Rules to Catch a Devilish Duke

Starred review from October 15, 2012
The clock is ticking for Adam Baswich, duke of Greaves. According to his father's will, he must marry by age 30 and be a father by 31, or all family holdings go to his nefarious, money-grabbing sister, Eustace, for her 12-year-old son. So Adam invites a group of eligible women to his estate for a holiday party. Sophia White, illegitimate daughter of the Duke of Hennessey, who loves working in Lady Haybury's Tantalus Club, has been given an edict by her father: marry a vicar of his choosing, or he'll close the club and send her friends into financial ruin. Said vicar intends to use Sophia as the perfect (or imperfect) example of a fallen woman and let his congregation practice their prayer for sinners on her. So when Sophia is summoned to attend Adam's house party, not as one of the wife candidates but as a favor to a mutual friend, she jumps at the chance. This welcome addition to the Scandalous Brides series (A Beginner's Guide to Rakes, 2011; Taming an Impossible Rogue, 2012) is quintessential Enoch, full of well-drawn characters, witty dialogue, and lots of intrigue.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)