How to Marry a Duke

Vicky Dreiling

Tessa Mansfield is a matchmaker. Although unmarried herself, and at 26 a spinster, she has helped numerous young ladies of the ton find marriages with love. Although in Regency London, many marriages are arranged or of convenience, the ones she arranges are not.

The Duke of Shelbourne is now at a time when he knows he should marry. His family affairs are in order, he is 30, and he doesn't have any heirs. He doesn't want his family line broken. Yet he can't seem to find a wife on his own. The women he meets at balls and public gatherings seem young and insipid. He isn't able to get to know them in such settings. Tristan decides he would like Miss Mansfield to find him a wife. He disagrees with his mother's opinions. So he approaches the matchmaker with the list of qualities he wants in a wife. When she reads it over, she realizes he wants an angel in the drawing room and a devil in the bedroom. He doesn't seem to want a real woman, but his own version of one.

Tessa agrees to help the Duke. She arranges a sort of marriage mart. She approaches 24 eligible women in London society and offer them the chance of being his bride. Then she introduces him to them in a group setting with their mothers. Tessa explains the rules. Tristan then adds to them and offers any woman a chance to decline and leave the contest whenever she would want. They all stay. His first challenge to them is to write a paper on why each would be the perfect duchess. That sets the tones for his following "tests" as he whittles down the candidates to two.

Independently wealthy, Tessa plans to stay single and independent the rest of her life. In fact, she knows she ineligible for a marriage within the ton of London society. That knowledge doesn't stop her feelings, though. She finds the Duke to be an alluring man, both physically and mentally challenging. She has trouble picturing any of the 24 women as his wife. What she doesn't know is that he is having the same problem. It bothers him that the matchmaker fits his qualifications better than any of the women she has brought for him to meet...

Goodness, two Regency romances within two weeks. I really must be channeling Georgette Heyer's ghost. Even so, How to Marry a Duke is modern and charming. While there's intrigue, there are no spies or secret societies. Vicky Dreiling's novel is all about relationships between men and women. In that way it does hark back to the romances from the middle of the twentieth century.

How to Marry a Duke is a modern romance, though. The Duke respects Tessa even though he wants to take her to bed. But bodies still react, kisses get very heated, and scenes get sexy. The characters have enough depth to keep the story interesting and fun. There's also enough intrigue to keep the reader's attention. Yep, Vicky Dreiling has written an enjoyable book.

Notice:  Strong sexual content

Publicist provided for review