Duty and Desire book 1
started this book in 2024 didn't finish until 2025
Took me awhile to get through this book the beginning flows fairly well for a historical romance novel and starts with our leading lady Pheobe she has been labeled as a spinster which she is fine with she has not had any suitable suitors there is brief mention of someone interested in her but she didn't find she would be compatible with and did not want to pursue a match. She even has joined a group of other spinsters that gathers together regularly this is where our first problem occurs she has been keeping a journal where she mainly writes about her handsome and reclusive neighbor the Marquess of Wentworth (Charles) this journal goes missing after one of her meetings with the spinster club.
Charles is reclusive and very set in his ways he inspects his property the same way every day and keeps all his windows shut and his blinds closed. The journal that was lost ends up getting published in the newspaper which causes a bit of a scandal as they are now reporting that Charles and Pheobe are engaged to and planning to married soon it also talks about Charles and his daily routine. Pheobe is worried she's going to be ruined, she's not engaged she's a spinster. Charles sees this information in the paper and knowing how horrible the ton can be decides to make this news accurate and heads to his neighbors house to meet with Pheobe's father and request her hand in marriage he should get a wife anyways his father is sick and he is in line as the only heir to become the next Duke.
After the quick wedding is where the book loses me for a bit, there is really not much going on and it is dual POV but even when it is Charles turn telling the story he is very secretive over his past history (only that he has seen the darker things in life possibly due to his secret job). Charles is paranoid and continues to keep everything in his house locked up tight to the point where he doesn't want Pheobe to go next door to see her family after they are married. Pheobe at some point stumbles into a secret kind of room that appears to be some kind of holding cell after looking for the stray cat she has been feeding (I can't remember if this is before or after the wedding).
Charles has a long list of rules that he needs all of his staff and his new wife to follow mainly including staying on the property, not going anywhere and not inviting anyone over to the house, he also has his staff taste his meals first.
This book is really long (over 400 pages), confusing at times in the way that you can see this man is dealing with "something" but it is never fully explained what is going on. At some point in the back half the spice starts it's more on the mild side.
The book starts picking up again in the last 20% and something actually happens that isn't walking around the estate and keeping the windows shut.
There is a bonus epilogue that I had planned to try to get but for some reason my kindle wasn't letting me download it. If you've read the book and the bonus epilogue did it add anything to the book?
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