On his way to London, James Cavendish stopped at a tavern in Southampton; this was his last evening before he would enter Durham House as the new duke. A title that came as a shock and that James, an American horse breeder, did not want. However, when he notices a very pretty woman who did not belong there, James hoped that this day would end well after all. Meredith Green had been looking after her ailing mother when she was asked to hurry back to London. Meredith knows she should not be flirting shamelessly with this handsome man, she, the ever-proper lady's companion, decides that she will enjoy a wild night of passion before returning to her dull life in the shadows of the haut ton. One thing led to another, and "Just James" and "Just a girl" shared an anonymous night of passion. What happens in Southampton stays in Southampton, right? Not exactly, because Meredith's one-night indulgence is the newest resident of her place of employment!

Maya Rodale wraps up her delightful series Keeping Up with the Cavendishes with the sparkling IT'S HARD OUT HERE FOR A DUKE, and while the book can easily stand alone, the four instalments run concurrently, and it proves to be even more amusing when one has read the others, as this book provides an alternate perspective and additional details; Ms. Rodale's creativity never ceases to amaze! I don't read Maya Rodale's books for historical accuracy but for the sheer entertainment the author provides. After all, what are the chances that a proper Regency young woman would have a one- night stand with a stranger? However, it is this modern outlook that gives much food for thought, as it becomes a reflection on the status of women as well as a critique of the rigidity of the class system.

Meredith's situation is complicated when it comes to James, but his is nothing short of a nightmare; it is so removed from his former life as a farmer in Maryland, and he is profoundly conflicted as to what he wants versus what he ought to do, mostly for his three sisters. IT'S HARD OUT HERE FOR A DUKE is fast-paced, and Bridget, Amelia, and Claire -- James' sisters -- are still a handful, but prove to be fierce allies. The dialogues are snappy, witty and smart, and the relationship between James and Meredith is both easy and strained and tender and passionate. I'm not usually a fan of epilogues, but IT'S HARD OUT HERE FOR A DUKE had a terrific one as we finally get to see "those Cavendishes" get their happy ever after.