The last thing Jenny Bamber expected when she became Susan Parsons’ maid was to become her closest friend and support her scandalous secret romance. One fateful night, when Susan attends a ball, a letter arrives from her lost love. Jenny knows that the only way to stop her lady from making a terrible mistake is to risk it all and go to the ball herself. Trying to sneak in without being … recognised, she catches the eye of a tempting Duke, who thinks she is a proper Lady. What kind of games will fate play?
Benjamin Dowding, the Duke of Beaufort, was never fond of balls. He is sick of society events, and all the ladies trying to impress him. Up until he sees a dashing lady…one that he has never seen before; a lady so smart and alluring, that he is willing to gamble his empire on her love. But the elusive Miss Jenny Burton proves harder to catch than he imagined. Who is this mysterious Lady, and why is there so much darkness around her? Will he eventually find the key to unlock her heart?
A risky game, a fateful attraction, and a masquerade that blurs the lines between two classes. An unorthodox match that wouldn’t exist in the first place if it wasn’t for the unexpected game of fate. Will Jenny and Benjamin manage to defy everything and make their two worlds one? Or will this romance be doomed forever?
“How to Fool a Dashing Duke” is a historical romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.
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Pretending to be a Lady. What could go wrong?
Jenny Banner crashed a ball in order to get a letter to her boss, Lady Susan Parsons, from the man she loves before she becomes betrothed to a man she doesn’t love. Benjamin Dowding, the Duke of Beaufort, briefly meets Jenny at the ball and believes that Jenny, who is dressed in some of her boss’s finest clothes, is truly a member of the ton. And he is instantly enchanted with her. Jenny is also attracted to Benjamin but instead of telling him the truth, with Susan’s help, she continues the charade.
I really enjoyed the various subplots in the storyline and enjoyed the way Ms. Harding had them seeminglessly intertwined them in this book. I really liked Jenny and I wanted to reach in the book to try to shake some sense into her. Obviously, I couldn’t and I kept reading and getting more involved in the book. By the end of the book, I was emotionally drained.
I highly recommend this book. But be warned, this book just might take you on a emotional rollercoaster like it did me.
I received an ARC of this book from the author. My review is voluntary and honest.
Excellent and Enjoyable Reading from Henrietta Harding!
I just finished reading How to Fool a Dashing Duke: A Historical Regency Romance by Henrietta Harding. This is a fast read and a totally delightful Regency tale very reminiscent of Cinderella. With some unusual circumstances, a lovely lady’s maid and a handsome Duke fall in Love and have some secrets and circumstances to overcome. There is a side romance too with the secondary characters which adds to the fun. Read this story to find out if true love prevails! There are a few spicy scenes which adds to the fun and flavor of the story. Highly recommended!
A simple maid, a dashing duke, a little sex
An original plot. A personal maid who is pretending to be a lady. Her boss is enabling her to keep up the fiction. What can go wrong? Take the challenge; read this quick, simple story.
I received a free ARC and own the book.
A lady’s maid goes beyond duty to save her mistress from a miserable fate. Unwillingly she attracts the attention of a duke. He goes through hoops to get to know her. When he finds out what her true station in life is, he feels angry and betrayed. This is a simple story. Not enough depth for me but others may find it charming.
She is a lady’s maid who goes to a ball to save her lady from something and attracts the attention of a Duke. They have a strong attraction for each other. But it just isn’t done to cross class lines. What do they do? Exciting, twists and turns, emotions and much more. I recommend it. I received a review copy and voluntarily review it.
A great story with characters that were created with such great detail and depth made this book a very delightful read!