The Duke Meets His Match

With this lively, wholesome Regency romance, Tuft (Kit and Elizabeth) offers a thoughtful portrait of love arising from necessity. When George Kendall, Duke of Aylesham, stumbles on bluestocking Susan Jennings hiding out in the library during a society wedding, he accuses her of eavesdropping on his private conversation, leading to a heated confrontation. Both are older than the typical unmarried crowd, but circumstance finds them both making appearances during the next year’s London season, and none of their subsequent run-ins soften that bad first impression. Still, when George is pressured to propose to a foreign royal with known ties to Napoleon, he falsely claims a secret engagement to get out of the match—and the only name that occurs to him in the moment is Susan’s. Though Susan is not happy with the news, she accepts the proposal upon realizing that it will keep her family happy and allow her to avoid the rest of the season. The sweet romance that blooms from their marriage of convenience is as surprising for one as the other. Tuft steers clear of sex scenes, but the sense of collaboration and equality that arises between the lovers more than proves their compatibility. This is a charmer. (Dec.)