Series: The Disgraceful Dukes, #2
Traits & Tropes: titled hero; vigilante hero; spinster heroine; road trip; fake rake; grumpy hero; slow burn
Publication Date: 08.30.16
Genre/Setting: Historical; Regency; London/Cork, Spring, 19
Heat Level: 2.5
Rating: 4.5/5
Narration Rating: 5/5
Lady Dorothea Beaumont has endured three failed London seasons and been jilted at the altar and as such she’s done with her family’s machinations. Her mother dreams of Thea marrying a duke, but she would much rather have her freedom and live with her aunt on her lovely estate in Ireland. It looked like she may be able to retire quietly and have her wish until an arrogantly handsome duke leads her in the first waltz of the season, making her instantly popular, much to her horror. Since it was the duke who ruined her plans, Thea confronts him and insists he fix things.
Dalton, the Duke of Osborne, has no heart and certainly no interest in marriage. He cultivates his rakish reputation in public to hide his true diversions: his search for the man responsible for his brother’s death. When the last lead he has sends him to Ireland, naively innocent Thea insisting he escort her to her aunt’s estate along the way is the last thing he needs and yet he cannot leave her to her own devices either. Their road trip is full of unexpected dangers, but the greatest threat is to the heart Dalton is just discovering he still possesses.
This book was so much more humorous than I expected, and I actually really loved that aspect. Some of the scenes and situations our intrepid heroine found herself in were beyond ludicrous, but she always made the best of things and fought for what she wanted: in this case, simply the freedom to be herself and make her own decisions about her future. Dorothea stood up for herself, both to her family and to Dalton and I loved that. She helped him see beyond his own pain and realize that he did deserve to have a loving relationship and that he was capable of being a good husband to her. I enjoyed how madcap this story was and that there was a road trip. The lightness of the prose helped balance out the fact that Dalton had really been suffering and had a lot of internalized pain and grief he’d never dealt with. Without Thea’s lightness and the slight madness of this plot, the book could’ve gotten dark pretty quickly. Instead, that balance made this book eminently readable, and I really enjoyed it. While I am never a big fan of the third act separation, it did work here. Thea needed a chance to stand on her own and Dalton came to his senses about his feelings quickly enough, but he left her power to choose intact and showing that he knew how much that would mean to her solidified him as her match in my mind. He also was never going to let her stay away for too long, so I loved that. Though they’re very nearly opposites, Thea and Dalton were both ultimately searching for a family, a place to belong, and I loved that they were able to find that together.
https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/4083055554
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2856714550
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