Desperately Seeking a Duke
Celeste Bradley
St. Martin's, Mar 2008, $6.99
ISBN: 9780312939687
In 1815 their late grandfather Sir Hamish Pickering, disappointed in his daughters not marrying up, placed a stipulation in his will that has his grandchildren jumping. The first of the trio to marry a duke inherits his fortune.
The competing cousins (the rustic vicar’s daughter Phoebe, the elegant Deirdre and the too tall Sophie) begin their respective quest; if White’s took a book the bets would be overwhelmingly on Deirdre. Phoebe plans to go through the motions of her London season, but refuses to truly participate until she meets Rafe Marbrook, who to her shock seems interested in her. However as he courts her, she learns he is not the heir to the dukedom of Brookhaven, but instead the half-brother to the future Duke Calder; who decides to marry Phoebe. She must choose for love or money.
This amusing take on the Regency marriage go round will have readers laughing out loud with the antics of the first Heiress Bride who must choose between the brother she loves and the brother Sir Hamish would select for her. Adding to the fun is the heroine’s ethics that do not allow her to tell the Marbrooks the truth about the will as she does not want to harm her cousins’ chances (coming in the next couple of months). Celeste Bradley continues her level of historical excellence (see the Royal Four spy romances) with this entertaining charmer.
Harriet Klausner
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