Novel
The Duke's Unexpected Courtship
5
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Compared to her sister, Adeline is plain. She has no hope of making a brilliant match. Instead, she must be practical. A gentleman with a moderate fortune will do well enough for her. There will be no grand titles or London Seasons or rich dresses with fine adornments. But Adeline has made her peace with that. As the second daughter of a mere baronet and a plain-faced one at that, expecting a wealthy Lord to sweep her off her feet is a fool's game. No, of the two of them, her older sister will be the one to make a brilliant match, Adeline must settle for any man of means who will have her.
The Duke of Aberlay is the catch of the Season. Wealthy beyond all measure, his family sits at the very head of the ton. The highest ladies in the land throw themselves at him, hoping to earn that coveted title, The Duchess of Aberlay. But so far, none have managed to capture the Duke’s attention.
Adeline knows she is far below The Duke of Aberlay’s notice. The Duke will marry the wealthy, well-connected, beautiful daughter of a peer, all things Adeline is not. So why does the Duke keep seeking her out? And why does Adeline’s treacherous heart beat faster in his presence? After all, it would be a very impractical thing indeed for the plain-faced daughter of a baronet to fall in love with a Duke.
Community Reviews
5 • 2 reviews
Anne Shortlived An Endearing Love Story
The Duke’s Unexpected Courtship is an endearing love story about a self-prescribed ugly duckling who might find love after all.
I thought from the description Ada and her sister, Hetty, were going to conflict throughout the story due to jealousy or just snobbery but their relationship is very sweet and for the most part Hetty is very protective of her sister.
I know this probably sounds silly but when the Duke took Ada out for her first dance it was written with such beautiful tension that as a reader I was holding my breath hoping no one would approach them (for the Dukes sake) and no one would steal him away from Ada (for her ability to claim him as her first dance). I wont spoil it but I was so caught up in that moment I chuckled to myself when it concluded and I realized I checked out of reality. I really lost myself in the book.
I was also surprised to also find a bit of Napoleonic War politics inside. The author clearly has done their research and is passionate about the time period.
It’s a puppy dog romance but the characters are great and the ending is worth finishing the novel. I appreciate that nearly every character was pleasant and even Ada’s mother was able to get her happy ending.
Some formatting tips: My Kobo seemed to only find “A Free Gift” in the table of contents. So there was no way to quickly navigate between chapters if I wanted. Also, a couple of paragraphs are missing double new lines.
Cover: I love the colors of this cover, I looked at your other novels and whoever your artist really captures the beauty of your writing. I also appreciate that Ada is supposed to be plain and content and her cover art depicts that really well.
RachelGregsAuthor I want more!
Cute novella about a pretty girl without a lot of confidence who happens to fall in love with a Duke. The writing is very strong and the characters are lovable. I hope there is a book two because the MC and the Duke are actually nice characters who deserve happiness but I want to experience more of that happiness with them.
