Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Intriguing story about two people from very different backgrounds. Declan recently inherited the dukedom and feels he's done little but solve other people's problems. The latest issue is his mother's and aunt's claim that his cousin Cedric is about to disgrace the family by marrying an unsuitable woman.
Grace is the illegitimate daughter of an earl and a Chinese woman. She and her sister were recently found by the earl and brought to England. Grace knows she needs to make a good marriage to protect herself and her sister.
Grace was a fascinating woman. She disguised herself as a boy in her early life and became a ship's navigator. But when revealed to be a woman, she returned to the temple orphanage where she was raised, where her father found her. She knows Cedric only wants to marry her for her dowry, especially the ship, but she accepts its necessity. Unfortunately, being illegitimate and biracial makes acceptance into Society nearly impossible.
Declan initially agrees with the ladies that Grace is unsuitable as a wife for a man who will eventually be an earl. But his first meeting with Grace leaves him astounded and intrigued. In his attempts to convince Cedric to back off, he offers to introduce Grace to society so she can find a more suitable mate. He uses a pretend courtship to make her more appealing to other men.
But prejudice and pettiness complicate matters, and Declan becomes more and more protective of Grace. There were some terrific scenes during which he stood up for or protected her from harm. Declan is a man who never stops learning, and Grace's life fascinates him. I loved the respect he showed her knowledge and customs.
Grace is drawn to Declan even though she knows there is no way a duke can marry a woman like her. I liked her willingness to stand up for herself and her sister, and loved her self-defense scene. She is equally protective of Declan and is afraid of doing anything that could harm him, including believing they could have a future together.
The ending was fantastic. I loved Declan's "aha" moment and the awesome scene at Almack's. The epilogue was an excellent lead-in for Lucy's story - I can't wait to read it.
Grace is the illegitimate daughter of an earl and a Chinese woman. She and her sister were recently found by the earl and brought to England. Grace knows she needs to make a good marriage to protect herself and her sister.
Grace was a fascinating woman. She disguised herself as a boy in her early life and became a ship's navigator. But when revealed to be a woman, she returned to the temple orphanage where she was raised, where her father found her. She knows Cedric only wants to marry her for her dowry, especially the ship, but she accepts its necessity. Unfortunately, being illegitimate and biracial makes acceptance into Society nearly impossible.
Declan initially agrees with the ladies that Grace is unsuitable as a wife for a man who will eventually be an earl. But his first meeting with Grace leaves him astounded and intrigued. In his attempts to convince Cedric to back off, he offers to introduce Grace to society so she can find a more suitable mate. He uses a pretend courtship to make her more appealing to other men.
But prejudice and pettiness complicate matters, and Declan becomes more and more protective of Grace. There were some terrific scenes during which he stood up for or protected her from harm. Declan is a man who never stops learning, and Grace's life fascinates him. I loved the respect he showed her knowledge and customs.
Grace is drawn to Declan even though she knows there is no way a duke can marry a woman like her. I liked her willingness to stand up for herself and her sister, and loved her self-defense scene. She is equally protective of Declan and is afraid of doing anything that could harm him, including believing they could have a future together.
The ending was fantastic. I loved Declan's "aha" moment and the awesome scene at Almack's. The epilogue was an excellent lead-in for Lucy's story - I can't wait to read it.
