DUKE'S PROJECT - Sharon Lanergan
Cerridwen Press
ISBN: 978-1-41991-596-3
April 2008
Historical Romance

London, 1815

As a poor street urchin, Dani roots around a dark alley behind the Black Swan tavern in hopes of finding her next meal. When she spies a pair of nicely made gentleman’s boots, she hopes to turn them into welcome cash, but instead she discovers that the boots are attached to a pair of legs.

After reporting the body to the magistrate, Dani tries to sell information about the dead body and make some money for herself and her doxy friends, Mary and Grace. Simon Thorndike, fifth Duke of Stratford, promised his Aunt Pen that he would investigate her son’s death. Simon suspects that there is something unusual about his cousin’s death behind the Black Swan.

Readers will enjoy the romantic adventures in DUKE'S PROJECT. I particularly enjoyed the primary and secondary characters as well as the plot. When Dani and Simon meet at his London residence, Simon is quickly taken by her pretty face. I found the disapproving butler, Wilkins, to be a loveable, gruff old snob. When Simon makes Dani his latest project, society’s rules dictate that she can never be anything more than his mistress. But can Dani’s heart hold out against the duke?

Dani is a quick-witted street girl with an unknown past; Simon is the classic prince charming sweeping to the damsel’s rescue. They quickly develop a steamy relationship, and it is easy to imagine stars in their eyes. The couple investigates murder with the help of Julian Baird, the Duke of Scarborough, and Simon’s brother, Lord Jack. I look forward to hearing more tales of these two rascally rakes.

Mel Mason