memory and having to re-learn the politics of recent months. His former cronies, allies, and enemies troop through his house at all hours, expecting him to behave true to form. He has to rely solely on Jane to see him through.

The old Crispin was malicious, calculating, ruthless and up to his neck in corruption, buying votes, blackmailing his opponents, and bringing pressure to bear on MPs and Lords alike. With his sights set on becoming Prime Minister, nothing was going to stop him from getting his latest bill passed. His motto was: Need no one. Trust no one.

The new Crispin is tender and respectful towards Jane and decent and humane towards others. She likes the new version as much as she loathes the old one, and yet time after time, she finds herself defending the old to the new. She’s torn between the two Crispins and the woman she is with both of them. She gradually comes to understand that Crispin must have married her because he loves her and desires her and that he wants to remain married to her, although her own feelings toward him are not so easily determined. Their gradual discovery of mutual attraction, readily on his part and reluctantly on hers, is so well done. The more time they spend discussing politics in turn increases their desire for each other. Intelligence is so attractive!

This was not the man who had forced kisses on her.

She did not know who this man was.

“You don’t know my inner mettle.” Her words were clipped. He did not know her. His honeyed words were empty; she would not be cozened by them. “You don’t know me at all.”

His hand came over hers. Touching her again, stroking the back of her hand lightly. “True,” he said. “Perhaps…I’m the luckiest of men. To be allowed to discover my bride twice; to have the chance to fall in love all over again.”
Jane has always lived in a politically active family, first with her father and then her uncle, and through keen observation and a ferocious intellect, she has a good grasp of life amid the corridors of power. She’s pleased to find that Crispin greatly values her opinions, and she enjoys the renaissance of her political mind.

With the Commons debate of Crispin’s Penal Law bill imminent, he doesn’t have much time to prepare. While Jane has apprised him that he was the author of the bill, he finds that his views are no longer in harmony with those of his old self and wants to oppose his own propositions. Jane’s uncle – formerly Crispin’s closest associate – now stands as his staunchest opponent.

So the eternal question that eats at Jane is this; because the person Crispin has become is so radically different from the person he was, when his memories come back, will he go back to the way he was, will he stay the same as he is now, or will there be a new man rising like a phoenix from the ashes of his injury? And of paramount importance is this – will he then set their marriage aside?

From moment to moment, Jane lives with this fear of the unknown, and it’s alternately frightening and fatiguing. At heart, A Lady’s Code of Misconduct is a story of trust. Can a woman trust her instincts when it comes to the most important person in her life – her husband? What should she believe? what should she disbelieve?; When should she change her mind about what she used to believe? The book is a fascinating study in how fragile and malleable trust is and how easily it can be abused or even bruised.

I loved reading A Lady’s Code of Misconduct for its complexity of thought and emotional characterization, for the tender romance, for the philosophical questioning, and for the intrigue that shadows the story right to the end. It is the fifth book in the Rules for the Reckless series, but it stands alone, so you can dive right into it without needing to have read the previous four.

I've not read a book with a plot like this one. Crispin is deeply into politics with high intentions. Jane is an heiress, who is being forced to marry. She finds a way out of the marriage, by faking a marriage to a dying man. Except Crispin doesn't die, but as luck will have it he can't remember the past five years. Slowly Crispin begins to remember and Jane fears that he'll not want her and will go back to his old way of life.
Together they are working to change, themselves and their future. Forgiveness is a strong thing.