In New York Times bestselling author Marie Force's dazzling historical romance debut, the clock is ticking for a wealthy Duke who must marry by his thirtieth birthday—or lose his title . . .
Derek Eagan, the dashing Duke of Westwood, is well aware of his looming deadline. But weary of tiresome debutantes, he seeks a respite at his country home in Essex—and encounters a man digging on his property. Except he's not a man. He's a very lovely woman. Who suddenly faints at his feet.
Catherine McCabe's disdain for the aristocracy has already led her to flee an arranged marriage with a boorish Viscount. The last thing she wants is to be waylaid in a Duke's home. Yet, she is compelled to stay by the handsome, thoughtful man who introduces himself as the Duke's estate manager.
Derek realizes two things immediately: he is captivated by her delicate beauty, and to figure out what she was up to, Catherine must not know he is the Duke. But as they fall passionately in love, Derek's lie spins out of control. Will their bond survive his deception, not to mention the scorned Viscount's pursuit? Most important, can Catherine fall in love all over again—this time with the Duke?
Praise for Marie Force
"Genuine and heartfelt. . . . Will have you swooning."
—RT Book Reviews on It's Only Love, 4.5 stars
An Official Military Spouse Book Club Pick
-
Creators
-
Series
-
Publisher
-
Release date
January 29, 2019 -
Formats
-
Kindle Book
-
OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9781420147865
-
EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9781420147865
- File size: 2550 KB
-
-
Languages
- English
-
Reviews
-
Kirkus
January 1, 2019
On the eve of his 30th birthday, Derek Eagen, the Duke of Westwood, having failed to find a wife, is prepared to lose his title and land. Then he meets, falls for, and weds Catherine McCabe without disclosing his status as an aristocrat. Will mistaken identity drive them apart before their love story even begins?When Derek meets Catherine for the first time, she's dressed in men's clothing and digging for something on his property. When he confronts her, she faints, and Derek nurses her back to health. When she wakes up, she confesses that she is looking for a key her grandmother buried years ago--and mentions that she distrusts the aristocracy. In order to learn more about her, the duke pretends to be his own estate manager and offers to help her find her grandmother's key. He learns that she has run away from her family, which, having recently ascended to the ranks of the aristocracy upon the death of her father's older brother and nephew, has promised her hand to a viscount 30 years her senior. Derek and Catherine quickly fall in love and are married just a few days before the duke's 30th birthday--his deadline to find a wife or forfeit his title. When Catherine finds out that she's been tricked into marrying a member of the gentry, she finds his dishonesty unforgivable. A side story involving Catherine's sister, a flu epidemic, and a death scare are among the things that keep the story moving, though each problem is solved so quickly and/or easily that readers might struggle to maintain interest. The sex is plentiful if somewhat inconsistent, including an encounter that happens in spite of a pretty clear lack of consent.Insta-love, a contrived plot, and florid dialogue might leave all but Force's (Fatal Invasion, 2018, etc.) hardcore fans wanting.COPYRIGHT(2019) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
-
Booklist
January 1, 2019
Force begins her Gilded series with Derek Eagan, Duke of Westwood, who can't stand one more day in London for the 1902 season, where he is supposed to find a suitable wife among the too-young and too-shallow girls seeking a titled husband. Even though it may cost him his title and wealth, he flees back to his country home, where he finds someone digging around on his property. Disguised as a boy, Catherine McCabe, a commoner whose life has been turned upside down by her father unexpectedly inheriting a title, is trying to escape the horrible, predatory fianc� she has been promised to by finding a key her grandmother buried decades ago. Realizing that she is ill, Derek offers her shelter, pretending to be Jack, his estate manager. A vividly described, deeply erotic romance ensues, but can a relationship based on deception ever succeed? As mysteries are gradually solved, multiple relationships are sorted out.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)
-
Formats
- Kindle Book
- OverDrive Read
- EPUB ebook
subjects
Languages
- English
Loading
Why is availability limited?
×Availability can change throughout the month based on the library's budget. You can still place a hold on the title, and your hold will be automatically filled as soon as the title is available again.
The Kindle Book format for this title is not supported on:
×Read-along ebook
×The OverDrive Read format of this ebook has professional narration that plays while you read in your browser. Learn more here.