ARC Review: Duke Undone (The Castleburys #2) by Jennifer Seasons
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Series: The Castleburys #2
Author: Jennifer Seasons
Published March 5th 2024 by Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.
Goodreads Synopsis
A lady’s secret can be a duke’s undoing.
Scandalous paintings of the ton are taking London by storm, and Joss Rainville, Duke of Somerton, is the latest target. Flattering as the nude is, it simply won’t do. Left a failing dukedom by his late father, Joss needs hislatest venture, sole proprietorship in London’s newest theatre, to be successful. Any scandal and investors disappear—which he sorely needs. He’s going to track down this Anonymous artist and make them pay dearly. Only Joss doesn’t expect his trap to catch Lady Ceranora Castlebury, the most frustrating female of his acquaintance... and the most irresistible.
Fed up with aristocratic, over-entitled men dictating the rules of society, Nora sets about putting them in their proper place. A brilliant artist, she takes great satisfaction in painting noblemen in the nude, giving them a taste of what it’s like to be a woman, to feel exposed and powerless. When she paints the Duke of Somerton and he miraculously tracks her down, she realizes she’s perhaps gone too far. But she refuses to apologize. Men don’t, why should she? Oh no, Nora won’t apologize to the duke for the insubordinate attitude, or the argument... but she will apologize for the kiss that lands them unexpectedly in wedlock.
One passionate kiss in a moonlit garden and their fates are sealed. Forced to marry, they cannot deny their attraction. But when Nora’s secret is uncovered and revenge comes calling, they discover they cannot deny their hearts, either.
Now Joss must save Nora and their love . . . before it’s too late!
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
Lately, paintings of noblemen have been taking London by storm, but they're not the usual art that the ton enjoy. Rather, they are scandalous, and if you find yourself on the canvas, it can lead to your ruin. So when Joss Rainville, Duke of Somerton, becomes the latest target, he seeks out the artist for revenge. He needs everything to go well, because his inheritance was an estate left in tatters, and he has to rely on investors to fund his theatre. Turning to the Earl of Castlebury, Joss is shocked to find he is so attracted to the Earl's daughter, Ceranora, and even more shocked when he discovers that Nora is the mystery painter. Attraction leads to a passionate kiss, that when witnessed by the ton results in a hasty marriage proposal.
This book kept me hooked from start to finish. Nora and Joss' relationship was fiery, and what might have started as hatred was just a front for an epic love story. I loved the way they fought each other and were so opinionated. They may have disagreed, but they respected one another, and did whatever they could to bolster each other when they needed it.
Dates Read:
February 23-24, 2025
Rating
3 Stars
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