Lady Juliet Manchester has a secret that makes her uncomfortable around men.  Her attraction to William and the feelings generated by being around him make her extremely uneasy.  Therefore, she avoids him whenever possible.  However, Lady Juliet enjoys the twins and, disgruntled by the way William is raising his children, is determined to make him change his ways.

 

After being away from home for some time in London, the Duke of Severn receives word that his twin daughters are running wild.  Every governess leaves within a short period.  Therefore, William returns home to find his daughters bathing in the lake, nearly nude, with Lady Juliet.  At first, he mistakes Lady Juliet for the governess and tries to fire her.  However, after tempers cool and explanations are made, he apologizes.  Nevertheless, the twins notice that whenever their father is in the company of Lady Juliet, he is less gruff and even produces a rare smile.  Thus, they become a most unlikely pair of matchmakers.  Amid mishaps, confusion and misadventures, the twins try to bring together their father and Lady Juliet.  It doesn’t hurt that the duke is very attracted to Lady Juliet.  As for the lady herself, she has strong feelings for him.  However, her fear of men makes her reticent, even though she is not afraid to stand up to him when it comes to the children.  Could Lady Juliet be the deep abiding love he has been seeking?  Could he be the one to help her overcome her fear?

 

THE DREADFUL DUKE is a remarkable historical romance.  It was a pleasure to read a romance built on innocence for a change, without the blatant eroticism so often found in books.  The pranks that the twins try to pull off to bring the duke and Lady Juliet together were truly ingenious, even if they did backfire at times.  It was also a joy to see the duke develop from a callous, occasional figure in his children’s lives to a caring, loving father.  I recommend THE DREADFUL DUKE to those who enjoy historical romance stories without a lot of steam.

By Romance Junkies Reviewer: Dottie Click here to Buy this Book Now!   Romance Junkies Content Editor: Grace Romance Junkies Publishing Editor: Chrissy   Top of Page