Series: Marriage of Convenience (Book 4)
When a duke denied . . .
The proud and arrogant Duke of Everingham is determined
to secure a marriage of convenience with heiress, Lady Georgiana Rutherford.
He's the biggest prize on the London marriage mart, pursued by young unmarried
ladies and their match-making mamas, as well as married women with a wandering
eye. He can have any woman he wants. Or so he thinks. . .
...Hunts an independent lady . . .
Lady Georgiana Rutherford--irreverent and
unconventional--has no plans to marry. Having grown up poor, Lady George has no
intention of giving up her fortune to become dependent on the dubious and
unreliable goodwill of a man. Especially a man as insufferable as the Duke of
Everingham, whose kisses stirs unwelcome and unsettling emotions . . .
...Sparks are sure to fly
The more she defies him, the more the duke wants her
until an argument at a ball spirals into a passionate embrace. Caught in a
compromising position, the duke announces their betrothal. George is furious
and when gossip claims she deliberately entrapped the duke--when she was the
one who was trapped--she marches down the aisle in a scarlet wedding dress. But
the unlikely bride and groom may have found love in the most improbable of
places--a marriage of convenience.
Very good book. Even though it is the fourth in the
series, it works fine as a stand-alone, with enough backstory provided so that
I wasn't lost. However, I will go back and read the earlier books because I
want the whole story. In the previous book, the Duke of Everingham was left at
the altar by Rose Rutherford when her first husband turned up alive. The duke is
in no hurry to try again, except for the fact that he is now the quarry of
every unmarried woman in London. He is appalled when his godmother suggests
Georgiana Rutherford, the niece of his former fiancée. That is until a close
encounter with her stirs his interest.
George has no interest in getting married and has made
that clear to the men who have pursued her. She is determined to maintain her independence
and live life on her own terms. George has an uphill battle in front of her as
she tries to convince her great-aunt that she is serious, especially when it
comes to the duke.
The duke, known to his friends as Hart, is wealthy and
arrogant. When he wants something, he succeeds in getting it. His first real
encounter with George is when he sees her riding her stallion and decides he
must have it. I laughed out loud at his stunned disbelief at her refusal. In-person
discussions aren't any more successful. However, it does succeed in arousing
his interest, as she is the only female he's encountered who doesn't bore him to
tears. With her stated interest in living in the country with her horses and
dogs, she would be perfect for him. He ignores her comments about not wanting
to marry anyone. In his experience, women always have hidden motives. He
doesn't believe that she's not interested in him - he's a duke! And rich!
The development of the relationship between George and
Hart is a tempestuous one. George doesn't like him at all at the beginning. She
thought he was a cold fish when he was engaged to Rose. His superior attitude
grates on her nerves, and George calls him out on it often. Hart wholeheartedly
believes that she is playing games with him, pretending disinterest when she
has every intention of accepting his suit. A spontaneous kiss shocks them both
with the feelings it stirs up. Hart is disturbed by his loss of control but is sure
that it is a temporary condition. George is just plain confused about why she
forgets everything else when he kisses her. Her discussion with her Aunt Dottie
about those feelings is a riot. Determined to have his way, Hart arranges a
situation that compromises her, thus trapping her into marriage. George is
rightfully furious and lets him know it. She's ready to stick to her guns until
a third party gets involved.
Having given her word, George is ready to move ahead. I
loved the part describing the marriage settlements and Hart getting a different
view of her. There is also a fantastic scene where George points out Hart's
hypocrisy in how he set her up. It was an eye-opening moment for him. I liked that
he was man enough to accept the truth and apologize for his actions. He still
had a bit of learning though, as it was George's reputation that suffered
because of them. It took a comment from a friend for Hart to realize what
George was going through, and he went all out to make up for it. George doesn't
exactly sit back and suffer in silence either. Though done in a moment of
temper and disgust, she makes a very bold decision regarding her wedding. Hart
won me over entirely with his support and understanding at the ceremony, and
with the stop they made between the wedding itself and the wedding breakfast.
After the wedding, Hart and George finally have some time
to truly get to know each other. There is still some push and pull as Hart adjusts
to George's way of doing things. There is a bit of trouble at the end involving
Hart's ward, who is briefly mentioned at the beginning. I liked how George and
Hart worked together and found a solution that worked for everyone. There was a
brief misunderstanding at the end that could have sent their marriage down the
wrong path. Fortunately, Hart was able to get past his pride and tell George
how he felt. I loved seeing everyone together in the epilogue.
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