How Not to Marry a Duke

Gabrielle’s fast-paced second Daring Ladies Regency (after One Night with an Earl) pairs a stoic white duke and the strong-willed, mixed-race daughter of an earl. After Adeline Foster’s father dies, her white half brother, Edwin, throws Adeline, whose mother was Lebanese, out of her childhood home and into the family’s run-down hunting cottage. There, her new neighbor, the handsome but unpleasant Daniel Millstone, Duke of Warwick, pays a visit, ending in a skirmish with Adeline’s pet pig, Henry. Daniel left the bustle of society to focus on his scientific studies and he wants to be sure that Adeline’s presence will not distract him. But when Daniel hears of Edwin’s plan to force Adeline into an unwanted marriage to save their family from financial ruin, he does something rash and proclaims that he is courting Adeline. The ruse will protect Adeline from the unwanted match, but to pull it off, the bickering duo will have to persuade both their families and all of society that they are in love. Gabrielle delivers plenty of fun banter without shying away from the racist realities of the time. Fans of the fake relationship trope and anyone looking for diverse historical romance should check this out. Agent: Stephany Evans, Pande Literary. (May)