The Duke Not Taken

London’s second Royal Match Victorian romance (after Last Duke Standing) sparkles by pairing a rebellious princess with a reclusive duke. Princess Amelia of the fictional Wesloria responds to her incurable boredom by acting out and kissing footmen. Her scandalous behavior leaves her parents determined to marry her off. They ship Amelia away to spend the summer husband-hunting at the English country home of Beckett Hawke, Earl of Iddesleigh, and his wife. Amelia’s first encounter with the Becketts’ neighbor Joshua Parker, Duke of Marley, is when he almost collides with her coach on horseback, leading her to dub him the Grim Reaper. When they meet again—and Amelia learns his true identity—it’s no less disastrous. Too bad professional matchmaker Lila Aleksander believes they’d be a perfect match. Joshua is uninterested in marriage following the death of his first wife and infant, but as he and Amelia are forced together, he comes to appreciate her candor, which others label as rudeness, just as she learns to enjoy their talks—and their scorching stolen kisses. The witty repartee between Amelia and Joshua propels the novel forward while revealing the complex depths of the characters. Readers won’t want to put this down. Agent: Jenny Bent, Bent Agency (Sept.)