Death has made Harry Marsden the most fortunate man in England. Six years ago he thought himself doomed to misery, ordered into a marriage for money by his profligate father. The space of the past year has found him first fatherless, then a wealthy widower, and finally the unexpected heir to the Dukedom of Westbourne.
If only good fortune were contagious! Nothing could be more devastating than the news that his old friend, Catherine Sharp, is about to agree to an unwanted betrothal. A penniless gentleman’s daughter, Catherine aims to give up her own freedom to secure better prospects for her sister.
Harry must engineer the scandal of the season to overturn her engagement. Surely a Duke will serve better than any other for Catherine’s marriage of convenience?
A scandal is one matter. The heart is quite another. In order to wed her, Harry must convince his childhood sweetheart that their marriage will not be a match of convenience, but love.
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Sexual Content - 1/5
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Drugs and Alcohol - 1/5
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Summary
Harry Marsden is the new Duke of Westbourne. After six years, his heart still belongs to Catherine, who is critical of his seeming abandonment of their friendship when he married. Can these two find love and happiness in spite of everything?
This was a lovely debut novel: written well and, most important in my eyes, clean. The plot is easy to follow: to avoid an engagement, Harry and Catherine stage a scandal and then race to make sure the consequences of that scandal don't get out of hand. My favorite character is definitely Harry. He was believable, kind, and just fun.
On the other hand, I kept getting frustrated with Catherine. She was so quick to doubt Harry that I wanted to smack her upside the head. While at times I could see where she was coming from, her reactions seemed exaggerated and over the top.
All in all, I wouldn't object to reading more from this author. I received an ARC from Gemma to read and review, and my opinion is my own.