Smitten by Books

All of London knows the Duke of Rutherford has position and wealth. They also whisper that he’s dissolute, devilish, and determinedly unwed. So why, everyone is asking, has he hired a governess?

When Miss Lily Russell crosses the threshold of the Duke of Rutherford’s stylish townhouse, she knows she has come face to face with sensual danger. For this is no doting papa. Rather, his behavior is scandalous, and his reputation rightly earned. And his pursuit of her is nearly irresistible—but resist she must for the sake of her pupil.

As for the duke himself, it was bad enough when his unknown child landed on his doorstep. Now Lily, with her unassuming beauty, has aroused his most wicked fantasies—and, shockingly, his desire to change his wanton ways. He’s determined to become worthy of her, and so he asks for her help in correcting his behavior. 

But Lily has a secret, one that, if it becomes known, could change everything…

First book in the Dukes Behaving Badly series.

In Frampton’s first book of the Dukes Behaving Badly series, I got a good dish of my favorite type of regency hero… a duke.

Thankfully, this duke is unconventional, as are the other main characters. From hero to heroine, not a single one is fit for the roles they’re thrust into. Yet, they attempt a marvelous job at following the rules, only to fail spectacularly. *claps hands*

The Duke of Rutherford, Marcus, was never supposed to be duke. In fact, he’s been thrown into the position and knows he’s failing horribly, even embarrassing the butler. When his young, illegitimate daughter is dropped on his doorstep, he finally has a purpose and a goal to provide for his daughter in ways his parents were never there for him (let’s just say he has some major daddy issues). Hence, hiring a governess.

Enter Lily Russell, with her unfortunate past, and lacking resume. She fudges the details a little, and quickly is enamored by not only the Duke but his daughter. I liked Lily, she’s got this spastic brain that flutters to random thoughts periodically and made it twice as much fun to be in her head. With random anecdotes and distractions, she’s a little ADD.

Frampton provides fast clip pacing with abrupt decision making, which worked well and ramped up the tension fast and furious. I enjoyed how the characters were always moving forward, less waffling and more decision making. It made turning the pages and moving to another chapter as exciting as an action movie. Several times I was surprised by the next scene. Frampton and her characters are anything, but predictable.

Finally, I have a soft spot for a certain secondary character—Lady Lucinda, who is a bit of an ally for our Duke on his forays into society. She’s spunky and very independent. I hope Frampton gives her a book of her own and hero worthy of her.

This is a good historical romance and I can’t wait for the next book in the series… which is Smithfield’s. In between there’s a novella coming out about Lily’s co-worker, Annabelle. I’ll be eagerly gobbling that one up too. For readers who enjoy Miranda Neville and Loretta Chase.

P.S. Watch out for Frampton because she’s going to explode in the Historical Romance category over the next few years. She’s got the chops to become a leader of the pack.

Reviewed by Landra
Heat Level: Hot