#Review: GIVE THE DEVIL HIS DUKE by Anna Bradley

 

3 of 5 stars

Giles Drew, the Duke of Basingstoke, the golden boy of Society, wants nothing more than to put an old family scandal to rest, and when he is betrothed to Lady Susannah Stanhope, he believes he's done everything he can to rectify that situation. That is until he rescues Francesca Stanhope from being stuck on an iron fence outside the Earl of Stanhope's townhome. Francesca is feisty, and Giles is bewildered when the young lady will not reveal her name. But Giles cannot forget those stunning blue eyes and is shocked when he finds out she's the cousin of his betrothed. Now he can't stop thinking about Francesca when he's supposed to be courting Susannah. Can he honor the contract to marry Susannah, or will he risk another scandal by jilting the young lady?

I absolutely loved Francesca. She was smart, independent, and outspoken. I especially enjoyed the scene where she refuses to dance with the duke. Francesca is trying to rectify a serious wrong done to her family and wants to confront her uncle (Susannah's father) about his lack of funds to support her and her ailing mother. Unfortunately, Lady Crump, Francesca's sponsor for the Season, has given Francesca a wardrobe of bright pink gowns--every gown is the same garish pink. There was no hiding with the wall flowers in that color, and when Giles makes an offhand comment about her dress resembling radishes, Francesca loses all hope of staying invisible until she can confront her uncle. The gossip sheets are having a field day with these two, and the old family scandal resurfaces. Giles was a less likable character, although I did like to see him humbled time after time by Francesco. He does redeem himself later on in the book when he puts aside his ducal airs.

Ms. Bradley does a good job of teasing out the details of what caused the scandal, and the plot moves along nicely. One important critical error in the story is that it is supposed to take place during the London Season, which starts in April and goes through June. In the middle of the story, suddenly it's November, and then it's back to the Season's spring timetable again. That was certainly a major error, in my opinion, and cost the author a star.

I voluntarily read the advanced reader copy, and all opinions are my own.