Lawson’s review of The Wicked Ways of a Duke (Girl-Bachelors, Book 2) by Laura Lee Guhrke
Historical Romance published by Avon 26 Dec 07

There’s really not much for me to summarize here, since just about everything is given away in the blurb. Seriously. I usually hate to give spoilers, but when the blurb on the back of the book does it for you. . . it’s really not a spoiler then anyway, is it? 

It’s a run of the mill “need to marry an heiress” story. Rhys is in dire straits due to bad family spending. Including his own. Though he claims to be cynical and unfeeling Rhys is in emotional distress and running away from various demons of this past. He’s not as hard hearted as he tries to get people to believe.

When Prudence falls head over heels for someone she thinks is noble and chivalrous and, wonder of wonders, seems to care for her rather than her new inheritance, she jumps into something, even though her harridan aunt and selfish uncle try to talk her out of an engagement. Prudence has been making it well enough the past 10 years, she hasn’t starved, but coming into a huge amount of money goes to her head. She’s a romantic minded person but some of the decisions she makes are rather flaky.

Rhys is extremely manipulating though. He plays her like a fiddle getting her to agree to marry him and using her innocent adoration of him to get her to marry him so quickly. In fact, Prudence lets herself get taken advantage of by those unscrupulous people out there all to often just because she’s so excited about having money. Luckily when she does find out about Rhys’ deception she grows up all to quick.

Rhys, through Prudence’s love (even if it is rather naive), gets over some of his emotional issues rather well and does begin to shrug some of his restlessness and his immature approach to having a title. He’s not big on taking responsibility or being accountable to people. And even though he’s a manipulator and shirks responsibility he’s still a charming rogue and doesn’t try to hide his faults (as numerous as they are) from Prudence during their courtship.

Even with their faults, Rhys and Prudence are very sweet and rather steamy together. He’s very wicked, in all the best ways, and she’s a passionate innocent (which could be annoying, but it works out rather well). It nicely helps to gloss over the aunt and uncle that want Prudence’s money for themselves and the fact that the nice ladies from Prudence’s boarding house don’t have enough time in the story.

The Girl-Bachelor series continues in Guhrke’s next book, and I’m hoping it will be about Prudence’s flatmate Maria.

Grade: B

She thought she was the luckiest woman in London . . .

Surviving on a seamstress’ income and a steady stream of fantasies, Prudence Bosworth has always longed for love and romance. Then she inherits a fortune from the father she’s never seen, with the stipulation that she wed in one year. Prudence is determined to marry for true love, and after seeing firsthand the splendid chivalry of a certain duke, only one man will do . . .

Rhys de Winter, the Duke of St. Cyres, hides his cynicism behind a quick wit and an even quicker smile. He must marry an heiress, and as luck would have it, the pretty little seamstress-turned-heiress is exactly what he needs. But he never expected to fall for Prudence, and when his shocking deception is revealed, he will stop at nothing to win her back . . . even if it means renouncing every last one of his wicked ways.