Lord James Gresham is the fifth son of the Duke of
Langford,
and a captain in the Royal Navy, or at least he was. With
his ship decommissioned, and war over he isn't sure what
to
do next. He thinks perhaps taking a proper English wife
might be what he needs to settle down. But when Kawena
Benson a half-English, half-Polynesian woman convinces him
to help her find her father's lost fortune, James starts
to
realize that a proper wife may not be what he is looking
for
after all.
WHAT THE DUKE DOESN'T KNOW is the second book in Jane
Ashford's The Duke's Sons series. I absolutely loved the
first book HEIR TO THE DUKE, and could not wait to read
this
one, and I was not disappointed. I could hardly put this
book down as I traveled with the characters through
England
to find the heroine's lost treasure. Kawena is a unique
heroine, and is half-English, half-Polynesian. Not being
raised in England gives her a perspective on Regency
society
not usually found in a romance. Her confusion and
misunderstandings of English high society is endearing,
and
remarkably well-written. Kawena still manages to be
independent and intelligent, and she is quickly becoming
one
of my favorite romance heroines. James may, at first, seem
the typical romance hero, but Ashford gives him depth,
humor, and his compassion and acceptance of others gives
him
unique qualities that fit perfectly to such a different
heroine. Their romance is sweet, sometimes complicated,
and
almost always swoon worthy.
James' parents, the Duke and Duchess, are charming
secondary
characters as are his brothers and his sister-in-law. The
brotherly bond between The Gresham brothers, and the wit
and
humor added by Ariel make WHAT THE DUKE DOESN'T KNOW
entertaining and interesting. The hunt to find Kawena's
missing treasure gives the plot excitement and a mystery
that ends in an unexpected fashion. The setting,
especially
the cottage by the sea, is easy to picture and Oxford is a
great change of pace from London, making the setting as
unique as the characters. Every bit of WHAT THE DUKE
DOESN'T
KNOW is a joy to read, and I can't wait for the next book
in
this, so far, fabulous series.
A proper English wife, or the freedom of the
sea? Lord James Gresham is the fifth son of the
Duke of Langford, a captain in the Royal Navy, and at a loss
for what to do next. He's made his fortune; perhaps now he
should find a proper wife and set up his nursery. But the
sea calls to him, while his search for a wife leaves him
uninspired. And then, a dark beauty with a heart for revenge
is swept into his life.
He can't have both, but he won't give up
either Half-English, half-Polynesian Kawena
Benson is out to avenge her father and reclaim a cache of
stolen jewels. There's nothing for James to do but protest
his innocence and help Kawena search for the jewels, even
though it turns his world upside down.
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