This was a surprising and sexy romance that hooked me from the moment I met the sexy Duke of Ellesmere, Thomas Eltham.

Far from being a rakish seducer, he sets out to rescue one of the local heiresses from a fate worse than death, when she is in danger of eloping with complete degenerate Herbert Paxton (who has not only ruined Thomas’ sister Jane, but has even darker secrets which will be revealed.

Thomas hurries to the scene of the assignation, and sends for her father and beefy male cousins to put on a show for them. He plans to pretend he is a friend of Herbert’s and party to the elopement, be caught in a kiss with her on the road, their names linked together, and she will be safe.

But he has fancied Charlotte ever since her coming out, and doesn’t count on the whirlwind of sensual passion he unleashes between them, nearly making love to her in the carriage until her family intervenes.

Charlotte is amazed–she thought she was in love with Herbert. How then can she desire this stranger so? As all of her family and their friends propel her down the aisle, she digs in her heels. Yet all the while, his body beckons hers, and her heart and head merge as Charlotte realizes that the Duke has saved her from the biggest mistake of her life.

We follow their rocky road to true love from first kiss, to sparring, without it just being pointless whining, to their marriage, (what a lovely wedding ceremony, and what a wedding night), to them both falling in love. The Duke’s dark family secrets finally come to light, which resolve any of her lingering doubts that Thomas truly loves her, and makes Charlotte see her husband for the great man he is at last. And not just because of his title.

This is a wonderful, sexy couple I was eager to follow all the way to the stunning conclusion of this first-rate Regency romance.