Historical Romance published by Zebra 24 May 22
When Diana’s mother runs away with her lover and Diana’s father choses to pursue divorce, society shuns Diana and her sisters and considers them persona non grata on the marriage mart. Not to be deterred and forced into an untenable mold, the three sisters set up a business helping debutantes and society hostesses successfully navigate the maze that’s the Ton. Thanks to their success and reputation, the newly minted Duke of Grenwood comes calling one morning before polite society is stirring. This definitely gets everyone’s juices pumping and is a great way to kick of what appears to be a promising start to a new series by Ms. Jeffries.
When Geoffrey’s father chooses to marry for love, a woman not of the nobility, his family shuns him. Geoffrey himself chooses to align himself with his mother’s family to become a well-recognized civil engineer. Due to a series of deaths in the family, Geoffrey unexpectedly finds himself a Duke. He wants to ensure that his sister Rosabel marries well, so he’s prepared to hire the best – which, in this case, happens to be Elegant Occasions – to ensure his objective. He’s so enthusiastic about getting things off the ground that he shows up at the sister’s house too early for polite company and then proceeds to discuss their fees and set terms. A disaster in the making or can he recover and restart his relationship with the feisty Lady Diana, whom he increasingly finds more attractive than the suitable debutantes on the marriage mart?
This is a fun romp as Rosabel is transformed into a swan but wants the wrong gentleman to husband, Geoffrey has his own host of secrets, which, as it turns out, aren’t secrets at all, and the feisty Diana takes up a lot of head space or is it heart space? Both Diana and Geoffrey have a lot of baggage and will need to make themselves vulnerable to each other, if a relationship is to be possible between them.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to the seeing the other two sisters find their HEA.
Grade: B
Summary:
Self-made civil engineer Geoffrey Brookhouse has unexpectedly inherited the dukedom of Grenwood. But he has a secret that could ruin his family. Hoping to save his timid sister from that fate, he seeks to marry her off to a respectable, protective gentleman. With the London Season imminent, Geoffrey hires Elegant Occasions to orchestrate her debut. Yet Lady Diana Harper, spirited fashion expert, proves more than he bargained for. Suddenly, Geoffrey’s sister is emerging from her shell, and he is beleaguered with social invitations and gossip! Worse, Diana is attempting to transform him into a presentable duke—when all he really wants is to make her his own . . .
Diana doesn’t know what to make of the handsome, disheveled duke. The man bristles at the very idea that his fashion faux pas might spoil his sister’s chances. Yet Geoffrey’s stubbornness simply inspires Diana to ruffle his feathers—by setting him on a course of self-improvement. Although there’s something endearing, even irresistible about his flaws, can a man who hates the ton tolerate a woman who makes her living catering to them? Little does either know that they have more in common than they suspect—and that two can create a society all their own . . .
From the first page to the last you will spellbound by A Duke for Diana. It unfolds beautifully as Lady Diana and Geoffrey Brookhouse, who has unexpectedly inherited the dukedom of Grenwood, find that they both must fight their insecurities and memories of the past as they travel on a journey filled with drama, hope, passion, and finding the secret to a happy ever after. Sabrina Jeffries has given readers a book that is well-written, filled it with a great cast of characters that will hold your attention as their individual personalities become more than just part of the tale they come off the pages and pull you in, the book flowed well from one thing to another without being forced and with a strong plot that bring this read together perfectly.