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A Most Suitable Duchess
"[H]ooks us with absorbing storytelling." —BOOKLIST
Marcus Heywood, the new Duke of Torringford, must take a wife in three weeks or lose the country estate he's unexpectedly inherited. His brother, Reginald, suggests an advertisement in the papers, something Marcus refuses to consider—until a wine-fueled evening when he pens one in jest. Now, in a horrible mix-up, the ad has been printed and Marcus is mortified.
At all of twenty-one years, Penelope's spinsterhood seems confirmed; she'll never find a man she can marry. But her half-brother thinks otherwise, and without her knowledge, he answers the Duke of Torringford's advertisement for a wife and signs her name to it. When an announcement of her upcoming wedding to the Duke appears in the papers, Penelope knows she must take her place as his wife, or her honor will be ruined. But it will be a marriage in name only, that she's sure of; until the handsome good looks and warm smile of her new husband make her heart pound in a most unsettling way...
Marcus Heywood, the new Duke of Torringford, must take a wife in three weeks or lose the country estate he's unexpectedly inherited. His brother, Reginald, suggests an advertisement in the papers, something Marcus refuses to consider—until a wine-fueled evening when he pens one in jest. Now, in a horrible mix-up, the ad has been printed and Marcus is mortified.
At all of twenty-one years, Penelope's spinsterhood seems confirmed; she'll never find a man she can marry. But her half-brother thinks otherwise, and without her knowledge, he answers the Duke of Torringford's advertisement for a wife and signs her name to it. When an announcement of her upcoming wedding to the Duke appears in the papers, Penelope knows she must take her place as his wife, or her honor will be ruined. But it will be a marriage in name only, that she's sure of; until the handsome good looks and warm smile of her new husband make her heart pound in a most unsettling way...
187 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2001
199 people are currently reading
195 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Bray
32 books68 followersPatricia Bray is the author of a dozen novels, including Devlin’s Luck, which won the 2003 Compton Crook Award for the best first novel in the field of science fiction or fantasy. A multi-genre author whose career spans both epic fantasy and Regency romance, her books have been translated into Russian, German, Portuguese and Hebrew. Patricia Bray has also spent time on the editorial side of the business, as the co-editor of After Hours: Tales from the Ur-Bar (DAW, March 2011), The Modern Fae’s Guide to Surviving Humanity (DAW, March 2012), and Clockwork Universe: Steampunk vs Aliens (ZNB, June 2014).
Patricia lives in a New England college town, where she combines her writing with a full-time career as a Systems Analyst, ensuring that she is never more than a few feet away from a keyboard.
Patricia lives in a New England college town, where she combines her writing with a full-time career as a Systems Analyst, ensuring that she is never more than a few feet away from a keyboard.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
March 8, 2023
I expected more from Ms. Bray.
Miss Penelope Hastings fell in love at the age of 16, but one day the man just disappeared. No note or message, he was gone. She was brokenhearted and vowed never to marry.
Fast forward five years and she's 21 years old; she's lived with her single brother and taken care of his household. She's independent-minded. Recently, it has caused problems with her brother as he wants to marry now. He gives her the boot.
Marcus Heywood, the (new) Duke of Torringford, needs a bride immediately. Long story short, Penelope needs a home and security. They marry. I didn't care for Penelope's personality. Marcus treats her with respect but the h runs hot and cold.
Eventually, things settle between the two of them. I enjoyed reading about this stage of their lives. But before long, the author inserts The Big Misunderstanding. It went on for an extended amount of time and I found myself skipping pages. By the end, I had lost interest with this romance.
Miss Penelope Hastings fell in love at the age of 16, but one day the man just disappeared. No note or message, he was gone. She was brokenhearted and vowed never to marry.
Fast forward five years and she's 21 years old; she's lived with her single brother and taken care of his household. She's independent-minded. Recently, it has caused problems with her brother as he wants to marry now. He gives her the boot.
Marcus Heywood, the (new) Duke of Torringford, needs a bride immediately. Long story short, Penelope needs a home and security. They marry. I didn't care for Penelope's personality. Marcus treats her with respect but the h runs hot and cold.
Eventually, things settle between the two of them. I enjoyed reading about this stage of their lives. But before long, the author inserts The Big Misunderstanding. It went on for an extended amount of time and I found myself skipping pages. By the end, I had lost interest with this romance.
December 4, 2016
" I do not want you to be my duchess, I want you to be my wife.
This was a very enjoyable book, despite the short length at 200 or so pages. A nice set up with the arranged marriage and then watching the relationship develop slowly to a satisfying ending (thank you for that epilogue!), with a surprise return from the past who gets a . One of the better freebies I've picked up over the years.
This was a very enjoyable book, despite the short length at 200 or so pages. A nice set up with the arranged marriage and then watching the relationship develop slowly to a satisfying ending (thank you for that epilogue!), with a surprise return from the past who gets a . One of the better freebies I've picked up over the years.
April 8, 2017
Marcus Heywood is the new Duke of Torrington. According to the terms of the former duke's will, Marcus has to marry by his 30th birthday, or he will not inherit the unentailed properties and fortune amassed by former duke. In a drunken stupor {Blame it on the alcohol!}, Marcus's younger brother sends an ad to the local newspaper advertising for a wife. Unbeknownst to her, Penelope Hastings is recommended as a possible bride for the new duke. When a scandal erupts over Miss Hastings being interviewed by the duke, Marcus's honor demands he offer for her.
Note- A duchess is NEVER referred to or addressed as "Lady" as Penelope is in this novel. Calling her "Lady Torrington" is incorrect. The Marquess of Torrington's wife/mother is Lady Torrington. The Earl of Torrington's wife/mother is Lady Torrington. Viscount Torrington's wife/mother is Lady Torrington. Baron Torrington's wife/mother is Lady Torrington. A duchess is grand! Inferiors would refer to a duchess as "Her Grace" and address her as "Your Grace." Her social equals would refer to her as "The Duchess" and address her as "Duchess."
Note- A duchess is NEVER referred to or addressed as "Lady" as Penelope is in this novel. Calling her "Lady Torrington" is incorrect. The Marquess of Torrington's wife/mother is Lady Torrington. The Earl of Torrington's wife/mother is Lady Torrington. Viscount Torrington's wife/mother is Lady Torrington. Baron Torrington's wife/mother is Lady Torrington. A duchess is grand! Inferiors would refer to a duchess as "Her Grace" and address her as "Your Grace." Her social equals would refer to her as "The Duchess" and address her as "Duchess."
November 21, 2017
This rating is for the story alone because the narration gets a 1 star. (audible review)
This was a really enjoyable story. I liked Penelope and the Duke of Torrington. They made a good match. Penelope was a strong female character, always a plus.
The story line and plot was fun and entertaining. I enjoyed the twists and turns. There was some good dialogue and witty banter going on. There was no sex in the story but there was attraction and chemistry. This really was a great story, its too bad the narrator kinda sucked.
As for the narration, not so good. The narrator did not even try to do men's voices at all. Everyone sounded the same. Also, I wasn't real fond of the Scottish accent.
Sorry Kristy Cox you need to practice men's voices for sure. I got this with the Audible Romance Program I signed up for. I am liking this ARP as much as my KU.
This was a really enjoyable story. I liked Penelope and the Duke of Torrington. They made a good match. Penelope was a strong female character, always a plus.
The story line and plot was fun and entertaining. I enjoyed the twists and turns. There was some good dialogue and witty banter going on. There was no sex in the story but there was attraction and chemistry. This really was a great story, its too bad the narrator kinda sucked.
As for the narration, not so good. The narrator did not even try to do men's voices at all. Everyone sounded the same. Also, I wasn't real fond of the Scottish accent.
Sorry Kristy Cox you need to practice men's voices for sure. I got this with the Audible Romance Program I signed up for. I am liking this ARP as much as my KU.
July 27, 2016
This book relied too much on misunderstandings and had no imagination. The h pines away over her lost love who just disappeared when she was 16. I guess she never bothered to grow up in the years since then because she decided to never marry because no love would ever match that of her infatuation when she still had acne. Most of the conflict would have been cleared up with a simple two sentence conversation.
October 23, 2016
Thoroughly enjoyable - I loved the characters and the development. An easy read with good dialogue and details. It's clean (squeaky clean in fact) but a pleasant change from some of the more 'steamy' historical romances that seem to be more concerned with sex than anything else. ;)
December 11, 2016
Unbearably dry and passionless.
December 4, 2016
Good clean read
While not exploding with adventure of truly dynamic characters, this story was interesting, with a well developed plot. I wished for more development and closure for the heroines brother and his fiancee, but overall a good read.
While not exploding with adventure of truly dynamic characters, this story was interesting, with a well developed plot. I wished for more development and closure for the heroines brother and his fiancee, but overall a good read.
January 5, 2017
Cute
Cute story, liked the premise, but the dialogue left a bit to be desired. Quick wrap up, with the heroine realizing some truths about herself instead of being rescued by her husband.
Cute story, liked the premise, but the dialogue left a bit to be desired. Quick wrap up, with the heroine realizing some truths about herself instead of being rescued by her husband.
September 24, 2017
Marcus Heywood, a distant cousin of the Duke of Terrington, unexpectedly inherits the title. Unfortunately the late Duke's will contains a provision that unless Marcus is married by his 30th birthday (less than a month away), he won't inherit the properties and personal fortune. This isn't a problem for independent gentleman farmer Marcus, but his relative left thousands of pounds of debt that Marcus is honor bound to pay. Over drinks, Marcus and his brother jokingly write up an advertisement for a wife for the newspaper, and through a series of mishaps, the ad is placed.
Penelope Hastings, a city girl, progressive and a patroness of the arts, is the victim of a cruel joke by her future sister in law, who responds to the advertisement in her name. Due to another misunderstanding, Penelope shows up to an interview and word gets out. To save Penelope's name, Marcus offers a marriage of convenience.
Marriage of convenience stories are one of my favorite themes, and this is a sweet one. The relationship between Marcus and Penelope develops slowly over weeks, not overnight, and the gradual change they undergo is believable. It was refreshing to see the level of trust they placed in each other, and there weren't too many inflated misunderstandings that seem to be there to just drag on the plot.
I do wish that the issue with the brother was fleshed out a bit. In the beginning Penelope is happy keeping house for her brother, and two conversations later he's looking at her with hatred in his eyes. We never do meet the malicious sister in law who is responsible for the whole mix up. The book is pretty clean and has a few funny bits.
Penelope Hastings, a city girl, progressive and a patroness of the arts, is the victim of a cruel joke by her future sister in law, who responds to the advertisement in her name. Due to another misunderstanding, Penelope shows up to an interview and word gets out. To save Penelope's name, Marcus offers a marriage of convenience.
Marriage of convenience stories are one of my favorite themes, and this is a sweet one. The relationship between Marcus and Penelope develops slowly over weeks, not overnight, and the gradual change they undergo is believable. It was refreshing to see the level of trust they placed in each other, and there weren't too many inflated misunderstandings that seem to be there to just drag on the plot.
I do wish that the issue with the brother was fleshed out a bit. In the beginning Penelope is happy keeping house for her brother, and two conversations later he's looking at her with hatred in his eyes. We never do meet the malicious sister in law who is responsible for the whole mix up. The book is pretty clean and has a few funny bits.
April 30, 2018
A clearly worded advertisement for a Duke wanting a wife done in drunken jest was mistakenly sent to an Edinburgh paper in place of an ad for a kennel master. Scandal. An answer to said ad sent by a vindictive woman purporting to be Penelope Hastings and that Miss Hasting was seen leaving the Duke of Torringford's premises for yet another misunderstanding (her presence there was to solicit funding for an Astronomical Observatory project). Another scandal. So starts this delightful read that ended quite well for Penelope and her Duke after them getting thru a gauntlet of impertinent busy~bodies (the press and curious neighbors and even their own servants) for both of them yet unknown in England where Torringford's seat is situated not to mention a spot of blackmail.
December 13, 2020
A bit too rudimentary with no real conflict.
Summary: Marcus has to marry in a month in order to inherit his dukedom and pay his dead cousin's debts. His brother accidentally advertises for a bride in the paper's and Penelope is tricked into going to visit his office thereby creating a scandal and forcing their marriage. Most of the novel is them getting to know each other at his ducal home before separating and then belatedly realizing they're in love.
Summary: Marcus has to marry in a month in order to inherit his dukedom and pay his dead cousin's debts. His brother accidentally advertises for a bride in the paper's and Penelope is tricked into going to visit his office thereby creating a scandal and forcing their marriage. Most of the novel is them getting to know each other at his ducal home before separating and then belatedly realizing they're in love.
March 12, 2017
ENTERTAINING!
This was an unusual story. Very ENTERTAINING and DELIGHTFUL. It shows how jealousy and greed can make people do bad things but sometimes good comes from it. Glad that the brother and his future wife got what they deserved but I would have cut him down to size and her with him but Penelope was right they deserved each other!
This was an unusual story. Very ENTERTAINING and DELIGHTFUL. It shows how jealousy and greed can make people do bad things but sometimes good comes from it. Glad that the brother and his future wife got what they deserved but I would have cut him down to size and her with him but Penelope was right they deserved each other!
July 2, 2017
Very enjoyable "marriage of convenience" romance. I found both Marcus and Penelope to be enjoyable and sympathetic characters. I liked Penelope's strength and poise but did find it rather frustrating when she seemed to be on a slippery slope of infatuation at one point. Ultimately it was a lovely tale with a sweet HEA.
September 22, 2019
Rushed Ending of an Otherwise Enjoyable Romance
It started out as an intelligent, well written romance. Less of the kitsch of a typical bodice ripper, and with a great deal more character development. It was a shame to feel the ending was rushed and the storyline given over to a conventional ending.
It started out as an intelligent, well written romance. Less of the kitsch of a typical bodice ripper, and with a great deal more character development. It was a shame to feel the ending was rushed and the storyline given over to a conventional ending.
October 29, 2016
Beautiful
What a wonderful story of finding true love in a newspaper advertisement. He gains a title and needs a wife. Her brother's betrothed thought she would answer for her and ended up finding her sister I law her true love.
What a wonderful story of finding true love in a newspaper advertisement. He gains a title and needs a wife. Her brother's betrothed thought she would answer for her and ended up finding her sister I law her true love.
October 24, 2016
Enjoyable
I truly enjoyed this book. The story was well developed as were the characters relationships. I like that Marcus was his wife's champion even as the started to become friends in the marriage of convenience. I love that the ending was happy for them in the end...
I truly enjoyed this book. The story was well developed as were the characters relationships. I like that Marcus was his wife's champion even as the started to become friends in the marriage of convenience. I love that the ending was happy for them in the end...
May 13, 2020
Enjoyable
Very nice clean romance. Characters reasonably believable, two very stiff strangers neither willing to admit their true feelings, lots of supporting characters some good some nasty, overall an easy read.
Very nice clean romance. Characters reasonably believable, two very stiff strangers neither willing to admit their true feelings, lots of supporting characters some good some nasty, overall an easy read.
July 3, 2020
A clever set-up for an arranged marriage that we can't help but know will turn (inevitably) into love. But the characters were pleasant to spend time with--a mismatched couple who find common ground as lovers and spouses.
July 4, 2025
It was ok. It started well and I liked the main characters but once the marriage had been consummated the misunderstandings were inconsistent with the description of their behaviour towards each other which I found very irritating and hard to believe.
August 15, 2017
I liked it. Easy read.
January 19, 2018
An enjoyable read.
October 20, 2018
Quick, fun read. One of my guilty pleasures. I liked that the heroine had to come to terms with some things on her own, rather than be rescued by her husband, as another reviewer pointed out.
August 17, 2019
So entertaining
So entertained i didn't stop to do housework!!!! I think I'll read some more !! I recommend that you all sit and have a read.
So entertained i didn't stop to do housework!!!! I think I'll read some more !! I recommend that you all sit and have a read.
April 20, 2020
Classic regency romance with a marriage of necessity due to scandal. The characters had substance and the storyline was well written. Good book if you want an easy read.
March 28, 2021
Very low key quiet romance. I liked it a lot. The hero is a beagle breeder.
March 28, 2022
Good Loving and Clean
I really enjoyed this book! It was pretty good romance and they overcame the first scandal and learned to care for each other despite how they came together!
I really enjoyed this book! It was pretty good romance and they overcame the first scandal and learned to care for each other despite how they came together!
November 8, 2022
Can one find true love through a newspaper advertisement? This sweet Regency explores that possibility in a chaste and engaging way.
March 12, 2017
A very satisfying romance
This was a charming short novel about a marriage of convenience. The novel is mostly about the characters of the bride and groom and the development of trust and love between two virtual strangers. There are three characters who cause problems for the protagonists. Two are villainous and one is just selfish. So this is a more calm romance than others, not tempestuous. I have grown out of tempestuous romances as I have gotten older. I liked them when I was young but now I prefer this more realistic view of what makes a good relationship. Too much "sturm und drang" makes for a very uncomfortable life and a very uncomfortable fictional romance.
This was a charming short novel about a marriage of convenience. The novel is mostly about the characters of the bride and groom and the development of trust and love between two virtual strangers. There are three characters who cause problems for the protagonists. Two are villainous and one is just selfish. So this is a more calm romance than others, not tempestuous. I have grown out of tempestuous romances as I have gotten older. I liked them when I was young but now I prefer this more realistic view of what makes a good relationship. Too much "sturm und drang" makes for a very uncomfortable life and a very uncomfortable fictional romance.
February 28, 2017
Enjoyable
This was a good read. It was your typical regent romance but very well written. I did enjoyed relaxing while I read the novel.
This was a good read. It was your typical regent romance but very well written. I did enjoyed relaxing while I read the novel.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews