I’m loving this series about the illegitimate children of the Duke of Bentley. Not only do I love seeing these characters find their happily ever after, but I also love seeing this newly discovered family forging a new relationship.
Caitlin and Courtland were easy characters to love for me. I adored Courtland for his intense love of and loyalty to his family. I loved Caitlin for her strength and courage in standing up for herself. They complemented each other beautifully.
The secondary characters added much humor to the story. Ellie, especially, was my favorite. I’m hoping she grows up and has a story of her own someday.
I would recommend reading the prequel and first book of the series if you haven’t yet. While this story could stand alone, I think you would completely miss out on the family history and dynamics. Besides, they are fabulous stories.
Christi Caldwell fans will not be disappointed with this series. Witty dialogue, imaginative story lines, and characters that will grab hold of your heart. Christi Caldwell is a master storyteller and her books are nothing short of magical.

Cailin Audley is an heiress to a father that didn’t raise her. She was a “by blow”, but her father, a Duke, wants to bring her into London society and provide her with a season. Courtland Balfour, the Duke of St. James, has his reasons for impersonating his twin Keir when he originally meets Cailin. Although the two share an instant attraction, they almost immediately part ways and the next time Courtland sees Cailin it is London. She has a few things to say to him, but he acts as if he doesn’t even know her. It doesn’t take her long to realize that he is an identical twin and at least some deception had taken place.

Courtland has a huge issue. Notwithstanding the fact that he is a notorious rogue, he is responsible for all of his siblings and needs to provide seasons for his younger sisters. However, his family is nearly destitude thanks to the irresponsible ways of his deceased father. Marrying well might be the only way to keep his family afloat. However, he does not want to marry for money, especially if it seems in any way he will repeat any of the actions of his father.

As far as Cailin is concerned, as her heart was previously broken, she is determined never to marry. She has her reasons for wanting to be in London and finding a husband is the last thing that she has in mind. It perplexes her, however, as to how drawn she is to Courtland, but being more than aware of his reputation, she intends on keeping her distance.

In this endearing story by Christi Caldwell, it is impossible not to love both Cailin and Courtland, and actually all of the Audley and Balfour families. This is the second book in a series and I have not read the first book. Although I feel that I got the full experience when reading this story, it was easy to see how the author incorporated Rafe and his wife in this story and that’s when I realized that they had to be the primary protagonists in the first book, which is something I want to go back and read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will most definitely be adding Ms. Caldwell as an author to watch, especially for future books in this series.

Many thanks to Berkley Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

This is book two in a series. I did not read book one and did not feel lost while reading this book.

This is a historical romance that takes place in 1805 England - Renaissance Era.

Our MMC, Courtland, is a gorgeous curly blonde hair rouge who is a newly adapted Duke and is desperately gathering his wits in order to crawl out of the debts his late father left him and his siblings in. A step of getting out of debt is to obtain his twin brothers job back. Thus, he makes the journey to the countryside where he is greeted by Cailin. Cailin our curly blonde haired, fiery attitude FMC, is a bastard daughter to a Duke. However, her entire life she spent away from the Duke and Polite Society and was raised out in the country by her brothers who worked as miners.

Not expecting visitors, Cailin holds a shotgun to Courtland. Being the rouge he is, swindles his way under Cailin's skin by discussing London life - a place Cailin has always wanted to visit. In hopes of the promise of London museums she makes the trek. Only when she arrives she is not accustomed to Polite Society and almost ruins her reputation. In hopes of salvaging her reputation, her father - The Duke decides to whisks her away.

I absolutely adored Cailin. She was fiery and said what was on her mind. I enjoyed her bluntness in not knowing the proper way of speaking to others and her naiveness on how to behave in this society.
Courtland is a playboy reformed who is instantly drawn to Cailin.

This is a story about a Duke who is trying to obtain wealth back to his family and a bastard daughter who is trying to maintain her freedom. Can these two maintain a decent relationship, or is their a scandal waiting to happen?

A story of opposites attract. I would consider this somewhat of a slowburn and very moderate on the spice scale.

Full of wit, charm and passion, Desperately Seeking a Duchess is the irresistible new historical romance from Christi Caldwell.

Becoming an heiress is the worst thing that’s ever happened to Cailin Audley! Having spent her entire life among the working class, Cailin now finds herself having to mix with the great and the good of polite society – and she’s failing miserably! Independent, forthright and intelligent, Cailin feels like a a square peg in a round hole in the Ton – and her family’s constant scheming to see her settled isn’t exactly helping matters! When her scandalous conduct sees her banished to the countryside, a determined Cailin vows to not let her family’s match-making force her down the aisle. However, Cailin hadn’t counted on the dashing Duke of St James…

Courtland Balfour, the Duke of St James, needs to make a suitable match – fast! With his spendthrift father having emptied the family coffers, Courtland is in urgent need of a bride with unlimited funds. With his siblings depending on him, Courtland has no time to waste – yet the only woman he could possibly consider making his duchess is somebody who has no interest whatsoever in matrimony: Cailin Audley…

Cailin had her heart broken once before and having barely emerged unscathed from that experience had vowed never to make the same mistake twice. Despite his good looks and charm, Cailin plans to give Courtland a very wide berth. But when circumstance throws them into another scandal, will she at long last find the courage to let down her guard and let Courtland in? Or will her stubbornness end up costing her the only man she will ever love?

Christi Caldwell’s Desperately Seeking a Duchess is a seductive historical romance full of witty dialog, sizzling emotional drama and smoldering sensuality. Cailin and Courtland are two characters who are intelligent, loyal, resourceful and so beautifully drawn it is impossible not to fall in love with them.

A swoon-worthy historical romance that is hard to put down, Desperately Seeking a Duchess continues Christi Caldwell’s winning streak -make sure you add it to your auto-buy list now.

Desperately Seeking a Duchess is the second book in All the Duke's Sins series by Christi Caldwell. This is an unique, heartwarming, sometimes hilarious story driven by the interaction between Courtland and Caitlin. I highly recommend Desperately Seeking a Duchess to fans of historical romance, romance and even rom-coms.

DESPERATELY SEEKING A DUCHESS by Christi Caldwell is the second book in the All the Duke's Sins Series. This is the story of Courtland Balfour, the Duke of St. James and Cailin Audley. Courtland although a Duke is one that is left in dire need of money due to his father poor choices. Cortland has siblings that he needs to care for although his brother has income it isn't enough, so he is left to marry an heiress. Cailin a illegitimate daughter of a Duke has lived in with the working class since her father didn't know of his children's existence. But now she has been talked into coming to London for a season which of course goes wrong at each turn. Cailin and Courtland start their journey towards love and a happy ending. I am a huge fan of Ms. Caldwell so this was a must read. I do recommend this book.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

For all of her life, Cailin Audley has known that her brother's would do anything for her, even if that means meeting their absentee father, and joining polite society so she could have a good life. But Cailin doesn't fit in with the other society women, and she would much rather be back home in her mining village, than in a Mayfair ballroom. She might be able to learn how to act the part, but when the stain of being a Duke's illegitimate daughter is indelible, no matter how large a dowry her father awards her, it's clear that Cailin is looked down on. Apart from by the handsome and charming Duke of St. James. Courtland Balfour may be a duke, but he's a penniless one, and knows that he needs to do something to save his family, especially his younger sisters. The only family member who has any inkling of the financial situation is his twin brother, who works for Cailin's family, and after a mistaken idea to masquerade as his brother, and kiss Cailin, Courtland needs to protect them all. Cailin, who just may be the only woman he could imagine marrying, wants nothing to do with him, but when she lands herself in the country after a social faux pas, can she steel her heart against the duke.

Immediately after reading Along Came a Lady, I had to start book 2. When we met Cailin, it was clear that she had such a story waiting to tell, and let me tell you, Desperately Seeking a Duchess did not disappoint! I couldn't put this down from the moment I picked it up. Cailin is a strong woman, but she's got vulnerable sides, and being in society is not right for her. She soon realises that her family want her married and settled as quickly as they can - for her own good, because they want her to be safe - but it rankles, especially after having her heart broken in the past. Her and Courtland's relationship was perfect for their characters, as was the interactions with their siblings, who were so protective of them! Ellie, in particular, was the superstar of the book, though some of her actions were questionable. Honestly, I don't think I could've asked for much more from this book, and the way they opened up, and truly fell for each other, was one of the best romances I've read in a while. Caldwell has kicked it out the park, and I'm looking forward to her next book!

I really enjoyed Cailin and Courtland's story. It was fun watching Cailin navigating her new life and circumstances. The chemistry between these two was red hot and Courtland sure had his hands full trying to win over Cailin. What a fun ride!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I fell deeply in love with the characters and writing of this simply charming love story. This is a character-driven plot, and oh, how I loved Courtland and Cailin! Courtland has inherited a broke dukedom and is in charge of his twin brother and three young sisters. Courtland is alone and terrified of his future. If he can’t turn his financial obligations around, he faces ruin for himself and his family. Courtland is desperately trying to fix these problems but is failing miserably. Cailin Audley is the illegitimate daughter of a Duke. She comes to London from a mining village, eager to experience London's sights. Cailin is crushed under polite society's rules and expectations. The ton tries to squash Cailin’s spirit, and she gets lost but is found with the love of a good man.

Courtland melted my heart! He is a wonderful man and a caring brother placed in an untenable situation. I adored Courtland and Cailin’s passionate connection and romance; however, both families' dynamics stole the story. Having identical twins in the family, I felt Courtland and Kier’s portrayal was spot-on. The unbreakable bond and unconditional love between Courtland and his siblings are breathtaking. On the other hand, Cailin and her brothers have a different dynamic but still have an unbreakable bond.

The plot was stellar! Even being from opposite backgrounds, Courtland and Cailin are kindred spirits. The story was clever and heartwarming. The characters were vivid and jumped from the page – especially Courtland’s sisters and Cailin’s brothers. I loved how throughout the entirety of the book, family came first. This is a story of two trapped people finding themselves and finding love.

Desperately Seeking A Duchess is the second book in the All The Duke’s Sins series. Courtland and Cailin’s love story was just as captivating as Rafe and Edwina’s story in book one. Full of passionate connection and endearing characters, this is a love story I will remember for a long time. Christi Caldwell has shown me the power of love and family. This powerful love story will grab you on page one. I loved every word of this book; potent and powerful, this romance will remind you of the unbreakable bonds of love. Christi Caldwell has created a masterclass in historical romance with this book!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book through Netgalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

✔️ lots of fun and witty dialogue
✔️ I loved all the sibling relationships in this book
✔️Cailin and Courtland had good chemistry and I enjoyed that they were very much equals in their relationship

This is book two of the All the Duke's Sins series and Christi Caldwell has quickly become a favorite historical romance author for me. I enjoyed this one and definitely recommend the series.

Cailin Audley doesn't fit in with Polite Society. Having spent most of her life among the working class, she is struggling to find her place within the Society when all she wants is her independence and the ability to experience life / London. When a major misstep means she is headed back to the country, Cailin realizes that her family has conspired to do whatever it takes to get her settled, including holding a house party to introduce her to some gentlemen of the Ton.

Courtland Balfour, the Duke of St. James has resigned himself to the fact that he must become something he despises - a fortune hunter. Because his father left his family broke, he carries the weight of his duty to make sure his family is taken care of.

I thought Caldwell did a great job with these characters. I could feel Cailin's frustration with her inability to do what she wanted and fit into the mold she was expected to fill and Courland was continually under stress trying to come up with a solution to keep his family afloat. That he played a role in his brother losing a job he loved, didn't sit well with him either. As they come together, the chemistry between the two was well done. I loved how their relationship built and was happy they got their HEA.

I think if you're going to pick this book up, I would recommend reading book one of the series first. It might not be completely necessary but since there are several characters and the full backstory explained in book one, I think you might miss something if you skip it. I'll definitely be picking up the next book when I'm able.

I loved the grumpy/sunshine romance of the first book in this series, Along Came a Lady. So, I was excited to read book two in the series, Desperately Seeking a Duchess. This second installment involves Rafe’s sister, Cailin. Cailin is the perfect romance heroine who is feisty and can take care of herself. Her love interest, Courtland Balfour is charming and burdened by his family’s dwindling finances. Their meeting is explosive as is their immediate attraction.

I liked this book for the charming hero and strong heroine. I also like that there are tons of siblings on both sides of the family which means more fun historical romances in this series.

I recommend you read this book if you like Bridgerton, witty banter, and charming heroes.

Will they be able to sort out their disparities to see what brings them together …

This story stands alone but I would recommend to read the previous books or at last the prequel to understand the dynamic between the characters.
What astonished me most is the lack of moments between Caitlin and her father outside the scolding scenes.
I understood Caitlin and her plight as a lonely young woman with a thirst for knowledge, who found herself lost in a world she knows nothing about and feels like an outsider.
But when she suddenly is responsible for the unemployment of the hero’s brother by shunning the rules, at first she seems to have no real qualms about it. This is no simple fact when people rely on someone’s living. So I was mad at her, until she pull her weight and uses her wit and will to have him reinstated.
After that I just loved her. And the story became easier for me to read.
After, I understand she took her chance because going to the city was a way to gain the knowledge she craved, but why accept at first this masquerade of turning herself into a Lady when she has no envy to be one, she could have asked her father for a compromise, and refused to be paraded among his peers when she has no need of it.
She could simply have been herself enjoying the city as she longed without being trussed like a chicken to fit her absentee of a father’s desire to make amend.
Hopefully she finally stands her ground and tells everyone what she wants and doesn’t.
Courtland appears at first as a ne’er-do-well, even if he is a charming one. Yet at the same time, he is fun, sweet and a real tease. From his first encounter with Caitlin, sparks fly and bullets too.
When they meet again, she immediately understands she has been misled, still she is at ease with this rake who not really one.
He hides behind his libertine’s way a man who cherishes his people, always putting them first and himself last. An habit he has taken since childhood, trying his best to protect them from their bully of a sire.
This is what endeared him to me, he is like Caitlin, longing for something else but kept in jail by his circumstances.

Then coming between them, there are Caitlin’s brothers, in overprotective mode, when for years she did fend for herself, they could have a bit more faith in herself. Still they are forgivable as they only want what they believe is best for her.
There is too Courtland’s younger sister, she is quite entertaining even if her behavior is at time beyond her years. She also can act like a child of her age. After we base our judgment on our view of how things are now, when in the past, children were asked/tasked much more and from a much tender age than now ( I remember reading such demands in The misfortunes of Sophie by The Comtesse de Ségur, children were expected to so much more than now and at six, Sophie spoke and behaved like a little adult).

About the debtors prison often talked about, be sure to read Barbara from Flippin’Pages review, she shares a link with enlightening information.

4 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen foreplays and lovemaking scenes.

I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

*** 3.5 Stars ***
Once upon a time, there was a very rogueish duke whose mistress bore him four children – three sons and a daughter. She never told him of the children’s existence, so he went through his life never knowing about them – until the youngest son showed up and asked him to provide funds for him to buy a military commission. That son told him it was the least he could do – and he agreed that it was. Thus began his quest to get to know his children, bring them to London, and fold them into the ton. Except those children had absolutely no intention of having anything to do with the man they felt abandoned them. He’d wear them down by sending person after person after person out to their mining community – sooner or later, one of them would succeed and get at least one or two of them to town. The first book of the series – Along Came A Lady – is the story of the one person who finally managed to coax some of them to London.

This book is about the duke’s daughter, Cailin, who begged her oldest brother, Rafe, to accompany her to London. Along with Cailin we also have Courtland Balfour, Duke of St. James, who was one of those who unsuccessfully tried to bring Cailin and her family to London. Well, it wasn’t supposed to be him – it was supposed to be his twin brother – but Courtland thought it would be a lark to take his brother’s place since his brother wasn’t at all good with people. After being shot at by Cailin and receiving a punch so strong it could have killed him, he decided maybe it wasn’t such a lark.

Courtland can never let Cailin find out that he was impersonating his twin brother because it could cost his brother his job – and they desperately needed the funds – not to mention that his brother loved his job. So, of course, it doesn’t take long for Courtland’s brother and Cailin to cross paths – and for it all to break loose and for Kier to lose his job.

I thought the chemistry between Cailin and Courtland was excellent – and I loved that she could tell the twins apart right away. Each of them had closed off their hearts and emotions, but for very different reasons and it was lovely to see them open up and learn to love. Each of them gave it their best fight – Cailin because she didn’t want to risk heartbreak a second time – and Courtland because he didn’t want to become his father and marry just for the money the dukedom so desperately needed.

I loved how protective Cailin’s brothers were of her – and what was even more delightful was how protective Courtland’s sisters were of him. The youngest sister, Ellie, was priceless and you should read the book just for the things she gets up to. However, I will note that the same youngest sister (14 years) has a not-quite-believable personality. She plays with toy swords like an 8-year-old – but she is also worldly-wise and gives advice to much older people. I liked parts of her character, but she just didn’t seem believable.

The reason I didn’t give the book more stars is two-fold. First, while I liked the story well enough, it didn’t just suck me in where I couldn’t turn loose. Second, and more importantly (to me at least), is the constant (ad nauseam) references to Courtland being a step away from debtors’ prison, being locked up, doing labor, etc. Since that would have been all but impossible, I just had a hard time buying into the story. There is a well-written article by Courtney Milan (who is an expert on these things) that explains about Peers and debtors prison, etc. If you are interested, you can read it here: https://www.courtneymilan.com/peer-to-prison/ – If you aren’t interested and it doesn’t bother you, then I’m sure you’ll love it.

I liked the story and thought it was well written. I liked the main characters and was rooting for their HEA throughout the story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Courtland Balfour is the seventh Duke of St. James. He is a notorious rogue with a reputation to charm any woman. His late father left the dukedom in severe debt, and Courtland is trying to fix the situation while keeping his siblings, including his twin Keir, in the dark. While pretending to be Keir, Courtland kisses Cailin, Duke Bentley’s daughter, which eventually causes Keir to lose his job.

Cailin is happy living with her brothers in their mining village, but when her father’s men come to bring his “long lost children” to London, Cailin gives in to the temptation of the big city. However, now that she’s in London, she realizes she does not enjoy the rules of Polite Society. Only her budding friendship with Courtland gives her any joy, and even that is not allowed.

I picked up Desperately Seeking a Duchess because 1) I love historcials involving dukes and 2) it fits the 2022 Romance Reading Challenge (Yellow dress on the cover). The book is the second story in the All the Duke's Sins series, and although it is a standalone romance, I was a bit lost at the beginning of the book. I ended up going to the internet to find out what happened in the first book, and then things fell into place. I recommend reading Along Came a Lady first.

Cailin is an independent women who does not fit into Polite Society and is shunned by the ton because she is a bastard child of Duke Bentley. She goes after what she wants, and in this case, it’s Courtland. While Courtland tries to behave, he’s too enchanted with Caitlin to keep his hands off her. I adored the couple. I love how they become friends, despite Polite Society. The pair are well-matched and find a lot of common ground. There are some secrets that cause a few problems, but because the pair communicates and listens to one another, they make it despite the issues.

While I enjoyed their romance, I did have a couple small issues with the story. First, Courtland’s youngest sister, Ellie, is too wise for her age (14). I suppose it’s to be her quirky personality thing, but it felt forced and unrealistic. She’s hiding behind curtains and playing with toy guns, yet she is wise about love and relationships? No. Additionally, I didn’t buy the way her father and brothers did an about-face about putting her into Polite Society towards the end of the book (and after something huge happens). It just rang false to me.

In the end, I enjoyed most of Desperately Seeking a Duchess. I liked the couple; I loved watching them become friends. I loved his recognition of her point of view and how she frees him from his perceived ducal life.

Rating: B-

As the illegitimate daughter of a duke, raised amongst working class miners, Cailin Audley is struggling to find her place in her father’s world. She merely wants her independence back and the freedom to explore the museums and educational opportunities to be found in London. Unfortunately, she keeps making social faux pas, one of which sees her and her family off to the country for an intimate house party rather than face the rigors of the Season in London. Cailin quickly recognizes that her family is trying to manipulate her into marriage, and she is having none of it. She’s experienced a broken heart before and has no interest in going there again, especially not with the roguishly charming Duke of St. James.

Courtland Balfour, the Duke of St. James, is floundering under the weight of the debts his father left him to deal with. He can see no way out and loathes that it seems his only option is to become a fortune hunter and find an heiress to marry lest he find himself in debtor’s prison. But he’s always done all he can to protect his siblings and now is no different. He knows his duty and is prepared to do it, so of course the one lady he’s genuinely interested in has no interest in marriage and couldn’t care less about his title. When a desperate act sees these two firmly in the middle of another scandal, Courtland takes the chance to try to convince Cailin of his feelings for her.

Full disclosure, I really wasn’t sure about this book at first. It’s a terribly slow burn and Cailin begins the story by costing a man his job and seeming unconcerned about it, unable to fathom why he might be annoyed with her. She has a difficult time seeing beyond her own loneliness to the plight of others and seeing that they can still share those desolate feelings with her, despite having high rank. Thankfully, she does learn this as she comes to know Courtland and care for him. They each open the other’s eyes to a different way of viewing the world around them and I really enjoyed their conversations. I only wish they’d had more conversations earlier on or maybe that Cailin’s animosity hadn’t endured quite so long, just so we could’ve had more time for them to ‘court’ and get to know each other on the page. That said, these two were definitely an example of ‘when you know, you know,’ and they didn’t really need more time together. I loved how Courtland just completely lost any smoothness or charm he’d had with women around Cailin and became all nervous and prone to anxious chattering. I found that adorably endearing and a sweet glimpse of the genuinely good, caring, protective man he was beneath his roguish reputation. His sisters were all complete pills and their antics drove me crazy. He definitely handled them with more grace and patience than I would have, and I loved finally seeing him get something for himself for a change rather than always having to care for others. In the same way, I was glad to see Cailin stand up for herself to her protective and sometimes overbearing brothers, saying who she wanted to be with and in no uncertain terms. Overall, I really did enjoy this story and I look forward to the next installment in the series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I feel really bad, but I’m in a historical romance genre slump, brought on by the last couple trad pubbed historical ARCs I tried, and this isn’t getting me out of it. This isn’t really wowing me, although technically it’s fine and there’s nothing glaring about it. But I’m not likely to get much more out of it from continuing at this time.

Desperately Seeking a Duchess is the second story in the All the Duke’s Sins series and I thoroughly enjoyed reading Cailin’s road to happiness and love. Cailin Audley is finding that things aren’t always greener on the side. She thought that if she went to London with her older brother Rafe, that she would be able to go to museums and tour London. That’s not the case because she needed to be taught the rules of Polite Society. When she figures out that the man that came to see her months ago isn’t who he says he was, things go sideways for both of them. Courtland Balfour, Duke of St. James, pretended to be his twin Kier and encourage the Audleys to come to London, for his own ulterior motives. Trying to make amends for all that went wrong, the meet several times and Cailin and Courtland somehow become friends. Something is growing between the two of them that only the two of them understand. What they both realize that they feel trapped like a bird in a gilded cage, constrained by rules and expectations of Society. Cailin can’t give up her independent ways and finds her friendship with Courtland a salve for her situation. Courtland finds it interesting to befriend a woman like Cailin but he needs to marry an heiress in order to save his family from debtors’ prison.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Cailin and Courtland’s romance as a fish out of water to finally being heard by the people who love her. Cailin is a bit of fresh air for this stuffy family and her brothers all thought they knew what was best for her. Being the youngest can be a blessing and a hardship because it’s hard to grow and be your own person when people are constantly telling what you can and can’t do. As for Courtland he was doing things the way it was always done and never considered changing course in order to save his family. Cailin opened his eyes to a new possibility and he couldn’t help but fall in love with her. This story is not only a romance of two individuals but a story of family and the love for one another. Both Cailin and Courtland got a better understand of how things have got to change in order to keep a family together. A wonderful story of love, family and romance all in one.

I enjoyed the number of humorous moments between Cailin and Courtland. I instantly new that these two characters would bring some exciting moments to this romantic story. I was very impressed by the clever writing of the characters background story and how it intertwined with their love story. The book was definitely an easy read for me. I enjoyed the romance and how how much fun this book was to read.

"What happens when an impoverished duke with a reputation for being a rogue collides with a strong-willed heiress who wants to explore the world? An unlikely friendship...and unexpected passion.

Cailin Audley doesn’t fit in with Polite Society. A life spent among the working class taught her to value her independence in a way no newfound fortune or glittering ballroom could ever erase. When a major misstep sees the new heiress whisked away to the English countryside, Cailin soon realizes the vexing lengths her family will go to see her settled. But having risked her heart once before, Cailin has no interest in the men of the ton - especially not the frustratingly charming Duke of St. James.

Courtland Balfour, the Duke of St. James, devoted brother and notorious rogue, despises what he must become - a fortune hunter. But with the ducal coffers drained by his late, spendthrift of a father, Courtland knows his duty lies at the altar and he will do anything to ensure a future for his siblings. Just his luck that the one lady who could make this new fate bearable, who enflames him like no other, is the one woman who wants nothing to do with him or his title.

But when an act of desperation inadvertently lands he and Cailin at the heart of another scandal, Courtland knows better than to waste his chance. Surely he can convince Cailin to love him?"

Mmm, yes, more time with the Ton!