What a Difference a Duke Makes

Starred review from January 22, 2018
When Mari Perkins, the heroine of this excellent introduction to Bell’s Victorian-era School of Dukes series, arrives in London, she has two goals: find out about her parentage and secure a job. Edgar Rochester, Duke of Banksford, knows he shouldn’t hire the unorthodox spitfire as a nanny. Her beauty alone is too much of a temptation, and he refuses to mimic his father’s behavior of assaulting the help. But when she charms his staff, his sister, and more importantly, his twins—Michel and Adele, who have scared away every other governess—he agrees to give her a trial period. A working man himself (in the burgeoning steam engine field) despite his rank, he appreciates her determination to make it on her own, and her intelligence and wit amplify the beauty he tries so hard to resist. Mari is just as drawn to Edgar, and his softer side and interactions with the children blur the lines between their statuses. The chemistry between the two is spectacular. The many references to Jane Eyre are more entertaining Easter eggs than homage; Bell (the Disgraceful Dukes series) makes this her own story, piling on plenty of witty dialogue, unconventional characters, and hints of mystery to leave readers both satisfied and eager for the next in the series. Agent: Alexandra Machinist, ICM.

February 1, 2018
A charming governess is hired to tame a duke's children, but he needs her lessons more than they do.After arriving 15 minutes late to an interview at Mrs. Trilby's Agency for Superior Governesses and losing her chance at a job, Miss Mari Perkins is desperate--desperate enough to lie to a duke whose children have chased away four governesses in two months, as she learns by eavesdropping. Scared of returning to the awful orphanage she grew up in, she heads to the house of Edgar Rochester, Duke of Banksford, and presents herself as the new governess for his twins. Her ruse works, although she must "bluster her way" into the position. The preoccupied duke is also desperate, needing a governess who can keep up with Michel and Adele, the recently-discovered products of his youthful affair with a poetess. He is instantly infatuated with Mari, although his disgust with his late father's habits of taking liberties with servants causes him to try to put distance between them right away. Mari wants to stay away from Edgar as well, as she's eager for time to investigate the truth about her own parents before her subterfuge is discovered, but she's continually distracted by her longing for the rigid duke, and it's not long before they're in each other's arms. In the first entry in her new School for Dukes series, Bell (Blame It on the Duke, 2017, etc.) reimagines the story of Mary Poppins for the Regency era, with delightful results that go beyond the typical fairy tale. In portraying society's reaction to Mari and her charges, Bell offers a heartbreaking look at the cruelties that faced orphans and bastards, making Edgar's attempts to protect the three of them all the more meaningful. Several steamy scenes--including a memorable one in the duke's office--add passion to the otherwise sweet family story. Edgar's unconventional sister, Lady India, steals many of the scenes in which she appears, and readers will be happy to discover she's the star of the next School for Dukes book.A supercalifragilisticexpialidocious start to a new Regency series.

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April 15, 2018

Orphaned and raised in a charity school, Mari Perkins is desperate to find work as a governess. When she overhears that Edgar Rochester, Duke of Banksford, is looking for someone to tend to his nine-year-old twins--never mind that he's lost four governesses in the last two months--Mari heads for his townhouse in Grosvenor Square. Despite reservations--Mari is too small, too cheerful, and far too pretty--Edgar agrees to give her a try and is amazed when she succeeds, simply enchanting the children. The problem is that she's beginning to enchant him, too, and that just won't do. An energetic and outspoken heroine, a gruff, physically imposing hero, and inventive twins who quickly steal one's heart drive the plot of this hard-to-put-down romp. Steam engine and railway details are a fascinating bonus. VERDICT Sassy dialog, breathtaking chemistry, and a healthy dollop of hilarity result in a Mary Poppins-like success that takes the classic governess tale to a new level. Great fun! Bell (Blame It on the Duke) lives in Portland, OR.

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