Historical
Brides of Fortune: Book 1, Confessions of a Duchess
By Chris
Jun 1, 2009 - 4:09:26 PM

Laura, the Dowager Duchess of Cole, has finally settled into a quiet life in Fortune’s Folly.  A loveless marriage behind her, Laura is ready to focus on living in peaceable “never-gonna-get-married-again” bliss.  That is, of course, until the village squire decides to reinstate a medieval Dames’ Tax allowing him to claim half the fortunes of every unmarried woman in town.  So, for Fortune’s women, it’s either pay the tithe or marry within the year, in which case whole fortunes would go to the husbands.  And as if on cue, thanks to the reenacted ancient law, Fortune is besieged by gold-digging would-be paramours.

Among the hungry fortune hunters setting up camp is government agent, Dexter Anstruther.  Four years ago, Laura and Dexter shared one idyllic night of unbridled love-making, the likes of which both continue to fantasize.  With Laura so close and unknowingly reigniting his most secret sexual fantasies, Dexter undoubtedly finds it difficult to (a) solve a murder case, and (b) find and marry a rich, biddable heiress (all the things Laura is not).  As for Laura... despite her emotions going haywire whenever Dexter’s near, his presence risks her long hidden secrets surfacing sooner than later.  

Nicola Cornick gives stellar “pen” with the first installment of her Brides of Fortune series.  CONFESSIONS OF A DUCHESS is a refreshingly hilarious romance, edged with a cunning witticism, sharp intrigue, and the eroticism of an uber-passionate dream.  Steamy love scenes will thoroughly satiate, to be sure.  But the most striking is each character’s journey from point A to B, and the ripe, offhanded humor with which the characters offset Life’s severity.  

Conversations between our hero and heroine are engaging and oft-times perforated with such a deep, resonating longing that despite their intellectual dislike of one another, the reader suffers alongside them during their “I’ll-die-if-I-can’t-have-you-NOW!” bouts.  The romantic build-up of sexual pressure is a wondrous thing, and Ms. Cornick handles it with ease.  Case in point, Dexter and Laura’s first meeting after she dumped him four years prior.  One can imagine the shock of unexpectedly seeing an ex-, one might even be able to imagine saving your ex’s life from an overturned boat and carrying the dowager duchess... Oops, carrying your ex- to safety.  But none of your wildest dreams would ever have you humiliating yourself in front of your ex- by carrying said dowager duchess to safety with a visually staggering “arousal” for all to see.  Poor Dexter, but this scene alone is worth the price of the book!  

Another huge favorite is Dexter’s point of view.  Not so much because he’s beautiful with a noble soul, aristocratic breeding, and the swagger of a complete cad, but because he obsesses over Laura as much as she does him.  It gives every female reader justification for that post-first date daydream, where their china’s picked out and their children named.  

Without a doubt, readers of all genres will fall in love with CONFESSIONS OF A DUCHESS.  This belongs in the “must read” pile.

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