One of my most anticipated releases of 2023! I've been craving the duke's story since we met him in second book of the series, The Lady Gets Lucky. This story of star-crossed lovers did not disappoint and lived up to every one of my expectations. Some of the things I loved the most:1. A strong, uncompromising heroine who fights for self-determination and forges her own path with reckless courage. 2. A nobleman with the grit of a warrior - he's had to fight tooth and nail to keep the creditors at bay and wants nothing more than to secure the safety and happiness of his sibling. He resents going hat in hand to wealthy Americans, but is willing to sacrifice his own chance at happiness to ensure those he loved are protected and cared for. 3. This duke is a delicious dirty talker who is anything but polite in the bedroom. Their meet cute is a clandestine skinny dip in the brisk ocean under the moonlight. Andrew is a a duke bound by duty, rarely tempted to indulge in flights of fancy. When he spies a mermaid rising from the moon-kissed waves with flaming hair and silky limbs, he questions his own sight and common sense. She mistakes him for her tryst appointment. They don’t exchange names. The anonymity doesn’t stop them from indulging in a kiss that ends up haunting them both once they learn the truth of each other’s station and identity. He needs a rich heiress to prop up his failing family fortunes and restore the assets of his estate gutted by his profligate forebears. She has coffers deep enough to be his salvation, but she’s sworn off the institution of marriage. Nellie considers marriage the worse kind of shackle - one that permanently renders a woman without resources of her own, leaves her no viable escape route and silences her voice and her autonomy forever.He knows the three fates snipped his life line at a young age and the days he has to make sure those he loves are safe when he is gone are dwindling to a close like the sands in an hour glass. Neither one of them can forget the moonlit kiss. Every encounter is fraught with tension and banked desire, vulnerable to a stray spark that will ensure they incinerate everything in their path. They unlock something in each other they keep hidden from everyone else. His need to surrender to the wildness in his soul he keeps chained up like the ones Zeus used to bind Prometheus. Her need to surrender to the dark, delicious feeling of someone both taking control and giving her the freedom to fully embrace her sensuality. She’s thwarted every one of his attempts to salvage his family’s finances by encouraging her friends to follow their hearts. Her encouragement brought him three missed chances. He should resent her meddling. He should want to avoid her and all of the chaos and complication he’s certain she’ll bring. Instead, he wants to relinquish the tightly held reins for once and be his truest self, The one only she sees and wants.This story of star-crossed lovers, who fight their attraction but are helpless to resist the way the wreck each other to the very soul. will have you swooning and sighing and looking for dukes in secret alcoves who can pin your wrists against the wall and ravish you so thoroughly you forget your name.