1849 . . . Matilda Sheldon, the middle daughter of the sixth Earl of Bisset, has never been interested in the fashionable society events that so preoccupy her parents and siblings. Her loving, albeit, daft family cannot understand why. But Matilda has little use for silly rules and dramas. She would rather occupy her time with a worthwhile cause such as opening The Sheldon Home for Orphans, much to the chagrin of her mother and grandmother. They are quite certain a venture of this nature will discourage suitors. Matilda is quite certain that if suitors are discouraged it is because she is clever, plain, a bit clumsy, and inevitably compared to her beautiful sisters.
The Duke of Thornsby is in tight spot. After receiving the title on the death of his father, he discovers the inheritance is to be gifted elsewhere if he does not marry before his thirtieth birthday. Unfortunately, our man-about-town is embroiled in a scandal, not of his own making, and the marriage mamas won’t let any eligible misses anywhere near him. What’s a Duke to do? Get invited to a house party hosted by the notoriously absent-minded Earl of Bisset, who just happens to be Papa to some young ladies of marriageable age!
Thornsby finds himself fascinated, not with the two Sheldon debutantes actively seeking a husband, but rather with the ‘brown wren’ he first mistakes for a servant. Matilda is counting the hours until the house party ends when the necessity of conversing with the guests will be over, and ridiculously handsome men go far away. Can a worldly Duke convince a sensible girl to accept his court? Find out in Charming the Duke.
Buy links:
Amazon
Buy links:
Amazon
Review by Melissa Snark:
Much like its title, CHARMING THE DUKE is a thoroughly charming historical romance. I have a weakness for Regency Romances, although this one may be slightly later than is typical, and I loved every single word. Holly Bush crafts quick, witty dialogue, constructs clever characters, and weaves an enchanting story. The heroine, Matilda, is quirky and smart, and I admired her independance in an era when women were encouraged to conform. The Duke of Thornsby is handsome and compelling but a bit distant. He bellows too often but his soft spot for orphans helped make him approachable. As I'm writing this, I'm realizing that I cannot actually recall Thornsby's first name. He's referred to as Thornsby throughout the story but I feel the title use was a bit overdone. I'd liked to have seen more use of his first name, at least for the reader's sake. Secondary characters are vibrant and interesting. I laughed at the exploits of the heroine's dingy sisters and mother. I also very much enjoyed the secondary romance of Athena and Andrew. This is a great story.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Holly will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.
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Holly will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Holly Bush was born in western Pennsylvania to two avid readers. There was not a room in her home that did not hold a full bookcase. She worked in the hospitality industry, owning a restaurant for twenty years. Holly has been a marketing consultant to start-up businesses and has done public speaking on the subject.
Holly has been writing all of her life and is a voracious reader of a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction, particularly political and historical works. She has written four romance novels, all set in the U.S. West in the mid 1800’s. She frequently attends writing conferences, and has always been a member of a writer’s group.
Holly is a gardener, a news junkie, and former vice-president of her local library board and loves to spend time near the ocean. She is the proud mother of two daughters and the wife of a man more than a few years her junior.
Links:
Twitter - @hollybushbooks
Excerpt:
