A DUKE OF HER OWN

Author: Lorraine Heath ISBN: 0061129631 11/2006 HISTORICAL Publisher: AVON
Time Period: Victorian - 1888

Lady Louisa Wentworth knows she will never marry well—her family's impoverished estate has ensured as much. Resigned to spinsterhood, the proud beauty has agreed to chaperone a young American heiress who seeks a titled husband through the turbulent waters of London society. The dashing Duke of Hawkhurst must marry wealth for the sake of his family. This well-heeled young American, Miss Jenny Rose, would do quite nicely. But the girl's infuriating chaperone seems determined to keep them apart. And worse still, Hawk finds himself far more attracted to the intoxicating Lady Louisa than to her innocent charge! A romantic subterfuge is called for—as desperate Hawk plots to draw the heiress into a compromising position, making marriage a necessity. But when it's lovely Louisa instead who falls into his sensuous web, this game of hearts takes a passionate and most unexpected turn...

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Lorraine Heath's historical romances usually guarantee quite a few throat lumps as well as several tears. While her newest offering, A DUKE OF HER OWN, did produce instances of both for me, the lead characters just didn't seem as deeply well-connected as those featured in her past romances. That's not to say this isn't a good book—when has Heath ever written a bad one?—but A DUKE OF HER OWN just doesn't have that extra emotional punch I'm so used to finding in her stories. I also have believability issues that someone would be hired as a chaperone who is so close in age to her charges, but after getting into the story a little bit deeper, that aspect began not to bother me quite so much.

Taking place at the end of the 19th century, Heath sets this story at a time when the English aristocracy is in deep trouble. The Americans, with their newfound wealth from industry and investments, are now the chosen marriage quarry of English titled gentlemen—not because of their beauty, but for the wealth of their dowries. It is with these same Americans that Lady Louisa Wentworth, daughter of an impoverished English earl, finds herself seeking out a position. Unlike her brother, the new earl, who's chasing after an American bride for money to save their estate, Louisa is determined to seek her own way in the world through self-reliance and hard work. And, unlike her brother and his aristocratic friends who think that marrying an American is the only way to save their crumbling estates, Louisa realizes that the only way to keep the aristocracy from extinction is by changing their ways to fit in with the times. The days of easy money are gone and they, too, must work, expanding their horizons beyond incomes from agriculture and tenets if the aristocracy is to survive at all.

It is Louisa's desire to become independent that throws things out of kilter. When she secures a spot as a chaperone for two wealthy, American heiresses, Louisa finds herself thrust into the middle of a competition for her charge's hands—and money—between her brother, a few of his cronies and a childhood friend, the Duke of Hawthorne. Louisa hasn't a reason to recommend the lot of them, but how do you choose between loyalty to your family and friends versus the responsibility and duties of your job? It's a complicated matter for Louisa, becoming more so as time goes on and she finds herself drawn more and more to the Duke of Hawkhurst, who also happens to be the lead contender in the race for one of the American girl's hand.

The developing love relationship between Louisa and Hawk develops gradually as they are caught in a compromising position and forced to marry. Both begin to see each other with new eyes, but the sad part is that despite their growing feelings for one another, neither one has any money. With Hawk having the added burden of providing for his family, besides trying to save his estate, both feel the marriage is a mistake.

This may not be Lorraine Heath as I would consider her at her best, but it still is a very good story, reminiscent in some ways of the true-life experience of Consuelo Vanderbilt and her mother, Alva. I found A DUKE OF HER OWN to be sensual, passionate, and very well worth the read.

Nancy Davis