Ready.
Raised in the countryside by her overprotective uncle, Miss Mina Penny\’s dream of a triumphant London season is finally here. She determined her perfect match long ago: Rafe Bentley, the wickedest rake of them all. There\’s only one very large, very unyielding obstacle: Rafe\’s brother Andrew, the reclusive Duke of Thorndon.
Aim.
This was supposed to be simple. Duke goes to London. Duke selects suitable bride. Love match? Not a chance. But when Drew meets Mina, she complicates everything. How can a lady armed with such beauty and brains fall for his irresponsible degenerate of a brother? Drew vows to save her from heartbreak and ruin, no matter the cost.
Desire!
But Mina is no damsel in distress. She\’s daring, intuitive, passionate…and halfway to melting Drew\’s cold heart. And although Mina thought she knew exactly what she wanted, one breathtakingly seductive kiss from Drew changes everything. Now Mina must decide between long-held dreams and dangerous new desires. Could her true destiny lie in the arms of a duke?
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Release Date: Jul 23, 2019
Series: School for Dukes
Book: 3
Heat Level: Hot
Publisher: HarperCollins
Imprint: Avon Books
Price: $6.99
This book, in fact the entire series, puts me in mind of Shana Galen’s Lord and Lady Spy series.
The School For Dukes finale brought me much needed closure to part of the story left untold in the second book in the series. Don’t worry dear reader, those who have yet to read any of these books won’t find themselves lost if they start on book three, though I will say you will quickly want to go back and read the others.
This story, like the last, had far more action in it, which I absolutely adored. I love a book that combines my appreciation of romance and action, though it always seems even better if it’s set in a historical romance. Now, let’s not get this confused with suspense. I don’t need anxiety from kidnappings, etc. I just like fight sequences, and twists. This is what Bell offered.
I also fell for how alpha the heroine was. Mina Penny is brash, brave, and so many things. She’s also young and still learning. But, she’s fast to acknowledge when she might have a made a mistake. I like how she charged into situations and found the gumption to stand tall and fierce against them. Plus, it’s really nice when a heroine owns the moment of declaration. I don’t want to give away more details, but Mina is the epitome of strong woman.
The hero, Andrew, Duke of Thorndale, is swoon worthy. A big four swoonies for me. Andrew is more beta than alpha, a product of his past and desire for a quiet life.He’s not prone to adventures or acting out of a routine, but our heroine coaxes all manner of unexpected from him. And she drives him to distraction, ultimately, of course, the pair are better together than apart.
Bell leaves some possible tidbits for a new series. And if that holds true some very scientific ladies are going to take the Ton by storm. My only hiccups with the story involved the ending being a bit abrupt. The villain got too easy of a resolution and I wanted him to suffer a bit more. Overall, this is a nice summer read and good wrap to the series.
~ Landra
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