The Impoverished Dowry
Series: The De Petras Saga #2
Author: Emily E.K. Murdoch
Published June 14th 2022 by Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.

Goodreads Synopsis
Coral de Petras is on the hunt for the perfect husband, and she doesn’t care who knows it.

In her third Season and with the shock of her father’s shipping business collapsing in disaster, Coral makes the hard decision to forgo a love match and fall back on the plan she had as a child.

Marry for money.

But if Coral’s giving up a love match, she doesn’t just want to settle for any gentleman: she has a list. A list of all the qualities she will demand from her future husband—and publishes it in all the newspapers.

A chance introduction with a duke (sadly not fulfilling all the points on her list) throws her completely off balance. Her dowry is gone, but doesn’t that mean she should demand the absolute best?

The Duke of Glaenarm is handsome, charming, devilishly devoted to her. And imperfect. Damn. At least, that is what Edward Barlow, Duke of Glaenarm, is informed by Coral at Almack’s.

Amused by the fiery haired beauty who demands a husband who meets her lofty and unrealistic expectations, Edward decides to trick her into affection for him—proving that even if she believes him imperfect, she can fall in love.

But the more time they spend discussing her potential suitors, neither Coral nor Edward can control the desire pulling them together—and as the de Petras family’s outrageous behavior continues to threaten their respectability, it’s becoming more and more difficult for Coral to understand what she wants from life.

A respectable, boring, wealthy suitor who completes her list…or an imperfect duke that makes her feel alive?
Goodreads

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

For Coral de Petras, she's always had a fear about money, and discovering that her father's business has gone bust, and she will be without a dowry, she's ready to marry for money, to safeguard the rest of her family. Raised to always be strong, and find love, it's difficult for her family to accept, and when she places an ad in the paper with all her requirements for a husband, her actions threaten to make the family a laughing stock. When she comes across Edward Barlow, Duke of Glaenarm, it's unfortunate that he doesn't meet her requirements, as Coral finds that she can't stop thinking about him, and he seems to be everywhere she looks. Edward initially found Coral's advertisement as a joke, but meeting her, he want to do whatever it takes to convince her that he's the perfect husband for her, no matter what her list says.

This one was definitely better than the previous. I had lots of questions about Coral, particularly why she was so obsessed with money in book 1, when it never seemed as if they family had struggled for cash in the past. That isn't really answered here, unfortunately, but Coral definitely seems to be a rational person, and as the heir to the family (due to a quirk of the de Petras line), she understands her duty to marry well, and set up her brother and sisters. There's just enough money for three dowries, so she forgoes one, and hopes that is enough to entice a rich gentleman to marry, and to allow her to keep her surname when they marry too. Edward was a great love interest for Coral, and the chemistry between them definitely made up for any cringy moments in the plot. I'm glad I decided to continue with the series after the disappointing first book, and I have high hopes for Emerald and Sapphy's books.

Dates Read:
July 19-22, 2022

Rating
3 Stars