All she wants is to be a Lady. All he wants is an honest wife. After escaping to the garden for a reprieve from the stuffy ballroom, Miss Evelyn Trainor bumps into a handsome stranger through a hedge. When he boldly requests an introduction, she lies and tells him a fake name, Lady Eve, positive she’ll never see him again. But when she returns to the country for Christmas and finds her handsome … and finds her handsome stranger—the Duke of Alverton—has moved in next door for the holidays, she does what she must to guard her secret. For he has declared the importance of titles and cannot find out she is a commoner.
The Duke of Alverton has been taught one thing his entire life: rank matters above all else. Having recently inherited the dukedom, he is overcome by the inundation of matchmaking mamas and escapes to the country for Christmas.
When he arrives in the country and finds the woman from the ball who not only intrigues him, but carries the rank of Lady, he knows he has found his future wife.
Book 5 in the Belles of Christmas series, A Duke for Lady Eve is a standalone Regency holiday romance. The series can be enjoyed in any order:
Unmasking Lady Caroline by Mindy Burbridge Strunk, Book 1
Goodwill for the Gentleman by Martha Keyes, Book 2
The Earl’s Mistletoe Match by Ashtyn Newbold, Book 3
Nine Ladies Dancing by Deborah M. Hathaway, Book 4
more
A Duke for Lady Eve was an enjoyable Regency romance that kept me entertained with its fresh plot and well written story-line. Evelyn Trainor has always dreamed of what her life would be like if she had instead been born “Lady Eve”. When a chance encounter with a Duke allows her a moment of pretend, she claims to be the lady of her day dreams thinking she’ll never see the Duke again. Duke Alverton is tired of the women chasing his title and done with the ladies of the ton. When he dances with Lady Eve he is completely refreshed at her openness and in many ways her resistance to him. When fate throws the two together again and again, Evelyn must confess to Alverton who she really is, breaking both their hearts in the process. What I enjoyed most in this story was that Evelyn didn’t just believe Alverton’s feelings and in her sincerity she really thought herself unsuitable to the Duke. This made the growth and changes in Alverton more believable and him more of a champion for recognizing it was those very things that made Evelyn a true Lady. The story has great side characters, but there were almost too many that I wanted each of their backstories and it became a little distracting or too much for each character to have a proper place. Overall I really enjoyed this novel and would recommend it.
Evelyn has been forced to endure the season by her well-meaning father and Aunt and thankfully she has made it to the last ball, a masquerade. Duke Alverton is escaping from his mother and all the other interfering women in his family who are obsessed with marrying him off when he hears a beautiful voice singing – Lady Eve. This chance meeting touches both of them but can Duke Alverton work out who she is and can they work their way through all the obstacles?
I did not want to put this book down! I was totally hooked and pulled into this story. I definitely recommend it – just be prepared for a late night and to ignore the world around you!
I received a free review copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review
Loved the story, the pacing was great, the characters wonderful, and twists were so much fun!
I love the growth both characters show in this story… and the obvious love the Trainor siblings show one another.