Phoebe Millbury has come to London along with her cousins, Deirdre and Sophie so they can find husbands. No ordinary man will do--they must strive for the highest ranking in the ton. The fortune from their grandfather's will go to the granddaughter who marries an English duke. If none of them is able to pull this off, the entire fortune will go to smugglers.

When Phoebe was fifteen she did something so inexcusable that her father, the local vicar, can now barely stand to look at her. She must remain proper at all times and never think lustful thoughts. At her first ball, she can’t help notice that one of the guests has a nice backside. As he turns and they stare at each other, the attraction is instant. So when this handsome man asks her to dance without an introduction, she allows him to sweep her off her feet.

Lord Raphael “Rafe” Marbrook is the illegitimate half brother to Calder, the Marquis of Brookhaven. When he spots Phoebe, he asks her to dance and becomes quite charmed by this innocent vicar’s daughter. They share a sweet kiss in the moonlight and Rafe quickly decides that Phoebe is the perfect wife for him. But through some miscommunication, Phoebe becomes engaged to Calder, thinking she was accepting Rafe’s proposal! Now she is stuck engaged to a man who the rumors say killed his first wife. It also doesn’t help matters when Rafe, who can’t stop thinking about Phoebe, wants her but can’t stand to be around her because the temptation is too great. For some reason these two keep finding themselves alone with each and their passion threatens to explode regardless of the consequences.

I am a true fan of Celeste Bradley and she writes some of the funniest and adorable historical romances out there. DESPERATELY SEEKING A DUKE, first book in the new heiress bride series is no exception. Poor Phoebe wants to be a good girl, but her passionate nature tends to overtake her. It was such a joy to read about a hero who falls head first in love with the heroine. I really felt for these two and wanted them to have their happily ever after. Deirdre and Sophie were also interesting characters and they too will have their own books to come in a few months. They are the voice of reason for Phoebe and help her along to figure out which man she should be with.

At times the plot is a bit loopy and far-fetched but Celeste Bradley is a true joy to read which helps overcome this. I had such a fun time reading DESPERATELY SEEKING A DUKE that I can say it's a must read for any historical romance fan out there!