What to Do With a Duke

Narrator Beverley A. Crick perfectly balances the delightfully absurd humor and touching emotional connections that make this first Spinster House novel such a delight. She gives magic to the unlikely romance between Marcus, the Duke of Hart--a man under a centuries-old curse that will kill him as soon as he falls in love--and Miss Isabelle Hutting, the bookish young lady who rents the notorious Spinster House on his property. Marcus's cynical humor and Isabelle's headstrong independence translate perfectly, and their thoughts provide a perfect counterpoint to their repartée. Though Crick stumbles over the accents of several secondary characters, the rest of the cast is as lively as the protagonists, making this a treat for listeners. B.E.K. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine

August 3, 2015
MacKenzie (Naked Nobility) dresses up this fun series launch—half fairy tale, half sitcom—in historical garb without any pretense of detailed authenticity. In 1617, merchant’s daughter Isabella dallies out of wedlock with Marcus, the third Duke of Hart. He does not marry her, and she curses his heirs to premature death unless they marry for love. Successive dukes, apparently strangers to Cupid, die young. Another Marcus, the Regency-era Duke of Hart, fears his inevitable demise until he meets another Isabelle, a vicar’s daughter. Her sole ambition is to get into the Spinster House, an establishment the duchy maintains (complete with bylaws), also in accordance with the improbably detailed curse. With so much celibacy around, it’s inevitable that lust will set in, but will this Marcus and Isabelle get the love part right? Mischievous children and a mysterious feline provide warm, chaotic touches amid the mannered structure. Agent: Jessica Faust, BookEnds.