Series: None
Author: Eva Devon
Published October 25th 2021 by Entangled: Amara
Goodreads Synopsis
All Lady Victoria Kirby wants is to dig in the dirt, take notations, and record history, thank you very much. Bumbling through ballrooms and getting disdained by the ton for her less than ideal looks, on the other hand, is the last thing she wants. But her reckless father has a different idea for her future when he puts up the ultimate ante—her hand in marriage—and loses. Over her dead body.
The Duke of Chase cannot bear to see a woman misused. After all, he saw that often enough as a child. So when he’s witness to a marquess gambling away his daughter to a lecher of a man, he has no choice but to step in and rescue her. Lady Victoria has a reputation for being as tart as a lemon and as bitter as one, too. So, he may have just found the perfect wife to keep a promise he made to himself long ago--to never have an heir. With her, surely, he'll never be tempted to take her to bed and break that promise.
But when he meets the wild, witty intelligent young lady he’s bound to marry, he knows trouble is headed his way... And everything he ever swore to uphold may very well come undone, especially his heart.
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
Lady Victoria Kitty may be the eldest daughter of the Marquess of Halford, but she would rather spend her time on an archaeological dig than in a ballroom, let alone even think about marrying. But soon that is out of her hand, when the Duke of Chase witnesses Halford wagering his daughter to a disreputable rake, and instead wins her hand. Victoria is angry that her father did this to her, and only agrees to marry Derek, as long as their marriage is a chaste one - something he is happy to agree too, as he promised he would never have children. As they spend time together, though, it's clear that they are attracted to one another, and soon it's hard to keep the other at arms length, when they want nothing more than to be together, properly.
As soon as I saw this book on NG, I knew I needed to read it. I loved one of Eva's previous books, and the synopsis of this one was right up my street. Victoria was such a character, who loved her family, and her work as an archaeologist, but when her father forced her to marry, she embraced being a duchess, and used it for good. The friendship she and Derek formed early on in their marriage was lovely too, as it really made their transition from friends to lovers more realistic. There wasn't a whole lot of plot here, but it was extremely enjoyable nonetheless, and I found myself being unable to put the book down in parts. The backstory surrounding Derek and his promise was heartbreaking, and I'm glad he had Victoria to help him through it all. This is a standalone, but I really hope we see a companion book in the future, perhaps about Victoria's sister, Catharine.
Dates Read:
October 2-3 2021
Rating
4 Stars
