Spotlight on The Duke's Disaster by Grace Burrowes

Spotlight on The Duke's Disaster by Grace Burrowes

Summary

Noah Winters, Duke of Anselm, exercises the pragmatism for which he's infamous when his preferred choice of bride cries off, and her companion, Lady Thea Collins, becomes his next choice for his duchess. Lady Thea's mature, sensible and even rather attractive-what could possibly go wrong?

As a lady fallen on hard times, Thea doesn't expect tender sentiments from His Grace, but she does wish Noah had courted her trust, lest her past turn their hastily arranged marriage into a life of shared regrets. Is His Grace courting a convenient wife, or a beautiful disaster?

Excerpt

The Duke and Duchess are having a rocky start to their marriage, also to their day…

“Your tea, Duchess.”

Noah had woken up beside his wife—again, despite all plans to the contrary—creating another first for him. Thea had risen several times during the night to tend to herself. He hadn’t realized that monthly courses caused a woman’s rest to be interrupted.

Crashingly bad planning, for a lady’s sleep to be disturbed when she most needed rest.

“You’re not about to steal my tea?” Thea held out the cup, her gaze shy as she sat propped against the headboard.

“Where’s the fun in stealing what’s freely offered?” Noah settled in beside her and filched a bite of her cinnamon toast. “Would you rather have chocolate this morning?”

“Because?”

“You’re”— Noah waved a hand in the direction of her middle—“indisposed.”

“I am not indisposed.” Thea set her teacup down with a little clink. “The discomfort has passed, as it always does. You needn’t be concerned.”

“I am not concerned, Thea.” Not greatly concerned, now that she’d stopped ordering him to go away and was ready for a proper spat. “I am attempting in my bumbling way to dote. You will allow it.”

Drat. He’d given another order.

“You couldn’t bumble if one gave you written instructions, Anselm,” Thea said, looking a little less peaked for having run up her flags. “That was my toast you appropriated.”

“Appropriation is what happens when one’s wife can’t appreciate a little doting. You’re being stingy with the tea, just as you were stingy with the covers. How long does this indisposition last?”

Her chin came up. “I am the Duchess of Anselm. I am not stingy with anything, but you are a very presuming husband.”

“Doting.” Noah took Thea’s free hand to kiss her knuckles— lest she mistake his point. “Also in need of my duchess’s guidance on this one marital matter.”

“This is so personal.” Thea’s gaze was on their joined hands— for Noah would not have her haring off in a fit of mortification. “I didn’t think you’d be a personal sort of husband. You were supposed to appear in my dressing-room doorway a few nights a month, silently take a few marital liberties, and then leave me in peace. We'd trade sections of the Times over breakfast the next morning.”

“Prosaic.” Boring and exactly what Noah himself had envisioned. “Hard to see any doting going on, though.”

“Husband?” Thea’s tone was hesitant. “Thank you, for keeping me company last night. I would not have known how to ask.”

“I suppose that’s the definition of doting.” Noah lingered at the cart to assemble a plate. “It’s the little things you can’t bring yourself to ask for, that an attentive spouse will enjoy providing to you. Bacon or ham?”

“A little of both, please.”

“Feeling carnivorous?”

“I'm a trifle indisposed. I need the sustenance.”

Noah piled both ham and bacon on Thea’s plate, and stole better than half of it, because he needed the sustenance too.

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Author Biography

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Grace Burrowes' bestsellers include The Heir, The Soldier, Lady Maggie's Secret Scandal, Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish and Lady Eve's Indiscretion. The Heir was a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2010, The Soldier was a PW Best Spring Romance of 2011, Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish won Best Historical Romance of the Year in 2011 from RT Reviewers' Choice Awards, Lady Louisa's Christmas Knight was a Library Journal Best Book of 2012, and The Bridegroom Wore Plaid was a PW Best Book of 2012. Her Regency romances have received extensive praise, including starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist. Grace is branching out into short stories and Scotland-set Victorian romance with Sourcebooks. She is a practicing family law attorney and lives in rural Maryland.

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To read Lisa's review of The Duke's Disaster click here. 
To read Susan's review of The Duke's Disaster click here.

Susan's review of The Duke's Disaster- - by Grace Burrowes

Noah Winters, the Duke of Anselm has decided to marry. He is tired of spending his time searching ballrooms and parties for a bride. He courted  Marliss Endmon who is now betrothed to another.  So, what does our practical hero do?  Without missing a beat, he proposes to Lady Thea Collins, Marliss's lady's companion!

 "A young lady's companion," he said, withdrawing his hand, "is little more than a finishing governess, Lady Thea. You are in want of a position. I am in want of a duchess, and I am offering you that post."

No eyebrows, no gasp of shock, no reaction at all, as she regarded him out of puzzled green eyes. "You're serious."

To a fault, according to most woman who'd venture an opinion, including Noah's most recent mistress.

"Your papa was an Earl, " he said. "You're comely, quiet, past the vapid stage, and from good breeding stock. You are every bit as much duchess material as that giggling twit you supervise."

I had mixed feelings about Noah at the beginning of the story.  His proposal was a business offer, not an offer of marriage. What kind of man was he? Thea's family has financial problems, her younger brother is gambling and drinking away the family fortune. Lady Thea accepts Noah's proposal when he sweetens his offer by saying that Thea's sister Nonie can live with them and he would sponsor her come out. Security is important to Thea. But what about love?

Noah and Thea marry and discover they both have secrets. BIG secrets. Noah is disappointed that Thea kept her secret from him. Thea uncovers several of Noah's secrets while he is away on business. It's how the practical Duke and the kind -hearted Thea deal with the secrets that made me fall in love with this couple and their love story. I loved when Noah would wake Thea up each morning even though he knew she loved to sleep in. He would make her tea and toast, serve her in bed, help himself to her toast and steal her tea as they discussed their plans for the day! Their morning conversations were charming and very funny and allowed the reader to witness a subtle change in their relationship.

Thea's secret haunts her because she doesn't remember all of the the fine details. Grace Burrowes writes this part of the novel very skillfully. Throughout the novel, the author provides subtle clues to the reader how members of the ton  viewed and treated companions and governesses.  The reader picks up on what polite society viewed as normal or tolerable behavior in that time period. Noah  and Thea decide to hold a small house party for family, friends and neighbors. Thea's dreams intensify as the  weekend event approaches. Noah senses that Thea is fearful and supports her as best he can.

The last few chapters of the novel  were filled with suspense and intrigue as the night of the ball approaches. Grace Burrowes does an excellent job balancing Noah and Thea emotions and actions as the story approaches it's resolution.  Noah senses that something is clearly upsetting his Duchess and resolves to protect Thea. There were several times that I thought I knew the identity of the villain. I had three possibilities at the start of the house party. One suspect was eliminated and two remained.  I was surprised when all was revealed. My favorite part of the unmasking was Noah's reaction. It was both practical and loving. I was both pleased and surprised with the story's ending.

The Duke's Disaster is an engaging read. I loved how the managing Duke and his Lady learned to trust each other as they fell in love as their family and friends watched. If you have not read any of the authors works, please note that this is a stand alone novel and can be read and enjoyed on it's own. 

Grace  Burrowes's The Duke's Disaster is on my keeper shelf.

Reviewed by Susan Gorman

ARC provided by Sourcebooks.