What the Duke Doesn’t Know
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4.9 • 8 Ratings
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
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.
Praise for Heir to the Duke:
“Engaging characters, plenty of passion, and a devastating secret in this heartwarming read.” —RT Book Reviews, 4 stars
“Fabulous romance with wonderful characters…I couldn’t put this book down.” —Night Owl Reviews, Reviewer Top Pick
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Ashford's delightful second venture into the social lives of the six sons of the Duke of Langford (after Heir to the Duke) pokes gentle fun at British society stuffiness in a story that pits propriety against authenticity, passion, and personality. Lord James Gresham, at loose ends after the Royal Navy ship on which he served is decommissioned, is surprised by the pistol-wielding, revenge-seeking Kawena Benson, the half Pacific Islander daughter of an English trader seeking to avenge her father's death. After James convinces her of his innocence, she asks him to help with her search for the robber whose theft of her father's jewels led to his fatal heart attack, and a comedy of awkwardness, misunderstandings, and manners ensues. James realizes his joking request to his sister-in-law to find him a proper bride is at odds with his appreciation of Kawena's outsider perspective and her island-learned freedom to ask for what she wants. The story resonates with the humor of English seafaring comedy such as The Pirates of Penzance while calling out narrow-minded exoticism in a fashion that has modern appeal.
