A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby
Series: Rogues and Remarkable Women #1
Author: Vanessa Riley
Published June 30th 2020 by Zebra

Goodreads Synopsis
Created by a shrewd countess, The Widow’s Grace is a secret society with a mission: to help ill-treated widows regain their status, their families, and even find true love again—or perhaps for the very first time...

When headstrong West Indian heiress Patience Jordan questioned her English husband's mysterious suicide, she lost everything: her newborn son, Lionel, her fortune—and her freedom. Falsely imprisoned, she risks her life to be near her child—until The Widow's Grace gets her hired as her own son’s nanny. But working for his unsuspecting new guardian, Busick Strathmore, Duke of Repington, has perils of its own. Especially when Patience discovers his military strictness belies an ex-rake of unswerving honor—and unexpected passion...

A wounded military hero, Busick is determined to resolve his dead cousin’s dangerous financial dealings for Lionel’s sake. But his investigation is a minor skirmish compared to dealing with the forthright, courageous, and alluring Patience. Somehow, she's breaking his rules, and sweeping past his defenses. Soon, between formidable enemies and obstacles, they form a fragile trust—but will it be enough to save the future they long to dare together?
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

I saw this book first when various authors started mentioning it on twitter, so when it became available to review on NetGalley, I knew I needed to read it. A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby follows Patience Jordan as she tries to reclaim her son from his wicked guardian, and return home to her beloved Demerara. After her husband killed himself, she was imprisoned by his uncle, Markham, and later put into Bedlam Hospital and committed. Saved only by a Countess with a soft spot for widow's, she sneaks back into Hamlin Hall, now under the ownership of one of Colin's cousins, Busick, the Duke of Repington. Repington was injured in the Peninsula War, and is recuperating with his young charge, Lionel, and the new nanny, Mrs LaCrox, intrigues him. As the two get closer, can Patience keep up the charade of being merely a nanny, or will she admit all to Busick, including her growing feelings?

This book was slow at first, but once I was into it, I couldn't stop myself. Patience and Busick were fantastic main characters, and the banter between the two was so funny and engaging. They both had their dark sides, and their vulnerabilities, but together they could face all manner of evils, Markham being only one of them. Their love for Lionel, too, was heartwarming, and I hope for more from them in future books, especially after the epilogue. 

Dates Read:
July 12-16, 2020

Rating
4 Stars