HOW THE DUKE WAS WON is Book 1 in Lenora Blake's
Disgraceful Dukes series. Somehow Lenora Blake manages
to tell a stirring story with a particularly vile
villain, and still inject a little humor at appropriate
moments to lighten the mood. Due to some scheming on the
part of a countess, and some delightfully convoluted
circumstances, courtesan's daughter Charlene Beckett is
playing the part of Lady Dorothea. The goal is to catch a
duke and get him to marry the real Lady Dorothea with him
being none the wiser. What starts as a kind of historical
romance version of the show "The Bachelor" becomes
something much more real for Charlene and her sought
after Duke of Harland.
Charlene and James are wonderfully multifaceted
characters and they often surprised me as I read HOW THE
DUKE WAS WON. Given Charlene's illegitimacy and
unfortunate circumstances, living in the brothel her
ailing mother owns, you'd think that she'd have very
little in common with a duke. However, there are numerous
instances in HOW THE DUKE WAS WON that point to just how
similar Charlene and James really are. Although he has
the ignoble moniker of "His Disgrace", James is less the
dissolute rake and more of a hard-working man who has
chosen to live life on his own terms. When he
unexpectedly inherits a title, he feels just as caged as
Charlene does in her life. From James' experiences
overseas and Charlene's experience at home of seeing the
dark side of life, they both form progressive ideals and
goals. I loved seeing how James was able to admire
Charlene's true personality that showed through her
façade. Both hero and heroine are deeply passionate,
sympathetic, and fascinating to read about.
Other than the obvious obstacles to Charlene and James
being together, like the difference in their station and
the ruse that Charlene is a part of, there are some
characters standing in the way as well. Lord Grant is
filthy swine of a bad guy and you hunger for him to get
his comeuppance. However, Lord Grant is not the only
person trying to get between James and Charlene. As much
as I love the campy humor involved with the debutantes
vying for the role of James' duchess, those ladies get
pretty cutthroat at times. The one silver lining for
Charlene in the duchess competition is Alice Tombs. Alice
is a great character who is obviously more than meets the
eye. I love the tentative friendship that Alice and
Charlene strike up and I'm eager to hear more about her.
HOW THE DUKE WAS WON is a story with substance and
sensuality to warm the heart of any romance fan. James
and Charlene are a perfectly mated pair and the
smoldering looks and steamy love scenes are sensational.
The scenes between Charlene and James' daughter Flor are
poignant -- especially because Charlene is able to relate
so well because of her similar experience. I look forward
to reading future books about intriguing characters like
the Marquess of Dalton and the quirky Alice Tombs.
The pleasure of your company is requested at Warbury
Park. Four lovely ladies will arrive… but only one can
become a duchess.
James, the scandalously uncivilized Duke of Harland,
requires a bride with a spotless reputation for a
strictly business arrangement. Lust is prohibited and
love is out of the question.
Four ladies. Three days. What could go wrong?
She is not like the others…
Charlene Beckett, the unacknowledged daughter of an earl
and a courtesan, has just been offered a life-altering
fortune to pose as her half-sister, Lady Dorothea, and
win the duke’s proposal. All she must do is:
* Be the perfect English rose [Ha!]
* Breathe, smile, and curtsy in impossibly tight gowns
[blast Lady Dorothea’s sylph-like figure]
* Charm and seduce a wild duke [without appearing to try]
* Keep said duke far, far from her heart [no matter how
tempting]
When secrets are revealed and passion overwhelms, James
must decide if the last lady he should want is really
everything he needs. And Charlene must decide if the
promise of a new life is worth risking everything . . .
including her heart.
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