Publisher: Avon
Where did you get the book: e-ARC
Release date: Out now
What’s a duke to do, when the girl who’s perfectly wrong becomes the woman he can’t live without?
Griffin York, the Duke of Halford, has no desire to wed this season—or any season—but his diabolical mother abducts him to “Spinster Cove” and insists he select a bride from the ladies in residence. Griff decides to teach her a lesson that will end the marriage debate forever. He chooses the serving girl.
Overworked and struggling, Pauline Simms doesn’t dream about dukes. All she wants is to hang up her barmaid apron and open a bookshop. That dream becomes a possibility when an arrogant, sinfully attractive duke offers her a small fortune for a week’s employment. Her duties are simple: submit to his mother’s “duchess training”… and fail miserably.
But in London, Pauline isn’t a miserable failure. She’s a brave, quick-witted, beguiling failure—a woman who ignites Griff’s desire and soothes the darkness in his soul. Keeping Pauline by his side won’t be easy. Even if Society could accept a serving girl duchess—can a roguish duke convince a serving girls to trust him with her heart?
*Blurb taken from goodreads*
I’m a huge fan of the Spindle Cove series by Tessa Dare. I can’t even believe my luck that I’ve loved each book, and it’s a testament to Tessa Dare’s talent. Any Duchess Will do is the 4th installment in the series.
Pauline is a serving maid in Spindle Cove, and Griffin is a Duke that does not want to settle down. Griffin is kidnapped by his mother and is brought to Spindle Cover to find a bride. His mother wants him settled, and she wants her Grandbabies. But Griff is not willing to roll over for his scheming mother and decides to play along. When he arrives, he spots Pauline. She’s everything that his mother doesn’t want, and he decides that this is the girl he has ‘picked’ for marriage.
Pauline, though, is no one’s plaything. She may be a farmer’s daughter, but she is smart, witty and wants a better life for herself and her mentally challenged sister, Danielle. Pauline wants a life where she’s not under the thumb of her violent father, and she wants a better life for her sister where people don’t make fun of her. So she plays along with Griff’s game at first. But things soon turn serious when Griff asks her to move to London with him so she can play duchess-in-the-making with his Mother. Pauline agrees, but Griff and Pauline’s attraction is hard to ignore and the lines become blurred for both.
I so enjoyed this installment in the series. A working class heroine for the win! Pauline was a great heroine. She wasn’t shy, naïve or sexually hesitant. She was very matter of fact with her attraction to Griff and made a few moves on him. I loved the interactions between Griff’s mother and Pauline. They became friends, and some of the scenes, especially the knitting ones, were adorable and funny.
Griff is a changed man, but nobody seems to see it. Griff has a tragedy and he’s kept it to himself. It’s only when Pauline gets into his secret room that it’s revealed and my heart hurt for him. Griff doesn’t want to need Pauline, so he plays hot and cold with her. Pauline, though, doesn’t let Griff treat her like a nobody. She fights back and she’s very strong headed. But she has her vulnerabilities because she knows that people in society won’t accept her. She knows the game they are playing, but she tells herself it’s worth it for the money Griff will give her so she and Danielle can have a new life.
I sometimes thought that their romance was too easy in regards to their social class, but I put my disbelief aside and enjoyed the romance. Any Duchess Will Do is a great romance with a wonderful heroine. There are fun times, sexy times, and some sad times in this book. Both characters are not what they seem–in a good way!
B+
This one sounds fun, I’ll have to look out for it, and the series – I’ve really been reading a lot of historical romance recently, I need to read more Tessa Dare.