An Inconvenient Duke

The enchanting first Regency romance in the Lords of the Armory series from Harrington (What a Lord Wants) introduces a pair of magnetic characters on the hunt for justice. Elise Braddock and her best friend, Danielle Williams, work for an organization called Nightingale that helps battered women escape from their abusers. When Elise dies, her brother Marcus Braddock, Duke of Hampton, investigates and learns that Elise was murdered because of her work with Nightingale. Now he seeks to find her killer, avenge her death, and protect Danielle from a similar fate. As mutual attraction simmers between Marcus and Danielle, he urges her to abandon her work with Nightingale to keep herself safe, but she adamantly refuses. Intelligent dialogue makes it easy for readers to understand both sides of the argument. Both Marcus and Danielle are dynamic and forward-thinking protagonists, made all the more lovable by their mutual determination to use their positions in society to help the less fortunate. Harrington combines suspenseful mystery and charming romance in this compulsively readable treat. Agent: Sarah Younger, Nancy Yost Literary. (Mar.)