RULES FOR HEIRESSES

A marriage of convenience reunites a rebellious lady and a taciturn new duke.

To escape the ton and one lascivious man in particular, Lady Ravenna Huntley has run away to Antigua in the West Indies. She enjoys the liberties afforded to her while disguised as a man until she unexpectedly encounters Courtland Chase, the childhood friend she was supposed to marry, who's long been presumed dead. In truth, his stepmother had forced him out of the country because she wanted her own son to be heir to the dukedom. When Ravenna and Courtland are caught in a compromising situation, they marry and return to England, where Courtland assumes his newly inherited role as Duke of Ashvale. He has always been seen as lesser by his stepmother because of his biracial identity—his mother was a free mixed-race Creole woman from Antigua who married his father in a love match—and she, and others, won’t easily accept him as the duke. Meanwhile, Ravenna once again feels stifled by society’s expectations of her as a woman. Physical chemistry sizzles between the new couple, but issues of trust stand in the way of their complete connection. Ravenna, a stubborn firecracker, is an exciting heroine. The angst-y push and pull of her relationship with Courtland drives the story, though it does begin to feel repetitive after a while. Exploration around gender and race is thoughtfully done and adds depth to the characters. The pacing sometimes lags, but sleuthing and nefarious ne'er-do-wells create extra intrigue up through the dramatic ending that brings the tale to a satisfying close.

The enticing couple makes this story worth reading.