Victorian England

Lady Artemesia, the widowed Duchess of Southwycke, is waiting for the arrival of her latest model for her portrait of Eros. When the man finally arrives, she realizes he’s much more like the god Mars, and asks him to remove his clothes. When the man comes out of the dressing room and drops his robe, Artemesia is almost left speechless, but she has him hold a weapon and shield and tries not to stare as she begins her sketches. None of her previous models have affected her quite like "Mars" has!

Trevelyn Deveridge is in Her Majesty's Secret Service, and is on the hunt for a man named Beddington, who holds the key to a list of agents that the British government does not want revealed to the Russians. His search has brought him to the home of the infamous Duchess of Southwycke, and before he can ask any questions, Trev finds himself stark naked, posing as a warrior god! Still, it is in the art studio of a most fascinatingly lovely young woman, and he is serving his country, after all. Trev has used one of his false names, so the duchess will not know he's the younger son of an earl. If he can just get her to reveal where Mr. Beddington is! But every time Trev brings up that name, Artemesia changes the subject.

DISTRACTING THE DUCHESS is a delightfully unique tale set amidst the early days of Victoria's reign. Nicely researched, readers will find how difficult it is for a woman of that era to express herself freely, or to fall in love, for that matter. Artemesia is a bright, talented, energetic widow who only wants to paint and be her own person. She has her own secrets that will surprise those around her. Her unexpected feelings for Trev are a shock to her. Trev is the second born son of a set of twins, missing out on being the heir by minutes, but his life has revolved around service to his country, and the sprightly miss he's entangled with is making him think twice about things. He is, however, dedicated to discovering the "key" that only Mr. Beddington holds, and Artemesia may be keeping that secret.

Secondary characters, especially Artemesia's socially conscious mother, add depth and reality to the story. The villains are transparent, but evil, nonetheless. Great dialogue and quite a bit of humor add to this enjoyable tale. There are some sizzling hot love scenes that will have readers fanning themselves! All in all, DISTRACTING THE DUCHESS will make for a unique, totally fun read.

Jani Brooks