What the Duke Doesn't Know
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4.3 • 48 Ratings
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- $7.99
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
“Ashford soars to new heights of literary excellence by creating a cleverly conceived story that takes all the traditional elements readers love in Regency romances and making everything seem refreshingly new. ”—Booklist
After making his fortune overseas, Royal Navy captain James Gresham is ready to settle down with a proper wife, but dark-eyed half-Polynesian Kawena is making that very difficult for him.
Captain James Gresham is the fifth son of the Duke of Langford and has made his fortune in the Royal Navy. The time has come to find a proper wife and establish his home, but the adventurous possibilities of the sea entice him.
Enter Kawena Benson—half-English, half-Polynesian, and all spunk. She has one mission: avenge her father and reclaim the jewels stolen from him. And she has her target: Lord James Gresham. His protests of innocence mean nothing to her. After all, isn't that what every man says when facing down the barrel of a gun?
If James is going to get out of this situation alive, he'll have to throw propriety to the wind and aid Kawena in her quest for vengeance. But will he be able to watch her sail away once her mission is complete?
The Duke's Sons Series:
Heir to the Duke (Book 1)
What the Duke Doesn't Know (Book 2)
Lord Sebastian's Secret (Book 3)
Nothing Like a Duke (Book 4)
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.
Customer Reviews
What the Duke Doesn't Know
Jane's stories always pull you into the book. You will laugh and you will sometimes have to walk away. You will never be bored. This story starts with a gun and a wooden statue. James, a Duke's son, is visiting his family. Kawena is from the other side of the World and wants her statue back. Big Spoiler. She is half English, dad, and half island mother. Spoiler. Then her unknown Uncle busts in to "help" her manage her life. Big Spoiler. She hates the "Proper" life of the English. James has a terrible time to figure how they will go together. There are nosy relatives. There are others who try to help. This story really shows how the British would have looked back then. I am so glad I read this book. I hope you will want to read this too. Keep this one on your shelf. Enjoy reading this book! I have this book for an honest review for NetGalley.