The Good, The Bad, and The Duke
The Cavensham Heiresses Series - Book 4
By Janna MacGregor
St Martin's - December 2018
Historical Romance
Lady Daphne Hallworth knew she wasn't foremost in the thoughts of her family. Her brother was married with children. Her mother had even remarried. However, she never expected to simply be overlooked and left alone in London for Christmas. Oh, she quickly figured out that Alex thought she was with her mother and vice versa, but the pain of being forgotten couldn't be ignored. She could of course either get word to her family or travel there, but she decided that it was time she take control of her own life. She was of an age that she was being considered on the shelf, and she had a passionate desire for a charity. She would use this time as an opportunity.
Paul Barstowe, Duke of Southart, had made a complete disaster of his life. His actions had left him with one friend. He was considered a rake and scoundrel by everyone else. He was determined to try to make amends and put that life behind him. His biggest project was to open a hospital treating rheumatic fever, which had taken his brother and given him the title. In order to do this, he needed his peers to see him in a different light. Unfortunately, his father kept reaching out from the grave to humiliate him by reminding him of his past misdeeds.
As he was attempting to pay off another debt his father had forwarded to him after death, Paul happened to see Daphne in a place no lady should be. She had been out with her journal and it had been stolen. Inside, mere words could create pain and scandal and she was determined to find it. Paul was even more determined to protect Daphne. They made an arrangement, he would help her regain her journal, and she would reciprocate by helping him make amends with her brother. Soon, Paul doesn't just want to rekindle friendship with Alex just to fix past mistakes, but so that he could pursue Daphne as his own.
Who could ever have expected that the not quite a villain Paul Barstowe would become the perfect hero in The Good, The Bad, And The Duke? Paul was mostly alone in life, and each attempt at reaching out to Alex was quickly rebuffed. He is well aware that he should make Daphne contact her family when he learns that she is alone in London, but he had always had a soft spot for her and wanted to make her happy. Daphne is a strong heroine who loves fiercely, and was still hurting after the death of her sister. Her determination to help other young ladies in similar situations, pregnant while unmarried, was remarkable. She realized the potential consequences of helping such women, but considered it worth the risk if she could help even just one woman when she hadn't been able to help her sister. A commendable heroine, although her headstrong tendencies had the potential to cause disaster even greater than being their patron. Poignant, touching, and full of emotion, The Good, The Bad, And The Duke was a wonderful read for the holidays.
Kathy Andrico - KathysReviewCorner.com
FTC Disclaimer: I did receive a copy for review. However, this website only posts "good" reviews. If I cannot post a positive review, I notify whoever has provided me with the book/ARC/ebook.