A Wicked Bargain for the Duke

February 15, 2021
A marriage of convenience starts with a negotiation and delivers more than either party agreed to. Thaddeus Dutton, Duke of Hasford, doesn't want much. Just a woman who is "unassuming in looks and manner," "able to immediately handle her duties as his duchess," and, the last item on his list, able to "engage satisfactorily in sexual congress." As soon as he starts looking, he's already found her: Lady Jane Capel. The trouble is that her sister, Lady Lavinia, knows that Jane is already in love with another, so she inserts herself in their courtship. Lavinia herself is not set on marriage, preferring to devote herself to her secret career as a popular author. But when an accidental tumble lands them in a very comprising, very public position, Lavinia does succeed in keeping Thaddeus from marrying Jane, because she's soon married to him herself. Both spouses are reasonable and willing to bargain to make their marriage of convenience work, and they agree that once an heir is born, they will go their separate ways, as they are complete opposites. Their initial couplings are less than satisfactory for Lavinia, but she quickly sets Thaddeus straight, and they unlock a powerful chemistry. As they spend evenings together fulfilling their bargain, they come to realize they have much more in common than they thought and begin to privately fall for each other--but each fears they are the only one who wants to renegotiate their agreement. As in previous entries in Frampton's Hazards of Dukes series, Thaddeus and Lavinia's story is a charming combination of steamy, funny, and warmhearted. It's thrilling to read a romance heroine who's not afraid to directly say "I would like to have more fun doing it" and a hero who's not offended by the request but is, rather, happy to oblige. As in previous books, Frampton combines the best elements of classic Regency with contemporary touches. The story stands alone well enough, but fans of the first two books will be especially pleased. Frampton has written another historical romance that feels classic while also respecting the expectations of modern readers.

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April 1, 2021

When he unexpectedly inherits a title, Thaddeus, Duke of Hasford, decides he should take a wife--someone as serious and no-nonsense as himself. Lady Jane Capel seems like the type of demure woman he should marry, but her sensual, free-spirited sister Lavinia inexplicably stirs his lust. Lavinia, who secretly writes lurid romances, is taken with the handsome, dour duke. In an effort to stop Thaddeus from marrying her sister, who is in love with someone else, Lavinia accidentally ends up in a compromising situation with him. Forced to wed, Thaddeus and Lavinia agree to be emotionally distant and separate once Lavinia becomes pregnant with an heir. Despite enjoying a passionate marriage bed, neither can admit that they may want more from each other. VERDICT The protagonists can be annoyingly stubborn (an honest conversation would easily clear up the central conflict), but fans of Frampton and her detail-rich historicals will find themselves pleasantly transported.--Kathryn Howe, Saint John Free P.L., NB

Copyright 2021 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2021
Thaddeus Dutton, formerly a soldier in her majesty's army and now duke of Hasford, has never met a checklist he didn't love. At the top of Thaddeus' current to-do list is to find a suitable wife, and he thinks he has discovered the perfect candidate, sweet, shy Jane Capel. As the pseudonymous author Percy Wittlesford, Lavinia Capel also knows the value of good checklists, and rising to the top of her current to-do list is to find a way to keep Thaddeus Dutton from marrying her sister Jane, who is hopelessly in love with another man. However, Lavinia's plans to play third wheel between Thaddeus and Jane end up working so well that Lavinia unexpectedly finds herself engaged to the duke! In the latest in her Hazards of Dukes series, Frampton (Never Kiss a Duke, 2020) successfully merges her madly original storytelling skills and penchant for sizzlingly sensual love scenes with her delightfully tongue-in-cheek sense of humor to create a fabulously fun love story.

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