MUCH ADO ABOUT DUKES

A fiery bluestocking and an emotionally detached duke clash in a historical romance.

Lady Beatrice’s cousin, Margaret, is engaged to Lord Christopher, known as Kit. Beatrice is not thrilled because this means she will now be related by marriage to Kit’s odious brother, William Easton, the Duke of Blackheath. It’s not just Blackheath; fiery women’s rights advocate Beatrice has come to loathe all dukes, finding them generally pompous and arrogant. By contrast, Blackheath admires Beatrice’s passion for her various causes but does not wish to form romantic attachments with anyone. They have several tense encounters, including one night at a production of Much Ado About Nothing, which ensures that neither can get the other out of their head. They become friends but remain determined not to marry until Beatrice’s uncle and guardian announces he has lost his fortune—and the money her parents left her—to some bad investments. This means Beatrice’s only option is to do something that goes against her principles—sacrifice her independence and marry for stability. When she tells this to Will, he spontaneously proposes but insists they be friends and allies, not lovers. Beatrice reluctantly agrees. But will their marriage turn out to be a love match after all? Will’s determination to remain a bachelor is a little puzzling, given that dukes mostly exist to make more dukes. He has two brothers to pass the title to, but he doesn’t really have a reason for not wanting to marry besides that he thinks being emotionally detached is a better way to live. There’s a sense that being a duke is bad—neither of Will’s brothers wants the title—but it’s hard to have much sympathy for the plight of a wealthy, powerful man. A more compelling reason for avoiding wedlock would have made Will a more fully realized character. Will and Beatrice clash, mostly arguing about politics, but it’s clear almost from the first page that they are made for each other, with similar political opinions and having read many of the same books. He doesn’t act pompously, despite Beatrice’s first impression, but is instead considerate of everyone around him, if sometimes blind to his own privilege. The plot is predictable, but the chemistry and sexual tension between Beatrice and Will are off the charts, and watching them spar is fun.

A hot, entertaining romance.