Miriam Ellery, Dowager Duchess of Ashland, was committed to Bedlam by her nephew Francis, now heir to the title. Her daughter Abigail will not leave the matter alone; she knows something is not right, and she goes where she can get help: Chegarre & Associates. The firm that makes sure that the faux pas from the elite don't become gossip fodder. It's a family business comprised mainly of Elise deVries and her brother Alexander Lavoie; Elise is also a part-time actress, and is a master of disguise. The Dowager Duchess maintains her long-rumoured dead son, Noah, is still alive. Noah hasn't been seen since he was around ten years old, but he is very much alive and doesn't want to be found.

Right from the start, I was reminded of the reasons why I love Kelly Bowen's books so much. Ms. Bowen is a veritable artist when it comes to weaving her choice vocabulary into gorgeous sentences and spinning spellbinding tales. The author's descriptions of the environment, of the clothes, how she conveys her characters' emotions are so sharp and evocative that she takes the reader right into her characters' world, into their hearts. The divine prose and dazzling dialogues would satisfy me as a reader, even if there were no story to speak of. And yet, Kelly Bowen is one of the most stellar storytellers around: the plot is ingenious and seamless, the actions sequences are breathtaking, and the sex scenes sensuous and tender. Elise and Noah are very different from what we are used to in historical romance, and I can only applaud Kelly Bowen for her cleverness; both also have enthralling backstories. The secondary characters are crafted with as much care as the primary ones; in fact, I am dreaming of reading more of King, one of the most fascinating minor characters ever.

A DUKE TO REMEMBER is one of my favourite books this year, and I feel that it should figure on every historical romance reader's list.