James, the scandalously uncivilized Duke of Harland, requires a bride with a spotless reputation for a strictly business arrangement. Lust is prohibited and love is out of the question.
Four ladies. Three days. What could go wrong?
She is not like the others...Charlene Beckett, the unacknowledged daughter of an earl and a courtesan, has just been offered a life-altering fortune to pose as her half-sister, Lady Dorothea, and win the duke's proposal. All she must do is:
* Be the perfect English rose [Ha!]
* Breathe, smile, and curtsy in impossibly tight gowns [blast Lady Dorothea's sylph-like figure]
* Charm and seduce a wild duke [without appearing to try]
* Keep said duke far, far from her heart [no matter how tempting]
When secrets are revealed and passion overwhelms, James must decide if the last lady he should want is really everything he needs. And Charlene must decide if the promise of a new life is worth risking everything . . . including her heart.
Outstanding!
Lenora Bell pens a fascinating story with ease. The progression of this plot was very natural, but never predictable. James and Charlene are fascinating characters, I was hanging on their every word. As a plea and a note to secondary characters, Alice was my favorite, I'd love to see her HEA. Maybe while she's trying everything not to seduce the hero but he ends up falling in love with her anyways. Would't that be a perfect story for her?
I absolutely loved How the Duke Was Won. A marvelous debut! I'll be counting the days until If I Only Had a Duke, Dorothea and Garrett's story!
I voluntarily reviewed an eARC.
