Review of "The Duke's bride" by Joanne Wadsworth - now FREE on Amazon

This novel has the usual ingredients for a regency romance: a lady from the ton is in love with a duke, a lot of teadrinking ladies in a drawing room, a ball, riding in the park.

Lady Ellie has been smitten with her brother's friend her whole life but after a tragedy he seems determined to live as a recluse and never to marry. What to do?

If you like period drama's and regency romances this is the book for you. It is a situation that is not unfamiliar. Someone who definitely likes you but who is not taking a step towards a relationship. Do not expect a very layered story. I also stumbled upon some things that I thought to be unlikely in the timeperiod. Like when riding in a side saddle you cannot squeeze your legs around a horse and I think after an afternoon of horseriding people would change out of their riding clothes before dinner as to not stink of horses and stables. And being out for seven seasons? I think one was expected to marry in one or two and otherwise doomed to live as a spinster.

For the people who insist on a very "clean" book, this is no series of romping story but the people are young and do think about sex and hands stray. You can survive that I think. At the end a marriage is consummated. If that is not your cup of tea you can just skip the HEA after the wedding.