Tuesday, June 28, 2016

How the Duke Was Won by Lenora Bell

How the Duke Was Won
The unacknowledged daughter of a wealthy earl, Charlene Beckett assists her mother managing a debt-ridden bawdy house and watches over her young and innocent half-sister. When Charlene is offered a large sum of money able to raise her family out of debt and on the path to a respectable life, she must pose as her legitimate half-sister, Lady Dorothea, and compete for the hand of a duke. James, the Duke of Harland, invites four of London society's most proper ladies to be considered for his wife. James is looking for a simple business arrangement, one that will recover his tattered reputation, but he is drawn to Lady Dorothea, despite her displaying the mos risqué behavior. Likewise, Charlene falls hard for the duke and debates giving up her charade and the money that goes with it to disclose her true identity.

Verdict Bell's talented debut is full of characters whose antics, from the clever to the ridiculous, will have readers laughing out loud. Charlene is smart and tough and easily steals the show with her gutsy nonconformity. Regency romance fans will delight in this expert start to a fun new series.

This review was originally published in Library Journal Xpress Reviews: Fiction, April 14, 2016.