THE DUCHESS TAKES A HUSBAND

A young widow makes a pact with a gaming hell owner: She’ll be his fake fiancee in exchange for sex lessons.

Readers of the previous books in the Gilded Age Heiresses series will remember Camille, who became Duchess of Hereford and served as a cautionary tale to the other heroines. Her parents forced the young American heiress into a marriage with a cruel, older, titled Englishman. Now that he’s dead, Camille gets a second chance to find happiness. She never experienced pleasure from lovemaking, so she propositions Jacob Thorne, owner of Montague Club. At first he declines, although not due to lack of interest in her, but when he's in need of a fiancee in order to secure an investor for a new enterprise, they make an agreement. This relationship is supposed to be purely physical for Camille, and Jacob always thought love was not for him, but eventually they both want more. Camille so deserves her happily-ever-after, and this exquisitely written story sensitively handles her growing awareness of the abuse she faced. It’s gratifying to witness her discover her own voice and power, both in the bedroom and in society. Her internal growth is aided by her new involvement in the fight for women’s suffrage, while her sexual journey takes time and realistically includes setbacks and frustrations. Jacob’s business plotline feels slight and less compelling, and his switch from not wanting a relationship to total devotion is abrupt, but his kindness makes him the perfect partner for Camille.

A delightfully trope-filled romance with a most deserving heroine.