⭐⭐⭐⭐ Was I hooked by that book? Yes. In this delightfully sexy romance, Selina discovers that you cannot learn everything from books, some things are meant to be experienced.

Peter Kent, newly inherited Duke of Stanhope and recently of New Orleans, Louisiana, must become respectable. Between his radical politics and the time he interrupted a minor royal wedding with a flock of sheep – not his fault! – he’s developed a scandalous reputation at odds with his goal of becoming guardian to his half siblings. For help, he turns to the cleverest and most managing woman of his acquaintance, Lady Selina Ravenscroft. Selina is society’s most proper debutante, save one tiny secret: she runs an erotic circulating library for women. When Peter asks for her help, she suggests courtship and marriage to a lady of unimpeachable reputation. (Which is to say, definitely not herself.) But matchmaking doesn’t go according to plan. Peter’s siblings run rampant on Bond Street. Selina ends up in the Serpentine. And worst of all, the scorching chemistry between Peter and Selina proves impossible to resist. For the disreputable duke and his unpredictable matchmaker, falling in love just might be the ultimate scandal.

MY THOUGHTS

I think I enjoyed the first half a lot more, when Selina was looking in all the wrong places for a wife for Peter, but with good intentions, obviously. It was tremendous fun watching Peter “court” these three women while pining for Selina. The second half adopted a slightly more serious tone and while I loved seeing Peter and Selina happy, I missed some of their earlier sarcastic banter. The inner dialogue of these two characters was hilarious. They had chemistry in spades right from the start.

This story had schemes upon schemes upon schemes, some more farfetched than others, to be sure. Peter’s siblings and Selina’s friends added levity and rich dimension to the story, while trying to find a solution to a very serious problem. Georgiana was the absolute best and I sincerely hope we will see more of her, as well as Lydia and Selina’s twin brother.

I can highly recommend this if you like a light-hearted, yet steamy, historical romance. See what other readers are saying on Goodreads.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Were you hooked by that book? Let me know in the comments below.

Genre: Historical Romance
Published: July 23, 2024
Sensuality Rating: Hot