The Truth About Love and Dukes
Series: Dear Lady Truelove #1
Author: Laura Lee Guhrke
Published March 28th 2017 by Avon

Goodreads Synopsis
Dear Lady Truelove . . . I have fallen in love, truly and completely in love, for the first time. The man whom I hold in such passionate regard, however, is not of my station. He is a painter, a brilliant artist. Needless to say, my family would not approve . . .

Henry, Duke of Torquil, wouldn’t be caught reading the wildly popular “Dear Lady Truelove” column, but when its advice causes his mother to embark on a scandalous elopement, an outraged Henry decides the author of this tripe must be stopped before she can ruin any more lives. Though Lady Truelove’s identity is a closely guarded secret, Henry has reason to suspect the publisher of the notorious column, beautiful and provoking Irene Deverill, is also its author.

For Irene, it’s easy to advise others to surrender to passion, but when she meets the Duke of Torquil, she soon learns that passion comes at a price. When one impulsive, spur-of-the-moment kiss pulls her into a scorching affair with Henry, it could destroy her beloved newspaper, her career, and her independence. But in the duke’s arms, surrender is so, so sweet . . .
Goodreads

Review
In The Truth About Love and Dukes, we see suffragist and newspaper editor Miss Irene Deverill come toe to toe with the staunchly traditional Duke of Torquil. Her popular “Dear Lady Truelove” column recently published a letter from the Dowager Duchess of Torquil, showing her intent to marry her younger Italian lover, and Henry is enraged. He wants to stop the gossip rag from publishing any more, and force Irene to help him stop his mother's marriage to someone wholly beneath them. His plan is to use Irene and younger sister Clara's family connection to a Viscount, their father's drinking problem, and financial control over the family paper to force Irene's hand, and by inviting the Deverill sister's to his home for the time being, hopefully his mother with be dissuaded from the marriage. Henry thinks the enticement of a little Season would be enough to entice Irene, but he thought wrong. Obviously though, Irene cares nothing for the rules and regulations of the ton, and she isn't afraid to let Henry know this. Will Irene be able to succeed, or will the chemistry and banter between herself and Henry get in the way?

I've heard a lot about this author since falling in love with regency era books, and I now know why people keep mentioning her. This book was definitely a solid one, and if you're a fan of this genre, then this book is for you. Both of the main characters are strong and developed, and just perfect for this story! Irene was someone I really enjoyed, and I can see why she was the way she was. Her father started drinking heavily once their mother died, and wouldn't listen to any of the children, let alone his son, who he ran off, and so Irene was left to pick up the pieces. The family publishing empire was now only one small paper, but Irene had sole control - of both that, and the household really. Still, her father thought he knew what was best, and wanted more for her and Clara, so jumped at Henry's offer to sponsor the sisters and buy the paper to leave money aside for dowries. Irene just wished her father knew her, and spoke to her about it all, but he didn't listen. Henry was so stuffy and highbrow, but Irene managed to break down his defences, and I loved see his change. He was not a bad person, but he was a result of his upbringing, and it was made clear the more we saw of him. Their chemistry and budding romance was a joy to read, and the angst we inevitably had further into the book actually made me feel a little heartbroken on their behalf. I can't wait for my copy of The Trouble with True Love to arrive now, to see how Clara's story turns out!

Dates Read:
September 16-19, 2020

Rating
4 Stars