Reviewed by Ami
Title: A Good Duke is Hard to Find
Author: Christina Britton
Series: Isle of Synne #1
Hero/Heroine: Peter & Lenora
Genre: M/F Historical Romance
Length: 384 pages
Publisher: Forever
Release Date: June 30, 2020
Available at: Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads
Blurb: After her third fiancé leaves her at the altar, Lenora Hartley is beginning to think she’s cursed. One thing’s for certain: she needs to escape London and her father’s tyrannical attempts to find her yet another suitor. The Isle of Synne, an isolated and idyllic retreat off Britain’s northern coast, is blessedly far from society’s gossip, but it also carries haunting reminders of her first fiancé. Letting go of the past to find happiness seems impossible — until Lenora is thrown in the path of a gruff, mysterious blue-eyed man who makes her pulse race.
Next in line for a dukedom he doesn’t want to inherit, Peter Ashford is only on the isle to exact revenge on the man who is responsible for his mother’s death. Once he’s completed the task, he’ll return to America where his life can finally be his own. Yet when he meets the beautiful and kind Miss Hartley, he can’t help but be drawn to her. Can Peter put aside his plans for vengeance for the woman who has come to mean everything to him?
Review:
After her third fiancé left her in the altar – yes, that’s THREE failed engagements – Lenora Hartley decides to escape London to The Isle of Synne, an isolated and idyllic retreat off Britain’s northern coast where she spends a lot of her girlhood there. An island that also carries the memory of her first fiancé (now deceased).
Meanwhile, Peter Ashford comes to Synne to pay long time debts as well as ensure his revenge to Duke of Dane, whom Peter thinks solely responsible to the death of her mother thirteen years previous. Before Peter ran away to America and makes his own success story. He has no intention to stay in the island, but he is rather manipulated by his great-aunt, Lady Tesh, to spend a month. And when Peter meets Lenora, who is Lady Tesh’s guest, he starts to wonder if he should forego his plan of revenge.
This is my first Christina Britton’s and I think it’s successfully making me eagerly wait for book #2 coming next year. I liked the set-up; Lenora with her failed engagements, Peter who wants nothing of dukedom that will fall into his responsibility… and well these are just two wonderful people!
Lenora has been living under her tyrannical, one who controls almost every aspect of her live, including who to marry. With Peter, Lenora learns that someone can appreciate her for who she is, including how she choose NOT to drink tea *smile*. I think, for the first time, Lenora feels that she can be loved.
While Peter learns to let old hate goes with Lenora… if we take out his need for revenge out of the equation, Peter is a kind and pretty stand-up guy. Sure, he is roped to stay at Synne, but he doesn’t back down from his promise. I found it very entertaining to see Peter – who live as “common” people in America, dealing with dinners and balls in England *laugh*. This book also brings me a teary-eyes moment, in regards to Peter and the Duke of Dane.
I like the romance – and well, Peter makes a fine grand gesture to apologize to Lenora in the end. The epilogue is lovely. I also enjoy the secondary characters, most notably Lady Tesh. She’s a great matriarch character for sure, and not at all annoying *grin*.
So yes, I look forward to the next book about Peter’s best friend, Quincy, and Lady Clara…
Overall Impression: I really liked it!
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in return for a fair and honest review.*
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