One Night in London
Series: The Truth About the Duke #1
Author: Caroline Linden
Published August 30th 2011 by Avon

Goodreads Synopsis
A bargain that was all business . . . and pure passion.

Neither wealth nor beauty will help Lady Francesca Gordon win custody of her young niece Georgina, saving the girl from a cruel stepmother; she needs London’s top solicitor for that. But when Edward de Lacey, son of the powerful Duke of Durham, hires away the one man who can do the job, Francesca decides Edward himself must champion her case . . . if only she can melt the dashing lord’s stony heart.

Edward has reason to be guarded, though. London’s tabloids have just exposed a secret that could ruin his entire family. When Francesca offers a unique chance to undo the damage, Edward is forced to agree to a partnership . . . and now, each moment together feeds the flames of his scandalous longing for the passionate widow. But when Georgina disappears, fate will test them both . . . and leave their love hanging in the balance.
Goodreads

Review
In One Night in London, widowed Lady Francesca Gordon is trying to find her niece and win custody of her, after her father died and she was left with her stepmother. She's had no hope down any avenue, and with the top London solicitor on her side, she might just manage to be successful. Unfortunately, as soon as she get's the attention of the solicitor, he is hired by a more illustrious client, Edward de Lacey, son of the late Duke of Durham. Francesca is incensed, and storms to Edawrd's home to force him to help her in any way he can. Edward's had a difficult few weeks. First, his father died, so of course he's grieving, but then it was revealed that when the late Duke was young, he had a marriage to a young lady who then disappeared, and when he married his duchess, Edward's mother, he might still have been married. Now Edward and his two brothers, including the new Duke, might all be disinherited, and they need to keep the scandal as secret as possible. Francesca is an unwanted distraction, but when she helps Edward out with a gossip columnist, he is in her debt, and they form an unusual partnership. Will both of them manage to get what they want, without losing their hearts at the same time?

I recently read another of Caroline's books, About a Rogue, and decided to give this one a go when my local library reopened. I loved the way that Francesca had power and autonomy over her life, as a widow, and wasn't phased by people who thought she should be somewhat different, or remarry, because she was young and wealthy. All she cared about was her niece, her last family member, and the one she should be caring for, and wouldn't let the pesky issue of her being a lady get in the way of the judicial system. Her interactions with everyone she came across was wonderful, and especially the banter and chemistry between her and Edward. Edward, as the third son of a Duke, had a privileged life, but wasn't the heir, nor was he for the military. He trained as a sort of steward for his father, so was an integral part of the Durham dukedom, and his father's death was a real blow. Really, if he had been the heir, it might've been better, but his eldest brother was a bit of a drunken deadbeat, and Edward was left with all the hassle of trying to solve the problem they were facing. He's engaged, but when the rumours start circulating about his questionable heritage, he's publicly dumped, and it's a blow because he truly cared for his ex-fiancee. Francesca is someone he wouldn't normal be around, but she brings him out of his shell, and helps him get through his issues, and they were amazing together. I loved the ending of the book, and have ordered the other two books in the series to discover what happens with Edward's brothers, and the Durham Dilemma. Caroline is quickly becoming a favourite author of mine!

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