THE AMERICAN DUKE

The ascension of a new noble from the United States causes consternation among bigoted English aristocrats in Sterling’s debut historical novel set largely during the Regency era.

Readers meet the Roxburys and others of England’s wealthy class as the sixth Duke of Westmoure dies, the seventh duke is murdered, and the latter’s American son, Sterling Avery “Sar” Roxbury, becomes the eighth duke. Early in the story, readers learn that Sar’s mother, Anne, is the granddaughter of a Black person who was formerly enslaved. There are racist members of England’s aristocracy who will stop at nothing to keep a mixed-race person out of the nobility. During this time period, marriages between Black and White people are illegal in America, but they’re legal in England despite not being fully accepted by the so-called elite. As Sar and his family are escorted to London by the Crown’s top operatives, a plot to have the family assassinated is underway. The Roxburys begin to settle into their new life and learn about the power of British high society firsthand. Interwoven into the historical elements is a parallel plot portraying a romance between the duke’s sister Meredith and Crown operative Julien. Over the course of the novel, Sterling tells a detailed story of class prejudice in the early 1800s. Along the way, she also creates a steamy romance with detailed sexual interludes as Julien introduces Meredith to intimate relations. Sterling’s female characters are effectively portrayed as independent women and an integral part of society; aristocratic women, for example, are shown to secretly run businesses, and Sar’s mother and sisters are skilled in the use of guns and always carry them for protection. Overall, in a story set at a time of regressive societal expectations, the women of Sterling’s novel are shown to be more than matches for the men in their lives.

An intriguing tale that pushes the traditional boundaries of its setting.