Within about four paragraphs of this story, I realized that it's not a stand alone tale. I hadn't read the previous installment, A MOST UNLIKELY DUKE, and I was completely lost in THE DUKE OF HER DESIRE. I dashed to my local library to rectify my confusion.

Once I was settled into the world Barnes has created, this book was lovely. It tells the story of a man who believes his duty in life is his most important job, and a lady who is still finding her feet in a brave new world she doesn't much like. I found their mutual education - both in the tactics of the ton and in emotional intelligence - satisfying and charming.

I appreciate how more and more regency-era books are focusing on non-conventional characters (it needs to expand more, of course, and quickly) and so the outsider perspective that Amelia brings is welcome. She teeters on obnoxious, but always retains her sense of self and that's fun to read. Thomas, of course, is on shakier emotional footing, and I love a story where a hero realizes he is also an emotional being.

Overall, THE DUKE OF HER DESIRE is a charming book and a good follow-up for fans of the first.