ABOUT THE BOOK

Edward Stanhope, the icy Duke of Thornfield, likes his life in a certain order. Give him a strong drink, a good book, and his dog for company, and he’s content. But when he goes to his library and finds a woman sitting in his chair, petting his dog, what starts as a request for her to leave quickly turns to a fiery battle of wits, leading to a steamy kiss that could ruin them both if they were caught.

So of course, damn it all, that’s when Edward’s aunt walks in, and thereafter announces Miss Georgiana Bly is the future Duchess of Thornfield.

Georgiana was content to be a spinster, spending her days reading and working to keep her family out of debt. But now her days are spent locked away with a growly duke, learning how to be the perfect duchess, and her nights spent fighting the undeniable attraction to a man who was never meant for her.

As their wedding day approaches, the attraction between them burns hot and fierce, but is it enough to melt the duke’s chilly facade?

MY REVIEW

When Entangled Publishing asked me for a review of another Eva Devon historical romance, I couldn’t pass it up.  After all, when a daring kiss leads to an unwanted marriage, the sparks will fly.

In his whole life, there’d been no woman who caused him to feel both absolutely infuriated and full of desire at the same time.

Edward Andrew Richard Stanhope, sixteenth Duke of Thornfield, is a private man with a very public title. His chilling and stoic temperament as well as his reputation as a rake is legendary so when he finds himself in a predicament with a spinster of questionable intentions and way beneath his station, it’s either ruination or marriage. One is out of the question and the other is going to be a challenge.  Regardless, the woman is a menace and very enticing.

Men did not usually go about embracing ducky sort of girls. No, they preferred the swans, as far as she could tell.

Miss Georgiana Bly just wanted to be by herself tucked away from the ball in the Duke’s private library, but because of mistaken identity she accepts a challenge and is now to wed a very beautiful and overbearing Duke. “She’d rather join a convent than marry a man of his importance”, but it is what it is and Georgiana is prepared to “rule the room”. He plans to train her how to be a better Duchess so she will train him how to be a better man.

The interaction between Georgiana and Edward is volatile and tantalizing. His superior attitude and her bold talk are a fiery combination that starts as a slow burn and ends in an unexpected morning after. Edward is an honorable and unusual hero who is much more than what he seems. His control is important, but it is a façade. His struggle to tell Georgiana about his true self is heartbreaking and very revealing. Georgiana is extremely confident and smart and watching her rock the Duchess vibe is fun. However, it’s her love and acceptance of Edward that is truly her best trait.

The supporting characters are fun and essential to the growth of the main characters. Edward’s Aunt Agatha is essential for Georgiana’s training and Edward’s sanity. Georgiana’s mother is her strength and her buffoon of a father is reckless for whom Edward makes a selfless sacrifice. Of course, Edward’s one true friend, Andrew Althorpe, Laird of MacLiesh, Earl of Montrose, is great teasing comic relief and a nice love interest for Georgiana’s wise sister, Elizabeth.

I recommend this lovely historical romance with intriguing and awkward main characters who overcome their insecurities to make their marriage work. 

Thank you to Ms. Devon, Entangled Publishing and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Eva Devon was raised on literary fiction, but quite accidentally and thankfully, she was introduced to romance one Christmas by Johanna Lindsey’s Mallory novella, The Present. A romance addict was born. She devoured every single Lindsey novel within a few months and moved on to contemporary and paranormal with gusto. Now, she loves to write her own roguish dukes, alpha males, and the heroines who tame them. She loves to hear from her readers.

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