Series: Daring Dukes #2
Author: Amalie Howard
Published October 26th 2021 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Goodreads Synopsis
Amalie Howard whisks you away with a historical romance full of drama, true love, and the perfect happily ever after.
Sometimes, finding love means flouting the rules...
Born to a life of privilege, Lady Ravenna Huntley rues the day that she must marry. She's refused dozens of suitors and cried off multiple betrothals, but running away--even if brash and foolhardy--is the only option left to secure her independence.
Lord Courtland Chase, grandson of the Duke of Ashton, was driven from England at the behest of his cruel stepmother. Scorned and shunned, he swore never to return to the land of his birth. But when a twist of bad luck throws a rebellious heiress into his arms, at the very moment he finds out he's the new Duke, marriage is the only alternative to massive scandal.
Both are quick to deny it, but a wedding might be the only way out for both of them. And the attraction that burns between them makes Ravenna and Courtland wonder if it'll truly only be a marriage of convenience after all...
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
After seeing her brother find love, Lady Ravenna Huntley will not marry for anything less. She may be the daughter and sister of a duke, but she knows her own worth, and will do whatever she can to secure her independence, even if that means stowing away on her brother's ship, disguised as a man, and travelling to Antigua as Mr Raven Hunt. And she manages quite well, until she finds herself in the gaming hall of Lord Courtland Chase, who sees right through her. After all, they were once engaged, and were friends as children. Courtland has been in exile since his stepmother and half brother drove him from England, and he never wishes to return. But when he and Ravenna were found in a compromising position, but the very lawyer who'd arrived on the island to tell Courtland he was now the Duke of Ashton, and needed to return to London immediately to reclaim his estate - which was being claimed by his brother, Stinson. Now forced to marry, Ravenna and Courtland agree to make it worth it, even if it is only a marriage of convenience - or is it?
I simply loved this! It was such a good book, and perfect to read straight after I had finished The Princess Stakes. When we met Ravenna in that book, she was full of potential, and though her brother, Rhystan, didn't know much about her, and seemed to want to marry her off, I hoped we would see her again, and in her own story - and this story was perfect for her! We saw her independent side, and her want for adventure. Okay, she took great risks in travelling to Antigua, lying to her family saying she was in Scotland at a friend's, but by making the leap, she saw the world, and rediscovered Courtland - or Cordy as she called him - who she had thought died when they were younger and he disappeared. I love the childhood friends to lovers trope, and this book did it perfectly. Both of them had changed and grown in the time they had been apart, but they were still the people who had feelings for each other as children. Courtland's heritage as half-Creole is the reason he was pushed out of England, and his stepmother and brother treated him as a lesser citizen for it, with his two sisters sometimes going along with their mother's whims. It's only because of his position as heir to the dukedom that he was treated with any sort of respect, and even then, Stinson was going around using Courtland's title, acting as if he was dead, and Stinson was the true heir. Because of this, Courtland feels as if Ravenna has taken a step down by marrying him, even when it's made her a duchess, and is aloof and distant from her, which hurts. All she wants is for the closeness between them to grow, and for it to be a true marriage of equals, not for her to be a token duchess, to be kept as a trophy wife and hostess. The plot line with the conniving American, Mr Sommers, was ingenious, and I loved the resolution of all the plot lines. I can't wait for Amalie's next book - I'll be impatiently waiting!
Dates Read:
August 12, 2021
Rating
4 Stars
Published October 26th 2021 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Goodreads Synopsis
Amalie Howard whisks you away with a historical romance full of drama, true love, and the perfect happily ever after.
Sometimes, finding love means flouting the rules...
Born to a life of privilege, Lady Ravenna Huntley rues the day that she must marry. She's refused dozens of suitors and cried off multiple betrothals, but running away--even if brash and foolhardy--is the only option left to secure her independence.
Lord Courtland Chase, grandson of the Duke of Ashton, was driven from England at the behest of his cruel stepmother. Scorned and shunned, he swore never to return to the land of his birth. But when a twist of bad luck throws a rebellious heiress into his arms, at the very moment he finds out he's the new Duke, marriage is the only alternative to massive scandal.
Both are quick to deny it, but a wedding might be the only way out for both of them. And the attraction that burns between them makes Ravenna and Courtland wonder if it'll truly only be a marriage of convenience after all...
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
After seeing her brother find love, Lady Ravenna Huntley will not marry for anything less. She may be the daughter and sister of a duke, but she knows her own worth, and will do whatever she can to secure her independence, even if that means stowing away on her brother's ship, disguised as a man, and travelling to Antigua as Mr Raven Hunt. And she manages quite well, until she finds herself in the gaming hall of Lord Courtland Chase, who sees right through her. After all, they were once engaged, and were friends as children. Courtland has been in exile since his stepmother and half brother drove him from England, and he never wishes to return. But when he and Ravenna were found in a compromising position, but the very lawyer who'd arrived on the island to tell Courtland he was now the Duke of Ashton, and needed to return to London immediately to reclaim his estate - which was being claimed by his brother, Stinson. Now forced to marry, Ravenna and Courtland agree to make it worth it, even if it is only a marriage of convenience - or is it?
I simply loved this! It was such a good book, and perfect to read straight after I had finished The Princess Stakes. When we met Ravenna in that book, she was full of potential, and though her brother, Rhystan, didn't know much about her, and seemed to want to marry her off, I hoped we would see her again, and in her own story - and this story was perfect for her! We saw her independent side, and her want for adventure. Okay, she took great risks in travelling to Antigua, lying to her family saying she was in Scotland at a friend's, but by making the leap, she saw the world, and rediscovered Courtland - or Cordy as she called him - who she had thought died when they were younger and he disappeared. I love the childhood friends to lovers trope, and this book did it perfectly. Both of them had changed and grown in the time they had been apart, but they were still the people who had feelings for each other as children. Courtland's heritage as half-Creole is the reason he was pushed out of England, and his stepmother and brother treated him as a lesser citizen for it, with his two sisters sometimes going along with their mother's whims. It's only because of his position as heir to the dukedom that he was treated with any sort of respect, and even then, Stinson was going around using Courtland's title, acting as if he was dead, and Stinson was the true heir. Because of this, Courtland feels as if Ravenna has taken a step down by marrying him, even when it's made her a duchess, and is aloof and distant from her, which hurts. All she wants is for the closeness between them to grow, and for it to be a true marriage of equals, not for her to be a token duchess, to be kept as a trophy wife and hostess. The plot line with the conniving American, Mr Sommers, was ingenious, and I loved the resolution of all the plot lines. I can't wait for Amalie's next book - I'll be impatiently waiting!
Dates Read:
August 12, 2021
Rating
4 Stars
