Series: Girl Meets Duke, #1
Traits & Tropes: scarred hero; marriage of convenience
Publication Date: 08.22.17
Genre/Setting: Historical; Regency; London, England, 1817
Heat Level: 5
Rating: 5 stars!
Narration Rating: 5/5
The Duke of Ashbury returned from Waterloo scarred and bitter, spending his days brooding and his nights menacing ill-intentioned scoundrels on London’s streets. But he needs an heir and that means the first step is finding a wife. When vicar’s daughter turned seamstress Emma Gladstone appears in his library demanding payment for the hideous wedding dress commissioned by his former betrothed, Ash decides she’ll do just fine for his wife.
Ash offers Emma a deal: her security in exchange for his heir. He intends to only visit her chamber at night, under cover of darkness, forbids kissing or questioning his scars, and once she becomes pregnant with his heir, they can go their separate ways. Emma knows she’d be a fool to refuse him, but she has conditions of her own: they’ll have dinner together each night with actual conversation. As she begins to know the real, caring man beneath the scarred visage, she can’t help but love him even as she fears he’ll never return her feelings.
This book was absolutely delightful, and I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to get around to it. I listened to the audiobook and Mary Jane Wells’ narration was a perfect fit and really added to the story. This one had me laughing aloud and no doubt looking like a lunatic, but the humor and snappy dialogues were excellent. I loved the banter between Emma and Ash as they fought falling in love even as their feelings had already clearly grown past that possibility. Ash was a brilliantly strong yet scarred hero whose self-worth had been damaged by the rejection and censure he faced because of his scars. Emma helped him heal and see his true worth while he helped her learn to trust that not every man would let her down. I adored this couple and this book and I’m hoping to finally get around to the next book soon.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2493808301
https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/2701849748
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