The Courtesan Duchess

This witty Regency romance is a delightful audiobook. Eight years into an arranged marriage neither of them wanted, Julia is determined to track down her estranged husband and pretend to be a courtesan to seduce him so that she can provide an heir and secure her future at his family's estate. The story is full of quick-witted banter between the characters, and narrator Carmen Rose delivers it well as the sparks fly between Nick and Julia. Rose makes Nick and Julia relatable and likable despite their various missteps and misunderstandings. Her narration creates empathetic characters and adds depth to the story. A fun listen for those looking for something full of secrets and trickery. S.B.T. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine

February 2, 2015
Shupe’s heartfelt debut opens the Wicked Deception series, a Regency trilogy featuring fearless heroines. Julia, the Duchess of Colton, disguises herself as Juliet Leighton, a well-known London courtesan, and travels to Venice to see the husband who abandoned her following their wedding eight years earlier. She believes that the only way to avoid financial ruin is to produce an heir, even if that means duplicitously seducing her own husband. Julia is tenacious and determined, and entirely unprepared to actually like her husband, Nick, whose caring nature seems at odds with his unwillingness to face his responsibilities to her. After learning that “Juliet” is his wife, Nick struggles to reconcile his anger over Julia’s deception with his continued desire for her. Romantic tension heightens the intensity of the sensuous love scenes, as the two struggle to mend their fractured relationship. This original and alluring novel is a very promising beginning to Shupe’s career. Agent: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency.