https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/250150959-the-duke-s-dearest-dilemma Willful Wainwrights
Book Blurb:
A devastated bride. A broken-hearted groom. A marriage of convenience that changes everything.
When the Duke of Harbury swept sweet, mild-mannered Cassandra Wainwright into a scandalous waltz at Almack's, he only wished to mask a much older heartbreak from the ton’s prying eyes. But his rash act didn’t just destroy Cassandra’s future, it threatened the security of her four orphaned sisters. Honor-bound, he accepts her proposed marriage of convenience, while internally vowing to protect his shattered heart.
Marriage’s stark intimacy strips away Cassie's gentle façade, revealing a fiery soul neither she nor Harbury expected. At the same time, his small gestures of consideration and irresistible kisses reveal a devastatingly captivating man beneath his reserved exterior. And so, Cassie finds herself trapped between her newly awakened fury and her deepening desire as estate troubles mount, unearthing secrets that threaten their tentative bond.
Now, to save all they hold dear, Harbury and Cassandra must decide how much of their guarded hearts they are willing to risk.
*Netgalley ARC 2026 *Marriage of Convenience *Scandal *Slow burn *Guarded hearts
*Feisty FMC *Honor-Bound Duke *Protective Hero *Growing into love after marriage
*Broken heart *Spice *hidden secrets *pining (MMC) *historical romance *mystery
Thoughts:
I requested this book from Netgalley after reading the blurb, while it can be read as a stand alone I think I would recommend reading the story about our FMC's sister first as there are references to what happened throughout this book and since I hadn't read it I felt at times I was missing something with this story. I do plan to read her sister's story it is in the Lyon's Den Series --> Marked as the Lyon's Marchioness.
The Duke of Harbury and Cassie end up in a marriage of convenience after a potentially scandalous situation occurs at a ball they were at together. Cassie has been in the past very sweet and mild mannered and even though she was the one to suggest this marriage and how it would be in name only to protect her sisters from being targeted and losing their position in society, our heart broken Duke is willing to go along with it he was the root cause of the scandal and he's an honorable man.
The Duke is holding onto a past love he at one point thought he would wed another Lady (who happened to be his sister's governess)... but she has married another man... twice and he still finds himself pining over her... how could he possibly love anyone else when another holds his heart.
Cassie and The Duke (Edward) quickly find themselves being drawn to each other... Cassie feeling that things are one sided goes through various emotions as she navigates this new life as the Duchess with her husband who she already has feelings for but knows he still is in emotional turmoil over his former love.
I really enjoyed seeing Edward figure out that the closer he got to his wife and the more they spent time together even discussing estate matters together that maybe what he felt for the governmess was not love at all... but a mere young mans infatuation.
There are some shady things going on with the estate manager and his dealings with the tenants, anonymous letters that don't make much sense and hidden rooms with missing items... leading to a bit of a mystery going on.
When secrets are revealed as they usually are at the worst possible time... will it be too late for Edward to tell Cassie that feelings towards anyone else are in the past because she is his future?
This was a sweet story of two people maybe a little bit broken from their past coming together and learning how to trust and love again.
Thank you Netgalley, the author and dragonsblade for this early release copy.
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