Give the Devil His Duke

Bradley (The Virgin Who Captured a Viscount) launches her Drop Dead Dukes series with a sexy but occasionally frustrating Regency about feuding families who plan to reconcile through marriage. Lady Francesca Stanhope’s world collapsed 10 years ago when her mother was “ruined” by the late Duke of Basingstoke, who then killed her father in a duel. Franny’s Uncle Edward inherited her father’s estate, forcing his sister-in-law and niece to leave London for remote Herefordshire. Now Franny accepts an invitation to participate in the London season, planning to confront Edward and persuade him to support her ailing mother. When she first goes to visit him, however, she runs into the new Duke of Basingstoke, who, to distance himself from the earlier generation’s scandal, plans to propose to her cousin, Susannah. Upon meeting Franny, however, he reevaluates which Stanhope woman is right for him, much to Edward’s chagrin. When scandal strikes anew and the Basingstoke reputation is at stake once more, he proposes to Franny in a panic—but to make the marriage work, the lofty duke must learn to put someone else first. Though the chemistry between the leads is undeniably strong, the characters’ motivations are not always intelligible, leading to some unfortunate plot holes. Bradley’s off to a rocky start. Agent: Marlene Stringer, Stringer Literary. (Aug.)