MY FAIR DUCHESS – Megan Frampton
A Dukes Behaving Badly Novel , Book 5
Avon Books
ISBN: 978-0-06-241279-9
March 2017
Historical Romance

England, 1845

All men aren't dukes, but all dukes are men. Right? No, not necessarily so. In the rare instance of the Blakesley duchy, when there is no male heir, a female may inherit the title and estates. So Lady Genevieve suddenly learns she is a duke . . . or duchess in her own right if you prefer. In any case, the young lady is completely unprepared. Having grown up in the country and raised by servants—loving ones, but servants—she has no idea how to be a duchess. Her father being an undutiful duke, she has never even been presented to Society. Genevieve writes to her godmother for help and advice. Lady Sophia answers by sending her own steward, Mr. Archibald Salisbury, to her with orders to teach her what ladies and wealthy duchesses need to know.

Now, Archie is (was) a gentleman, third son of a viscount, until he went against his father's vehement orders and joined the military, whereupon his father disowned him. He served gallantly until retiring as a Captain and going to work for Lady Sophia. And therein lies a problem. Archie turns out to be a big help in organizing her household (and soon her estates). He gently teaches her social skills and steers her toward more confidence in herself. But it's during these Duchess lessons that their warm feelings for each other heat up. The differences in stations make anything closer impossible. What are they to do?

A few of the secondary characters are important and interesting in MY FAIR DUCHESS, but it is mainly the thoughts and feelings of Genevieve and Archie that dominate the story. One can't help but root for them, but with mixed feelings. They certainly belong together, but how would that make a happy life? Eventually the relationship heats up to boiling . . . .

If you like a romance that is equally hot and lighthearted, you'll love MY FAIR DUCHESS.

Jane Bowers