My Inconvenient Duke

A duke’s sister is drawn to one of her brother’s best friends in Chase’s page-turning conclusion to the Difficult Dukes Victorian romance series (after Ten Things I Hate About the Duke). Lady Alice Ancaster worries that the reckless behavior of her brother, Hugh, the Duke of Ripley, and his infamous friends the Dukes of Ashmont and Blackwood—who, together, are known as the Dis-Graces—will end in Hugh’s untimely death, leaving the dukedom and Alice by extension under the control of her vile cousin, Lord Worbury. To save herself from this fate, she’ll need a husband, so she heads to London to enter the marriage market, warning Hugh to stay away lest his reputation hurt her chances. Hugh’s friend Blackwood, who has long been attracted to Alice, is also in the city, however, and he steps in to take Alice’s side during a public argument between her and Lord Worbury. Alice is determined to avoid further interaction—until Hugh goes missing and she and Blackwood must team up to track him down. Passion ignites, but can Alice trust that Blackwood is really ready to settle down? Chase’s leads are captivating; readers will cheer for strong-willed Alice, especially in a subplot about her quest to help London’s orphans, and swoon over reformed rake Blackwood. This is a worthy finale. (Jan.)