Review: The Unworthy Duke

Title: The Unworthy Duke

Author: Charlotte Anne

Publisher: 29th September 2021 by MIRA - Harlequin Australia

Pages: 336 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: historical fiction, romance, regency

My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

Witty, passionate and fast-paced, this sparkling debut Regency romance is a must-read for any fan of Georgette Heyer.

She's running from her past; he's hiding from his.

Miss Ellen Burney doesn't have a penny to her name. Determined to escape scandal, she flees to London and becomes Miss Smith: spinster and lady's companion. London offers security in anonymity. So long as Ellen can rein in her overactive imagination and become the perfect picture of propriety.

Calum Callaghan spent ten years in the Royal Navy fighting Napoleon and has the scars to prove it. Now he's a duke, but all of London thinks he murdered his brother. Heartbroken and battle weary, he's locked himself away for four long years, a prisoner in his own townhouse.

That is, until Cal's grandmother comes to stay with him for the London Season, her new lady's companion in tow. A lady's companion with a passion for life and love that can hardly be contained by even the most spinsterish of lace caps. She's fooling nobody, especially not this grumpy duke.

My Thoughts

‘From this moment on she was going to start making her own choices. And they would be choices based purely on her own thoughts and feelings and conscience, regardless of what anyone else thought.’

Charlotte Anne’s debut,  The Unworthy Duke is an absolute romp from start to finish. What fun! Who doesn’t love a great Beauty and the Beast adaptation! Sign me up but purists beware - this is fun, more contemporary and not your classic regency tale. 

Charlotte so cleverly brings together humour and emotion in this wonderfully written historical romance. It is such a fun story with lots of laughs along the way to their expected HEA. The lead characters are great with a supporting cast that will keep you turning the pages right to the very end. They are all so delightful. Ellen makes for such a brilliant feisty heroine, whilst Calum brings the brooding, reluctant and somewhat grumpy Duke. What’s not to love?

Regency fans rejoice! This was a fantastic read - perfect for those in between, lighter literary needs - filled with humour, steam and requisite angst to come together in creating a real page-turner. I loved it and highly recommend allocating some downtime to escape to another time and place.

‘There was a smudge of dirt on her cheek as though she’d wiped her hand across her face. She’d also abandoned her bonnet; it hung hostage in a rather determined but frazzled honeysuckle, as though the lady's companion and climbing plant had been waging war. He pitied the honeysuckle. It didn’t stand a chance.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.