FORBIDDEN TO LOVE THE DUKE

After a scandal, Lady Ivy Fenwick and her sisters have been living as recluses in their crumbling Tudor mansion. Facing destitution, Ivy comes out of hiding to apply for a job as a nanny for a neighboring duke—a duke she once kissed and never forgot.

Five years ago, on the night her father was accused of cheating at cards and then killed in a duel, Lady Ivy met a masked man at a masquerade ball, and he kissed her. She’s never forgotten him, but due to their father’s scandal, Ivy and her sisters are ruined and have retreated from society into a quiet life in their historic home, living off every object of value that they could sell. Now everything is gone, and on the same day Ivy advertises that she's looking for work as a governess, a nearby duke advertises he needs one. James Merrit, Duke of Ellsworth, has returned from the war expecting to indulge in a few vices and some civilian freedom, but he finds instead that his soldier brother’s wife has run off with another man, and he’s responsible for a niece and nephew. When his impoverished neighbor appears for the interview, James is startled to realize she's the debutante he met and kissed at a masquerade years before, just before he left for military service. James hires Ivy on the spot, a situation rife with temptation and trouble, since not only does he find himself falling for her, but a woman from his past and a would-be suitor for Ivy are not who they seem, and their secrets could turn dangerous for both families. Hunter begins an engaging new historical romance series with four sisters hidden away in a decrepit mansion and the people and circumstances that force them back into the world. Aside from James and Ivy’s touching love story, seeds of romance and intrigue are lightly planted for upcoming books.

A witty and warmhearted charmer with a fairy-tale romance aspect.