⭐⭐⭐ Was I hooked by that book? Partly, yes. A duke and a duke’s daughter team up in love and in an exciting investigation to uncover a conspiracy.

In the shadowy depths of London, Lady Euphemia Brandt, a renowned concert pianist, is mistaken by an English nobleman for his intended rendezvous. She defends herself, losing her reticule in the process. Reluctantly, she takes coins from her attacker and secures a carriage home. Their eyes lock, and they share a searing kiss, altering their lives forever. At an affair honoring the Prime Minister, Euphemia discovers that the rogue who accosted her is a much sought-after, wealthy member of society. Struggling to resist his attraction, she battles memories of their kiss. Cayden Whitford, the Duke of Thornton, seeking a woman with vital information, mistakes Euphemia for his contact and is surprised by her swift blow and the ensuing kiss. Intrigued, he vows to find her. At a dinner party, Thornton learns she is the daughter of a trusted advisor and masquerades as a suitor to discover her allegiance. As Thornton unravels Euphemia’s wit, logic, and passion, his initial mission falters. He’s fallen in love with her.

MY THOUGHTS

Let me start with the parts that I really liked. The mystery and investigation around Mellie’s disappearance was interesting and I really wanted to know what was going to happen. Every detail was revealed at just the right time to keep my interest. Effie and Thorne went from zero to in love and engaged in record time. That part was a bit hard to swallow, but I truly enjoyed the two of them together after that. They were passionate about each other and about discovering Mellie’s whereabouts and the secret Mellie had uncovered.

The parts I didn’t like so much. The writing didn’t flow very well and felt disjointed at times, like I missed something. For example, in one scene at a ball, Effie escorted Thorne to the door to bid him goodbye and the next moment they’re passionately kissing. There was no mention of him pulling her into the shadows or away from the door or anything like that, so were they kissing where anybody could see them? At that point, they barely knew each other, so any intimate contact would have been considered scandalous, especially in public. There are more instances where it felt like necessary details were missing.

And for a duke’s daughter, Effie sure was left alone in Thorne’s presence quite often, with no mention of a chaperone. In this context, there was nothing to indicate that Effie was inclined to thumb her nose at society or that she was rebellious in any way, which might have explained her propensity to spend time alone with Thorne. And there was plenty of PDA that also went unremarked upon.

It also seemed that everyone, apart from Effie and her mother, were involved in “crown business”, which was just a bit too convenient.

All that said, I liked the story overall. This book is part of a series but stands well on its own.

Thank you to Kimberley at Caffeinated PR for providing me with a copy of the book and including me in the blog tour.

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

Genre: Historical Romance
Published: September 12, 2023
Sensuality Rating: Subtle
Series: Return to Ladies of Sommer by the Sea
Tropes: Instant Love, Spies