Much Ado About Dukes

July 11, 2022
Devon’s solid second Never a Wallflower Regency romance (after The Spinster and the Rake) unites a very proper duke with a progressive firebrand. Lady Beatrice Haven is pleased her cousin Margaret has found love, but she wishes that Margaret’s intended was anyone other than the brother of the infuriating Will Easton, Duke of Blackheath. Though they’ve never met, Beatrice has written to the unfeeling oaf many times urging him to help the less fortunate and progress the cause of equality for women—all with no response. For his part, Will has read all of Beatrice’s letters and secretly admires her fire. Thrown together by their lovestruck relatives, they’re both shocked to feel an instant attraction, and their relationship evolves from contention to tolerance to true friendship. When Beatrice learns that her uncle’s poor financial choices have left her penniless, Will proposes a marriage of convenience, assuring her that it will be a purely practical arrangement—but Beatrice’s growing feelings for Will threaten this plan. Beatrice’s devotion to helping others is admirable, and Will’s brooding interior monologue will make readers swoon. This fast-paced, socially conscious romance keeps the series going strong. Agent: Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyon Literary.

July 1, 2022

In Devon's second "Never a Wallflower" Regency romance (following The Spinster and the Rake), the Duke of Blackheath does not want to marry, and neither does Lady Beatrice Haven. She is far too busy campaigning for the rights of women, and she particularly dislikes Blackheath, who never responds to her pamphlets and letters. When they meet, because they are about to become in-laws, perceptions and ideas shift. Slowly the two become something close to colleagues, and when Beatrice's world collapses, his offer of marriage seems a smart solution. Devon sprinkles in nods to Shakespeare's play, but her central focus is the way the couple think and feel about the world they live in and about each other. The point of view shifts often, allowing both to reflect on their encounters. While that helps Devon make her points about respect and equality, the effect is often to slow the pace and repeat events. VERDICT Though she is not as big a name as Sarah MacLean or Evie Dunmore, Devon is writing in the same space. She is particularly good when detailing the interactions of the secondary characters and building to an ending readers will adore.--Neal Wyatt

Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2022
A fiery bluestocking and an emotionally detached duke clash in a historical romance. Lady Beatrice's cousin, Margaret, is engaged to Lord Christopher, known as Kit. Beatrice is not thrilled because this means she will now be related by marriage to Kit's odious brother, William Easton, the Duke of Blackheath. It's not just Blackheath; fiery women's rights advocate Beatrice has come to loathe all dukes, finding them generally pompous and arrogant. By contrast, Blackheath admires Beatrice's passion for her various causes but does not wish to form romantic attachments with anyone. They have several tense encounters, including one night at a production of Much Ado About Nothing, which ensures that neither can get the other out of their head. They become friends but remain determined not to marry until Beatrice's uncle and guardian announces he has lost his fortune--and the money her parents left her--to some bad investments. This means Beatrice's only option is to do something that goes against her principles--sacrifice her independence and marry for stability. When she tells this to Will, he spontaneously proposes but insists they be friends and allies, not lovers. Beatrice reluctantly agrees. But will their marriage turn out to be a love match after all? Will's determination to remain a bachelor is a little puzzling, given that dukes mostly exist to make more dukes. He has two brothers to pass the title to, but he doesn't really have a reason for not wanting to marry besides that he thinks being emotionally detached is a better way to live. There's a sense that being a duke is bad--neither of Will's brothers wants the title--but it's hard to have much sympathy for the plight of a wealthy, powerful man. A more compelling reason for avoiding wedlock would have made Will a more fully realized character. Will and Beatrice clash, mostly arguing about politics, but it's clear almost from the first page that they are made for each other, with similar political opinions and having read many of the same books. He doesn't act pompously, despite Beatrice's first impression, but is instead considerate of everyone around him, if sometimes blind to his own privilege. The plot is predictable, but the chemistry and sexual tension between Beatrice and Will are off the charts, and watching them spar is fun. A hot, entertaining romance.

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