ARC Review: Where There's a Duke, There's a Way (Dukes in Danger #7) by Emily E.K. Murdoch
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Series: Dukes in Danger #7
Author: Emily E.K. Murdoch
Published October 26th 2023 by Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.
Goodreads Synopsis
Arthur Hebblethwaite, Duke of Fitzpaine is in rather a pinch. Firstly, he’s not actually a Duke.
It was such a clever idea. Pretend to be a duke, go to France, and live on the scraping and bowing of those desperate to impress a nobleman. All well and good, until someone recognizes him. Until he grabs a woman and uses her as a hostage to escape a French encampment. Until he looks at the woman and…oh, hell.
Joanna Bettencourt doesn’t know what’s being a shy heiress with a father desperate to marry her off, being captured by the French and held prisoner, or being dragged onto a horse by a maniac by the name of the Duke of Fitzpaine. Pretending to have a husband ready to protect her seemed the obvious option.
But as the “Duke of Fitzpaine” and the “penniless Mrs. Epwin” arrive at the coast, desperate to return to England, they are faced with a there’s only one cabin. Cue a little pretence that this time they both share. A fake marriage.
They’re both lying to each other, and they both don’t know it—but they can’t lie for long about the heat searing between them, the affection growing as they slowly open up to each other.
When the truth finally comes out, will there be a way for this “Duke” and this secret heiress to find happiness?
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.
Pretending to be an English duke in France was a good plan, until Arthur Hebblethwaite, pseudo-Duke of Fitzpaine, was recognised as an impostor. Trapped in a French encampment, the only way he can flee is by taking an English woman as a hostage, and using her as his getaway plan. Arthur could never have expected that the woman he grabs is Joanna Bettencourt, an heiress who fled her father and the threat of an arranged marriage. Joanna is not a shy and retiring young miss, and is ready to give as good as she gets when it comes to dealing with Arthur. Making their way towards home, they have to pretend to be married, but the fake relationship seems to come with very real feelings.
Another addition to the Dukes in Danger series, but one which is definitely more of a standalone. Set predominately in France, Arthur and Joanna have to rely on each other as two English people in a foreign country, who had recently been at war. Joanna was shy, but she was also feisty. With Arthur, she felt comfortable to be herself, and he allowed her to be as real and honest as she needed to be. Arthur was a con man, but he wore his heart on his sleeve, and fell for Joanna, hard.
Dates Read:
November 4, 2023
Rating
3 Stars
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