Victoria Carson never expected love. An American heiress and
graduate of Lady Grantham's finishing school, she's been groomed since birth to
marry an English title—the grander the better. So when the man chosen for her,
the forbidding Earl of Dunnley, seems to hate her on sight, she understands
that it can't matter. Love can have no place in this arrangement.
Andrew Hargrave has little use for his title and even less
for his cold, disinterested parents. Determined to make his own way, he's
devoted to his life in Italy working as an archaeologist. Until the collapse of
his family's fortune drags him back to England to a marriage he never wanted
and a woman he doesn't care to know.
Wild attraction is an unwanted complication for them both,
though it forms the most fragile of bonds. Their marriage of convenience isn't
so intolerable after all—but it may not be enough when the deception that bound
them is finally revealed.
Book one of The Grantham Girls
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She cleared
her throat and leaned forward to set her untouched sherry on the table, but his
hand shot out to close around her wrist. Her breath stalled as he slid his
fingers down to cover hers, gently plucking the glass from her hand. He set it
down for her, and his own as well, but he didn’t lean back. The scent of his
bay rum tickled her nose, and she was close enough to see the faint dark
stubble beginning to form on his jaw. Surely, this close to her, he could hear
her heart pounding.
His hand
found her wrist again and he traced his way up to her elbow, curling his
fingers around her upper arm. She burned everywhere he touched. She should get
up and leave. His intentions were clear and the longer she sat here, the more
awkward it would become. The moment for decision was past as he slid his hand
back into her hair, holding her head gently between his palms. She wanted to
push him away and flee, but she couldn’t seem to make herself move, not when he
was so close, staring into her eyes this way.
“Victoria,
we’ve had a bad start, you and I.” His thumb caressed her cheekbone and slowly,
inexorably, he drew her face closer to his. “I’m not returning to Italy this
summer. I’m staying here. And I’d like us to start again. As a real husband and wife.”
She was
stunned into silence, absorbing his words. Staying. Invading. This was her
place and he was forcing his way into it, asking her for the impossible.
The
implications of it were still reverberating in her heart when he caught her off
guard and kissed her. The shock of it all made her slow to respond, and she
didn’t push him away when she should have. She held still long enough to notice
how different this was from the other kisses they shared. He wasn’t drunk,
there was no anger. This wasn’t a kiss to punish, this was a kiss to seduce—
And that was
when she finally found the wherewithal to move.
“No, please
don’t.”
A Duchess in name by Amanda Weaver
is an historical romance novel set during the Industrial Revolution where rail
and sea travel was just as common and flight is today. This story introduced us
to Victoria Carson, an American heiress, who family had all the money they
could ever want for, but was missing the esteem title has they had moved from
New York to London. Oh what a joy it would be for her mother to finally be an
actual part of London’s High Society with the prestige that their money could
not even buy. On the other hand there is Andrew Connelly, Earl of Dunnely, who
has the title, the unconventional pedigree, whose parents lacked the coins,
business sense, and couth to sustain the family at their very basic of needs.
During one fateful hand and at the
place where gentlemen go to shoot the breeze, Victoria’s father makes her
mother’s dream come true by winning a man of great title for their American
princess to marry, Victoria. Now, little Miss Carson is all too thrilled,
because she sees this as an out from under the thumb of her social climbing
parents, but Andrew sees this as the worst thing that could have happened to
him, yet the best thing that could have happened for his sisters. You see, his
family is broke, his ‘dad’ is a drunk, and his mom is a THOT, so his newly
found wealth is only for the benefit of his sisters and he will be off to Italy
to continue his archaeological dig and his sweet thang that is waiting for him.
All that changes the minute he
sets eyes on Victoria and she in turn is all game because is hot.org. There is
an instant chemistry and the sparks are lighting up the sky. But then there is
another twist that send these two into oblivion...like for real into the middle
of nowhere and quickly the story goes from Victoria together forever with
Andrew to a story about Victoria an HGTV reality series about London
countryside fixer-uppers followed by Andrew and his archaeological dig and his
Italian love affair. Circumstances change and one thing leads to another or two
or three and bingo bango the truth finally comes out after nearly two years of
being married, and since this is a romance novel, which indicates a happily
ever after, Victoria and Andrew finally become each other’s everything.
Overall, I would rate this read 5-stars.
I mean, I thought about and could not think of any other rating that would fits
this incredible story. This novel was well-written, well-paced, and had a
certain realness unlike other historical romance novels you may encountered.
Even with the expected ending, the events that lead up to that beautiful
conclusion is worth me recommending that you run and read, A Duchess in Name,
because this is a good read that will not leave you disappointed.
About the Author
Amanda has loved
romance since she read that very first Kathleen E. Woodiwiss novel at fifteen.
After a long detour into a career as a costume designer in theatre, she’s found
her way back to romance, this time as a writer.
A native Floridian,
Amanda transplanted to New York City many years ago and now considers Brooklyn
home, along with her husband, daughter, two cats, and nowhere near enough
space.
I'm so glad you liked it! Thanks for reviewing!
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DeleteYou are so welcome! Thank you for sharing Victoria and Andrew's story!!!
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